[2010.07.21] ARAIF LEE TURNS PRESSURE INTO MOTIVATION

Christy Chung Lai Tai as Bruce Lee's mother

courtesy of mingpao.com

(from right) Robert Lee Chun Fai, producer Manfred Wong (Man Jun), Michelle Ye (Yip Shuen), director Raymond Yip Wai Man, Christy Chung, Lee Heung Kam, Araif Rahman (Lee Chi Ting), Tony Leung Ka Fai

courtesy of takungpao.com

The film BRUCE LEE, MY BROTHER yesterday held a press conference in Guangzhou. Yesterday, July 20, was the 37th anniversary of Bruce Lee's passing. At the event the actors and creators conducted a memorial ceremony. Attendees included producer Manfred Wong (Man Jun), director Raymond Yip Wai Man, actors Aarif Rahman (Lee Chi Ting), Tony Leung Ka Fai, Christy Chung Lai Tai, Jennifer Tse Ting Ting, Lee Heung Kam, Michelle Ye (Yip Shuen), Charles Ying Cheung Yau and Angela Gong Mi. Bruce Lee's brother Robert Lee Chun Fai and sister Lee Chau Yuen attended. Everyone released balloons of three colors into the sky in memory of this martial art superstar of a generation.

This film costs 40 million yuan RMB and has already started production in July, to be completed in August for a November release. Lee Chun Fai expressed that he has negotiated with film companies about this film since 2006. When they learned about the film production this year, they requested the Bruce Lee story to be factual from the start. Otherwise they would be yelled at on the streets for not being truthful. He felt that this time the script was very detailed, the Lee family also provided many suggestions. Lee Chau Yuen expressed that she has always had the dream of making a Bruce Lee memorial movie. Now it finally has been completed. The film was mainly about Bruce Lee's background, growth process and personality.

Leung Ka Fai in the film played Bruce Lee's father Lee Hoi Chuen, while Chung Lai Tai played Bruce Lee's mother Ho Oi Yu. Lee Chi Ting played Bruce Lee. Lee Chi Ting on stage expressed that at first when he was approached he was very surprised. Because Bruce Lee was a world renowned star, at first he had some pressure. The director told him to turn the pressure into motivation. In the film he not only had fight scenes but also had Cha Cha lessons. He said that he never learned to dance, but a guy definitely have fought before. Yesterday he demonstrated a few steps of Cha Cha and looked the part. He also said that this time both dramatic and action scenes were hard to make. Earlier he was injured as foreign co-star Alex Yue struck him in the head. He also studied many Bruce Lee films but would not deliberately imitate him. He and Gong Mi played childhood friends who grew close, but they would not have any intimate scene.

Ting Ting revealed that for her first film, her brother Nicholas Tse Ting Fung has called her several times to see how her preparation was. She was moved to tears with the phone in her hand. Ting Ting honestly said that earlier she did not have any pressure, but now her brother has made her very nervous. Before leaving her brother called her again. She joked that she has never seen her brother as such a nag but felt that he was very lovable this way. Did her brother give any advice? Ting Ting joked, "The advice that he gave me is useless, but it was the first time I felt like I had a common topic with my family, who is also very supportive of me." She also said that she thought Leung Ka Fai resembled her father a lot after working with him.

Chung Lai Tai expressed that she has not made a movie in six years. This time she was at ease. Because she has worked with Leung Ka Fai before, they had a lot of chemistry. She also brought her child to keep her company at work. Did the former sex symbol mind the promotion to a mother role? She said that she did not mind.