Takeshi: Yes. *chuckles*…no, I don’t feel that way. Because I admire you a lot too.

Sandra: Dont say those niceties… tell me the truth. Am I pretty?

Takeshi: Yeah

Sandra: See?

Takeshi: Well, if you compare to before…just like myself. People’s face would change. It’s because of how you feel inside and it will shine outward. Really, I think you are so different now from before. (Sandra at the background: ohh….) *chuckles

Takeshi: *laughs*…Right…Right…such a waste.

Sandra Okay, let’s talk about movie. The movie “Warlords”. Is this movie the hardest one you’ve ever made? Because I saw a lot of write ups about it, or maybe you’ve mentioned to me before that it’s scary to be in “Warlords”. Filming classics are always tough, the costumes are thick and there’s the fight scenes. Most people would want to stay away from it. Then why would you end up doing it and thinking it over couple of times before being in it?

Takeshi: First of all, classic films to me are foreign to me. Because I am not from a specially trained background. So actually, there’s a lot of things about it which I don’t understand. I’ve seen people filming in it though. At the beginning when Director Jang Yi Mou asked me to act in “House of Flying Daggers”… it was the first time I wear a hairstyle like that and costume like that, I couldn’t move.

Sandra: Oh, that was only your first time?

Takeshi: I really didn’t know how to move.

Sandra: Was it really your first time acting in a classic/epic film?

Takeshi: For a Chinese epic film, yes it was. It’s like not knowing about it but just doing it. Also, he’s a very famous Director (of “Warlords” …when Peter approaches you for a project, of course you’d be happy. But honestly, I was nervous about not doing a good job. Honestly, I was not confident doing a good job.

Sandra: So where did the confidence come from later?

Takeshi: I admire Director Chen Ke Xin. After we worked together on “If This is Love”, I really appreciated his work. I like his taste a lot too. I think, a new film is always a very big challenge for the Director. He’s the one who has the most pressure because you have to remake a film was previously done by a famous Director. A very good product at that. It’s hard enough that you have to remake it, then you have to add a lot of elements in it such as explaining that period’s history, making the venue look much bigger, the arts…there’s just so many. I think it’s really very challenging. I don’t know if I can help you (the Director). That’s why I lacked the confidence [to be in this project]. But he kept asking me and encouraging me which of course, made me very happy. Since he trusted me so much, I decided to do it.

Sandra: Actually, during the preparation, he really wanted you to play this role. Because the character is very innocent and sincere. That’s why, I think, the Director already had you in mind. That’s why I think he was nervous that after all the convincing, you’d still say no you won’t do it. *chuckles So I asked Director if I need to call you myself. Maybe I have to use my sex appeal. *laughs

Takeshi: ha ha ha…no need..no need.

Sandra: I think he’d say yes if I called.

Takeshi: Actually I was happy that he kept asking me. Because I really wanted it, but was just nervous.

Sandra: You were just nervous that you can’t do the job?

Takeshi: Right.

Sandra: Then you think too little of yourself…

Takeshi : Well, I didn’t want to cause him to lose face.

Sandra: Well, the mere fact he looked for you means he has confidence in you!

Sandra:That night watching the premiere, I was sitting beside Takeshi. I noticed that Director used large frames filming the men’s faces. This big. So I asked Takeshi…hey, each screen shot shows your young face! Then, everyone else have dirt on their face (from the fights), including you. But I noticed something…my girl friends told me too… you don’t have pores (it doesn’t show). Do you remember me telling you that evening?

Takeshi: Because I was the youngest in the film!

Sandra: Did you have any special make up?

Takeshi: No. The make up artist did the same for all of us.

Sandra: Is she from Hong Kong?

Takeshi: Yeah..yeah..

Sandra: Not from the US?

Takeshi: No. It’s the same artist for everyone.

Sandra: Do you notice that you have smooth skin?

Takeshi: uh.. *laughs* I don’t look at myself like that…

Sandra: Because many of my girl friends ask me to check with you what you do to keep your skin that nice..

Takeshi: Do you think the camera’s focus was just not sharp? *laughs Maybe it was too close, it blurred.

Sandra: Nah… did you notice it yourself?

Takeshi: No… I really didn’t pay attention to it.

Sandra: Now, there was 3 roles and they were all hard to portray in “Warlords”. Your’s was the naive one, Andy’s was the faithful elder brother. I think it was like Samo Hong-type of elder bro, the kind that will watch out for others. But if Director didn’t already assign a role to you, which role would you have picked?

Takeshi: Well, I would like to try any of the three…if you ask me this question. If I had chance, of course, I’d like to try out each one of them.

Sandra: How about between Jet Li and Andy’s role…who would you pick?

Takeshi: I think Andy suits his role perfectly. He can make the role even richer.

Takeshi: Especially scenes that emphasize on brother-like friendship, he can play the part much better. That’s why I think he’s (Andy Lau)acting here is very good.

Sandra: So, if you can choose, you’d choose Andy’s character?

Takeshi: After watching him play the role, I would think about trying it myself. Because I didn’t think the role of a 2nd brother can be like that. Because in the movie “Ci Ma”, the eldest brother’s role was very clear. That’s one, I would be interested in trying too. Because it also include themes on love and brotherhood in it, and also aspirations and dreams. I think they are all very challenging.

Sandra: How about your role? Do you think it was challenging? You mentioned that the roles are always very sad.

Takeshi: Originally I didn’t think it was going to be complicated. I thought it would be fairly simple. I thought I just have to stand there at one side. *laughs*

Sandra: *laughs Like just standing by.

Takeshi: *laughs Because those twos are both senior to me, so I didn’t expect that my role was going to be tough as well. I’m in tears in a lot of the scenes.

Sandra: Is it because of the environment you were in? Andy Lau once told me that those scenes are very tough. He actually ran fourteen times in that big area. Could it be because the story plus the toughness of the situation that brought tears to you?

Takeshi: I don’t know. I really don’t know. It’s probably not because the toughness of the working environment. Otherwise, then the crying scenes would have been easier *laughs* The Director explains to us clearly what needs to be done. And the art team helps us a lot. From creating the setting and other aspects of art that can affect us. So it’s not because the job is tough, but I think it’s more so because the environment allows us to slip into the character quick, adding to the (outstanding) performances of Jet Li and Andy Lau, and other actors. They’re acting can be contagious to me.

Sandra: You know, I’ve been to the set to watch filming. I’ve seen hundreds of actors dressed up as soldiers, it’s so dusty and all. Is it really possible for them to spend many hours just to take this one single scene of hundreds of soldiers??

Takeshi: Yes. Sometimes it does take that long.

Sandra: They’re just standing there. It’s cold and nothing (to do)..plus it’s windy and dusty.

Takeshi: Well, they don’t know what’s going on either. They’re actually kind of pitiful too, because they don’t know what’s going on. I think their part is kind of hard actually.

Sandra: Agree. I think it is so tough, especially when you guys have horse riding scenes. For example, Takeshi had a scene where he attacks and tries to block other weapons. Man. Is it total chaos when filming these scenes? Is it hard?

Takeshi: Yes it is (Asianbuzz: in Cantonese ).

Sandra: How many times did you have to film it to get it right?

Takeshi: I think it took a week. And I’m still running! *laughs*

Sandra: A week? Actually we just so a few frames of it. *laughs* Are there…*laughs* are there scenes where while you were running..*laughs*..you go like, “Director, just get a double (stuntman) for me!!*laughs*

Takeshi: *laughs* If it is a far scene, I think there was…Because sometimes we won’t be there. And when the character needs to be there, then we just need a substitute at that time to make it work.

Sandra: Tell me about a scene where it’s just the three of you (leading characters).

Takeshi: Well, we’re mostly assigned one after the other…It won’t be like acting on stage, it’s usually separately done.

Sandra: I always think that actors usually don’t give it all during rehearsals. I think they give it all (emotions) only when the camera is rolling. Then other (actors) would be like “oh…so that’s how you were thinking of doing it?” *laughs Do you have that experience, where you saw one actor go 100% in an emotional scene so you follow along?

Takeshi: Hmm.. I think it was okay. There was more scenes of the two of them. My scenes were mostly by myself. Mine were mostly watching them, their reactions and not with them, conflicting with them.

Sandra: That’s advantageous for you then. You watch them fight and you just observe.

Takeshi: Because they have more scenes together. So I watch their communication and do my own.

Sandra: *laughs* Then like I said, you got it made for you.

Takeshi: Well, it was still tiring. Because it requires showing emotions.

Sandra: Well, let me ask you. Is it harder to be in movie with just 3 men (as main characters).

Takeshi: Actually, the more actor there is, the tougher it gets. Because the things that the Director wants from the film is just so much. Because he would want to talk about the eldest, second or the youngest brother or maybe about this girl… So after that, it’s finished. He would listen to Jet or Andy, hmm…they bought have a point. Or Takeshi has a point too. But he’s a very nice guy, he’d listen to ideas. But actually it’s the easiest thing to do to just do as the Director says. I think it would be the most precise and wise thing to do.

Sandra: *laughs* But that’s not what I heard from Andy. He said the Director is not very decisive. He said the Director lets you do whatever you want.

Takeshi: What I mean is…there’s a lot that the Director wants to get done.

Sandra: Greedy!

Takeshi: Right, most Directors are like that anyway.

Sandra: Ah..so he lets you do it (play the part) first and let’s see later. Is there any specific scene from the movie that you think is the toughest for you ever, something you’ve never done before. Like you said that scene that took a week to film…well, I remember seeing that filming where you were killing Jet’s character. It was raining and all, and the ground was dirty. How about that one? was that the hardest scene for you?

Takeshi: Well, that was tough also. It also took a week to film that.

Sandra: Yeah. You were just getting beaten up by Jet, breaking your arms.

Takeshi: yeah, it was supposed to rain. But the weather turned out good, so we can only film a little bit each time. So once it got dark, we immediately filmed.

Sandra: So you were wet for one week and cold for one week. So what do you do in those scenes where you have to be all wet?

Takeshi: Well we wear clothing that protects us from the water, similar to raincoats.

Sandra: What about the head? water still drips down to your neck.

Takeshi: *laughs* I just learned then that I only have one hat. And that hat kept on shrinking and shrinking! *laughs So later I looked at the hat again, it looked ugly!

Sandra: But you had a substitute/double

Takeshi: Well, his was also shrinking too! Because we didn’t really plan for me to be wearing that particular costume.

Sandra: So you didn’t have time to make more hats? Then what happened? It’s just wrapping tightly around the head?

Takeshi: *laughs* Right…

THANK YOU, ASIANBUZZ!!!!!! Thank you for the wonderful job you have done for English-speaking fans!