Gong Li: A truly global talent

14 April 2007

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Within two years Zhang Yimou had plucked her from college for the lead in his first feature 'Red Sorghum'. Neither have ever looked back.

It was the start of a celebrated, but often controversial collaboration between Li and Yimou, 14 years her senior. Although he was married when they met at the Berlin Film Festival the bewitchingly beautiful and talented Li soon became his mistress, and perhaps more importantly, his muse.

After making 'Red Sorghum' for the less than princely sum of $100 they embarked on a series of successful films together, including the much heralded 'Raise the Red Lantern' (1991), 'The Story of Qui Ju' (1992) and 'To Live' (1994).

But the strict political and social environment in China meant disapproval of both their love affair and the rebellious themes of Yimou's films and neither their professional or personal relationship lasted beyond Li's appearance as a kept showgirl of a Shanghai racketeer in the 1995 film 'Shanghai Triad'. The film was a success but their love affair had died, and it appeared their creative spark together might have been taken with it.

Both reached a wider audience after their relationship ended. Li soon married tobacco executive Ooi Hoe Seong, and began to make the most of her high profile. Such was her level of international fame, that the Red Hot Chilli Peppers wrote a song in homage to her named 'Gong Li' for their 1999 album 'Scar Tissue', long before she arrived in Hollywood.

By 2006 Li had starred in the Oscar-nominated 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and landed the role of the villainous Isabella in Michael Mann's 'Miami Vice' opposite Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. That was followed by a star turn in 'Silence of the Lambs' prequel 'Hannibal Rising'.

Such is her rising stock in Hollywood that she was in a strong enough position to turn down a role in 'Rush Hour 3' opposite Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, dismissing the part as "too simple" and a "waste" of her acting talents.

Yimou meanwhile changed tack as he moved into the new millennium, garnering greater international popularity for his move towards epic martial arts adventures 'Hero' and 'House of flying Daggers', with a new muse at the forefront, young starlet Ziyi Zhang.

But after more than a decade apart, Yimou contacted Li on the set of 'Miami Vice' to offer her the role in 'Curse of the Golden Flower' and the pair were reunited. The epic movie, filmed in his now trademark visually stunning mould, has already seen massive success in China.

The tale of a 10th century Chinese Emperor and his strained relationship with Li's Empress Phoenix and her step-son is adapted from 1934 play 'Thunderstorm' - required reading for all budding Chinese thespians. It investigates the sharp contrast between outward grand, ornate beauty, and the darker, more complex truth beneath. It is unsurprising that Li was easily convinced to come on board.

The romance may not have been rekindled between the director and his muse but the fruits of their professional relationship are there for all to see.

Here Li gives a fascinating insight into her life as a film icon, and the inner workings of her professional relationship with one of China's greatest directors both before and after their paths split.

Q: It's been over a decade since you last collaborated with Zhang Yimou in 'Shanghai Triad'. What drew you to making 'The Curse of the Golden Flower' and working with Zhang once again?

A: We had always hoped to have a chance to work together again. When Zhang Yimou first approached me with the script for 'Curse of the Golden Flower', it was clear right away why he thought of me. The role was just right for me, and I felt just right for the role.

Q: Were there any significant changes to the way you worked together on 'Golden Flower' or was it a similar process to your past work?

A: Going back to work with Zhang Yimou was very easy, it was a very happy experience. It was like being together with family, we felt so at ease with each other, and there was nothing we could not say to each other. Zhang Yimou himself has not changed very much, he is still just as serious about his work as always. So, as in the past, we spent a lot of time initially discussing the story and characters. Besides having a great sense of visual style, he also has a great sense of storytelling, and he is willing to listen to the actors' opinions. So I felt that he supported us all very much, and it made it easy to focus on our common goal, which was simply to make the best film possible.

Q: How did you prepare for this role in 'Golden Flower'?

A: We looked at a lot of historical material about the Later Tang dynasty, including paintings and other kinds of materials about the look of the period, the costumes, the styles of beauty, the court rituals, and so on. But for the character herself, I also spent a long time reflecting on the Empress and her identity as a woman in a man's world. She is the Empress and therefore is above everyone else in society except the Emperor, who is also her husband, and is also a man. So their relationship has many layers, and this is the paradox for her.

Q: 'Golden Flower' relies less on the martial-arts action of 'Hero' and 'Flying Daggers'. This is obviously not an 'action movie', so what kind of messages should the audience take from the film?

A: Yes, I think 'Curse of the Golden Flower' really is a distillation of all the best elements of Zhang Yimou's cinema - the beautiful visual images, the strong and moving story, the personal artistic style, the commercial appeal, it is all there. It is a very richly detailed film, not at all just action or just melodrama. The story is driven by the intense relationships among the characters, who are encased in the royal court. It is a very lavish but also stifling environment. Those kinds of interactions, especially among close family members, might happen to anyone, except that in this case they are the royal family, so everything gets blown up - this film is like a magnifying glass on human nature. Of course this also means that it is possible for each person to see something slightly different in the film. So of course you can find some message about our contemporary society or about your own life in the present, but that would not be the only possible interpretation. That is another way to say that it is a very rich and complex film. I hope it is a film that people will want to watch again and again in order to think about it in different ways each time.

Q: How do you prepare for your roles and what kind of criteria do you use when selecting new projects to work on?

A: The most important thing for me when I am considering a new project is to have a good director, a good script, and a good character. As for the character, I like to find roles that are different from all my previous roles. And I should feel like I am the actress who is best suited for the role, even that I am the only one in whole world who can play the role. I usually begin by reflecting carefully upon the character and her back story. That way I can understand her deep psychology, the deep motivations, desires, needs, and so on that every woman, every person, has. So although each character is quite different on the surface, there are sometimes some common points. For example, the Empress in 'Curse of the Golden Flower' and Hatsumomo in 'Memoirs of a Geisha' are both women who know what they want, but they are in social situations that prevent them from directly expressing it. So they have to find indirect ways to struggle for what they want. As an actress my goal is then to find ways to dig down inside the character and bring out those hidden things to show the audience. I often prefer to emphasize things besides the dialogue - you can convey so much through body language, facial expressions, gestures, and eyes. There is a lot in art that doesn't depend on language.

Q: Can we consider 'Golden Flower' as a sign that there will be more collaborations with Zhang in the future?

A: I do hope that we will have a chance to work together again, I always have. Of course it depends on the particular opportunity, like the timing and the script and so on.

Q: You appeared in films such as 'Raise the Red Lantern', 'To Live' and 'Ju Dou' which were controversial upon their initial release and Zhang often found himself in trouble with the film bureau. How does it feel to work with Zhang on 'Golden Flower' now and see the film part of the establishment, widely distributed throughout China?

A: Unfortunately it is true that most or all of my early films with Zhang Yimou were not allowed to be shown in China at the original time that they were made. Since then some of them have been shown publicly, and we are all glad about that. Occasionally it was frustrating or disappointing, but as I said, things are changing. With the big changes in economics and society in China, people's quality of life has improved, but things have changed so quickly that some new social problems are emerging. Cinema is a good way for people to learn things and to reflect upon our contemporary society. If people learn to appreciate films in different ways, then it might also be possible to make different kinds of films. So I am quite happy that 'Curse of the Golden Flower' has done so well in China, it makes me quite optimistic about the future.

Q: What attracted you to working on Hollywood productions such as 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and 'Miami Vice'?

A: Well, the timing was right, as were the scripts and the whole package. In the past, people had approached me to be in Hollywood films, but the roles they offered were not very interesting - like a pretty Chinese woman in a Chinese dress who walks around and says a few lines and then disappears. Nowadays, Hollywood writers are writing more Asian characters who are full and complex, like real people. It is part of a general trend as Asian culture becomes more popular around the world, and as people in Asia have more access to Western culture as well. So overall, during these few years all the conditions seemed to fit together for me, and it was a good opportunity to try something new.

Q: Could you describe the experience of working with Michael Mann.

A: Michael Mann pays so much attention to details. He is very demanding on his actors; for 'Miami Vice' I spent a long time training in salsa dancing, English, how to handle a gun, riding in the speedboat, how money laundering works, what life is like in the Chinese community in Cuba, and so on. He is very good at seeing how far you can go and then pushing you to go one step further. It is like climbing a mountain of snow: first he piles up a little hill and gives you some equipment, and you think, okay, not so bad, then as you are going up he keeps piling on more and more until it is a whole mountain. You think you will never get to the top. But when you finally do, it is so easy to come down the other side. After that, I felt like I could make any film with any director, anywhere in the world.

Q: Do you see your career working on both Hollywood and Chinese movies?

A: Yes, I am happy to make movies anywhere in the world. Certainly I will continue in both China and Hollywood. As for everywhere else, well, the most important thing is the combination of good director, good script, and good character. Those things can come together anywhere.

Q: So far you've played a Japanese geisha and a Cuban-Chinese gangster in American films. There was some controversy in having Chinese actresses play Japanese geishas. How do you feel about the representation of Asians in American cinema?

A: As I just said, there is a general trend of people in Asia and America getting to know more about each other's cultures, and this is a very good trend. For actresses it means more opportunities, more opportunities to play characters who are like real people. I don't think it matters too much if a Chinese actress plays a Japanese character or vice-versa. In the two roles that you mentioned, the main point for me in understanding and developing the characters was that they were both women constrained by their social situations, not that they were Japanese or Chinese or Cuban. Also, it is still much easier to imagine an Asian actress acting in English in a Hollywood film than it is to imagine an American actress acting in Chinese in a Chinese film.

Q: What upcoming roles do you have planned?

A: I am still discussing some possibilities with my agency (ICM). Hopefully we can start working on the next film later this year. At the moment, I am taking a good rest. I made three or four films in a row, so I am happy to recharge my energy so that I can do something fresh and different in the next film.

Q: Is there one particular role you're especially proud of or would like your career to be defined by?

A: Each role came at a different time, so each one represents a different moment in my own life and career. Of course the films I have done in Hollywood look quite different from the earlier ones I did in China, and they are significant because of that move. I am proud that I have played such a wide range of different kinds of characters - like the peasants in those earlier films, all the way through the Empress in 'Curse of the Golden Flower'. One of my personal favourites is 'The Story of Qiu Ju' because it has such a natural, realistic style. Sometimes I didn't even know where the camera was, so I just played the scene in a natural, unselfconscious way.

By Robbie McIntyre.

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