Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng is film's perfect combination and they were once again brought together in Johnnie To's Blind Detective. They were interviewed by Apple Daily News Friday's weekly beauty magazine as they talked about their 13-years friendship and changes.
Q: add
A: Andy
S: Sammi
Friendship Sammi always said that the magnetic field between humans is important, when the magnetic field is correct, they will be together, once separated will be back together, she's not referring to her boyfriend Andy Hui but Andy Lau whom she first collaborated in Needing You, after 10 years they are brought together again in a new film, although they did not meet up often but they are always good friends.
Q: What's attracting you as it attracted both of you to be best friends, best partners?
S: This matter, I also does not know, it came naturally, we get along well with each other, the chemistry just flew out, I also does not know how to explain. I think, this is a kind of chemistry reaction between humans, you will always get along with certain type of people and not get along with with certain type of people, you can't say it's good or bad. You can do a lot of things with those who get along with you and became friends. When comes to work, chemistry will comes naturally, when acting together, all the communication and interaction are just like inborn, it just comes naturally. The trust between us, after years of collaborating, I cherish that, cherishing this friendship and cherish that I have such a good partner at work.
A: Nope, I feel that in terms of character, becoming friends, we are alike. We're care for friends but seldom disturb friend's life, whenever we meet up, we would bring out our 100% feel and enthusiasm, when we do not meet up, we will not disturb each other. Anyway, both our character, requirments to things are almost the same, thus we became good friends.
Q: 13 years ago till now, what's the changes of yourself and the other party?
S: Let me talk about Andy first, I feel that he's more open now, especially during acting, when handling comedies, I can see that he's more "open", being open as a person, so is his heart and acting. Therefore, when he's open, so is me, we opened each other's door. In the past, this door is not so wide open, thus to find a good opposition, requires to agitate and activate each other, it's like matching. Andy will match me and I'll match him, the open during performing, no restriction, acted out naturally, this is the most magical thing.
A: Both of us slimmed down a lot, haha. I feel that character, acting changes with experiences, I feel that acting had became wider, in the past is more one dimensional, now has changed, it became wider.
Films Andy and Sammi collaborated with Johnnie To is their 4th collaboration, Andy is a blind detective who assist Sammi to solve cases and they duet the theme song.
Q: "Reunion" in this film, any new feelings for old partners? New chemistry?
S: To be able to collaborate with Andy in a film brings a thankful feeling, because had not collaborated in a film for 6-7 years, the characters are different from the past, the collaboration is enjoying and brought out new elements as we hope that it will be different, improvements, this is the feeling.
A: Actually we had not collaborated in a film for 10 years, but we do keep contact and get together occasionally, feel that she looked at life very composed, her requirements to the character came out from her heart. Acting opposite Sammi, I also hope to have new chemistry. In the past she acted those scatterbrain characters, which is a killer, this time she changed, not sure if everybody know who is Fun Lo? This time she's a prettier version of Fun Lo, haha, I not saying that Fun Lo is not pretty, she belonged to the high class, hahahahahhaa. This time I have high requirement and force her to bring out more stuffs, during fighting and acting, all areas, I would give her more pressure when compared to the past, because I feel that during this period, she could slowly accepted some degree of pressure, being pressured, there will be new chemistry. I also feel that it's special for this whole performance, in addition, this film is very crazy and not realistic but we used a realistic feel to act out this crazy thing.
Q: Blind Detective's story is similar to Chinese version of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Hamish Watson?
S: The story is fresh, I have never got such a character in Johnnie To's films, the story itself already provided a wide space for us to try, experience and discover a different self. Freshness, that is me and Andy for the audience have a familiarity of us, accepting the elements, the characters brought us several new things, thus between familiarity and new things, the audience will be able to get what they want.
A: Someone did ask me why I accepted this film, I read the script, feel that this is a new topic in these 20 years, a new try, it's very dark but full of crazy comedies, it's also a thriller, I feel that, being a Buddhist myself, it has a strong Dhyāna feel.
Q: The films that you had collaborated are all happy, relaxing love stories, this time included bloody and violent content, feel different?
S: Actually for this film, I would not describe it as bloody, because you not only see blood. It has laughter, very funny; there's love, there's suspense, the rhythm is funny, the structure of the story is funny, provide many different space for me and Andy to develop, the tempo can have many changes, after the audience enter the cinema, they will follow the film's tempo, very touching.
A: Still the same phrase "If your heart is blind, then it's lethal", when your heart lost its direction, without the guidance of light, you will do bad things, in the film which is like the strong Dhyāna feel I said earlier, it's like asking how to purify yourself and face this world.
Andy Q&A Q: In life did you experience anything that you once own and suddenly lost it?
A: Not officially, youth (smile), once owned it then slowly lose it as time goes by, only had to replenish and feel the same mentality, no choice.
Q: Being an actor for so many years, ever experience a character that you can't handle?
A: This film can be considered one, because I'm not allowed to wear sunglasses as a blind man, during shooting I tend to look around unknowingly, thus the longer shooting time.
Q: You are well known to be a workaholic, there's only 24 hours each day, how you divide time to accompany your family?
A: Actually, when I'm in Hong Kong, I work 8 hours and spent 8 hours at home, 8 hours for sleeping, divided equally, Johnnie knew about this, haha.
Q: Has your life changes much?
A: Actually there is not much changes to my life, I'm lucky of the current low production rate of Hong Kong films. For my own company, I can plan my own time, for example a 6 months planning, thus can work and rest, divide time for family, friends, working time under my control, no pressure, I made 60% of the decisions, thus feel need not much change.
Q: Will you recharge your batteries if you're too tired?
A: Travel, I love to travel, I don't know how to plan, but at times need to save money because book tickets earlier will be cheaper.
Q: How you going to spend Father's Day this year?
A: Spent with my family, I myself is also a father.
Q: Can you recommend any recent books or films that you find interesting?
A: Life roundabout: Rogue 2322 days of life and death, for films, I watch couple of films recently, I like Beijing Blues, Mystery is worth watching, for other countries films it seems that this year are more violent be it Japanese, Korean, Iran or European. If you want to watch short film, you can look for The Home Gleaners.
Q: Anything you wanted to say to fellow Hongkongers?
A: I'm with Hongkongers!
Source: Apple Daily News, add magazine
Translated by: AndyLauSounds
