For Andy Lau's acting career, it's like growing up with the Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) as in his first year of entering showbiz, he watched the 1st HKFA when he was 19-years-old and he was awarded the Newcomer with a Bright Future award in the 2nd HKFA. Later, Andy was nominated for the Best Actor award for 9 times, after winning his first with Running Out of time in the 19th HKFA, Running On Karma in the 23th HKFA, his standard of performance had stablise, it can be considered as reaching the peak of his career.
Reporter (R) : You've being nominated for the Best Actor award for 9 times, can you say about the classic character that you're nominated for?
Andy (A) : For As Tears Goes By (Andy's first Best Actor nomination), I studied with Wong Kar Wai on why did Hollywood could have a James Dean and not Hong Kong? I suggested shooting a movie with this style, we had meetings every day, we even went to test shoot, so happy, most unforgettable was the finale scene which I kiss with Maggie Cheung, I told Wong Kar Wai that this scene must be long enough to make an impression as there was not a long intimate scene in Hong Kong.
R: Lee Rock is a film that stretch through history, how you handle it when you're younger?
A: My first impression, it looked like Godfather but not only one character acted from young to old, in Lee Rock, I'm the only character. This was a rather innocent way of Hong Kong movies, only Wong Jing dare to do so, I never expected this movie will be successful, of course I did reference with Godfather for my acting and one of my successful way of acting. If the special effect makeup was of today's standard, the effect will turn out better.
R: Love On a Diet was the first comedy that you was nominated for, this is also the first time you faced the audience with "this is not Andy Lau", how you feel?
A: I really changed to a different person, I like the character but not being Andy Lau, someone told me that I'm too "Andy Lau", I only want to tell everybody, everyone is acting himself, why can't i?
R: In Infernal Affairs, your character is half good and half evil which is rarely seen in your movies.
A: What I can't change is my outlook, thus I can only get myself totally into the character, think of how this person will appear in such situation. Of course there's many ways to allow the audience to see performance of a half good and half evil character, but many people still think that I lose the Best Actor award is that I was not evil enough. Actually I feel that the character is very evil as he was in the police station where everyone is smart, I think I should have tried to show off the good side more.
R: Running Out of Time will completely change your way of looking at acting?
A: Correct. From Running Out of Time, I believe that a successful performance does not need to have a script, actually Running Out of Time does not have a complete script, we shot for close to 9 months, we keep studied throughout the period, we need to re-shoot many parts, because after 4 months of soul searching, it allows me to understand the character completely, before showing off it in 4 months. Since the beginning, no matter Love On a Diet, Fulltime Killer, Running On Karma, I've discussion with director Johnnie To for at least 3 weeks before shooting starts. Therefore, I need not communicate with Johnnie during our collaboration, we know each other's thinking.
R: How you compare your performance in Infernal Affairs III and Running On Karma?
A: I'm worried, nobody see me in Infernal Affairs III! During shooting, I was under huge pressure as everyone was saying that everyone is after Andy Lau in Infernal Affairs III, thus throughout the process, I always tell myself not to put in too much effort. It doesn't mean concentrate to have a good movie. Sometimes it might be overdone, I think I did just well in the movie.
R: What's the encouragement to you from Hong Kong Films Awards?
A: I grew up together with HKFA. When compared with the Film Critics Awards, HKFA is more commercialise, thus similiar to Andy Lau. Whether I'm nominated or not, within my efforts, I'll support Hong Kong movies and the HKFA.
news from: Sina.com
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