Banned Tang back on the red carpet
By Min Lee |
00:00 UTC+8 March 22, 2010
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINESE actress Tang Wei returned to the red carpet yesterday, promoting her first movie since the 2007 Ang Lee spy thriller "Lust, Caution," a sensitive production that reportedly prompted officials to ban the actress on Chinese mainland.
Lee catapulted the then-unknown Tang to stardom by casting her as a student activist who seduces a Japanese-allied Chinese intelligence chief in World War II-era Shanghai to pave the way for his assassination, only to fall in love with him.
With many Chinese still incensed by Japanese atrocities during the war, government censors asked Lee to edit the film to be more "politically" acceptable. The Oscar-winning film maker changed a line of dialogue at the end of the movie and also toned down the sex scenes.
But even though the edited version of the movie was cleared for release, officials still ordered TV stations to pull ads featuring the actress and to stop covering her, according to news reports.
The actress did not act again until "Crossing Hennessy," a Hong Kong-set romance that had its world premiere yesterday, kicking off the 34th Hong Kong International Film Festival. The movie, directed by Ivy Ho, has been cleared for release on Chinese mainland.
"Coming to Hong Kong for this premiere, I can see Ivy and (co-star) Andy On again. I've been very happy. Now I'm just excited to see the movie," Tang told reporters.
"I will be happy if everyone can see my work," she said.
Another co-star, veteran Hong Kong actress Paw Hee-ching, said she was delighted to see Tang's comeback.
"Everyone knows that Tang Wei is an actress of international stature, but she hasn't been able to make any movies in the past few years. For her to see the light of day again with this movie, I'm really happy for her," Paw said.
In "Crossing Hennessy," Tang plays a shopkeeper who's set up with the owner of an electric appliance store, played by Hong Kong pop legend Jacky Cheung.
Tang has also been shooting "Late Autumn," an English-language remake of the 1966 South Korean film of the same name, directed by Kim Tae-yong and co-starring Hyun Bin.
The Hong Kong film festival runs until April 6.
Lee catapulted the then-unknown Tang to stardom by casting her as a student activist who seduces a Japanese-allied Chinese intelligence chief in World War II-era Shanghai to pave the way for his assassination, only to fall in love with him.
With many Chinese still incensed by Japanese atrocities during the war, government censors asked Lee to edit the film to be more "politically" acceptable. The Oscar-winning film maker changed a line of dialogue at the end of the movie and also toned down the sex scenes.
But even though the edited version of the movie was cleared for release, officials still ordered TV stations to pull ads featuring the actress and to stop covering her, according to news reports.
The actress did not act again until "Crossing Hennessy," a Hong Kong-set romance that had its world premiere yesterday, kicking off the 34th Hong Kong International Film Festival. The movie, directed by Ivy Ho, has been cleared for release on Chinese mainland.
"Coming to Hong Kong for this premiere, I can see Ivy and (co-star) Andy On again. I've been very happy. Now I'm just excited to see the movie," Tang told reporters.
"I will be happy if everyone can see my work," she said.
Another co-star, veteran Hong Kong actress Paw Hee-ching, said she was delighted to see Tang's comeback.
"Everyone knows that Tang Wei is an actress of international stature, but she hasn't been able to make any movies in the past few years. For her to see the light of day again with this movie, I'm really happy for her," Paw said.
In "Crossing Hennessy," Tang plays a shopkeeper who's set up with the owner of an electric appliance store, played by Hong Kong pop legend Jacky Cheung.
Tang has also been shooting "Late Autumn," an English-language remake of the 1966 South Korean film of the same name, directed by Kim Tae-yong and co-starring Hyun Bin.
The Hong Kong film festival runs until April 6.
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