Gong Li In Curse Of The Golden Flower

Actress Gong Li first turned up on these shores at the age of 22 in films like Red Sorghum and Raise the Red Lantern, both directed by Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers).
The duo had a great run of films as they dated between the years of 1987 to 1995, but after their personal relationship ended, so did their film collaborations, ending on a high point with the excellent Shanghai Triad. After that, Gong Li worked with a few other directors, including a recent foray into Hollywood, and Zhang moved onto other young ingénues.

After more than ten years, the duo have reunited for Curse of the Golden Flower, Zhang’s third historic martial arts epic with Gong Li playing Empress Phoenix, who is having trouble trusting her husband the emperor (Chow Yun Fat) when she learns that he’s secretly been putting poison in her medicine.

ComingSoon.net has this exclusive interview with the actress that many consider to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. And yes, we were very nervous being in her presence, even with her interpreter acting as our chaperone.

ComingSoon.net: Let’s start with the reunion between you and Zhang Yimou after ten years. How did he approach you to do another movie with him after all this time?

Gong Li: He had a script, so he gave me a call one day saying that he had a script and a character in the script that I think is just right for you, so he sent me a copy of the script and that’s how it all got started.

CS: Did you have any meetings beforehand to discuss working together again?

Gong Li: In fact, it started when I was filming “Miami Vice.” He called me from China, and I was in Miami at the time, so after that, he came to the States—he had some other business to take care of—then he took a little time out and came to Miami for a week. During that week, of course, I was filming during the daytime and evenings; after work, I met with him to discuss the script. We went through the script very carefully and discussed some possible changes and ways to develop the thing better, and then he went back and made those revisions. It was not until after the revisions were done that I actually signed the contract and agreed for sure that I would do it.

CS: Mr. Zhang has such a distinct visual style, so does he send you pictures or designs of what he has in mind or is the script enough to convince you to do the movie?

Gong Li: The one thing I know having worked with him for so many years is that is truly one of his strengths, and I trust that the visual style would come out beautifully, as it always does.

CS: Since last working with you, Mr. Zhang has switched over to the martial arts genre. Have you kept up with his movies when they come out in China?

Gong Li: Yeah, I’ve seen all of his films. As far as these recent films, you can think of it as kind of a new, experimental stage for him where he can film one of his dreams, because he, like most Chinese boys and men, they love these martial arts films. Everybody reads these martial arts novels, so everybody has these fantasies or dreams of being a great hero of being able to fly through the air or being invincible against all kinds of weapons and so on. So really, it’s the fulfillment of a fantasy.

CS: How was it working with Mr. Zhang again after so many years? Just like old times or was it a little difficult to get back into the rhythm of your previous collaboration?

Gong Li: It was actually easier than before. I didn’t have any misgivings in my mind. I didn’t have any strange hurdles to get over, and of course, we had this very strong common goal, which was to make a really good film. We were able to work together very professionally, it was easy to communicate with him, and really, it was a wonderful experience.

CS: Is this movie based on real people or events in Chinese history?

Gong Li: Actually, the story itself is based on a famous Chinese stageplay which was written by a writer named Cao Yu back in 1933. It’s very, very famous modern drama, which is read and widely performed even to this day, so it’s very famous among Chinese people, everybody knows the story. Of course, the writer Cao Yu is long deceased, but his daughter formally gave Zhang Yimou the rights to make an adaptation in this form.