The movie "Baise Uprising" allowed the obscure drama actor Lu Qi to enter the film and television industry, winning three major domestic film performance awards such as Hundred Flowers, Golden Rooster and Huabiao Award. Since then, he has continued to portray Deng Xiaoping in more than 60 film and television dramas, whether it is young, middle-aged, or even elderly, Lu Qi has portrayed it beautifully. Even Deng Xiaoping's wife, Zhuo Lin, once praised, "I have lived with the old man for so many years, even I think he acted like him." ”
Lu Qi (Photo by Zhong Jieni)
In 2001, While working at the Bayi Film Studio, Lu Qi officially joined the Communist Party of China and became an honorable member of the Party. This year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, as a 20-year-old party member and actor, Lu Qi has a lot of feelings, "As an actor, but also an actor who plays a great man, we should play a leading role in work and life, high standards and strict requirements, and solidly shape the role." ”
Recently, Lu Qi has been very busy, and his "Crossing the Yalu River" won the Magnolia Jury Award at the Shanghai TV Festival, the epic drama "Armageddon" is about to be broadcast on CCTV, and many other films are also in intensive shooting. In these film and television works, Lu Qi, without exception, plays Deng Xiaoping.
Stills from Armageddon
Born in Chongqing in 1953, Lu Qi was influenced by his parents who worked in the Cultural Affairs Bureau as a child, and lingered in Peking Opera, Sichuan Opera, drama and so on. In 1970, at the age of 17, he entered the army and became a literary and artistic soldier. A year later, in order to go further in art, he was admitted to the Sichuan Provincial People's Art Theater and began his own theatrical life. In 1980, Lu Qi played Zhou Enlai's guard in the movie "Mountain City Snow", and was "electrocuted" for the first time. In 1986, the film "Baise Uprising" was selected as an actor nationwide, and on the recommendation of director Chen Jialin, Lu Qi's Deng Xiaoping appearance was seen by General Wang Zhen, the consultant of the film, and he embarked on the road of acting.
"Baise Uprising" is Lu Qi's first work as Deng Xiaoping. In the film, he has a green face and a shaved head, which is exactly the appearance of a young Deng Xiaoping who is flesh and blood. In order to resemble the young Deng Xiaoping, he cut off his hair, pasted a single eyelid, shaved off most of his eyebrows, and pulled out the remaining roots, which at one point hurt so much that his whole body was sweating.
Stills from "Zhou En's Return to Yan'an"
Red Star News: When did you join the party?
Luci: I actually wrote my application to join the party very early, when I joined the army at the age of 17. I officially joined the party after I arrived at the Bayi Factory in Sichuan Renyi, in 2001, and I am now a 20-year-old party member. I still remember very well that my introduction to the party was Zhu Jianmin, who was the deputy head of the Bayi Factory Actors Troupe and starred in "Wreath Under the Mountain". There is also Zhao Xiaomin, who is also a very famous actor in Bayi Factory.
Red Star News: As a party member, how do you demand of yourself in your life and work?
Lu Qi: Our party has gone through a hundred years this year, and this hundred years have also been full of ups and downs, and the road has been bumpy. Our motherland is now becoming stronger and more prosperous, and it is precisely because of the party's correct leadership that it has led us from one victory to another.
I am a party member, and many of the roles I have played are comrade Deng Xiaoping, a proletarian revolutionary of the older generation. In my work, the first thing I do is to take great people as an example, not afraid of hardship or tiredness, selfless dedication, do my own work well, and give play to the vanguard and exemplary role of party members. Specific to the work of the actors, it is definitely necessary to solidly shape the role, high standards and strict requirements for creation; unite all the actors and crew of the crew, discuss and communicate with each other; do not covet and enjoy in life, such as this meal is not good, the accommodation conditions are not good, do not go to the special. In addition, we actors, especially those who have joined the party, must have the masses in our hearts, do not play big cards, do not be self-righteous, and hold a shelf. The audience likes you because the characters you create are good, and you should respect them more.
Stills from "The Hundred Colors Uprising"
Red Star News: The first time you played Deng Xiaoping was in the movie "The Hundred Colors Uprising", and it is said that you were under a lot of pressure after being selected?
Lu Qi: The consultant of this film is General Wang Zhen, who attaches great importance to the selection of special actors, he was also very familiar with Deng Xiaoping, and he was not satisfied with the makeup photos of many actors, and then when he saw my photos, he said who this actor is, very similar. After fixing me, we also recorded a video that was finally recognized. At that time, there was a lot of pressure, but everything could be overcome through practice. I constantly imitated Deng Xiaoping's speaking rhythm and pronunciation method, tried my best to achieve "sound and meaning", and constantly read books, materials and biographies.
Red Star News: Having starred in Deng Xiaoping so many times, will there be pressure to play him now?
Lu Qi: I can't remember how many times I played Comrade Deng Xiaoping, at least 60 times. The pressure is still great, and I still have to summarize every shot, which places are not enough, and which places are still flawed. I hope to make up for it as much as I can next time and strive to climb the peak continuously. This peak is to continuously accumulate and temper in practice, deepen my understanding, and constantly learn the great mind of great people.
As actors who portray great people, we must follow their example, so that in the performance, we can truly reflect their world view and values from the characters, and convey their thoughts, hearts, temperament, personality and other aspects. If it is only imitation, it is definitely not OK, makeup is like it again, if there is no inside, it is just a shell, and the audience will not be satisfied. To this day, I still read Comrade Deng Xiaoping's materials, albums, and documentaries, study his thoughts, ponder some details of his speech, demeanor, and eyes at different ages, and try my best to make myself "confident." The most difficult thing is to show comrade Xiaoping's temperament. Temperament can best reflect the charm of the whole character, and if I want to become him, I must study his temperament in all aspects. If the grasp is not accurate, the audience will not feel like it at first glance, let alone contact with Comrade Xiaoping and Comrade Xiaoping's family.
Red Star News: What was the biggest impact on you as Deng Xiaoping?
Lu Qi: Every time I play Comrade Xiaoping, it is the process of his experience, speech, behavior and inner walking, and every time he walks in, the respect for the great man will add a few points. In particular, his broad mind, deep thoughts and superhuman temperament are a sublimation of his own soul. Comrade Xiaoping's life has had great ups and downs and is very bumpy, but he is not afraid, still holds out hope, and is full of confidence in the party.
Red Star News reporter Qiu Junfeng
Edited by Li Jie
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