As a top actress in the Chinese film industry,
She not only shines in the film world with her personal charm,
It is also remarkable because of its repeated awards in the film industry.
She not only won enough awards to be proud of Chinese actresses,
And the frequency of winning awards is not very common in the world film industry.
Her acting career has witnessed the brilliant achievements of the Chinese film industry;
Since filming, she has made extraordinary achievements in the field of art film,
He has created classic characters such as Jin Zhiyu, Li Qiao, and Su Lizhen
She's just —
Maggie
Maggie Cheung
EFFORTI ESS BEAUTY
/Haunting Dreams/
See Wen Ruhui, Zhan Wen Shuyan, I am Zhou Muyun.
The article is divided into two parts: character interpretation 丨 movie inventory
Last year, an interview with Maggie Cheung came to light, and the title of the interview gave her the highest rating: "Asia's Greatest Movie Star."
Surprisingly, even when talking about the identity of "actor", Maggie Cheung showed a strong lack of confidence:
More than a decade after leaving the set, I no longer deserve the title of actor;
I used to be an actor, but if no one reminds me about it, it's easy to forget that I was an actor.
Did she say such a thing because of modesty or personality? unknown.
All I know is that if she deserves it, there are only a few actresses in The history of Chinese cinema who can be called an actress.
Considering that some stars who have neither acting skills nor works are eager to define themselves with actors, it is even more ridiculous and pitiful.
Then again, the most top actor like Maggie Cheung, who has gathered all the light at the age of only 40, is a great regret and loss for the industry and the audience.
But looking at it from another angle, it is also a good result.
After all, in the current trend of capital dominance and the prevalence of traffic, many well-known actors have forgotten their original intentions and begun to repeatedly take bad films and bend their backs for interests.
And Maggie Cheung at least was not eroded by the muddy atmosphere, and still maintained the purity of an actor.
Therefore, to a certain extent, Maggie Cheung has not only witnessed the brilliant achievements of the Chinese film industry, but also become a precious pure land.
01
In 1983, a giant poster hung on the outside wall of a mall in the east of Tsim Sha Tsui.
The girl in the photo has some flesh on her face, a tiger tooth, and straight black hair straight up to her waist.
It was 19-year-old Maggie Cheung.
10 months ago, she was just an ordinary employee in the children's clothing department of Lane Crawford Mall in Hong Kong. During breaks, she occasionally takes photos with part-time models.
What changed all this was the 1983 Miss Hong Kong awards. In that year's selection, Maggie Cheung won the "Miss Hong Kong Runner-up" and "Miss Photogenic Award".
Since then, Maggie Cheung has successfully signed a contract with Hong Kong Wireless and officially entered the show business circle.
At that time, almost no girl could refuse the fame brought by Hong Kong Sister, and Maggie Cheung was no exception.
Six years later, when she mentioned the experience on the talk show "No Defenses Tonight," she said half-jokingly and half-frankly:
"It was because of greed and vanity that I entered the entertainment industry."
To be fair, in the beautiful Hong Kong entertainment industry, Maggie Cheung's appearance is not enough.
The facial features are ordinary, the face is short and square, and the cheekbones are prominent, which dwarfs limelight in front of great beauties such as Li Jiaxin, Guan Zhilin, and Wang Zuxian.
Moreover, because of her non-scientific background, her acting skills are not satisfactory, and she always shows a dazed look.
Director Kwan Kam Peng once asserted: "Maggie Cheung cannot be a good actor. ”
In the second year of becoming a Hong Kong sister, Maggie Cheung starred in the film "The Frog Prince" directed by Wang Jing.
Under the lens, Maggie Cheung has not faded the baby fat, long black hair hanging behind her, and her smile is full of delicacy.
Even Wang Jing, who has always been known for her poisonous tongue, commented on Maggie Cheung in her autobiography:
"A blank piece of paper, no utilitarianism, a character more lovely than appearance."
After "The Frog Prince", Maggie Cheung starred in the movie "Fate" with the newly debuted Cheung Kwok Wing.
With this film, Maggie Cheung won the "Most Promising Newcomer Award" at the 3rd Hong Kong Film Awards.
Born in the non-professional class, he can play a leading role in movies and won the Hong Kong Academy Awards within a year of his debut.
Even in the golden age of Hong Kong's entertainment industry, Maggie Cheung can be described as "debut is the peak".
At the time, Maggie Cheung's acting skills and experience limited her choice of roles. Most of the characters she plays are young and beautiful women.
Whenever there is a film in which she appears, no matter how good the box office is, she will be regarded as a fly in the ointment.
As soon as she appears on the screen, it will be followed by a press release criticizing her acting skills, whether it is the outside world or the industry, there is no tolerance and expectation because she is young.
Some people think that she is beautiful and has no acting skills, and some film critics sharply comment on Maggie Cheung:
"Beauty is beauty, there is no soul, she is like a vase walking around the screen."
She is like a tasteless and discarded pendant, and the meaning of existence is to add a touch of brilliance to the film.
In 1984, Hong Kong director Yang Fan bought Yi Shu's best-selling novel The Story of the Rose and planned to remake it into a movie.
Before casting, Yang Fan went to consult Yishu to ask about the most suitable artist to play the heroine in her mind.
Without a moment's thought, Yishu said Maggie Cheung's name:
"She can 'kill' the reader as soon as she pulls out her beautiful legs. I don't care if she's going to act, I'll watch it as soon as she comes out. ”
Under the strong recommendation of Yi Shu, Maggie Cheung successfully won the role of "Rose", and her partner was Zhou Runfa. At that time, many people questioned whether Maggie Cheung could play the role of "Rose".
After all, if Maggie Cheung has been described as "young and ignorant", then "Rose" is the "mature intellect" opposite her.
In the face of doubts, she chose to respond with the "rose" under the camera:
Cut her hair short, grind off her iconic rabbit teeth, lose baby fat, and become the "rose" in Yishu's works.
At that time, "The Story of the Rose" not only broke the box office record of Hong Kong literary and art films, but also allowed Maggie Cheung to better understand the meaning behind the word "performance".
If "The Story of the Rose" is an important part of Maggie Cheung's acting career, then the movie "Carmen in Mong Kok" can be called a turning point in her acting career.
There is a saying in the film circle: "Maggie Cheung met Wong Kar-wai, which is the most beautiful encounter in the film circle." ”
On the one hand, under wong kar-wai's lens, Maggie Cheung completed one story after another that he had been weaving for a long time;
On the other hand, Wong Kar-wai also made Maggie Cheung understand: "What is an actor".
However, Wong Kar-wai in 1988 was far less famous than he is now.
At that time, he was just a fledgling newcomer director, eager to explore the true meaning of literature and art with an independent attitude.
On the eve of the start of filming his first film " Carmen in Mong Kok " , he invited Maggie Cheung by name to star.
Maggie Cheung thought that there could still be a scene to shoot, so she gladly went there, never thinking that her life was quietly changing.
During the audition, Wong Kar-wai and Maggie Cheung talked about family trivia, growth experiences, and movie-related matters were not mentioned at all.
Because he wants to call out Maggie Cheung's inner emotions in such a relaxed way, and because his films have no script at all.
Maggie Cheung, who was not very good at acting, became more confused and did not know how to start.
As a result, Wong Kar-wai's words immediately gave her a feeling of empowerment:
"If your boyfriend were leaving you, how would you react?" What is the reaction, then how you act. ”
At that moment, Maggie Cheung suddenly realized that performance is not just a statement, it is from the heart, and it requires the whole body and mind to invest, not just on the face or eyes.
Under the manipulation of this awakening consciousness, after the release of "Carmen in Mong Kok", the public saw a different Maggie Cheung.
Tenderness replaces emptiness, richness replaces sluggishness, and the A'e she plays makes every audience full of protective desire.
Especially in the film, the parting clip where she and Andy Lau parted, only to see her eyebrows drooping, sorrow coming from it, tears flowing through her face, her expression is still restrained, I see pity.
With this film, Maggie Cheung was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Although she regretted not being elected, she was recognized and successfully washed away the title of "vase".
This successful cooperation not only made Maggie Cheung look new, but also made Wong Kar-wai famous and jumped to the top of the list of directors.
Since then, for more than ten years, the two have been closely linked, one director, one actor, and together to create a brilliant chapter in the Chinese film industry.
02
For Maggie Cheung, in addition to acting, love also occupies a very important proportion in her life.
Once, in the talk show "Tonight Is Not Defensive", when the host Ni Kuang asked why he was in love, Maggie Cheung sincerely looked at the camera and said:
"If you don't talk about love, you will be very depressed."
It was 1989, the second year that Maggie Cheung fell in love with director Er Dongsheng.
In 1987, the relationship between Maggie Cheung and Er Dongsheng surfaced.
At that time, it was the second year of Er Dongsheng's transformation from actor to director. In 1986, Er Dongsheng released his first film, The Legend of the Epilepsy.
With this film, he was nominated for the "Best Picture Award at the 6th Hong Kong Film Awards", proving his talent for directing for the first time.
Once, when Maggie Cheung and Er Dongsheng were on vacation, Jacky Cheung and Chen Ziqiang (Jackie Chan's agent) arranged a blind date for them.
In fact, this is not the first time they have met. As early as 1983, when Maggie Cheung ran for Miss Hong Kong, Er Dongsheng met her as a judge under the stage.
In the selection stage, Er Dongsheng voted against it for the simple reason: "Such an ugly girl has no reason to win the award", and finally Maggie Cheung won the second place of Hong Kong Sister.
At the time he probably never thought that, later, this "ugly girl" would become his girlfriend.
After that "blind date", Maggie Cheung did not contact Er Dongsheng for half a year.
Later, at a gathering held by a friend, the two met again.
Er Dongsheng later recalled: "When I saw her laughing, I dared to talk to her. ”
After the party, the two exchanged phone numbers with each other and began calling in between work.
As the talks grew longer, the two gradually went from being friends to lovers.
In love, Er Dongsheng also invited Maggie Cheung to participate in his third film "Goodbye Wang Lao Wu".
On set, Er Dongsheng, who is known for his strictness, never took care of their romantic relationship.
Once Maggie Cheung's performance did not meet his requirements, he would unceremoniously reprimand Maggie Cheung.
Looking back, this was the only collaboration between the two. After this time, the two did not cooperate again.
When in love, it is worried about affecting feelings, and after breaking up, it is to avoid embarrassment.
Maggie Cheung once said that Er Dongsheng was the most talented person he had ever met: "He taught me a lot of things and took me to feel life." ”
In 1988, while filming "Police Story Sequel" with Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung was accidentally injured by an iron frame and stitched 17 stitches.
After Er Dongsheng knew, he went to the hospital every day, sat next to Maggie Cheung and took good care of her, and chatted with her.
The two also have two dogs, Chili and Noodle. At that time, Er Dongsheng also called the two dogs his and Maggie Cheung's "daughters" in an interview.
Sometimes sweet, sometimes feelings are full of friction.
Er Dongsheng likes racing, but Maggie Cheung thinks it is too dangerous. Every time Er Dongsheng had a game, she was nervous at home.
Er Dongsheng promised Maggie Cheung that the Sendai Tournament in Japan in 1989 would be his farewell match.
To this end, Maggie Cheung also went to the scene of the game to cheer for her boyfriend. In a backstage interview, she happily told reporters:
"Xiao Bao (Er Dongsheng's nickname) will no longer participate in the game after the end of this game."
However, Er Dongsheng broke his promise.
After the Sendai race, he was still reluctant to say goodbye to his beloved track.
The first thing to say goodbye to is his relationship with Maggie Cheung.
In 1990, Maggie Cheung and Er Dongsheng ended a three-year relationship.
As for the reason for the breakup, even if the outside world is arguing, both choose to remain silent.
After all, when a relationship ends, can it be summed up in a few words?
The only mention of each other is that shortly after the two broke up, Maggie Cheung won the Berlin Film Festival with "Ruan Lingyu".
In the face of reporters who came to interview, Er Dongsheng became an unavoidable topic. In this regard, Maggie Cheung replied with only one sentence:
"Er Dongsheng and I are just a literary film."
Later, Er Dongsheng became a famous director who shot who was hot, and Maggie Cheung became the "Man Shen" of the Chinese film circle, but their life trajectories never coincided.
In 2009, Er Dongsheng rarely mentioned Maggie Cheung in interviews. He said:
"I'm 52 years old, Maggie Cheung, I'm almost oblivious, that was more than 20 years ago, if I had a child with her, it would have been 20 years old. How long have you been talking? ”
As early as 1989, Maggie Cheung advised Er Dongsheng not to play racing:
"Xiao Bao, racing is too dangerous, and every time I am afraid that something will happen to you."
"Don't play next time, Maggie, next time."
However, next time, which time? Another day, which day? After that, how long?
Now, that was 30 years ago.
Reaching a relationship requires long-term companionship;
Ending a relationship takes only a moment and a few lies.
03
In 1993, for the biographical film Nguyen Ling Yu, Maggie Cheung won his second film award.
Standing on stage, she said:
"Winning a few awards will always learn some truths, for example, after the fact, someone always says: 'She shouldn't take it', I used to mind, but now I learn: the prize is in my hands, I don't care what you say." 」
This year, Maggie Cheung was 29 years old.
It seems that from this period, Maggie Cheung began to pay less attention to the outside world's evaluation of her, and gradually presented more real herself to the public.
Once, Zhang Aijia's son was full moon and invited Maggie Cheung to participate.
Before the banquet began, Maggie Cheung was slightly drunk and sat in a chair, and she shouted to her companions not far away: "You give me here!" ”
This scene happened to be seen by Xu Ke, the director who was preparing to shoot "New Dragon Gate Inn".
The protagonist has changed several times, and the role of "Gold inlaid Jade" has never met the right person.
When he saw Maggie Cheung, he immediately decided to invite her to play the role of "Golden Jade" in the movie.
Before that, Maggie Cheung had not acted in martial arts movies, and in the face of the invitation, she asked Xu Ke: "Can I?" ”
Xu Ke said: "Just like when you were drunk." ”
In the end, in the desert of Gansu, Maggie Cheung successfully portrayed the role of the black shop owner lady "Jin Zhiyu".
Even in the rivalry with Lin Qingxia, her charm and beauty did not diminish.
Director Ang Lee once commented on the rivalry between Maggie Cheung and Lin Qingxia:
Anyone standing next to Lin Qingxia could easily lose their luster.
They all lack Lin Qingxia's unparalleled superstar talent and kingly demeanor, but Maggie Cheung is an exception. "
After "New Dragon Gate Inn", Xu Ke invited Maggie Cheung again to star in the movie "Green Snake".
In the film, Maggie Cheung portrays XiaoQing as one of the most individual characters in the history of Hong Kong cinema.
Looking back, when people talk about Maggie Cheung's acting career, it is inevitable that there will be two adjectives: "God appreciates food and eats" and "the blessing of the times".
Behind this, however, is often overlooked by her efforts and persistence.
Zhao Wenzhuo, who plays "Fahai", later talked about the story of the filming of "Green Snake" in an interview. He said:
"There was a scene that was filmed in the water, and the filming process lasted all night, until Maggie's mouth froze purple, but the state did not change at all."
At that time, Zhao Wenzhuo had just arrived in Hong Kong from the mainland, and Maggie Cheung's persistence gave him a more specific understanding of "professional actors" for the first time.
After leaving Xu Ke's film, Maggie Cheung once again entered Chen Kexin's love movie.
In 1996, "Sweet Honey" starring Maggie Cheung and Li Ming was released. So far, the film has been considered one of the best love movies in China.
In the movie, Li Xiaojun, played by Li Ming, rides a bicycle and carries Li Qiao, played by Maggie Cheung, through the streets of Hong Kong. Background music plays Teresa Teresa's Sweet Honey.
That scene seems to have become the last afterglow of a gradually lonely Hong Kong movie.
After "Sweet Honey", French director Olivier Assayas found Maggie Cheung and invited her to star in the movie "Lost robbery".
Maggie Cheung liked France, so she didn't think too much about it and took over the film.
The film is mainly set in Paris, Maggie Cheung does not speak French, and every time there is a lack of communication, director Asayas will act as her translator.
Between comings and goings, the two fell in love. And after a year of love, the marriage was officially registered in Paris, France.
This year, Maggie Cheung was 35 years old.
In the second year after marriage, Wong Kar-wai approached Maggie Cheung and invited her to play the role of "Su Lizhen" in "Fancy Years".
The film was shot for 15 months, including 3 months, and the film was set in Bangkok, and the actors were only Maggie Cheung and Leung Chao-wai.
Wong Kar-wai equipped the two with bodyguards, but as soon as she had time, Maggie Cheung would secretly take Liang Chaowei and bypass the bodyguards to go to the night market.
With the movie "Fancy Years", Maggie Cheung and Liang Chaowei won the Film Emperor Film Queen at the 20th Academy Awards respectively.
At the CCTV Spring Festival Gala that year, the two also sang a song "Fancy Years" together, which was the only time Maggie Cheung appeared on the stage of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.
That year, Maggie Cheung was 36 years old and Liang Chaowei was 38 years old.
After "The Wonder Years", Maggie Cheung's husband, Olivier Assayas, "tailor-made" the movie "Cleaning" for her.
In the movie, Maggie Cheung basically does not wear much makeup, and even the character's clothes are her daily wear. She broke the previous image and played a single mother who smoked, drank and was very sad.
With this film, Maggie Cheung won China's first Cannes Film Queen Trophy. Standing on the podium, she called her husband "ex-husband" and thanked him:
"It was he who saved my lost soul. His maturity fascinated me, and his words and deeds had a great influence on me. ”
"After I was with him, I realized that loving someone is so happy and comfortable, there is no passion and possession, and life is full of surprises."
At that time, it was the third year of Maggie Cheung's divorce from her "ex-husband" Asayas.
As early as the filming of "Cleaning", the two signed a divorce agreement on the shooting site.
After signing, continue filming.
Life is like a play, and a play is like life.
After "Cleaning", in addition to a cameo appearance as a sushi restaurant guest in the movie "Love in the City" in 2010, Maggie Cheung has not made a movie for 15 years.
In the interview, a reporter asked Maggie Cheung why she stopped making movies, and she replied:
"In the past, when I made movies, I thought the world was particularly small, but in the past few years, I found that the world was so big that there were too many things worth experiencing."
"I didn't deliberately stop making movies, but I don't know why, year after year, time flies by."
Maggie Cheung is very good at doing multiple choice questions in life.
Once, in an interview, someone asked her: "What are your dreams in life?" She replied, "I want to be a hairdresser." ”
"So what if you choose between singing, dancing and acting?"
Maggie Cheung said: "I choose to sing. ”
In the days of the shadow, Maggie Cheung played music, and she spent a long time with her friends who made music, writing songs and recording songs together.
Maggie Cheung said she didn't know what to do after the song was recorded, and she enjoyed the recording process more than owning an album.
Most of her friends around her thought she was just going to experience it.
However, Maggie Cheung signed a contract with Modern Sky, the largest independent record label for new music in China, as an "independent musician".
In May 2014, Maggie Cheung appeared at the Shanghai Strawberry Music Festival in a black dress with her head exploded and sang a song "Sweet Honey" as a singer.
As a result, as soon as she opened her mouth, Maggie Cheung was pushed on Weibo because of her hoarse and low smoky voice, coupled with the occasional singing ability to find a tune.
Suddenly, "50-year-old Maggie Cheung's singing skills are too poor" dominated the headlines of major media.
Some media taunted her: "Too out of tune, too nervous, her voice is like a broken gong." ”
No one expected that after disappearing for a long time, the shadow queen would return to the public eye in this way.
Two days later, Maggie Cheung reappeared at the Beijing Strawberry Music Festival, standing on stage, where she said:
"I've had a dream since I was a kid to sing, and I acted in movies 20 times and was said to be a vase, so please give me 20 chances to sing."
"To clarify one thing, I'm 49 years, 7 months and 3 days today, not in my fifties."
Maggie Cheung once said that she didn't want everyone to think that Maggie Cheung was always just a look, no feelings, no desires, no failures, just walking around perfectly:
"I want to have rough but powerful power over hypocritical beauty."
In recent years, Maggie Cheung has been trying new things, and she has begun to learn to cut films, often staying in her friend's editing room for a day.
She no longer needs a hair stylist and makeup artist, and when she attends events, she takes care of her own makeup and hair.
She spent a long time in Beijing, traveling by subway every day, and she said she didn't want to wait until she was 80 years old to lament that she hadn't taken the subway.
Occasionally, the media would speculate about the size of her life, but she never cared much.
After all, this is Maggie Cheung's own life choice question, and she will always know what the correct answer is.
The golden age that belonged to her seems to be gradually fading, but the roles she once portrayed are still colorful and vivid.
Maggie Cheung said that she has never given up acting, and still flips the script whenever she has time.
Maybe one day she'll be on the big screen again, when we can say to her:
"I haven't seen you for a long time."