[2025.01.19] LOUIS KOO TALKS ABOUT PASSING THE TORCH ON AND OFF SCREEN

Gigi Leung says that Louis Koo feels very cool, but actually is a warm guy on and off screen
courtesy of singtao.com

Gigi Leung and Louis Koo ask viewers to go to the cinemas to support Hong Kong films and spend a Happy New Year

Louis Koo and Raymond Lam are both TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN leads

Louise Wong and Peter Chan Charm Man attend the HIT N FUN premiere in Macau
courtesy of mingpao.com

The world premiere of the Lunar New Year movie HIT N FUN (LUM SI KUET DAU) was held in Macao yesterday afternoon. Director Albert Mak Kai Kwong led actors Louis Koo Tin Lok (Goo Jai), Gigi Leung Wing Kei, Louise Wong Dan Nei and others to attend. Taiwanese artist Darren Wang Dalu came to enjoy the movie, and the premiere attracted hundreds of onlookers. The president of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, Goo Jai mentioned earlier that he was not optimistic about Hong Kong film investment this year. Goo Jai bluntly said yesterday that the entire film industry is facing a cold winter, and he has repeatedly expressed his hope that the audience will support Hong Kong films more frequently; Recently, the results of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards have caused a lot of discussion. Even Goo Tsai was puzzled by the fact that TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING) won "Best Film" of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society but did not make the 10 recommended films.

This year's Lunar New Year Hong Kong-made films include HIT N FUN (LUM SI KAU DUET), MY BEST BET (CHEUNG DOH BIT YANG) and QUEEN OF MAHJONG (MA JEUK NUI WONG JUI NAM JAI). As the film company boss, Goo Jai bluntly said that he has no box office pressure. He hoped that the audience would support Hong Kong films, enter the theater to watch Hong Kong-style comedies, and have a happy Lunar New Year. Referring to his statement that it is not suitable for large investment in the past two years, that film production in 2025 would be reduced, and might still have a chance that all of them would rely on funding from the Hong Kong SAR government in order to be able to start production, Goo Jai said, "The whole circle is facing the problem of a cold winter, and the government has always provided funding. However the film company also needs to figure out what kind of film to make and use what method to invest. To be safe, it is necessary to apply to the government; but because there are still restrictions, I hope the audience will support local films more."

In addition, the Goo Jai starred TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING) received 9 nominations at the 18th Asian Film Awards, making it the most nominated film among Chinese films. Goo Jai said, "I feel that THE TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN's box office was great. We spent a lot of time and effort to make it, to be nominated is bonus. I am very happy, and also hope everyone would properly cherish Hong Kong film."

As for the accusation that Goo Jai gave way for Raymond Lam Fung to apply for the "Best Actor" at the Hong Kong Film Awards and retreated to only applied for "Best Supporting Actor". Goo Jai admitted that TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN was about passing the torch, so the nominations also had such an intention. "I don't want everyone in the same movie to compete for Best Actor, which would be meaningless. This way would be more even, because everyone have given their all."

Speaking of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society's founding member Manfred Wong (Man Jun)'s questioning that TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN was selected as the "Best Film" at this year's Film Critics Society Awards because of its box office and audience resonance, but THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK), which grossed HK$ 158 million in Hong Kong, was not included in the final five discussions for the "Best Film", Goo Jai said that he knew that TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN won the "Best Film" but was not included in the 10 recommended films, and thought that the criteria of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society were different. He also questioned the results and said, "I am not sure how they made the decision. If you ask me about the voting mechanism of the Hong Kong Film Awards, I would know."

Goo Jai and Leung Wing Kei played husband and wife in the film. the two have already collaborated for the 6th time, thoroughly showing their chemistry with each other. Gigi even praised Goo Jai for being seen as "Mr. Cool" normally, but actually he was a warm man in and out of the film. When Goo Jai heard he could not help but ask, "How warm?" Gigi said, "Both he and the role this time were very warm. When shooting the home scenes, I felt that he was a warm man, even more. He took good care of the 'Fish Ball Girl' (child star Wong Wan Ching) on the set, but he took care of Wong Dan Nei the least; she was tossed around like a rag doll. I witnessed the whole process, and I felt her pain; but it was all for the plot." Goo Jai said that he has worked with "Fish Ball Girl" a few times, and this time they had more conversations. Knowing that she has to take exams and make the film, he would worry about her homework. As for Wong Dan Nei's focus in the film was on training, holding back while fighting was difficult. Referring to Wang Dan Nei being in so much pain that she could not move after he tossed her, Goo Jai said, "Really? I did toss her, I couldn't fake it. You can fake it a slap, but you can't fake picking up the person and letting go. It would violate gravity."

Wong Dan Nei was constantly beaten by Wu Tsz Tung, Koo Tin Lok and Leung Wing Kei in the film. In one scene Goo Jai tossed her onto the ground, and she was in so much pain that she could not move; but Goo Jai had no impression and did not show mercy at all. Wong Dan Nei smiled bitterly and said, "When I was tossed to the ground, I felt a shock to my internal organs, and my internal organs had to move back to their original positions before I could move to get back up. Mr. Goo is a very strong man, when he threw me he used some force. Only the weight of a man and a woman were different, so I took a stiff shot. Maybe Mr. Koo thought that I was still acting. I originally caught my breath and wanted to get up for another take, but the director has already said that the take was good and there is no need to reshoot." Chan Charm Man praised her as the new generation of action actress, Wong Dan Nei said that this time was indeed a new attempt. She felt that Muay Thai was a lot of fun, and she has unlocked a new skill.

In HIT N FUN, two beauties, Wong Dan Nei and Chau Sau Na, wanted to fight a Muay Thai duel for Chan Charm Man, Chan Charm Man said with a smile that he did not believe that the director would give him this good straw. He joke that he did not bribe the director, and believed that his "rugged" appearance caught the director's eye. Wong Dan Nei immediately helped and said, "Girls will look at the connotation and personality when choosing a boyfriend." Chan Charm Man smiled and said, "It should be a character, the indecisive ones always get the love of women out of pity!" He said that in reality two girls have never tried to fight over him, at most he was between his wife and daughter; but his daughter would win every time, as even his wife also had to yield to her. "I hope even more women to fight over me next time, if I could play Wai Siu Bo it woud be good! I would bring my wife to the set for her to be the official wife, then she definitely couldn't say anything."