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Guestroom - Zheng Pei Pei
u-weekly,
November
by Ah Wei
Unable to kick filming habits.
On receiving the task to interview Zheng Pei Pei, the first reaction was where
to begin? She has been in the entertainment circle for more than thirty years.
If this reporter were to ask about how she became an actress, it would appear
too old-fashioned. Thinking over it for a long time, in order to let the younger
audiences know her better, this reporter hard-heartedly still asked about her
fast.
Turning point
Zheng Pei Pei smiled, "How I got into the entertainment circle and my past
experiences? It was so long ago. Almost more than thirty years. Let me say it
briefly. I was trained in Nanguo Peking Opera School. Later, I joined Shaw Films
and shot twenty, thirty films. Later, I had also shot show movies with Jiazhu
Company. I don't remember the exact numbers of films I have made. It was too
many."
However, she noted that Drunken Hero was her turning point.
" The audience's response was very good when the movie was released. They were
deeply impressed with the role I acted. Director Hu Jinquan believed that my
image of a heroine was natural and convincing, and since then, I have always
been portrayed as a heroine in the movies."
"Have you ever become tired of acting?" I asked.
"It's not about whether I am tired of it. It's a job. Besides, since the
audience like it, as long as they don't get tired of watching, it's fine."
Having been in the movie circle for over thirty years, having made over hundred
movies, acted in a vast variety of characters and worked with many different
directors, Zheng Pei Pei remarked that each director has their own flair and
demands and it was a pleasure working with them. In particular, Yue Feng and Hu
Jingquan affected her most.
"Director Yue Feng not only taught me how to act, but also taught me that to
survive in the entertainment circle, one has to grab and value each chance one
has. Never laze off. Then, one won't become redundant."
Ground breaking not afraid of testing new grounds
She has always kept Yue Feng's words in her mind. As such, she has never
rejected any roles: Be it villains who are hated to the core, or inane, comical
roles, she would, with the attitude of testing new grounds, take up the role,
such as the villain in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Madam Hua in Stephen
Chow's Flirting Scholar, the first work after she re-appeared in the movie
industry.
"Being an actor, as long as it's rational, one should not reject different
roles, in order to hone one's acting abilities. For example, when I accepted to
be in Flirting Scholar as Madam Hua, I had never acted as comical character
before. And at that time, comedies were a big hit. After thinking about it, I
felt that I should try it to challenge myself. I accepted CTHD with the same
thinking."
She had left the entertainment industry for quite a while and was leading a
happy, wholesome life with her children, why did she make a come-back?
"Mainly because of I can't shed off my addiction to movie-making, and to make a
living. As such,. I returned. I didn't have much difficulties getting used to
life in movie industry since it's operation wasn't much different from that of
the past."
Great Kungfu
"Of course, it;s my daughter... I thought, every newcomer has their potential.
For example, Zhao Wen Zhuo. I don't know if he's still considered to be a
newcomer, but he has good martial arts background and is professional in his
approach. He should make be able to make it some fine day."
"Waht about Lian Kai? Heard that you recommended him for Yang-An's role."
"His mother and I are friends and it's natural that I give him some supoort. He
had always been actig as a bad egg. Si I told him, he should try changing his
roles. After watching his performance, thought that he was very serious and
worked very hard in portraying Yang An."
As for her hopes for her daughters, she said that let nature take its natural
course. But she re-iterated that if she was directing, she would choose her
daughter, Yuan Zi-Hui, to reprise her role in her reprehensive work, Drunken
Hero.
"She is trained in dancing and has learned Northern martial arts. I believe that
she would do better than me in terms of fight sequences."
On mention of her daughter, she showed the kindness and approachability of a
mother, like Lady She of Female Warriors of the Yang Family, who is stern on the
outside but always carried the peacefulness of a kind mother. It felt as if Lady
She is the true portrait of Zheng Pei Pei.
"Lady She's character matches mine very closely. Can be said as tenacious."
Post-script
Before the interview ended, asked Zheng Pei Pei to give some some encouraging
words to the new comer, she sternly said, "Must work hard. Never idle. Even when
there is no work to be done, done stay in the house. Must go out and interact
with people within the industry. Apart from that, must keep learning." |
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