[2023.12.29] ANDY LAU AND TONY LEUNG CHIU WAI CLICK INSTANTLY AFTER 40 YEARS

For the "Triple Golden" Best Actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai, acting of course comes easily

Tony Leung Chiu Wai admits that he still gets pressure when making movies now
courtesy of on.cc

THE GOLDFINGER brings Andy Lau and tony Leung Chiu Wa back together
courtesy of singtao.com

Tony Leung Chiu Wai is like a little brother to Andy Lau

After 40 years Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Andy Lau trust each other, and click as soon as they get together

Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu Wai exchange pleasantries and talk about their production experience

Tony Leung Chiu Wai plays the villain, arrogant and high spirited.  

Tony Leung Chiu Wai has many scenes with Charlene Choi and Michael Ning.  Before the production begins he has dinner with them to get to know them and make the production smoother
courtesy of mingpao.com 

Best Actors Andy Lau Tak Wa and Tony Leung Chiu Wai after DUKE OF MOUNT DEER and later INFERNAL AFFAIR worked together again on the film THE GOLDFINGER (GUM SAU JI) 20 years later. They have known each other for 40 years. Although normally they do not see each other frequently, on the set when they take their mark they would already be full of chemistry. They do not need any rehearsal for every scene together, the interaction would motivate the others' performance to be in more control.

Wa Jai and Wai Jai's movie INFERNAL AFFAIR became a classic. 20 years later they worked together again on THE GOLDFINGER and continued to be on opposite sides. This time Wai Jai played the villain businessman, while Wa Jai played the ICAC official who was after him. Was their bond still there? Leung Chiu Wai said, "We still have just as much chemistry and just as much fun. Wa Jai and I have always worked together very comfortably, maybe because we have known each other for 40 years!" Lau Tak Wa said, "He is like a little brother, we feel like family." Did he take care of Wai Jai? Wa Jai joked, "He had it great, everyone took great care of him!" They both started from the TVB training class, knew each other since they were young. Over the years when they worked together they would instinctively get what the other would do, as soon as they took their mark they would click. Wai Jai stated that he and Wa Jai had great chemistry. "We already became good friends when we worked together on our first television series. Maybe since we already knew each other when we were very young, we have built a great relationship; we really trust each other, so on the set we have great chemistry. We don't need time to get in gear, when we get to the set we are ready."

Wa Jai also agreed, "In addition we were used to work together for TVB anniversary. Back then with the Five Tigers everyone would think for each other, would show the others at their best. Whoever had any flaw we would help hide it. Also maybe we constantly had to perform on programs, we really needed everyone to have chemistry. Like riding a bicycle, I really remember when I did I looked amazing, but looking back now actually......" Wai Jai immediately said, "Very immature!" Wa Jai agreed and cracked up, "It's because some time has passed, the trust between people ultimately would require experience and time."

Working together again this time, did they talk about the good old days on their free time? Wai Jai said no, but the most memorable was working on the series DUKE OF MOUNT DEER because he and Wa Jai were together for 6 months. Although the production was rough, it was also a lot of fun. Working together again this time, during the performance did they feel the other has changed any habit? Wai Jai said, "I believed all actors would do the research and design how they would perform, this wouldn't change; the change would be being more mature, whether in life experience and personal experience, even performance skills. I also naturally feel his performance whether in emotion or looks would be much richer. So our every scenes could be done as soon as we took our marks." Wa Jai also said that for parts of the script they would perform more in depth, but like the courtroom scene the script didn't write what expression it wanted. "Wai Jai however was able to achieve several state of mind to interpret the trial process, so I really enjoyed every scene!"

Wai Jai this time played the villain and said that his acting bug got its fill. "I have never been so arrogant, so wild, so high spirited, I wouldn't be like that. It's impossible in normal life. I haven't played this type of character either, but it wasn't hard to grasp. Instead I was able to go even further. Director Chong Man Keung designed several scenes that were more cartoonish, making my blatant lies stand out." Was he good at lying? Wai Jai thought for awhile before saying, "I am good at coaxing people! They are lies of good intention." Actors all said that villains had more potential, was playing the good guy very hard for Wa Jai this time? Wa Jai said, "I don't know if it was hard or not. The character in the film had an immature perseverance, but Wai Jai's performance helped me. Because of his arrogance and bravado, I (the character) felt that society shouldn't have this type of person. The persistence was founded, so my good guy character would be performed with a very stereotypical state of mind."

In the film Wa Jai had a thrilling car crash scene with his family of four. Wa Jai pointed out that it looked dangerous but actually the shoot was not, because action director Chin Kar Lok did everything to their fullest. "If it's dangerous I wouldn't do it!" Wai Jai joked, "All the dangerous stuff are kept from you! If you get hurt then we don't have to shoot."

Wai Jai said that many factors drew him to perform in THE GOLDFINGER, because this time was a character he has never played before. He also really wanted to work with Wa Jai again, and the INFERNAL AFFAIRS (MO GAN DOH) team reunited to shoot another subject. Then he agreed without any further consideration.

Wai Jai earlier has said that he had baggage when he act now, unlike when he made POLICE CADET and he was able to play anything. Now would he need to gauge a lot more so doing what he wanted would be more difficult? Wai Jai admitted that when he took roles he would not, because when he felt the story and the character were interesting he would take them. However during production the pressure would come. "However as the shoot goes on and confidence is established everything would be much better, early in the performance I really would be apprehensive and uncertain about how to perform." Wa Jai on the other hand used to have baggage but now no longer. Did he carry the idol baggage before? Wa Jai said, "I am still an idol now! I would feel that now the market has more confidence in me. I used to think aside from the word 'idol' I would think of many other, which kept me from perfect control. Now I feel the market's trust in me is higher, I can have more choices; just like when I want to work with Wai Jai again, because when I act with him I can sense that he really trusts in my performance. I too would in particular perform freely in front of him."

Wa Jai once said that he planned to direct, would he ask Wai Jai to star? Wa Jai said, "Even if I ask him I would have to follow the regular process and have a script." However they still wanted to keep working together, but they did not hope to wait for another 20 years. Wa Jai said, "We have an agreement that next time we would have to be on the same side." Wai Jai also said, "I want to work together again, but I haven't had any idea about what to play. We would be partners!"

Speaking of Wa Jai playing many biographical films, Wai Jai in comparison has made less. Do they actually get originally created or biographical characters? Wai Jai said that with actual character the performance area would be easier. He would not feel that he was being restricted either, because director Chong Man Keung wanted him to inject more imagination. "Actually the actual character doesn't have too much information, the person is a mystery. Some says that he is very low key, so I have to come up with a lot myself. Whether the performance is like this I don't dare to be certain." Wa Jai felt that actual characters were better. Created characters had to be designed anew, but research could be found in real life. "Actually my character is an actual character. In order to arrest this person he never takes a promotion, for over a decade he clamps down on this person and never lets go."

Speaking of the two playing their roles to old age, Wa Jai grew old but Wai Jai remained young. Wai Jai joked, "Chong Man Keung said that people with money wouldn't get old, because they have a lot of nourishment." Wa Jai said that originally he could appear young as well, but the character spent every day on this case and swore to capture Wai Jai for over a decade. Thus he would deliberately be a little older.

The film had many stock speculation scenes. Wai Jai said that in real life what he knew was only skin deep. After the director finished explanation he only knew enough to perform. After the shoot did he have any interest in stocks? Wai Jai said, "I have no interest in this, after the shoot I got even more scared. Actually it's so complicated." Wa Jai admitted that he hs never bought one share of stock, in 2000 when technology stock rose like Golden Harvest going public he never bought a share. "Because I don't know how to invest, everything is for personal use. Even homes I don't buy that many." Wa Jai invested in film before? He sighed, "Sigh! You brought up the most painful part!"