How about a movie marathon this weekend? The martial arts films directed by Stephen Fung, Tai Chi 0 and Tai Chi Hero will air on Celestial Movies this Sunday!
Check out our EXCLUSIVE InC-terview with actor Eddie Peng as he shares with us his views on the double bill movie and his upcoming role in Unbeatable!
Catch Tai Chi 0 and Tai Chi Hero, airing first & exclusively as a Celestial Double Bill on 11th August 2013, Sunday, at 9pm on Celestial Movies (StarHub TV Channel 868 and SingTel mioTV Channel 585)
StarHub subscribers can also watch Celestial Movies (StarHub TV Channel 868 ) for free from 12 noon on 7 August to 12 noon on 12 August.
InCinemas: We're used to seeing you as lead/co-lead casts in many films. Being the villain in "TAICHI ZERO", how do you view the role and the challenges/opportunities it presents you?
Eddie Peng: In fact, I want to play different types of roles, the weirder, the better. It is just a matter of whether the director can think of it, and whether I can do it. No matter how much you want the role, if you cannot act well, the performance will not be good, and no one would like it. That is why playing a villain is a new challenge for me. It is hard to define whether a hero or villain is an easier role to play but I wish for new challenges in each role that I play.
InCinemas: How do your fans/supporters react to your villain role/performance in the TAICHI movies?
Eddie: It has been very interesting taking part in Tai Chi, the role was
something that I really wanted to try. Maybe people think that I am not
suitable for playing the role of a villain.
InCinemas: You are still that good-looking even with your head shaved. How did the decision to shave your head come about, and will you consider shaving your head again in future?
Eddie: After Steven (director) casted me for the role, he suggested that I shave my head. I was excited about it because I have never shaved my head before and I told him to do whatever he wanted to make me fit into the character for the movie. Being an actor is fun, you can play so many different roles in films and you can try things that you would not normally do in your own life. I will definitely shave my head again if I need to.
InCinemas: From big action blockbusters like TAICHI HERO to sport autobiographies like JUMP! ASHIN, do you envisage a niche spot that you can fill with your sport talent and interest?
Eddie: I actually did not have many scenes related to exercise in Tai Chi. As Fang Zijing studies overseas, he brings back some western technology to China to fight against traditional Chinese kung fu, which makes him different from other characters related to tai chi.
However, in Jump! Ashin, it was the first time I had so many exercise scenes. It was hard but fun. Later when I filmed Unbeatable, it was even harder and exhausting but much more fun as well. It is hard for an actor to be satisfied, we always want to challenge and surpass ourselves.
There will also be a “Watch and Win” contest together with this
Celestial Double Bill. Check out the website for more information!
InCinemas: Come 11 August, Celestial Movies will be showing TAICHI 0 and TAICHI HERO back-to-back. Could you share with us what you have learnt/gained after watching both movies?
Eddie: I believe there is no absolute villain. I took a long time to prepare for and research on the background of the role of Zijing. He had an unlucky and unhappy childhood, and his parents did not take care of him, which affects his beliefs. He soon realises that power and money are essential keys in changing the status quo, so he started to use extreme means in order to achieve his dream.
I think Zijing and I are somehow similar in terms of being persistent when doing things we like and chasing after our dreams. Being an actor, I see every opportunity in a positive light, no matter how small the role is and having a chance to take part is enough to me so I grab every single opportunity and perform it to my best ability. The happiest thing is to enjoy playing the part. Therefore, I understand how Zijing feels and did not play him as a totally bad villain.
InCinemas: After getting involved with TAICHI, do you actually get to practise it? Tell us some of the sports you usually do or enjoy!
Eddie: I have not continued to practice taichi, because the kungfu I practiced in the film is different from the taichi that people usually practice in daily life. My character receives a western education in foreign country, so he just uses some high-technology machines and weapons instead of using taichi. I used to play basketball in secondary school but since I hurt my leg, I cannot play so often. Now I enjoy other activities such as swimming, jogging and surfing. I usually jog at night. I always do exercise when I don’t have work.
(Read InCinemas review of Tai Chi Hero - Jason Lin!)
InCinemas: How was it like to work with Angelababy again? The two of you seems to get along very well in LOVE YOU YOU 夏日乐悠悠. Anything interesting moments between the two of you during filming of TAICHI movies that you can share with us?
Eddie: I think she has put in a lot of effort in this movie, even needing to learn taichi at an advanced level. I was happy to work with AngelaBaby again and I hope both of us can learn from each experience and cooperate better. There is quite a long time in between filming Love You You and Tai Chi.
For me, I believe I can learn something from filming each movie. This time it is quite different when working with AngelaBaby as her role in this film is that of an action girl who fights against men. There is an incident while we were filming a commercial together where I needed to do a handstand, she immediately did it as well, so she is supportive as a friend.
InCinemas: Where do you see yourself in 5 years time and if Hollywood will be one of the destinations?
Eddie: I am not a detailed future planner. For now, I just want to try different roles and perform well in each of them. What I can do now is to be a good actor, as opportunities are given to those who have prepared well. I hope to have more and new challenges in the future.
InCinemas: UNBEATABLE 激战, the film you star alongside Nick Cheung 張家輝, is showing in Singapore cinemas on 15 August 2013. Could you tell us a little more about what you went through and why we should look forward to it?
Eddie: Unbeatable is the hardest movie that I have ever done, I trained with two MMA masters 2-3 hours a day for three months. Luckily, I really like MMA so I enjoyed filming it. Director Dante Lam is really demanding, he likes our acting to be more natural and look as real as possible so most of the fights are not choreographed, it is a real fight. I always think to myself that I might not have a second chance to play a similar role again in the future, so I keep reminding myself to act perfectly, so that is what I found to be the hardest for me.
Everyone thinks that Unbeatable is an action film, but I think it is an inspirational film, as it is all about relationships. It focuses on the relationship between Nick Cheng and his daughter, the relationship between the character I play and his father, as well as the relationship between master and apprentice (Nick and me). The MMA fighting is only toward the very end.
(View Unbeatable movie info, stills and trailers here!)
InCinemas: Last but not least, how would you say of your exercise regime, before and after UNBEATABLE 激战?
Eddie: I like sports so much and filming Unbeatable allowed me to study the technique of MMA, which has widened my horizons. I also think this is the great part of being an actor.