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sid_guardian2021-09-11 02:12 pm
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Elle magazine article written by Zhu Yilong and translated by wenella
Wenella translated the whole article from the ELLEMEN September 2021 Cover Issue, where Zhu Yilong talks about his views on acting.
With her permission, I reassembled it from her twitter thread and posted it here. I returned abbreviations and hashtags to normal text, but otherwise made no changes to the text. As for the images, I only added those that were in the original article. There are more images in the twitter thread, if you're interested.
All credit goes to![[twitter.com profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/e0caa790ec10/-/twitter.com/favicon.ico)
wenella_subs.
The original Chinese article is here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/n4obqjZx6cLd
Hi everyone, this is Zhu Yilong. I played the role of an engineer, Hong Yizhou, in Cloudy Mountain. Cloudy Mountain is a story about the old railway soldiers of the China Railway Construction Corp (CRCC). After reading the script, I was moved by its theme and core emotions. As the railway soldiers unit has been disbanded, many young people today aren’t aware of their stories. I see this film as an opportunity for me to promote the spirit of the old railway soldiers and CRCC, and to showcase Chinese power and speed.
In order to understand the story’s background and the unit's history, we visited the CRCC museum. After that, Huang Zhizhong (who played my father) and I started our rock climbing training. On average, I trained for more than two hours every day for more than twenty days. This may not seem like a long time, but those who are familiar with the sport will know that if a person is hanging, the gravitational pull will create an illusion of falling each time one tries to climb up. In under two hours, my arms are swollen & sore, and I can’t even grasp anything in my hands.
I started to prepare myself mentally for the real shoot during my training, but the difficulties that I encountered during the actual shooting were beyond my expectation. During our shoot, we had to hang from rocky cliffs that are 10-20m of height. We had to overcome our physical reactions and could not let our cold, shivering bodies affect the delivery of our emotions. Huang Zhizhong and I would encourage each other; there isn’t a need for words between men; just one look and a smile is more than enough.
Indeed, there are some dangerous moments during our filming and audiences may feel anxious watching Cloudy Mountain. But based on my experience, I know that it is crucial for me to remain focused under such circumstances; if I hesitate or feel afraid, I'll injure myself easily.
I actually feel kind of embarrassed to keep talking about these issues. It seems that the difficulty of shooting Cloudy Mountain is the sole topic that people ask and talk about. While this is indeed a theme that the film explores, it just feels awkward to keep repeating myself.
The reason is very simple: it is only normal that filming is tough. This is my job and these difficulties aren’t really worthy of mention. When we talk too much about them, it diverts attention from the central issue: acting.
A disaster film may require one to hang from wires and fall onto dusty grounds, while a contemporary urban drama may only require one to hold a cup of coffee and walk into an office. However, these roles are inherently the same; they require the actor to invest the same amount of effort into interacting with a character that is distinct from themselves. These so-called “difficulties” are actually as abundant as the “choices” made by actors.
I finished filming Funeral Family recently and am currently resting. My upcoming schedule is to promote Cloudy Mountain. As actors, we have to wait for instructions most of the time. But before these arrangements are made, I had some time to do my own stuff.
Many people often ask me, "Any changes for this year?" My answer is always as consistent as myself - "nothing has changed". My work over the past six months is similar to what I've done in the past: join a set, prepare, shoot, prepare and shoot again.
Some people may find the life on a set a little monotonous, but I don't think so. Even though it seems like a repeated cycle of filming, eating, resting and sleeping, I find it very interesting. A group of different people gather every day to make a show together. You are Character A and I'm Character B. The story is fake as it is created by the author and scriptwriter, yet everyone treats it as something real with so much passion. They invest all their emotions and see themselves as a tool to deliver the role... This is so meaningful.
There is something romantic when such ideals converge with reality; when your belief turns something fake into real; when you are able to gather with so many like-minded people. Ever since I became an actor, I've enjoyed my life on the set very much.
Initially, I thought that four months is a long time to shoot a film. But I realised that time passed so quickly and I didn’t even have time to think carefully. Thus, I cherish every opportunity even more now, because the time spent on creating a character is always happy but short-lived.
The Rebel was rather well-received this year. Many of my friends, classmates, and working partners watched it. The happiest moment occurred when I was filming in Wuhan. An old man walked past and shouted “Lin Nansheng!” in Wuhan dialect at me. I’m from Wuhan. I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel joy and contentment when I heard him call my character’s name in my hometown dialect.
The old man even told me very seriously, “But you don’t look as good as Lin Nansheng now.”
He was right. I looked different because I was shooting my next film, Funeral Family, yet the audience is still stuck in another time and space (with Lin Nansheng). When I encountered this old man in Wuhan, we reminisced Lin Nansheng’s story together. There will always be a temporal distance between the actor and audiences, but I feel that this is a more sober way of observation.
Once I've wrapped up the filming, I'd try to get out of character. My roles might have left some marks on me, but I haven't really thought about this nor try to summarise it. In my opinion, I do not have the right to interpret the role that I played. The right does not belong to me; it belongs to the work's author, its readers, and its audience.
My relationship (with the character) is more like friends who met on a journey. In this specific situation, I met people whom I'd never meet in my life. During this period, we experienced the same events and grew feelings, but we would definitely separate once this specific situation ends. Whenever I think about this place after we part ways, I'd remember this person and the time we spent together.
Of course, I also wanted to get out of Lin Nansheng's character quickly because it was such a depressive and sad role. In the show, I had to send my comrades and friends away one by one. It is best to keep these emotions sealed and tucked away.
It isn’t the first time that I heard "'xxx' marks Zhu Yilong's turning point in his career." I heard it when The Rebel was airing this year. Maybe some would say the same when Cloudy Mountain is released later. But I've never believed in such words.
I’ve acted for several years but I don’t think that I’m a talented actor; maybe just well-liked by some audiences at most. When I first started as an actor, I was very determined and uptight about every scene; I wanted to mobilize my “ability” and “acting skills” to make sure that I get the scene in one take.
I’m more relaxed now. I no longer feel that I’m faced with a formidable enemy while on the set; I'm not afraid of making mistakes in front of the camera too. Making mistakes is really unavoidable and it is easier to perform my best when I’m relaxed. This requires me to not be obsessed with criticism and to be vigilant of praises.
I feel satisfied to know that audiences like to watch my shows, but these comments on my outstanding acting simply reflect audiences’ recognition of my acting and I don't take them seriously. A good actor wouldn’t make you think much of his acting skills when you’re watching the show. The audience shouldn’t go, “Wow, that was brilliant!" If they think so, it means that the actor isn't in character.
I never felt this way when I watched some good actors perform. When I recall the details after I finished the show, I'd realise that the actor handled the scene with so much skill and thought. However, the audience shouldn’t be aware of this if they're watching it for the first time.
For example, I didn’t realise that the main lead was Daniel Day-Lewis when I watched “There Will Be Blood” (2007) for the first time. I only realised that it was him when I saw the cast list. This sense of surprise is way more impressive than thinking “he acted very well” while watching the show. A good performance is like a knife that is paired with a scabbard.
Another interesting point is that I think I've passed the stage of trying to pursue “the ultimate artistic expression.” When I was in college, my classmates liked to challenge extreme roles, such as villains or people that we rarely encounter in real life. Everyone felt that such roles can reflect the essence of performance.
I don't think like this anymore. After you’ve acted for a while, you will realise that the most difficult role to play is actually a simple role. There is no point of reference and these characters are very down to earth. You are basically what you act and you need to have real similarities with the people around you in order to be convincing.
This is something that I gathered after communicating with directors, producers and creators over the years. I'm no longer seeking a breakthrough deliberately, nor do I want to film characters that will "stun" people with my acting skills. Deep down in my heart, I know that this isn’t good enough. Maybe I would like to challenge some extreme characters again two years later; well, maybe. But right now, I don’t want to create characters that I’ve done before. I don’t want to live in the shadow of people’s praises nor plan my career based on what brings me recognition.
I don't know if I can put it this way, but I guess I’m someone who has “been through it.” I don't want to be trapped by people’s comments. For e.g., this actor is an idol, a real talent, this show is his turning point, he is the successor of XXX, he should consider this as his next move… These are all comments by others.
People can describe you as a fresh young meat, as someone with or without acting skills, or as an actor relying on luck. It doesn't matter. Everyone has the freedom to comment, but as actors, we shouldn’t believe these comments. You need to ask yourself: what do I want to do, what progress did I make in my performance, do I really want to present audiences with good works. This is the most important thing.
Frankly speaking, people’s comments don’t really affect me anymore. Although I’d search for my works and name on Weibo sometimes and feel happy to read audiences' feedback, this sense of accomplishment is fleeting. My real sense of happiness comes from my commitment to my career.
I think I’m in the best state right now – be it physical or mental. It is most important for me to take advantage of my time now and film one work after another. As for all the buzz and noise? I choose to cover my ears and open my eyes.
With her permission, I reassembled it from her twitter thread and posted it here. I returned abbreviations and hashtags to normal text, but otherwise made no changes to the text. As for the images, I only added those that were in the original article. There are more images in the twitter thread, if you're interested.
All credit goes to
The original Chinese article is here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/n4obqjZx6cLd
"A Personal Account by Zhu Yilong: Cover my ears, Open my eyes"
"There are always as many difficulties as choices"
Hi everyone, this is Zhu Yilong. I played the role of an engineer, Hong Yizhou, in Cloudy Mountain. Cloudy Mountain is a story about the old railway soldiers of the China Railway Construction Corp (CRCC). After reading the script, I was moved by its theme and core emotions. As the railway soldiers unit has been disbanded, many young people today aren’t aware of their stories. I see this film as an opportunity for me to promote the spirit of the old railway soldiers and CRCC, and to showcase Chinese power and speed.
In order to understand the story’s background and the unit's history, we visited the CRCC museum. After that, Huang Zhizhong (who played my father) and I started our rock climbing training. On average, I trained for more than two hours every day for more than twenty days. This may not seem like a long time, but those who are familiar with the sport will know that if a person is hanging, the gravitational pull will create an illusion of falling each time one tries to climb up. In under two hours, my arms are swollen & sore, and I can’t even grasp anything in my hands.
I started to prepare myself mentally for the real shoot during my training, but the difficulties that I encountered during the actual shooting were beyond my expectation. During our shoot, we had to hang from rocky cliffs that are 10-20m of height. We had to overcome our physical reactions and could not let our cold, shivering bodies affect the delivery of our emotions. Huang Zhizhong and I would encourage each other; there isn’t a need for words between men; just one look and a smile is more than enough.
Indeed, there are some dangerous moments during our filming and audiences may feel anxious watching Cloudy Mountain. But based on my experience, I know that it is crucial for me to remain focused under such circumstances; if I hesitate or feel afraid, I'll injure myself easily.
I actually feel kind of embarrassed to keep talking about these issues. It seems that the difficulty of shooting Cloudy Mountain is the sole topic that people ask and talk about. While this is indeed a theme that the film explores, it just feels awkward to keep repeating myself.
The reason is very simple: it is only normal that filming is tough. This is my job and these difficulties aren’t really worthy of mention. When we talk too much about them, it diverts attention from the central issue: acting.
A disaster film may require one to hang from wires and fall onto dusty grounds, while a contemporary urban drama may only require one to hold a cup of coffee and walk into an office. However, these roles are inherently the same; they require the actor to invest the same amount of effort into interacting with a character that is distinct from themselves. These so-called “difficulties” are actually as abundant as the “choices” made by actors.
"Life on the set; it's a journey"
I finished filming Funeral Family recently and am currently resting. My upcoming schedule is to promote Cloudy Mountain. As actors, we have to wait for instructions most of the time. But before these arrangements are made, I had some time to do my own stuff.
Many people often ask me, "Any changes for this year?" My answer is always as consistent as myself - "nothing has changed". My work over the past six months is similar to what I've done in the past: join a set, prepare, shoot, prepare and shoot again.
Some people may find the life on a set a little monotonous, but I don't think so. Even though it seems like a repeated cycle of filming, eating, resting and sleeping, I find it very interesting. A group of different people gather every day to make a show together. You are Character A and I'm Character B. The story is fake as it is created by the author and scriptwriter, yet everyone treats it as something real with so much passion. They invest all their emotions and see themselves as a tool to deliver the role... This is so meaningful.
There is something romantic when such ideals converge with reality; when your belief turns something fake into real; when you are able to gather with so many like-minded people. Ever since I became an actor, I've enjoyed my life on the set very much.
Initially, I thought that four months is a long time to shoot a film. But I realised that time passed so quickly and I didn’t even have time to think carefully. Thus, I cherish every opportunity even more now, because the time spent on creating a character is always happy but short-lived.
The Rebel was rather well-received this year. Many of my friends, classmates, and working partners watched it. The happiest moment occurred when I was filming in Wuhan. An old man walked past and shouted “Lin Nansheng!” in Wuhan dialect at me. I’m from Wuhan. I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel joy and contentment when I heard him call my character’s name in my hometown dialect.
The old man even told me very seriously, “But you don’t look as good as Lin Nansheng now.”
He was right. I looked different because I was shooting my next film, Funeral Family, yet the audience is still stuck in another time and space (with Lin Nansheng). When I encountered this old man in Wuhan, we reminisced Lin Nansheng’s story together. There will always be a temporal distance between the actor and audiences, but I feel that this is a more sober way of observation.
Once I've wrapped up the filming, I'd try to get out of character. My roles might have left some marks on me, but I haven't really thought about this nor try to summarise it. In my opinion, I do not have the right to interpret the role that I played. The right does not belong to me; it belongs to the work's author, its readers, and its audience.
My relationship (with the character) is more like friends who met on a journey. In this specific situation, I met people whom I'd never meet in my life. During this period, we experienced the same events and grew feelings, but we would definitely separate once this specific situation ends. Whenever I think about this place after we part ways, I'd remember this person and the time we spent together.
Of course, I also wanted to get out of Lin Nansheng's character quickly because it was such a depressive and sad role. In the show, I had to send my comrades and friends away one by one. It is best to keep these emotions sealed and tucked away.
"Never become the version of yourself in other people’s eyes"
It isn’t the first time that I heard "'xxx' marks Zhu Yilong's turning point in his career." I heard it when The Rebel was airing this year. Maybe some would say the same when Cloudy Mountain is released later. But I've never believed in such words.
I’ve acted for several years but I don’t think that I’m a talented actor; maybe just well-liked by some audiences at most. When I first started as an actor, I was very determined and uptight about every scene; I wanted to mobilize my “ability” and “acting skills” to make sure that I get the scene in one take.
I’m more relaxed now. I no longer feel that I’m faced with a formidable enemy while on the set; I'm not afraid of making mistakes in front of the camera too. Making mistakes is really unavoidable and it is easier to perform my best when I’m relaxed. This requires me to not be obsessed with criticism and to be vigilant of praises.
I feel satisfied to know that audiences like to watch my shows, but these comments on my outstanding acting simply reflect audiences’ recognition of my acting and I don't take them seriously. A good actor wouldn’t make you think much of his acting skills when you’re watching the show. The audience shouldn’t go, “Wow, that was brilliant!" If they think so, it means that the actor isn't in character.
I never felt this way when I watched some good actors perform. When I recall the details after I finished the show, I'd realise that the actor handled the scene with so much skill and thought. However, the audience shouldn’t be aware of this if they're watching it for the first time.
For example, I didn’t realise that the main lead was Daniel Day-Lewis when I watched “There Will Be Blood” (2007) for the first time. I only realised that it was him when I saw the cast list. This sense of surprise is way more impressive than thinking “he acted very well” while watching the show. A good performance is like a knife that is paired with a scabbard.
Another interesting point is that I think I've passed the stage of trying to pursue “the ultimate artistic expression.” When I was in college, my classmates liked to challenge extreme roles, such as villains or people that we rarely encounter in real life. Everyone felt that such roles can reflect the essence of performance.
I don't think like this anymore. After you’ve acted for a while, you will realise that the most difficult role to play is actually a simple role. There is no point of reference and these characters are very down to earth. You are basically what you act and you need to have real similarities with the people around you in order to be convincing.
This is something that I gathered after communicating with directors, producers and creators over the years. I'm no longer seeking a breakthrough deliberately, nor do I want to film characters that will "stun" people with my acting skills. Deep down in my heart, I know that this isn’t good enough. Maybe I would like to challenge some extreme characters again two years later; well, maybe. But right now, I don’t want to create characters that I’ve done before. I don’t want to live in the shadow of people’s praises nor plan my career based on what brings me recognition.
I don't know if I can put it this way, but I guess I’m someone who has “been through it.” I don't want to be trapped by people’s comments. For e.g., this actor is an idol, a real talent, this show is his turning point, he is the successor of XXX, he should consider this as his next move… These are all comments by others.
People can describe you as a fresh young meat, as someone with or without acting skills, or as an actor relying on luck. It doesn't matter. Everyone has the freedom to comment, but as actors, we shouldn’t believe these comments. You need to ask yourself: what do I want to do, what progress did I make in my performance, do I really want to present audiences with good works. This is the most important thing.
Frankly speaking, people’s comments don’t really affect me anymore. Although I’d search for my works and name on Weibo sometimes and feel happy to read audiences' feedback, this sense of accomplishment is fleeting. My real sense of happiness comes from my commitment to my career.
I think I’m in the best state right now – be it physical or mental. It is most important for me to take advantage of my time now and film one work after another. As for all the buzz and noise? I choose to cover my ears and open my eyes.