By Liu Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-12-19 07:42

Tang became immersed in the role of Wong Chia Chi, an ordinary girl endowed with an extraordinary assignment.

"I thought the way she thought, dreamed the way she dreamed. She is a simple girl following her heart, I admire her for this," Tang said.

Perhaps influenced by her painter father, Tang specialized in art at high school. Most of her peers chose art college after graduation, but Tang got a chance to play a small part in a TV series before the university entrance exam. The experience made her determined to become an actress. Despite her parents' objections, she applied for a place at the Central Academy of Drama, the school of Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi.

"I think only when you follow your own heart will you be happy, and what you do is meaningful," she said.

And her gut instinct would eventually pay off in the form of a meeting with a director she regards as a visionary.

"Lee has very strong insight. When I had a different opinion, I would speak out, but most of the time I was persuaded by him." she said.

Tang clearly remembers their first scene. Playing Wong, Tang was chatting at an eatery, while behind the monitor Lee suddenly said: "Tang Wei, right eye, higher."

She was confused. How do you make your eye "higher?" She turned to the other actors, but they looked just as puzzled. Finally she figured out that Lee was speaking figuratively. Tang said that as an inexperienced player, sometimes it was difficult when no specific directions were given.

Before and after the premiere, the film's erotic scenes were the talk of the town. Cinephiles' jaws dropped at Lee's bold new direction, and Tony Leung said he had second thoughts about his role. On the other hand, Tang seems comfortable with the explicit material.

"Lee wanted to shoot the scenes, but he was too shy to give too concrete instructions," she said. "We had rehearsals, Leung is a great actor, he helped me a lot."

When Lee told her before filming started there would be sex scenes, she replied: "I gave myself to you!"

"I agree that the scenes are necessary and cannot be substituted by other methods," she added.

When the shooting wrapped up, Tang said she was sad, because the crew had become like a family. She even asked Lee: "Can we shoot for 10 more years?"

"It is hard to describe my relationship with Lee," she said. "It has too many layers, not simply like a father and daughter, or tutor and student. I think he is my benefactor, who has given me an important push," Tang said.

While Lee never revealed why he chose her, he has said that Tang "brings Wong Chia Chi to life."

"That's the best compliment I could get," she said.

   1 2   

   1 2