Showbiz: Chen Kun rises to the challenge
Award-winning actor Chen Kun shares with Loong Wai Ting his experience of doing his own stunts in Painted Skin: The Resurrection
Chen Kun plays General Huo Xin in the movie
CHINESE actor Chen Kun first rose to prominence when he was nominated for Best Actor for his performance as Qin in A West Lake Moment at the 2005 Taipei Golden Horse Awards.
His subsequent role in The Knot won him the Best Actor award at the 2007 Huabiao Film Awards. In 2008, he once again put up a memorable performance as Wang Sheng in the highly acclaimed fantasy movie, Painted Skin, which bagged him the Best Actor award at the 2010 Hundred Flowers Awards.
The good-looking Chen, who is also a singer, continues to impress with his acting skills. This year, he appears in the highly anticipated Chinese fantasy movie, Painted Skin: The Resurrection — the sequel to the 2008 film, Painted Skin. The movie also stars Zhao Wei as Princess Jing and Zhou Xun as Xiao Wei, the fox spirit.
However, this isn’t the first time that the Sichuan-born actor has collaborated with Zhao and Zhou. Previously he starred as Officer Wentai alongside Zhao in Jingle Ma’s 2009 film, Mulan — a movie about the legendary woman warrior.
On his experience working with the two famous actresses, Chen said: “It has been three or four years since we last worked together. Both actresses are hardworking and it’s very meaningful when you’re working with a group of dedicated actors.
Whether playing the first premier of the People’s Republic of China, Zhou Enlai, in Beginning Of The Great Revival, or the effeminate sword-fighting eunuch in Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, Chen connects with
his audience. It is also about inspiring his audience.
“The biggest similarity between General Huo Xin ( Chen’s role in The Resurrection) and I is that we are both carefree yet very responsible individuals.
Unlike his previous roles, The Resurrection involved more fight scenes. “Previously, all I had to do was pose for the camera at the end of a fight sequence. But this time, the director Wu’ershan had requested that I perform the stunts myself,” he added.
“I hope the audience can understand my character’s struggles, conflicts and pain. At times, he doesn’t say much. His conflicts, though, are real.”
While physical training is a must, Chen had also taken short courses to learn more about his character. “I did research on Huo Qu-bing, one of the famous generals under Emperor Wu during the Han dynasty. Part of my character is based on the historical figure. I also rehearsed a lot prior to the filming, so that my scenes were second nature to me once the camera started rolling.”
The movie took five years in the making and about 150 days of shooting in four locations including Tibet and Inner Mongolia. “The final battle scene took 26 days to shoot.”
The Resurrection also marks Chen’s first time working with Wu’ershan. “He is a passionate director, very focused on his story and its characters, which makes his movie worth the long wait.”
In the world of spirits
PAINTED Skin: The Resurrection is about fox spirit Xiao Wei (Zhou Xun), who is imprisoned under a frozen lake for breaking the spirit world’s rule by saving a human’s life. Enamoured of her beauty, a bird spirit, Qu’er (Yang Mi), pecks at the ice and frees Xiao Wei.
Xiao Wei must eat human hearts to maintain her beauty and youth. Her first victim is the Prince of Tian Liang Kingdom who is betrothed to Princess Jing (Zhao Wei) of the Han dynasty. Painted Skin is loosely based on the Chinese classic short stories, Strange Stories From A Chinese Studio by Pu Song-ling.
The movie is now showing in cinemas.
An ardent fan of Chen Kun ... Xi Xiaomi
Chen Kun plays General Huo Xin in the movie
CHINESE actor Chen Kun first rose to prominence when he was nominated for Best Actor for his performance as Qin in A West Lake Moment at the 2005 Taipei Golden Horse Awards.
His subsequent role in The Knot won him the Best Actor award at the 2007 Huabiao Film Awards. In 2008, he once again put up a memorable performance as Wang Sheng in the highly acclaimed fantasy movie, Painted Skin, which bagged him the Best Actor award at the 2010 Hundred Flowers Awards.
The good-looking Chen, who is also a singer, continues to impress with his acting skills. This year, he appears in the highly anticipated Chinese fantasy movie, Painted Skin: The Resurrection — the sequel to the 2008 film, Painted Skin. The movie also stars Zhao Wei as Princess Jing and Zhou Xun as Xiao Wei, the fox spirit.
However, this isn’t the first time that the Sichuan-born actor has collaborated with Zhao and Zhou. Previously he starred as Officer Wentai alongside Zhao in Jingle Ma’s 2009 film, Mulan — a movie about the legendary woman warrior.
On his experience working with the two famous actresses, Chen said: “It has been three or four years since we last worked together. Both actresses are hardworking and it’s very meaningful when you’re working with a group of dedicated actors.
Whether playing the first premier of the People’s Republic of China, Zhou Enlai, in Beginning Of The Great Revival, or the effeminate sword-fighting eunuch in Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, Chen connects with
his audience. It is also about inspiring his audience.
“The biggest similarity between General Huo Xin ( Chen’s role in The Resurrection) and I is that we are both carefree yet very responsible individuals.
Unlike his previous roles, The Resurrection involved more fight scenes. “Previously, all I had to do was pose for the camera at the end of a fight sequence. But this time, the director Wu’ershan had requested that I perform the stunts myself,” he added.
“I hope the audience can understand my character’s struggles, conflicts and pain. At times, he doesn’t say much. His conflicts, though, are real.”
While physical training is a must, Chen had also taken short courses to learn more about his character. “I did research on Huo Qu-bing, one of the famous generals under Emperor Wu during the Han dynasty. Part of my character is based on the historical figure. I also rehearsed a lot prior to the filming, so that my scenes were second nature to me once the camera started rolling.”
The movie took five years in the making and about 150 days of shooting in four locations including Tibet and Inner Mongolia. “The final battle scene took 26 days to shoot.”
The Resurrection also marks Chen’s first time working with Wu’ershan. “He is a passionate director, very focused on his story and its characters, which makes his movie worth the long wait.”
In the world of spirits
PAINTED Skin: The Resurrection is about fox spirit Xiao Wei (Zhou Xun), who is imprisoned under a frozen lake for breaking the spirit world’s rule by saving a human’s life. Enamoured of her beauty, a bird spirit, Qu’er (Yang Mi), pecks at the ice and frees Xiao Wei.
Xiao Wei must eat human hearts to maintain her beauty and youth. Her first victim is the Prince of Tian Liang Kingdom who is betrothed to Princess Jing (Zhao Wei) of the Han dynasty. Painted Skin is loosely based on the Chinese classic short stories, Strange Stories From A Chinese Studio by Pu Song-ling.
The movie is now showing in cinemas.
An ardent fan of Chen Kun ... Xi Xiaomi
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