Written by: Beijing News reporter Zhou Huixiaowan
Photo: Beijing News reporter Guo Yanbing
In order to star in the movie "Chinese Table Tennis", Xu Weizhou has made many attempts and breakthroughs, and he also wants to break the audience's stereotype of him through his works. Photo by Beijing News reporter Guo Yanbing
Participating in the movie "Chinese Table Tennis" is an experience and attempt that actor Xu Weizhou has never had in his career. Before taking on this role, he knew that he would pay far more than any previous role. The outside world is well known for his handsome image in film and television works, and in this work he is completely wrapped up. He wants to become a table tennis player completely and reenact the historical years of the "national table tiger general" Jedi counterattack. At the moment, he is very "happy", because he can finally prove with his works and characters that he can break away from the stereotypes brought by appearance.
Playing Ma Wenge well, it would be too fake to say that there is no pressure
The movie "Chinese Table Tennis" made Xu Weizhou suffer a lot. But after all these hardships, everything was relieved. He believes that the most beneficial part is not all in the screen image to bring much contrast to the audience, but in the process of shaping the character, he completely "let go", more "unscrupulous" than any previous acting experience, because Bai Minhe is the role he really wants to play to the extreme.
Xu Weizhou and Bai Min and prototype Ma Wenge in the movie "Chinese Table Tennis". The picture comes from the film's official micro
In the film, Bai Minhe's prototype is the famous player Ma Wenge of the Chinese table tennis men's team, who is accustomed to being called Ma Gui, he is the "big brother" of the national table tennis men's team, and is not only slightly older in the "Five Tiger Generals" (Ma Wenge, Wang Tao, Ding Song, Liu Guoliang, Kong Linghui), but also technically one of the few main players who can play arc ball with European players. It was he who played at a high level when Chinese table tennis was at its lowest point and saved the face of the national team. "Such a legendary role, let me play it, it would be too fake to say that it is not apprehensive or nervous. I also played a table tennis player in the TV series "Glory Ping-Pong" before, that is a fictional character, but this time there is a prototype, what should I do if I can't play it? What if athletes and spectators can't accept it? I've struggled. ”
Xu Weizhou admitted that taking on this role will undoubtedly face great pressure, but his "ideological struggle" only lasted for half a day. He asked himself that there was indeed a gap between himself and Ma Wenge in appearance and personality, but his inner dedication to love and the truth of identifying things made him firmly believe that he could act well: "I learned a lot about Coach Ma at that time, watched the video of his competition, including his views during the interview. This person is so cool, very rock, with that sassy energy, and there is that stubbornness in his bones that will not give up if he does not achieve his goals. ”
Eyebrow plucking is "miserable", practice "emotional collapse"
In front of Bai Min and this character, Xu Weizhou decided to abandon all his self and let the character attach himself to himself. On the day he entered the makeup trial, he found that it was not so simple to approach Ma Wenge from the appearance alone. The impression of Ma Wenge was black and thin, with sparse eyebrows, and acted decisively. Xu Weizhou's agent Li Hao remembers that when the crew put forward requirements such as plucking eyebrows, shaving hair, and blackening his skin color, before he came to his senses, Xu Weizhou agreed, and he had never seen someone who was so anxious to "want to endure hardship".
"I tried on makeup for a long time, about one day, to darken my whole body with the darkest concealer stick. Because the horse guide is sharper in shape and my eyebrows are thicker, it really hurts to pull it off with tweezers. But I really want to do this for the character, there is no need to exaggerate too much, it is all within the scope. Xu Weizhou said. Even now, director Yu Baimei remembers the scene when he plucked his eyebrows with Xu Weizhou that day, which he described as "miserable": "Pulling out one by one, I see that he keeps saying 'it's okay', but the tears can't stop falling." I thought, I'm glad I'm not an actor (laughs). ”
To create a brand new Bai Minhe, Xu Weizhou is ambitious, "I have acted in many works in the past, and many characters that the audience sees are close to my own image, and glamorous characters are my comfort zone. But am I going to stay in it for the rest of my life? My answer is, no. "Many years after his debut, Xu Weizhou has long understood the relationship between actors and characters, being an actor is always passive, and it is far more difficult to meet his favorite script and suitable role than imagined, and he can not always give him a hearty sense of pleasure. And this time, Bai Minhe's weight, tenacity and toughness, Xu Weizhou also had: "Since the opportunity is so kind to me and placed in front of me, then I must cherish it." ”
During the preparation period for "Chinese Table Tennis", Xu Weizhou, who "practiced more and more dared not practice", said that even if it collapses, he must survive it.
In addition to the hard work in appearance, for Xu Weizhou, it is more difficult to rely on himself as a professional athlete. Although he once starred as a table tennis player, to play Bai Minhe, he found that the technology he had in the past was simply "Xiaobai among Xiaobai". "Director Deng Chao has a saying, 'the more you practice, the more you dare not practice', several of us are, no matter how much time we use, even if we play with our lives, we can't become professional athletes, and the gap with them always exists." But if it's not like that, you don't even have the qualifications to play them. After two months of training, I did have an emotional breakdown, and I was really not sure if I could do it well, just like all the characters in the movie fought back with the grief of failure. But I knew I had to get through. ”
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"The director is under more pressure than us"
In Xu Weizhou's view, "Chinese Table Tennis" is a "magical" work, and the ups and downs in the play occur almost parallel to the film and the real world.
Xu Weizhou, director Deng Chao, Yu Baimei and actor Liang Chao (from left) participated in the "Chinese Table Tennis" roadshow together. The picture comes from the film's official micro
The road to the release of the film has been bumpy, several changes have been made, and the arrangement of films and box office have not met expectations... During a live broadcast, several actors wanted to apologize to the two directors Deng Chao and Yu Baimei, because they felt that they were not so famous to carry the box office, but Deng Chao said that "no one is better than them, Baimei and I have also made some movies that have been questioned before, and from this level, it is us who should apologize." "Personally, it may be precisely because the two directors are too talented, including too famous, that the audience expects more from them. Just like I used to feel that I was walking quite bumpy, such as "Glory Ping-Pong" was filmed so seriously, and still not many people paid attention to this theme; They are much more famous than me, they work harder than me, they are more stressed than me, and they still have problems. Along the way, they became my two beacons of light, and we encouraged each other and just wanted to carry them with us. ”
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"Unfavored actors" want to break the law
Xu Weizhou, who has a handsome appearance, quickly occupied a place in the idol market as soon as he debuted. Over the past ten years, he has painted his color and personality on one character after another. But these are still far from the realm he wants to achieve in his heart.
He admits that his current self has changed a lot, more to quit self-habits and better become a role: "I think now I don't care more about those meaningless things, my focus is to play well." You see the recent hit drama "Crazy", how wonderful the performances of Teacher Zhang Songwen and Teacher Zhang Yi are! The entertainment industry is a circle, the aesthetics of the outside world, the things to appreciate is also a reincarnation, and finally it is necessary to return to the essence - acting, strength, serious dedication to the profession at the starting point, acting well is the way to stand on the foothold. I will always believe in the power of good acting. Someone once asked Xu Weizhou if he wanted to take on some lighter roles and eat more "comfortable meals" on variety shows, but he just couldn't help it. "It's very fun and refreshing to meet a character I like, to change, approach, and to ponder his heart steadily. Although it may make me lose some time and be miserable, I never regret the opportunities I had. ”
Xu Weizhou once classified himself as an "unpromising actor". Photo by Beijing News reporter Guo Yanbing
Xu Weizhou admitted that he used to love preset results, did the audience want to watch it after filming this play? Will it get everyone's like? He had thought about all these questions. He even classified himself as an "unpromising actor", "I have had some works with less ideal results, coupled with the setting of the singer, which makes people wonder if this person can play the role well." If you want to break it, you can only break such a law by work. If there is no work support, relying on your appearance and hype exposure alone is useless. ”
"So, does the evaluation of the outside world have an impact on you?" "It doesn't matter, it never affects my life or my work. Fortunately, after such a long debut, I have been less and less concerned about negative voices, and I can do what I like without distractions. From this point of view, I am satisfied. ”
Dialogue
Beijing News: Bai Minhe in "Chinese Table Tennis" is very different from your previous film and television images, has the final presentation achieved your goal?
Xu Weizhou: I have also asked the audience on many occasions how they think of this character, and what touched me the most was that everyone could remember Bai Minhe, but they couldn't recognize or remember Xu Weizhou, and I was very satisfied to be able to do this. I also hope that Bai Minhe is the first step I take in performance, and then the second step, the third step, each step can be taken well, then I will be really happy.
Beijing News: This is regarded by the outside world as a huge transformation in your performance, will you change to a film and television image such as "tough guy" later?
Xu Weizhou: I haven't figured it out yet (laughs), but I don't exactly want to specify which type of role, I personally still want to have different character experiences.
Beijing News: The common disease of modern people is busyness, and you must also face this problem when movies and television songs are developing, how to balance work and life?
Xu Weizhou: I think this matter is very clear, live well when you should live, and work well when you should work. In front of work, you must have a sense of awe for your profession, and you need to do things the best without distractions. In fact, many times I feel that work comes first, and once I stop, I spend more time with my family, and I feel more and more comfortable staying at home (laughs).
Beijing News: I see that you always call Deng Chao "director" and "master" on Weibo, why are you so polite?
Xu Weizhou: Director Deng Chao and I are really similar in some places, whether chatting or working, our outlook on life and values are very compatible, just like he is my master in the play, and he has really become a mentor in my life. Master is a title I call him in private (although I still sometimes call him "Super Brother" on crowded occasions), and there is really a lot to learn from him, whether it is work or life.
Beijing News: People are used to judging idols as "vases", do you rarely choose to eat "comfortable meals" in performances, will you resist your idol status?
Xu Weizhou: I have always eaten "hard rice" in performances (laughs). As for idols, I think it's good that everyone pays attention to you and knows you, just like once Superbrother told me that in life, you must learn to feel sweet and sour, and you must have the ability to feel sweet, so the title of idol is the attention and love that everyone gives me, and I gladly accept it. But I want to be a truly worthy idol, do my own thing, and be worthy of the sense of identity that others see you as an idol.
Beijing News: At what moment did you feel that you really liked acting?
Xu Weizhou: When I saw my own works in the past, I would think that the performance was not good, in addition to self-judgment, but also combined with some other people's opinions. There are moments where I feel acceptable, but there are places where I feel that I can do better. I know every actor has this stage, and I've heard the cliché that "art always leaves regrets." I don't know when and what day it will be considered a good performance in the future, for now, actors like Andy Lau and Tony Leung who act well are still performing, learning, and deeply cultivating on the artistic path they insisted on. Prove that the pursuit of "good" is never-ending, challenging, and fun.
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