Speaking with Zhang Ziyi was a bizarre third person exchange, as I would ask
a question to her translator, her translator would re-ask the question in
Chinese and then translate Zhang's answer back into English for me. The
opportunity to speak with the exotic star was on behalf of the film Rush Hour
2, which opens August 3rd. Zhang plays a villain described in the press
notes as a suspected henchwoman to a Chinese Triad bomber."
Zhang discussed her work on the film as well as that other famous martial
arts movie she was in. All of the following answers come from her translator,
Anita Chang, except were noted with "ZZ."
What did you learn from working with Jackie Chan?
She says starting
off, to her it's a great honor because she is, in fact, a fan of his too, but
she found out working with him that he's highly experienced, highly intelligent
and he's not just an actor. He's an all-around filmmaker and he was able to help
her with all the action sequences, and he knew what camera angles were best to
get the right scene and be close up or far away wide shot. It was just to her in
awe and just amazing experience working with somebody that is just so all around
experienced and capable.
How does his style compare to the Crouching Tiger wirework?
She
says the difference was definitely significant in the sense that the Rush
Hour 2 action sequence and the martial artistry is more hand to hand direct
contact sort of combative action sequences, whereas with Crouching Tiger
Hidden Dragon they were more sort of beautiful artistic shots. They were
more choreographed and more artistic and fluid so the feeling is definitely
different and the style is different, so she's feeling that, of course, the end
result which you'll see on the screen will be different.
How do you train for cinematic fighting?
Keep fit and learn the moves
necessary and just kind of train and exercise a lot. It's not something that she
does on a continuous basis, but as a role requires. She has a strong dance
background."
Are you looking to have a career in American films?
There wasn't any
real sort of thought out plan to want to come and break through into the
American market. First off, the opportunity to shoot Crouching Tiger Hidden
Dragon was purely based on the fact the opportunity to work with Ang Lee.
That was the first and foremost reason why she took on that project. And then,
from that project onto Rush Hour 2, it was something that she would never
have fathomed because she would never have conceived to do a Hollywood film due
to her English language capabilities. Yet when the opportunity came to her, as
long as it was something where there wouldn't be too much dialogue, it was
something that she would definitely be willing and interested to do, and she is
definitely interested to further develop her career in the Hollywood, Western
market but it would all depend on her English definitely.
Are you attached to the prequel to Crouching Tiger?
ZZ: I hope Ang Lee lets me again.
What kind of roles are you looking for now?
No action. She doesn't
want to do any martial arts action. Something without it. She actually is
surprised and not really quite cognizant of how it came about that she has
picked up so many characters that are so action related. It wasn't necessarily
something that she had planned, but at the same time in the future if she could
do some roles that had a bit of action and then had a bit of serious dramatic
roles, she would love to be able to do one and then the other or a role that
maybe had both.
What drew you to Hero then?
She's sure it's going to be an
amazing film. The script she's read and she's completely falling in love. She
said the first time she read it she was crying and then the second time she read
it she had to call her friends and talk it over with them. It's just so amazing
the script and she just feels that with a script that great, the film can only
be spectacular.
