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Cheung: I think it should have been even more documentary. I think Stanley even had the idea using a video [camcorder] to shoot the documentary part. At that point using video for film was quite unusual, now it's nothing, everybody's shooting with a video [camcorder]. And we actually saw each other not so long ago and we talked about it, and he still regrets not using a video [camcorder] and having a more spontaneous feeling to those scenes. Now I think the only thing I would complain about the film is the documentary part is too much of a set-up, it's not natural enough. Features: In the Mood for Love Official Site Profiles
Cheung: Well, the contrast is big, but then for me, I don't know how I managed, but somehow I just went with it and appreciated the fact that I was working on different things and this is like a whole new experience and I've learned from different people. But sure, it's very different on Jackie Chan's set, you have 200 people working and constantly on big walkie talkies or big speakers, to the very intimate sets of Stanley's or Kar-wai's or Clara Lo or Ann Hui. I mean for me I prefer to work on intimate sets because I feel everybody knows each other and there's some kind of friendship growing from the time that we are spending together and understanding to the film whereas to a big crew. It's always harder to feel at home when you're with a big crew. Q: Can you compare and contrast with working with Wong Kar-wai versus other directors that you have worked with? Cheung: Well I don't think any two different people can be compared, because for me as you see on my list I've worked with so many different kinds of directors, that I never try to compare two people. I think they are individuals, and because of their upbringing and background they become the way they are and it also affects what they want to say in a movie, I think that's the interesting part, to see the differences in them.
Cheung: Well, I need to know what her background is as a person to imagine who she is and how I can go from there. And from information about the character, I can actually work on it a little more and have more input and imagination for the part. And I always thought I could help more, it can be helpful, because I think reading a script, a different actor reading a script would have a different imagination, and I'm sure the director has his own direction for that character to what the actor thinks. But I think what works the best is always when two people's mind can work together to build something, it's never just the actor or the director saying, "You should do that," because it's his idea in the beginning but he goes to me to deliver it, so it needs to be worked together. Q: Do you feel that in the process of working on a Wong Kar-wai film, your contribution, your character building grows as it goes on? Cheung: Well, along the way, I thought I didn't have any contributions, because I didn't have any input because I didn't know who she was, but then in the end it's not true, because I don't think she could have come out the way she is if I wasn't acting her. I think I also inspire him to write the character. If a different actress was playing the part, it would have been something else. Q: How do you prepared for playing a sexy snake? Cheung: I think it's all just some imagination. I mean for me, sometimes I can just picture things that I can't explain, and I think a snake just sort of wriggles along the way. Q: You seemed to have stopped making action type movies at this point. Was that a decision or is it just because not as much is being produced? Cheung: Well, it's a decision obviously, because in the end what I choose to do is always a decision and action films are still around. But I think I'm not very good at them and there's always Michelle [Yeoh]. (Laughter) Let Michelle do it, I'll do something else. She's good at that. And my interest is not so much into the physical side. I like to work internally with my feelings and emotions more. That is more exciting for me. --------------------
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