GONG LI NEWS

GONG LI NEWS ITEMS

PLEA FROM GONG LI: During interviews on June 9, she spoke about one of her causes: ending world hunger. She has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations since 2002. She says: "Why am I mad? Because today over 1 billion people go hungry each day - one sixth of all people on this planet. That makes me mad. It makes a lot of people mad. That is why we are all joining together to sign the 1billionhungry petition, to make that outrage known, and ask the world leaders to make tackling chronic hunger a top priority."

I have also been contacted by an FAO representative today, June 9 - and Gong Li's manager months ago - to encourage fans to sign the petition. ~Thank you, Marla. ->SIGN

August 14: As reported on our forum earlier this month, Gong Li graces the cover of the September issue of L'Officiel magazine China. The cover image is online, and scans of the article and photos should be available after the issue hits the newsstands in the next few days.

Update Aug 17: I added more photos from the magazine shoot. ->GO

July 29: Publicity photos from the set of "What Women Want" have been released. Gong Li stars with Andy Lau in the project that is currently filming in Beijing. ->View Photos

July 28: There is still no new U.S. release date for "Shanghai", although a source told Alex Ben Block of The Hollywood Reporter that it "will get a domestic release". From a report about the current Weinstein Co. release schedule: "'Shanghai,' a co-production with a Chinese company, was pulled from the release schedule when money woes hit this year. It will get a domestic release, said the source, though how wide is not clear. It opened last month in China, a requirement under its original contract."

July 24: Gong Li was spotted Thursday in Beijing filming a scene with Russell Wong for "What Women Want". From ScreeningChina.blogspot.com: "China's queen of the screen Gong Li was filming outside the cinema on Thursday afternoon in the futuristic surrounds of the MOMA [cinema] complex. The shoot took place just outside Kubrick cafe, located opposite the cinema. According to BC MOMA's Head Programmer Wu Jing, it was part of the star actress' new feature Shui zhi nu ren xin, which roughly translates as Who Knows a Woman's Heart?"

->Video1 ->Video2

July 14: Gong Li and Andy Lau attended a media conference to discuss their project that is currently filming in Beijing, "What Women Want".

->Video1 (30min.) ->Video2 (2:42min) ->Photos ->Slideshow

July 8: Gong Li attended the opening ceremony for the Aimer store at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Nanyangpost.com has a brief video from the media conference:

->Video ->Photos1 ->Photos2 ->Slideshow

July 7: Bjorn Teo reviewed "Shanghai" for TheUrbanWire.com. Excerpts: "Director Mikael Hafstrom is subtle yet effective in setting the tone for the movie early on. You get a sense of tension, betrayal and distrust amongst everyone. It's in the way people look at each other, in the fake niceties exchanged at parties, and the flashy smiles that hide a sinister and greater truth behind it. The quality of Shanghai is enhanced by the impeccable acting skills of veterans Gong Li and Chow Yun-Fat. Their facial expressions and verbal intensity added life to the show that Cusack himself failed to, with his lacklustre delivery of lines and poorly executed facial cues. The movie is a good one overall, with a well thought out plot with few loopholes. John Cusack's performance leaves more to be desired, but Gong Li and Chow Yun-Fat more than made up for it with their unmatched versatility and experience in acting. It's a difficult show to understand and follow, but it shows us a unique side of World War II not many people know much about: Shanghai."

June 24: "Shanghai" opened last weekend in competition with several big budget U.S. films, and placed a respectable fourth. From a report in Film Business Asia: "The Weinstein Company production 'Shanghai' has taken $3 million in China in its first four days on theatrical release. The period thriller starring John Cusack and Gong Li has opened in China months before its North American release, tentatively scheduled for early December." Ranking in the top three are: "Toy Story 3" (4.6 mil), "Robin Hood" (4 mil) and "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (3.8 mil).

June 23: A gala premiere of "Shanghai" will be held on the opening night (June 27) of the first Astana International Action Film Festival in Astana City, Kazakhstan. Harvey Weinstein will represent the film. (source: Crave Online)

June 22: Elizabeth Kerr reviewed "Shanghai" for The Hollywood Reporter Asia. While she feels it "has a nice hard-boiled vibe and a sense of semi-exotic danger," she also feels that "the film tried to be a romance, political thriller and historical drama but winds up merely muddled and scattered." Verdict: "Box office prospects look middling at best." ->Review

June 19: John Cusack did an interview with Li Anlan for Shanghai Daily. He said "Shanghai" has "a high-quality script with high-quality characters. The US usually doesn't make movies like this now; it's mostly about superheroes ... For me it was a very easy decision to make this special film... The original script is terrific." He also said, "I like the complexity. There's no character that is simply good or bad. The characters are filled with contradictions. The story is much more like a literary novel. The most touching part is in the relationships, the emotions in the end when they take off their masks. The entire plot is centered not around politics, but jealousy. The love in this film is rich and complicated." When asked about working with Gong Li, Cusack replied, "I was very nervous to work with her. I have seen her films in the United States and I thought she made some masterpieces. She usually plays a woman of power. After meeting in person, I found out how warm and funny and down to earth she is. She is a very happy person, who plays unhappy characters very well. And she likes to keep things simple."

June 17: On the day of the release of "Shanghai" in China, a new trailer and more character posters have been issued. ->Trailer (best on IE)

Sohu.com has video of an interview done on June 9 to promote "Shanghai". ->Watch

June 15: Earlier this month, the Hollywood Reporter included a report that "Gong Li will star in Chen Daming's Chinese remake of the romantic comedy 'What Women Want' with Andy Lau... Gong's manager Christophe Tseng told The Hollywood Reporter that the contract was likely to be signed in a few days." Asian news sites are reporting today that Andy Lau made an appearance at a restaurant opening in Hong Kong yesterday and claimed that he does "not know" who his leading lady will be. One source (kwongway.com.my) reports that Lau said he "does not know now who is the heroine, I do not want to make a mistake." Sohu.com, as well as other Asian news sites, are also reporting that Lau claimed he does not know if Gong Li will join the cast. He also said that the project has been in production for the past three weeks. During her recent appearance to promote "Shanghai", Gong Li said she was considering the project. Her participation remains unconfirmed...

-> Update, June 17: Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, a freelance journalist based in Singapore, writes on her blog, "Chinese screen goddess Gong Li has finally signed to play opposite Hong Kong star Andy Lau in a remake of What Women Wants." She does not cite a source.

June 13: Gong Li and "Shanghai" co-star John Cusack attended a media conference prior to the screening of the film at the Shanghai Int'l Film Festival.

->Photos

-> Video One ->Video Two

June 12: Gong Li and John Cusack walked the red carpet at the opening night festivities of the Shanghai International Film Festival.

->Photos

-> Video One (best on IE) -> Video Two

June 11: Derek Elley, a former Variety film critic, feels "'Shanghai' doesn't bore for a second." Excerpt from his review for FilmBusinessAsia: "Shanghai is the closest thing to an oriental version of Casablanca in colour and widescreen as you're likely to get. The surprising thing is that it pretty much works, on its own deliberately pulpy level, and even manages to pack some genuine emotion into its final section and must-make-the-last-ship-out finale... While it's running on screen, Shanghai doesn't bore for a second." ->Review

Xinhuanet (via China Daily) has an English language report on yesterday's media conference. Excerpts: "I only take roles that I think are right. Nobody can change my mind. I don't fear mistakes; if they happen, it's okay. Let's do it again and right... I will not start acting if I am not fully prepared. It may sound old-fashioned, but that's the way I am... One thing I like about Hollywood is that it has so many professional writers, so most of their scripts are very solid. It is unrealistic for Hollywood to offer many important roles to Asian actors; after all, we are not part of its culture. But I would still encourage young actors to meet different people and cultures. Do not focus too much on where you work, care more for the story, director and partners." ->More

June 10: 34 min. video from the "Shanghai" events on sina.com. ->Watch (best on IE)

A "Shanghai" making-of featurette has been released. Watch at TwitchFilm.net... ->GO

Photos from the "Shanghai" premiere in Beijing have been added to the gallery. ->GO

Gong Li and John Cusack attended a media conference for "Shanghai" in Beijing this morning. John Cusack commented on Gong Li's work: "I was an admirer of Gong Li for so long... A role like this, to work with such great actors is a rare honor. She's like a Mona Lisa. She has a very subtle way of conveying how the character feels. She's a very complicated and intricate performer. You have to pay attention to not just her lines but her body movements and subtle gestures five seconds before and after those lines." ->Click on the image to jump to more photos.

-> Ent163.com has video from the media conference... Watch

Steven Schwankert wrote about the day's events for The Hollywood Reporter. On the topic of working with John Cusack, Gong Li said: "I was very happy but very nervous. He's very nice but very serious. The first time we met was in England. He was exceptionally kind, and we talked for quite a while. I was concerned that there might be communications problems since he is an American actor, but that wasn't any trouble at all." ->Report

June 9: New "Shanghai" character posters have been released:

Gong Li did a sit down interview for sina.com to promote "Shanghai"... -> Watch (best on IE)

Photos taken during the interview and transcript -> GO

She said that she has not yet signed on to the Chinese remake of "What Women Want," and is waiting for the latest script revision. She feels that the female role in the original version was weak, and wants more depth. She was asked about starring with Mickey Rourke (they had been attached to "Saint Vincent"). She replied that he will be playing Genghis Khan in a film early next year, and she may join him in that project. She was also asked about Zhang Yimou's "13 Nanjing Women", and she joked that as there are 13 women, all of the roles must be small. As she did not directly confirm or deny that project, rather choosing to make a joke, she has left the door open imo. (Thanks to NewPath for assistance in translating the interview.)

June 6: Sina.com posted an alternate "Shanghai" trailer... -> Watch (best on IE)

June 3: Superstar Chinese pianist Lang Lang has contributed to the film score for "Shanghai". PeopleDaily.com.cn reports that his piano solo runs for about 10 minutes during the film. Lang Lang commented, "The film is a good adventure story filled with romance and suspense, and they made it look like an old-style movie. I thought it was a very attractive opportunity for me." Sina.com also has a lengthy report that includes additional remarks by Lang Lang: "I have not seen such a powerful combination of international actors. This cast is wonderful, very wonderful. I also loved to watch Gong Li and Chow Yun Fat's performances... Gong Li in particular, her delivery is fresh and full of charm [with a] mysterious, icy appearance and complex inner torment." He also commented on his recent appearance at an event with her. "Gong Li is like a big sister, very kind, very elegant. Very happy that we talked. Very glad to see her again soon."

Sina.com posted the transcript of an interview with Chow Yun-Fat. Speaking about his character in "Shanghai", he said: "He is not a typical gangster in Shanghai in 1940. He has a big heart. He's not only black and white, he has a gray area in the middle. This is the most enjoyable thing about this role." About the film: "Maybe people say it is a very traditional love story, or a historical war film, but it's not. We are talking about a love story, a passion, not only man and woman, it's also the relationship [between] man and man. The film actually does not talk about too many political issues... the human dignity in that period is very interesting. It's not all about money, it's all about interests and friendships." About his character's relationship with Gong Li's character: "It's interesting. You don't know if they are only friends, or husband and wife, business partners. They still have a lot of mysterious substances inside the story and the character itself."

June 1: Gong Li's next film project may be a Chinese remake of "What Women Want". Read the details at HollywoodReporter.com. Director Chen Daming said, "I wanted to bring more strength out in the woman character to reflect what's happening in China. Chinese women are leading giant businesses today and winning most of our Olympic gold. Gong Li has the presence to convey this strength." Producers are planning for a Valentine's Day release. Chinese superstar Andy Lau co-stars in the project set to begin filming soon in Beijing.

May 25: The "Shanghai" international trailer is finally online!

May 23: Thanks to NewPath for the find of two sina.com articles about the release of "Shanghai" in China on June 17. Wang Zhonglei of Huayi Brothers, the company distributing the film in China, was interviewed and stated that the U.S. release is "now tentatively scheduled for September." Also, it is being reported in the Chinese media that a premiere will be held on June 10 in Beijing. Gong Li, John Cusack, Chow Yun-Fat, Ken Watanabe, and director Mikael Hafstrom are expected to attend the event.

May 21: Many new publicity photos from "Shanghai" are posted on sina.com. -> View

May 13: Patrick Frater of FilmBizAsia has updated info about the "Shanghai" release in China: "Premiere will be held on 8 June at CPCC Hall in Beijing, followed by a Shanghai premiere on 10th." Also: There is finally an official poster in circulation in the Chinese media.

May 6: The Beijing News includes a report that "Shanghai" will be released in China mid-June. (Thanks to NewPath.) I found that two new production stills are being circulated in additional Chinese reports about the film release:

May 4: Liu Wu, Estee Lauder model, mentioned Gong Li during an interview: "I think Gong Li is a great role model because she is gorgeous, friendly and a great influencer in China. I got to meet her a few weeks ago at a store opening in Shanghai and she was so nice and welcoming. I felt so lucky to meet her." (Source: BeautyBloggingJunkie.com)

Actress Shu Qi also mentioned Gong Li during a recent interview: "The goddess in my heart would be Gong Li and Maggie Cheung. After watching their shows from the past to the present, they are perfect in their dressing, appearance, way of doing things and attitude towards life. They are very attractive and I should learn from them." (Source: HKMDB.com)

May 2: Gong Li had been attached to the Walter Hill project, "St. Vincent", for some time. In December, her manager informed me that they were waiting to review a new draft of the script. Recently, a reporter asked co-star Mickey Rourke about his upcoming projects, and he replied that "St. Vincent" was "not gonna happen". Today, the IMGlobalFilm site lists Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello as the only cast members.

May 1: Gong Li was presented with the Legion d'honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honor), the highest decoration from the French government. She is the first Chinese actress to receive the honor. Gong Li also participated in the opening ceremony for the France Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.