Shangguan: You have already played a lot of military figures before playing Li Yannian, is this related to your military family?
Wang Lei: I do prefer the theme of military service.
I grew up in the military academy, my grandfather, grandmother, father, aunt, uncle, etc. are all soldiers, I have heard about it since I was a child, and I have a kind of military complex. My grandfather fought in the Siping Defence during the Liberation War, and was wounded in the shoulder when blocking the enemy. He also participated in the Liaoshen Campaign, the Pingjin Campaign, the Hainan Island Campaign, and so on, and also participated in the 5 battles to resist the United States and aid Korea. At that time, I also loved to watch movies, "Heroes and Children", "Tunnel Warfare", "Mine Warfare", I had a vague understanding of soldiers, battles, and sacrifices. When I grew up, I played different roles as soldiers with reverence.
Stills from "Meritorious Service". Courtesy of the producer
Shangguan: How is Li Yannian different from other military roles he has played before?
Wang Lei: This is the first time I played the role of a soldier during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. I have played soldiers, some of whom participated in the War of Liberation and the War of Resistance Against Japan, and some of whom were in the early days of the founding of the Party, and I think there are commonalities between them. The characteristics of soldiers are first of all loyalty, then persistence, simplicity, blood, and bravery, and Chinese soldiers in every period have these characteristics. Different battles in different periods have different meanings for the country, and the challenges and difficulties faced by soldiers are also different. The script immerses me in the characters.
Shangguan: Many viewers liked Li Yannian's seven-minute speech when dealing with "deserted" warriors. How was this scene filmed?
Wang Lei: The whole scene is actually 16 minutes, and the more exciting thing is that those 7 minutes, we acted it out in one go. Screenwriter Teacher Liu Gejian stressed several times that although this scene is very long, it is necessary to make Li Yannian's "capable of writing and martial arts" instructor image stand up. He was not only brave and good at war, but also very good at ideological and political work and very wise. I didn't think the scene would be a "breaking point", but when I saw the lines, I thought it was the highlight moment of the character. Therefore, I did work hard, and practiced at least a hundred times before shooting, because only in this way can I do it in one go and dig out the emotions and emotions behind the lines.
In addition to striving for authenticity in the performance, I think there is another important point, that is, restraint. Many viewers said that this scene was tearful and "very paper towel-consuming", but in fact, I also felt this way. I was touched by Li Yannian and the volunteer soldiers, but I couldn't do this when performing, otherwise I would have acted as myself. I want to become Li Yannian, and he will never cry and weep as he speaks, so I must refrain from using Li Yannian's state to set up this drama.
Recently, I met several of my peers who could recite the last few lines backwards, such as "Our country is incomparably strong and cannot be bullied." I am very happy that this drama can be performed in everyone's hearts.
Li Yannian and Little Anton. Courtesy of the producer
Shangguan: After playing Li Yannian, what kind of feelings did you have for this character?
Wang Lei: I admire Li Yannian's simplicity the most. I think that when he fought in the war, he would not have imagined that he would be awarded the "Order of the Republic" today, that he was fighting simply for the people and the country, not for honor. Elder Li also often said that this medal was not for him alone, the honor belonged to thousands of soldiers, he was just a representative. His simple and introverted emotions and lofty outlook on life values touched me a lot.
I think I will definitely take on the role of the soldier again, because the image of the soldier is very worthy of using film and television works to excavate and present, and each role can make everyone know and understand more about the soldier. I hope that my next military image will also be recognized by everyone like "Li Yannian".
Shangguan: You said that being an actor is a process of constant learning. Wang Lei: Indeed. I have always believed that not only do I shape the role, the role also shapes me, especially the positive energy role of "Meritorious", which is actually a process of mutual communication and mutual learning with the role. No matter what line of character you are in, when shaping the role, you must understand the knowledge and background of the relevant industry of the character, and be clear about the basic characteristics of his profession. For example, when I play "The King of Land Warfare," I must understand the basic knowledge of tanks, when I play "Chasing Dreams," I must understand the communications industry; when I play "Ordinary World," I must understand farming and cultivated land; and when I play "Meritorious Service," I must understand the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea and the Volunteer Army. As an actor, if you want to play a role well, you must learn, and the only way to solve any problem in your creation is also to learn. Through reading, observing life and other methods, you can gradually find the image of the character, and then reproduce him through artistic processing.
The indispensable part of the profession of an actor is the habit of creation. When I was studying at the Central Academy of Drama, the teacher told us that observing life is something we must insist on for a lifetime. Pay attention to the bits and pieces of life, not only look at pedestrians on the street, but also collect various life materials through various channels, and you can put these details into it when you meet the right people. The teacher also emphasized the habit of learning. I think that as an actor, you must be humble and learn more. Qinqi calligraphy and painting, flowers, birds, fish and insects and other aspects must be understood, opera, dance, vocal music, etc., and they must also learn when they have the opportunity. This is also what Beijing Renyi taught me - I must understand the Chinese story and master the nationalization and Chinese expression.
Column Editor-in-Chief: Gong Danyun Text Editor: Wu Yue
Source: Author: Wu Yue