Q:
In "Flip Back to Actress" or "Center Stage," where we actually see
you appearing to be discussing your character on screen, was that
material actually shot like documentary material?
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.
Q:
You've filled every conceivable genre of film in Hong Kong and the
difference in working in "Police Story" to working with Stanley, it's
a whole different thing, can you do a little compare and contrast?
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.
Q:
In terms of constructing your character, I read that when you can
on the set, you asked him a lot of questions. What do you think that
you need? What do you most like to have from a director?
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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Related:
AC
Interviews Actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai
AC Interviews Actress Maggie Cheung Man-yuk
AC
Interviews Director Wong Kar-wai
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Review by AC Team's Solange Castro Belcher)
About In the
Mood for Love
Official Site
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