[2014.11.01] ANTHONY WONG IS NOT AFRAID OF MAINLAND BOYCOTT

Anthony Wong and Carrie Ng
courtesy of on.cc

GANGSTER PAY DAY opens in the Mainland on the 7th.  Some online wants to start a boycott and gives Anthony Wong a "zero box office"
courtesy of mingpao.com

Anthony Wong Chau Sun and director Lee Po Cheung's film GANGSTER PAY DAY (DAI CHA FAN) will open in the Mainland on Friday the 7th. Because Wong Chau Sun earlier publicly supported Hong Kong students and people of "Occupy Central", a group of Mainland internet users started a boycott against GANGSTER PAY DAY and Wong Chau Sun like they did against Taiwan director Giddens Ko and Hong Kong director Chapman To Man Chak.

Wong Chau Sun responded yesterday, "From the start film has always had some viewers and some non viewers! I never criticized them, they insisted that I did and treated my reply to a letter like I was talking to them! I have talked about it before, I have explained before. They don't want to find out the truth themselves, but they would listen to what other people say. What else I can say? I am not afraid of a boycott, I am only afraid that I am not McDonald's."

Since the Occupy Central movement erupted, due to the Mainland official strict restriction of positive Occupy Central reports some Mainland internet users saw Occupy Central as the enemy.

Wong Chau Sun stressed that GANGSTER PAY DAY has already passed Mainland inspection and has not been banned. "The release means there is no ban! No Ban means I am not a pro Hong Kong Independence traitor! Since I am not a traitor, why are they boycotting?"

However, Mainland internet users were not one sided. Writer Fenghuang wrote, "After over a decade without going to the movies I have decided to watch Wong Chau Sun's movie!" Director Lee Po Cheung was not worried about the box office. "I have gone online and saw some opposition against the film, but some also supported the film and said it was two different matter. It wasn't one sides against Chau Sun, so I wasn't too worried."

Playing an over the hill mobster, Chau Sun in the film was stuck between two women. He said, "I have always played a tough guy. This time in the film I have a lot of romance, I considered it a big breakthrough in my career. To viewers it should feel very fresh."