[2024.12.19] JULIAN CHEUNG TRIES A VILLAIN ROLE FOR THE FIRST TIME

Julian Cheung seeks breakthrough with his new film, while Francis Ng speaks up when he feels something is wrong
courtesy of on.cc

Julian Cheung and Francis Ng are both in THE PROSECUTOR
courtesy of singtao.com

Julian Cheung and Francis Ng often talk about acting

Francis Ng jokes that he is not "fighting one on one" with Donnie Yen, but he is chasing him down to hit him.

Julian Cheung deliberately dyes his hair white and grow a beard to strengthen his villain impression
courtesy of mingpao.com

Julian Cheung Chi Lam (Chilam) is accustomed to playing heroic roles. In the movie THE PROSECUTOR (NG POON) he changed from the usual well dressed image to dye his hair white and grow a beard to play the villain; Francis Ng Chun Yu played a stubborn prosecutor to uphold justice, said that the filming process was quite pleasant, and praised Chi Tan's ideas for being very "open". With many ideas, Chun Yu often had exchanges with Chi Tan, and joked that if Chi Tan fought back he would be compensated with double the salary. He could not even use his hands to block!

Cheung Chi Lam admitted frankly that he has longed to play a villain for a long time. "Maybe I don't look like I'm powerful enough normally, so I propose to dye my hair white and grow my beard to be as powerful as possible. As an actor I hope to jump out of the box. Actually no matter whether it is a good or evil role, I want to try other things such as playing a patient or an abnormal relationship; but investors may not be willing to take this risk, so many times actors are very passive."

Ng Chun Yu pointed out that originally director Yen Chi Tan wanted him to "fool" the audience and be the final boss, but he felt that his role on behalf of the judiciary should not be degraded and should be expressed through techniques. "Chi Tan originally want me to play the villain Big Boss, but it wasn't written in the script. I thought it would be very difficult to twist the performance around. In a stroke of genius, I proposed to strengthen the sense of conflict with the lawyer role he played." Instead now a stubborn boss who is inconsiderate of his subordinates is enough to form a kind of pressure, like Buddha had to be able to hold down Sun Wukong and Yen Chi Tan was Sun Wukong. Chun Yu pointed out that the filming process was quite pleasant because everyone could discuss it openly. Chi Tan would accept his proposals. In the past has he follow along with anything you did not accept? He said, "In the past that has happen when I was on TV, but the bigger the director, the more receptive the director is. Big directors usually don't care about you, but I also don't care and would just say it first. As soon as I finish talking they would think. In the end they would shoot according to my method. I would change every director, and many would accept it; just like when I was filming INFERNAL AFFAIRS (MO GAN DOH) or THE MISSION (CHEUNG FOR) I questioned some stuff. When working with (Ringo) Lam Lan Tung, I would make a proposal and he would very quickly think about it. Then he would say, 'Ah, yes.' or 'it's not like that'. After listening I would understand it as well, everyone have their own ideas when they create." Cheung Chi Lam also agreed, "I will have a lot of thoughts too, and I am not used to accommodating others when talking about them." Chun Yu joked that he corrupted him, and Chilam replied with a smile. "No, when I make movies I upset many directors to death." Chun Yu explained that because there are certain rules on which side to listen to at work; but sometimes only after speaking out or putting forward opinions to contend with it, can the director be stimulated to have new ideas.

In the film Ng Chun Yu and Yen Chi Tan had a "one on one fight" scene. Chun Yu pretended to be disdainful and said, "What do you mean one of one? I was pounding him, OK?" He dared to "pound" the Strongest in the Universe? He smiled and said, "Let me clear this up for you: we didn't beat each other up, it was me pounding him. Because I haven't seen Chi Tan on the movie set in such a long time, earlier when he made IP MAN he fought too, this time as a lawyer I said the audience hoped for someone to pound you." Did he ask for more scenes? Chun Yu defended himself, "I only said that, which meant that could you get pounded beyond recognition. Why would a lawyer out of the blue become the Strongest in the Universe, winning with both verbal and physical skills? Why don't you plain? A lawyer should have a few flaws to be entertaining. Maybe he misheard and thought Ng Chun Yu wanted to pound him, so he added this scene and stayed on the set for me to pound him." He pointed out that Chi Tan was very funny. In the scene they had a misunderstanding and wanted to reconcile, so he said that he wanted to have a fight. "I said that using words has made me very frustrated, give me a chance to fight you one on one. I really hit him, hard." Did Chi Tan fight back? Chun Yu smiled and said, "I of course wouldn't let him do that, I signed a contract and all so he couldn't fight back. If he fought back he would compensate double the salary. He couldn't even use his hands to block!" However he praised Chi Tan's idea for being very "open", regardless of whether it was right or wrong he would tell everyone for them to choose. It was a very interesting method, and he would continue to make the script better.

In the script, Chilam was originally scheduled to have a big fight with Yen Chi Tan at the end, but Chilam felt that he was no match for Chi Tan. Chun Yu chimed in. "Chilam can fight very well. He is afraid that he would hurt Chi Tan, and Chi Tan wouldn't be able to go to Hollywood!" Chilam also joked, "This is one of the reasons, actually you can think another way; since Chun Yu and Chi Tan had a fight already, why not battle in court instead!" Chun Yu pointed out that the current audience disliked the general mode of the cops and robbers duel at the end,. Of course martial arts fights still have a certain box office, but it did not seem to be as much of an audience as the dramatic battle.

Chun Yu recently watched THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK). He laughed and said that the elderly with a Leyou card might not go to the movies at half price, but Michael Hui Koon Man and Dayo Wong Tze Wah were able to scoop up the audience from the sixties and seventies to the 2000s of the last century. "Especially even the old people are going to see it, what would happen when we 'break hell' later. This atmosphere is pretty interesting. I asked Ma and she said it was good but she didn't cry, maybe the old people have seen it all before. This film is amazing in its ability to attract viewers of different ages. I myself had a very rough time holding it in out of my professional dignity. Actually with some scenes I know fully well that it is a tearjerking spot and would make me want to cry, not to mention other people? In the film the performance methods of the whole family and Michael are surprisingly serious. Every situation hits and is able to drive the whole movie. He is very curiously serious, not the hee hee ha ha make you laugh type." In THE PROSECUTOR Ng Chun Yu performed with Michael the judge and (Liza) Wang Ming Chuan (Ah Jeh) the secretary of justice. He said with a smile, "Ah Jeh hasn't made a ovie in a very long time. She is only willing after seeing us return. I too took advantage of Ah Jeh's generosity."

Working with Michael again, Chun Yu said, "When I made FANTASIA (GWAI MA KONG SEUNG KUK), I wasn't able to interact much with guest star Hui Koon Man. I am very happy to be able to observe him how he acts and handles the script up close, but I found that he is actually the same as us." Chilam followed with chemistry. "Half-baked." Chun Yu explained, "I have always sold to you memorizing the script too well doesn't work, and Michael is the same." Chilam said that he used to read the script until he was familiar with it, but Chun Yu taught him not to restrain himself too much. He even told him that it was better to drink another glasses while reading the script, because he has seen Chilam read the script before but the director finally changed it. The feeling was miserable. Chilam said, "I have thought of everything then it was changed. Actually there are many ways to perform, and sometimes it may not be useful to do all the homework. Yet he felt guilty about not doing homework, so it was good to be half-baked." Chun Yu agreed that memorizing the script well overnight will make the whole person so excited, he will remember it and really want to try it. Chilam said, "I feel the level Chun Yu is at is very impression. His theory is, being too heavily armed is not as entertaining as bare hand and fist!" Chun Yu pointed out that the movie was done shot by shot. Before at TVB he did not need to read the script when the shoot took up three pages in the past. Actually it was impossible for one person not to remember a line, After thinking for half an hour he definitely would be able to. Then why not let himself more comfortable the night before. "You have to look at the script in advance, before the shoot the director would also arrange for a table read. On the eve of the production start you should have another glass and rest earlier. Being too familiar with the dialogue might be a discount, maybe you would think too much and take the wrong directors. Why not doing it before work, during make up and breaks? A visual image would help with memorizing the lines, because film is made shot by shot, and requires the coordination of the co- stars." Was his acting already in full swing, and the filming would have very few bad takes? He said that actually everyone wanted to be a little more correct, but often they did not have time to shoot more, like the table read before the start of filming this time, and from reading the script again when the production began, he would know the general rundown. He only had to ask the director about the details and would be able to take his mark.

In recent years many movies have performed well at the box office. Was he confident about THE PROSECUTOR's release? Chun Yu said, "Every movie has certain ability to draw." He felt that many filmmakers with heart still existed in the film industry. HE praised that current new directors had many ideas and hoped to be able to continue to work with them. "Once on a flight, I took a peek at what movie other passengers were enjoying. Some were watching my work, I noticed IN BROAD DAYLIGHT (BAK YUT JI HA). Director (Lawrence) Kan Kwan Chun used the cameras to achieve new feelings, very sharp with telling the story with visuals. He also watched READY O/R KNOT (BUT YUT SING FU), director (Anselm) Chan Mou Yin also made it decently."