Underrated queen, the most "popular" self丨Answer White Paper
Produced 丨Tencent News Q&A White Paper
Written by丨Wang Xuening
"Pop is when someone tells you what's good and then you do it. Then I can also tell you that I am popular. ”
Ye Tong wore slacks and the movie "I Love You! The propaganda white T-shirt, the whole person is casual and free, looks no different from ordinary people. But her short white hair with a slight punk flavor adds a bit of cool contrast to her, and she is compared to "I Love You!" Zhao Huanxin, who is lonely and suffers from Alzheimer's disease, and Xu Xian, who is kind and weak in people's impressions, are completely separated. To some extent, Ye Tong in front of her echoes what she said, "I am popular."
For a long time, the media often described Ye Tong as an "underrated queen", and some people felt sorry for her. Since her debut, she has won many honors, and many outstanding roles have come out, but it seems that there will always be only one "Xu Xian" who has been recalled and mentioned by people repeatedly. However, Ye Tong did not care, she adhered to the belief of "living up to the role and actor identity" to treat every performance that belonged to her. She is satisfied with the audience's love for Xu Xian and believes that someone will remember her other roles. No matter what label people give her, no matter how the public views her, for Ye Tong, accepting herself, living well, and loving herself is the ultimate goal of life.
Throw away the "beautiful baggage"
"I think this work is not only a challenge for me, but also a challenge for the audience, which is very challenging for the audience's perception."
The movie "I Love You! When it premiered, Ye Tong had deliberately observed the reaction of the audience. When Zhao Huanxin appeared on the screen with the image of saliva and snot intertwined, Ye Tong found that one of the audience members seemed to have physical discomfort and subconsciously looked away. In most people's hearts, Ye Tong is always young and agile, and it is difficult for people to equate the old face, dull eyes, and even drooling Zhao Huanxin with Ye Tong in their impression.
"I didn't expect Brother Jiahui to want me to play this role, I think many actresses will want to play this role because she is really special." Ye Tong recalled his mood when he received a call from Leung Ka-fai, "This role is actually very difficult, but since I had such an opportunity and the director trusted me, I accepted this challenge, and I think it's quite fun to think about it now." ”
Although Ye Tong has always used "interesting" and "fun" to describe his process of interpreting Zhao Huanxin in interviews, or it should be extremely easy to create a character in the eyes of many people, it is actually not simple to firmly build the "support" behind this character.
Ye Tong, who has never been in contact with Alzheimer's patients before, can only get closer to Zhao Huanxin's role little by little through video materials on the Internet and visiting friends who have family members and illnesses. But the deeper the "homework" was done, the more confused Ye Tong became. Because there are so many possibilities for Alzheimer's patients, some patients will fall into delusions of confusion, some patients will become cautious and panicked, and some patients will rejuvenate like children. Ye Tong seemed to be standing at a fork in the road, not knowing which was the right path. "When I joined the group, I didn't really have any preparation, and I didn't know how to act." Ye Tong said frankly, "I can only feel it first, see what kind of play everyone will give me, and then I will think about what kind of 'ball' I should return." ”
The process is difficult, but the sadness, emotion and tears that the audience experienced from it are the best feedback for this character and Ye Tong. This old man, who has entered his twilight years and is deeply affected by life and illness, but is still surrounded by simplicity and love like a child, has made Ye Tong have more different feelings about life. She began to learn to observe life, knew how to cherish the people and things around her, and was able to put aside the "beautiful baggage" of the past like a shackle, no longer pay attention to whether she was beautiful or ugly on the screen, and instead walked confidently with a more determined attitude.
At the end of the story, Zhao Huanxin chose to leave hand in hand with her husband and continue to live happily in "another world". This seemingly moving and happy ending failed to get Ye Tong's "yes vote". "This ending is the need of the play, and I don't really agree with it myself." Ye Tong said bluntly, "Life is not necessarily satisfactory in this world, all setbacks are a stage in the process of human growth, and sometimes these unsatisfactory may make you stronger." ”
Don't think "if not"
Compared with many actresses who entered the industry at the same time, Ye Tong's role output is really not "prolific". Even though she holds two Academy Awards and has many invitations for works, since 2010, she has not even appeared on the big screen for nearly four years, and even there are only a handful of TV series works.
But Ye Tong has never been entangled in the number of actings, and he has never regretted it. In her heart, as long as she seizes every opportunity to perform and does her best to do her best, it is enough to be complete. "There are no regrets, why should I have regrets? Living with regret is a waste of time. Ye Tong's expression when he firmly said this sentence still seemed to be in front of him, "I do my best to act it well in every play, so I don't feel any regrets." And some things are in the past, just treat it as a lesson instead of always thinking 'if not'. ”
Leung Ka-fai commented in the interview that although Ye Tong's filming density is not so high, she has always been a person with standards and pursuits for acting. Even though there were so many olive branches reaching out to her, she knew that each one did not come out of nowhere.
A still from "The Legend of the New White Lady"
"The longer you stay in this circle, the more you will find that there are many talented people, and there are especially many people who pursue theater, and everyone is giving in order to act well. Many people spend so much time and effort, hoping to play a good role may not be possible, since I have this opportunity, of course I want to play her better. Ye Tong said sincerely, "I don't want to live up to my role, let alone my identity as an 'actor'." ”
The profession of an actor, in addition to being seen in front of the camera and on the screen, the most special thing is to be able to perceive and experience a variety of completely different lives. "Being an actor allows me to live my life in a way, and I can have this space and be a little wayward to be 'me'. And I think each actor will have his own characteristics to a greater or lesser extent, so that everyone will have different expectations for you. ”
From entering the industry to now, Ye Tong seems to have never set "limits" for himself. This so-called "unlimited" refers not only to her breakthrough in works and character types, but also to her willingness to amplify her "senses", extend her "tentacles", contact various new things, and even set her eyes on some things that are somewhat "contrary" to herself.
"We can also be very transparent when we integrate into the character, such as playing a small person, so that people can not notice the existence of this person. But we have to have a sensitivity, a little more open senses, a little more touch. And I don't put this perception too much on things that interest me or move me, so that the gains will be more. ”
"Old" is just a symbol that someone else gives you
In the process of communicating with Ye Tong, "be yourself" is a high-frequency word that often "shows up".
Female stars in the entertainment industry have long been imposed on others' various requirements and opinions, what makeup is good-looking, what roles are suitable, as if only to meet the public's aesthetics, they are beautiful and unique existence. Once upon a certain time, Ye Tong also tried to catch up with the popularity and cater to the public's requirements and expectations.
But that "cookie-cutter" beauty always makes her feel like she is imitating others, and over time, the so-called "popular" becomes very boring for her. "It's like it's like someone telling you what's good and then you do it. Then I can also tell you that I am popular. Ye Tong said, "And everyone's requirements for female stars are very high, and I don't meet many requirements, so let's go back to myself." ”
Ye Tong gradually regained her "true color", her current trendy punk-looking, seemingly specially dyed white hair, is actually her most authentic appearance, which is her first step on the road to facing herself, and her most frank acceptance of aging.
In Ye Tong's eyes, getting old is not a frightening thing. Compared with the youth when she felt confused about the road ahead and didn't know what she really loved, she always seemed to live for others, but after growing up and becoming stronger, she was able to see the road of life more clearly and thoroughly. What's more, aging is sometimes just a sign given by others.
"When we were young, we were basically protected, so protected that we were a little confused and didn't know what we were going to do in the future. When you grow up, now I have forgotten what age I am, I only know that I still have a lot of pursuit of life, I love my life, and I begin to know myself slowly. Ye Tong interpreted, "So getting old is not scary at all. You don't care about other people's opinions, don't care what labels others put on you, just live yourself. ”
Ye Tong, who gradually "returned to herself", became obviously relaxed and comfortable, and from entering the interview site to leaving, she always exuded an enviable "sense of relaxation". Especially with the emergence of the epidemic in the past two years, the whole world has slowed down, which has also given Ye Tong more opportunities to think freely, so that she can learn to let go of herself and be kind to time.
"My life changed a lot during the pandemic. For example, when I go to tidy up my house, I have tidied almost all the drawers, and I feel very relaxed and comfortable after cleaning up a lot of things. Ye Tong recalled the peaceful time that had been lost for a long time, "The things that I thought were boring and boring in the past made me find peace and tranquility to a certain extent, making me feel that I don't need to have too much, and I can live happily." ”
Today's Ye Tong, even if he has experienced wind and waves, even if he feels the ups and downs and cruelty of birth, old age, illness and death in the life of light and shadow, he can still put aside his anxiety and fear, and move forward unhurriedly. In his spare time, he plays guitar and plays music, insists on his deep cultivation in the field of stage plays, and is even happy to walk on the stage of shows such as "Sister Riding the Wind and Waves" to accept challenges. Ye Tong always has a tolerant attitude, as well as that childlike happy heart, to cherish and feel every bright moment of the moment, as she said, "I am the real me now", the unknown result does not make her fearful, not to try is the regret of life.