Reporter: From your perspective, what kind of movie is Hero?
Ziyi: The core of the movie is that of heroic spirit. The message of Hero is not to be concerned with oneself, but rather to be concerned with others. Specifically, it is the country and the people's highs and lows that make up this responsibility. This is what drives the characters in this drama.
In fact, Hero consists of three parts: two parts of the story is fiction, while one part is based on truth. The colors also play a distinguishing element in the movie, so the makeup of the story is a bit complicated. When watching Hero, one can see that there is an internal aspect, as well as lots of action and fighting. Fortunately, all of this looks good on screen.
Hero awakens the wuxia ("chivalrous") spirit in people, as well as heroism -- [it is] these types of noble attributes that are of a universal nature.
Reporter: There are reports that director Zhang Yimou started out with giving you a small supporting role, and added to the role as you went along?
Ziyi: That's not true. Part of Zhang Yimou's job, from the very beginning, was for himself to be very thoroughly prepared. He has to be very clear on anything he wants. By the time that Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung started, they were not yet adapted [to Zhang Yimou's style] Under Wang Kar Wai's direction, they never worked with a script, nor set dialogue, and with cameras always shooting different versions, takes for crying and laughing, as well as left and right angles -- all for same scenes. And to hear the director [Zhang Yimou] say that he's finished after two takes would really shock them. Even they would request one more. From this, you can see that Zhang Yimou and Wang Kar Wai really are two extremes.
Reporter: It can be said that Hero is a fortuitous collaboration for the masses, particularly since you, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung and Jet Li -- all these types of big stars -- are involved in this movie. What kind of pressure does this put on you?
Ziyi: The pressure is huge, but I have managed to receive even more help from others. For example, there was one time when we were shooting a scene, I saw Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung on the side, just waiting for me. I immediately got nervous. Inside, I said to myself that I had to get this over quickly, so I wouldn't be a bother to the other people waiting. But as I got more nervous, the shooting got progressively worse and I just couldn't catch the weapon [thrown at me]! But then those two [Maggie and Tony] saw what was bothering me, and Maggie shouted, "Ziyi, don't worry! It's no problem that we wait, or that we can go somewhere else."
Reporter: Out of all the people you worked with -- Zhang Yimou, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Chen Dao Ming, etc. -- which actor gave you the biggest impression?
Ziyi: We all had a profound impact working with each other. It is this whole experience that is more valuable than the completion of the film.
Zhang Yimou -- Wuxia is his dream. Contrary to what I thought, I now feel that a wuxia piece is what he has always sought to do. He took up all that he had accumulated through his previous works, and put them all into Hero. Specifically, he has taken all of his strong points and entrenched them in this picture. For example, his use of colors, his control of large scenes, his embellishment of atmosphere, and his storytelling abililties.
Jet Li -- I feel that Hero is the best movie that he has ever done, his fighting scenes are brilliant and he really got to show his skill in acting as well.
Maggie Cheung -- She is such a free-flowing woman. If she wants to cry, she'll cry; if she wants to laugh, she just does. She loves catching butterflies. And during the Lantern Festival [first lunar month, on the fifteenth], she got everyone to light a candle and make a lantern. In short, she is very young at heart, and just full of energy; she is also meticulous, intuitive, and when we wrapped up shooting, she cried tears of genuine grief.
Tony Leung -- Usually a person of few words, but he spares no effort, even in practice of writing the single word "sword" -- he would practice so often in the hotel, that it left an ink stink that even the workers complained about. Most of the staff came out to see him and Maggie Cheung shoot scenes together -- everyone loved to see the two of them perform. In my opinion, watching the two of them was like a clinic in acting -- truly rare, indeed.
Chen Dao Ming -- His performance in this piece has been much neglected by the media, and I think that out of the many versions of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, his portrayal is the most outstanding of them all -- his acting is quite solid, not exaggerated, and you can really see his skill when he delivers his lines. [His role was] very much done in an imperial manner.
Reporter: You have mentioned many times before that you have taken all you learned and applied it to Hero. What have you gained from this experience?
Ziyi: Besides doing this for the performance, even more important was what I gained from such talented people involved. They are all extremely capable -- the director, the actors -- all have transcended fame and are especially focused on their art. And it is in this and many other respects that they have truly moved me.
Reporter: When the movie finished, do you have any regrets for your character "Ru Yue" (Like Moon)?
Ziyi: In Hero, Ru Yue really is a small character, her scenes are quite few. As for myself, I feel that when shooting a movie, you only get a certain amount of scenes. So I don't feel that my performance was in any way casual, nor do I allow myself to have any regrets. In all of my scenes, I feel I delivered a strong performance -- as long as I gave it my best effort. Anyway, I feel that I put my heart in this movie. You'll all see!
Reporter: Recently, you've been a part of the most influential Chinese wuxia movies, Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. From a wuxia film perspective, how are these two Chinese directors, Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou, comparable?
Ziyi: I think it is their character that determines this. Ang Lee is quite scholarly and meticulous. So Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is gentle, yet beautiful; Zhang Yimou's personality is like that of a person from Shanxi Province --being tenacious and bold. Therefore, Hero is a film that fills up your heart and mind with both intensity and sentiment. Their common points are obvious -- they have a fine eye for detail, and pursue pure beauty.
Reporter: Continuing the streak of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, how many Oscars do you think Hero will win?
Ziyi: I haven't even thought of that, but I think the director has already had a victory. By shooting Hero, he has truly achieved a hero's dream.
Reference link: Eight Questions With Zhang Ziyi
Thanks to puubs for the translation.
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for original interview in Chinese.
