[2009.12.06] GONG LI, ZHANG ZIYI JOIN THE GRAND MASTER

The Wong Kar Wai directed GRAND MASTER (YUT DOI JUNG SI) reportedly has landed Zhang Yimou's two Mou Girls Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li. In addition Wong Kar Wai did not rely on a screenplay but his mouth to do so. The fact is Wong Kar Wai's retelling of Ip Man's story indeed requires a strong cast and topic to be able to attract the audience into the cinema again. After MEMOIR OF A GEISHA, the audience has not seen Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi together. According to those close to Wong Kar Wai, his invitation to Gong Li was planned very early on.

When Gong Li earlier worked with Wong Kar Wai on EROS and 2046, Gong Li had words about Wong Kar Wai's filmmaking without a screenplay. On the set they performed as he talked, which gave Gong Li of an abyss inside. When she made 2046, Gong Li felt that her performance was not successful. She only played a partial character. She even criticized Wong Kar Wai's waste of actors. "You put all these good actors into a movie, then you random waste them. This is like a training class."

Yet this time Gong Li was still tempted. Reportedly this character would be very challenging to Gong Li as she played the female leader of another Foshan martial art school. In the film Gong Li might turn into another "action actress". After landing Gong Li, Wong Kar Wai also began to invite Zhang Ziyi to play the role of Ip Man's wife, but this character would be different from the role that Lynn Xiong (Hung Doi Lam) played in IP MAN. Wong Kar Wai is still telling the story so Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung Chiu Wai have romance in the film. Yet Zhang Ziyi still had concerned. Finally Wong Kar Wai agreed to give Mrs. Ip Man a lot of screen time, then Zhang Ziyi was all smiles. Currently Zhang Ziyi has already joined the team and made preparation before the shoot. As for whether Brigitte Lin (Lam Ching Ha) will join in the end, there is no way to guess.