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Ang Lee denies reports of criticizing Zhang Ziyi

(AP)
Updated: 2006-05-07 11:24

Oscar-winning Taiwanese director Ang Lee has hit out at claims by the media that he criticised Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, a news report said.

Best director winner Ang Lee poses with his Oscar at the 78th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, March 5, 2006. Lee won for his work on "Brokeback Mountain." [Reuters]

Lee said the reports in the Chinese media distorted his words, compelling him to apologise to Zhang, a posting on the Chinese news website Sina.com said on Friday.

Newspapers in Hong Kong and Taiwan reported earlier that Lee had criticised Zhang as "having poor sitting posture" while filming Lee's Oscar-winning martial arts epic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon several years ago.

"I was mainly talking about how I taught posture to Zhang Ziyi.

"Now they write like that I have to go and apologise to Zhang," Sina.com quoted Ang as saying.

"Young people these days read such gossip. What good influence could they be for their minds?" added Ang, who won this year's Academy Award for best director for Brokeback Mountain.

The Chinese media has been buzzing recently with reports of verbal sparring between Lee and Zhang.

Zhang reportedly complained to journalists that Lee was "selfish", and she was also quoted as saying that she didn't get any hugs of encouragement from Lee while making Crouching Tiger.