Tony Leung Chiu-wai on working with WKW and his take on the acting process:
The 1991 film 'Days of Being Wild' finally gave Tony a chance to breakthrough his barriers. However at the start of the filming process, Tony had to withstand relentless demands from director Wong Kar Wai. His mood plummeted, which in turn affected his acting. He would continuously NG on his scenes, with one scene that took over 20 takes to film. Although Tony already had a solid acting background, what Wong Kar Wai wanted was the most basic form of acting. Was it something he lacked? What Tony knew how to do was to put on an elaborate 'performance'. Perhaps what he truly lacked was that simplistic and natural flavour.
Maggie Cheung once said that filming 'Days of Being Wild' allowed her to understand what acting truly was. It was also because of this movie that brought Tony's acting to another level.
"Actually I very much enjoy the entire filming process. Is the reason because I enjoy this job? It was actually during the TVB Artiste Training Program that I realized I enjoy acting. I have an easy-going personality and I like to approach things at my own pace. My biggest fear was the pressure of having to film a series in the short span of three months. There's a lot of preparation work that needs to be done beforehand, not to mention having to fulfill the requests of the directors... perhaps this is why I prefer working with Wong Kar Wai. His pace is much more manageable. I wouldn't mind working on a film for 5, 8 years. The filming process does not have to be rushed."
Tony steers the conversation onto Wong Kar Wai, who he has collaborated with for over 18 years. Compatibility only comes with mutual understanding. It is the only way to bring out the best in each other.
"Whenever I'm in the process of filming, I tend to bring pieces of my character into my own life. To begin preparing for a role, I will force myself to feel what the character is feeling - diving straight into the heart of the character, until I slowly become the character itself. It doesn't matter if it's at the start of the production or at the end, but having such an intimate relationship with a character is not a comfortable position to be in."
"How do I engage in this process? When I take on a role, I first need to understand the character's background. What type of things influenced the way he grew up? When did he first start smoking, drinking, dating? Did his family and childhood experiences play a big part in the way his personality developed? All these questions need to be addressed. The last thing I will consider is the physical aspects of the character, such as the way he speaks, the way he walks, any sort of body language he makes... understanding these innermost details allow myself to transform into the character."
http://bazaartrends.com.cn/mens/2009-02/175906.shtml
