[2017.02.06] FRANCIS NG TACKLES AN OLD MAN ROLE

Francis Ng and Jessie Li play a couple

Francs Ng goes into grandpa mode
courtesy of on.cc

The Francis Ng Chun Yu and Louis Koo Tin Lok starred film SHED SKIN PAPA earlier was chosen to be in the Tokyo Film Festival competition. Chun Yu played the character from age 17 to 79. His relationship with Goo Jai even left a deep impression with the jury. The film at the end of last year held mystery advanced screenings and had decent response.

Chun Yu played a 79 year old Alzheimer patient. He sat on a church pew. Soon his hand was shaking, he scratched and wet himself. Then he sniffed and licked his hand. That day was Chun Yu's birthday. The team presented a cake to celebrate with him. Chun Yu continued his old man appearance and clapped along with the birthday song!

Was the scene for real? Chun Yu joked, "When you drink more water you would naturally lose control. I am a professional actor, ha ha! (What about scratching yourself?) Some of the elderly would have skin illness that would itch. When I got into character I added a few gestures. I did several versions but I have no idea which one would be used." He also said that the day of the make up shoot Goo Jai originally did not have a scene. Because the make up process was hard to take, he called Goo Jai to move up the shoot. He thanked him for understanding!

Chun Yu admitted that gaining weight for the make up scene for not too hard, but the shoot took place in the summer. Everyday he spent 14 hours to put on and remove the make up and on the shoot. Although he complained without end, he felt it was the Hong Kong spirit.

He said, "I gained 70 some kilograms and had a belly. The 80 year eyes would droop a lot! I didn't sleep and I drank so they would droop even more. Then I had to lose 20 pounds in 12 days. It would be hard to reach 20 some inch waist young man with 4 pack abdominal muscles. I could only ask a coach to go through hellish training, remove sugar and salt from my diet. It was so tough that I cried, I was dizzy, nauseous and sore. (Would you turn it down next time?) It's more fun playing young, I had a little fun with the old make up and that's enough!"

Chun Yu actually did not know Jessie Li (Chun Xi), who played his wife in the film. Later he learned that she worked on with Aaron Kwok Fu Sing and Michael Ning (Bak Ji) on a movie and won many awards. Chun Yu sad, "Our relationship was very light, I feel this girl is pretty nice, pretty elegant."