Shangguan: Knowing that he wants to play academician Sun Jiadong, the "founder of two bombs and one star", what is his first reaction?
Tong Dawei: I knew before that Academician Sun Jiadong was a recipient of the Order of the Republic and once presided over the launch of China's first artificial earth satellite, "Dongfanghong I". Playing such a character, I think it is very sacred.
Shangguan: This is not your first time playing a scientist, but have you felt pressure to play such a heavyweight figure in the history of the development of science and technology in New China?
Tong Dawei: There is indeed pressure. Interpreting real people, you will worry about whether you can act like it or not, and whether you can get the approval of Elder Sun himself. Interpreting real events with some artistic processing, how to grasp the scale, is also a problem. Before filming began, I found Sun Lao's biography to read and learned about his experience from school to study abroad to presiding over satellite development and launch. At that time, the director and screenwriter also went to interview Elder Sun himself, and because of the epidemic, I could not catch up with this exchange. But I was lucky enough to meet Elder Sun's granddaughter when I started the phone, and I learned from her what Elder Sun was really like in life. She told me that Elder Sun is particularly rational, speaks and acts very logically, does not disrupt the rhythm of his own doing things because of external influences, and loves to laugh.
Sun Jiadong, played by Tong Dawei. Courtesy of the producer
Shangguan: The director was worried that the actors could not shoot in the studio, so he took you to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for live shooting.
Tong Dawei: I went to jiuquan satellite launch center for the first time. If it weren't for filming, I probably wouldn't have had the chance to go there. At that time, we first flew to Zhangye, and then took three or four hours by car to reach the base. There is a checkpoint guarded by soldiers at the entrance of the base, and the internal speed limit is 15 km / h. Although it is not big, there are all kinds of living facilities, just like a small world. It is in this world that countless talents who devote themselves to the cause of aerospace and national defense work diligently and earnestly, and one job is a lifetime.
What impressed me the most was a cemetery, in which many scientists and soldiers who had dedicated their lives to the aerospace industry of New China were buried, and Marshal Nie Rongzhen was also buried in this Gobi. During the visit, the staff told us that all the tombstones were facing the direction of the launch site, which meant that they were always watching the successful launch of our country's missiles and satellites from Jiuquan one by one.
Shangguan: When interpreting "Sun Jiadong", what aspects of the characters do you mainly grasp?
Tong Dawei: The main thing is to be rational and calm, especially when the project cannot be promoted or some people raise objections, Elder Sun is still as rational in the face of the crisis, saying things and never being impulsive. That's what distinguished scientists do. In addition, I also discussed with the director that Sun lao is a Native of Liaoning, whether to let him talk about Northeast Chinese in the play, more grounded. Later, we agreed not to use all of them with a Northeastern accent, but to let him naturally exude the Northeast country accent in some expressions.
Column Editor-in-Chief: Gong Danyun Text Editor: Wu Yue Title Map Source: Courtesy of the Interviewee
Source: Author: Wu Yue