[2010.11.15] HAWTHORN TREE LOVERS LONG FOR LOVE

courtesy of takungpao.com

Mainland new actors Zhou Dongyu and Dou Xiao teamed with director Zhang Yimou on their first film. They were both nervous and happy about this rare chance, they remembered Zhang Yimou's advice of properly living and acting. They hope that in the future they will be able to repay the director with good performance.

Zhang Yimou's new film UNDER THE HAWTHORN TREE stars two film industry new comers Zhou Dongyu and Dou Xiao who played a simple yet deep love story. As the new generation Mou Girl, Zhou Dongyu honestly said that she felt nervous and honored to make her first films. She even said that playing Jingqiu changed her previously ordinary secondary school student life. "I didn't have any contact with this industry (film) and didn't know that after the film release it would bring such attention. At first I was a little nervous, but I still thank many for paying attention to our film. I have pressure in the future, but it is a driving force for us. We hope to properly work to repay the director." Having never thought about being an actor, Zhou Dongyu said that she ran into the biggest difficulty on her first production -- being natural. "The director in order to capture the feeling of being strangers kept me and Dou Xiao apart, we only saw each other in scenes. The hardest part of acting is acting natural, a lot of attention has to paid to even the most minute item. I thought this was a film actor life."

Also in his first film, Dou Xiao said that Zhang Yimou's film has already left a deep impression when he was little. He was nervous at the first meeting with this famous director, but they spent more time together he realized that he was friendly and intimate. He even remembered the advice from the director. "He said to properly live and act, to be someone who does the job well. I feel as a person or an actor I have to seek improvement, which is worthy learning. Also many teachers in the film, their acting whether where they put their hand or other areas were very detailed and professional. They led us to perform naturally and taught us a lot." Playing Laosan, Dou Xiao honestly hoped to be just like the character and find the simplest romance. As for spark with co-star Zhou Dongyu, Dou Xiao said that after working together they already became good friends. However she was not the type that he liked. "I like girls who are quiet and have to laugh." Zhou Dongyu said, "I like naive and simple guys. We only see each other on the set and promoting, the rest of the time we are busy on our own."

UNDER was a big Mainland hit, the touching story left deep impression with many viewers. However actually behind shooting this touching scenes they also had funny incidents. Zhou Dongyu said, "For one scene by the river with Laosan, the weather was good and mosquitoes were by the river. However during the shoot because I couldn't move, the mosquitoes bit me. Although I was shooing away mosquitoes without affecting the shoot, after making the shoot my leg was all red and itchy."