[2010.09.12] CHOW YUN FAT DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE ANYTHING WITH HIM

courtesy of on.cc

Chow Yun Fat likes light and shadow, with a perseverance to capture the moment that seems to be a fever that resembles an out of body experience as photography seems to have already occupied his second life. Traversing in light and shadow for ten years, he walked to the peak of

Huangshan like a dragonfly, then captured "Yijin Jing" in the Shaolin Temple. From nature he learns the so-called "simplicity is fortune", the simplest idea in the world. He decided to return all his wealth to the world, simply with a line "On the way out I don't want to take anything with me". This superstar's generosity will forever endure.....

C: Chow Yun Fat

R: Reporter

Some climb dragons and escort phoenix just for fame and fortune that they cannot take with them. Fat Gor has been in this materialistic world for years and suddenly realizes that his body cannot withstand it. He does not want to take several laps around this dead end and can only be

determine to rewrite the second half of his life

R: Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and other super rich have said that they would donate all of their fortune. Would you follow suit?

C: I want to say that all the money isn't mine. I only made them, that doesn't mean that I would have it forever! If I die I will donate 99% of my wealth, before I go I don't want to take anything with me. Now I am still here, I have food on the table and a roof over my head, what more could I ask for!

R: Does Mrs. Chow (Jasmine Chan Wui Lin) already have an understanding?

C: That's right! We have already made our arrangements. My wife supports

them!

R: Are you afraid of death?

C: Birth, aging, sickness and death are normal, people ultimately have to go! As long as you learn to cherish, you do your own thing, as an actor you have to remember your lines, care more about family with action and not words. Whether with Mommy, wife, friends, I treat everyone the same. In life, my principle will always be "simplicity is fortune".

R: Can you reveal your life schedule?

C: It's very simple! I usually get up between 5 to 7AM, when I go to take pictures then I get up around 4. I exercise, read and eat. At night I definitely have to watch television, after watching two TVB series I go to bed at 10:30PM. Life is normal. I used to work many nights, my

health naturally has problems. I have many old wounds, all of them are acting up in old age. I have to adjust.

R: How do you maintain your health at 55

C: I like to exercise, my exercise is stretching. Now I am learning Shaolin Temple's "Yijin jing", the principle of which is "stretch an extra inch, prolong life by ten years". Actually it isn't any martial art, it is an exercise that Bodhidharma created for the martial art monks. It is just soft gymnastic, perfect for lazy people like me.

R: Would you pay special attention to your diet?

C: My diet is mainly light, fish and greens really are enough. Right now I only have half a bowl of rice! I also avoid cold drinks. Because the body temperature is around 37 or so degrees (Celsius), cold drink at the warmest is in the teens. The stomach can't handle such a big different. Diet is better than medical treatment.

R: So you are in such a great shape. How much do you weigh?

C: I am really thinner, with exercise the metabolism is faster. In addition I am eating less so I am staying around 165 pounds. On camera though 160 pound is the best, that looks much cooler! When I made THE BUND (SEUNG HOI TAN) I was only 140 some pounds. I was thin but looked good. I am very envious of how thin Chau Guoon (Adam Cheng Siu Chau) is!

Fat Gor gave the first half of his life to show business. After a busy half of his life, although he has seen it all in this business he still likes it. Why? Because he likes being an actor. Even if he plays a senior, someone's grandfather, he would not feel that he was being under utilized.

R: What do you think about TVB series quality?

C: They are pretty good! I watched CAN'T BUY ME LOVE (GUNG JU GA DOH), which is really pretty funny. Ah Sheh (Charmaine Sheh Si Man) and (Moses) Chan Ho perform better and better. The earlier BEAUTY KNOWS NO PAIN (NUI YUN JUI TUNG) also was decent!

R: Last year you praised Fala Chen by name, who do you like this year?

C: (Joyce) Tung Lai Ming I really like, in BEAUTY she sacrificed her looked, with a big nose and ugly costume. To her it truly was a huge display of abilities.

R: Have you thought about going back to TVB for your acting bug?

C: Haha! Now I can't take it. I really am afraid of succumbing on a television production. Actually it really depends on whether they have any good script, never say never.

R: Is never winning the Oscar Best Actor award a regret?

C: Acting is my job, you can't always think about winning awards. I really don't have any expectation. I only want to play the role well. Should I say I would work for free on a movie to win an award? Even if I said it you wouldn't believe it! Since you take the pay, you should do well. Award is a bonus, since I would donate any award to the Film Archive.

R: Have you thought about retirement?

C: I haven't, as long as I can I would. Even when I play a grandfather, the most important is whether I like the character or not. Every actor goes from youth to middle age to old age, it is the order! Acting isn't a question of whether you choose the genre or not, people choose you. I don't get to choose production reduction. Maybe in 8 to 10 years no one would ask you. I won't wait, if it's right I would work!

R: You have been rumored to work with Stephen Chow Sing Chi? Are you particularly looking forward to it?

C: I really don't know, even if we are we are not playing the leads together, so I won't think about it. If a script is written for both of us, then it would be great!

R: So you are working particularly hard in recent years?

C: It's just an coincidence that they all clash together. Some say that Chow Yun Fat has a lot of work, then some say that I am just sitting there. Actually nothing's changed!

R: From television series to film, to Hollywood to now back to the Mainland, how does it feel?

C: Only the location has changed, and whether the dialogue is in Chinese or English. The format is all 12 hour days. Of course neither English nor Putonghua is my native tongue, just the pronunciation takes me awhile to practice!

R: Did you think that you would be famous for so long?

C: I was very lucky! When I worked on television it was red hot, with so many new wave directors. This director and I went with the wave into the film industry, to the 90s when Chinese rose in Hollywood to now the Mainland film rose its head.....I have been very lucky to be in this wave, following it I took a board and jumped in. It's all luck.

R: Are the timing wrong for the actors now?

C: Hong Kong has really few actors with draw, only Louis Koo Tin Lok and Donnie Yen Chi Tan. The trend now is young model, but they must progress to an even higher level. Like Miss Hong Kong, Maggie Cheung Man Yuk didn't win but her performing art career is the most brilliant. Why? Because she learned to increase her worth.

R: Would you sigh over the current show business, do you have any word for the younger generation?

C: After awhile new phenomenon will arrive, like stock it has rises and falls. Because "this is the worst of times, it is also the best of times" you have to grasp it! More jobs and efforts don't necessarily mean more gains, but show business requires exposure, hard work is required which is the most important!