|
March
5: "Shanghai" is currently scheduled to be released in Asia in April,
according to a report in Variety about Phoenix Pictures. Dave McNary writes:
"Upcoming Phoenix releases include ... Mikael Hafstrom's WWII spy thriller
'Shanghai,' starring John Cusack and Gong Li and released through the Weinstein
Company. Medavoy was born in Shanghai in 1941, and it's clear that he has a
deeper personal interest in that pic. The film will open in Asia in April ahead
of the domestic launch, and Medavoy says he's keen to see what Harvey
Weinstein's marketing skills will do to make 'Shanghai' stand out."
February
26: There is an opportunity for fans to vote for Gong Li. "Green Globe Film
Awards, Hollywood's Largest Celebration of People, Planet & Motion Pictures.
100 Viewers' Choice Awards. You Cast The Vote. You Make the Decision. Join us on
March 23rd at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles for the 2010 Green
Globe Film Awards and Dinner Gala featuring surprise performances by
Hollywood's and Asia's most celebrated entertainers."
->
Link to online
ballot -- scroll to the bottom of the page to
vote in the category "10 Best International Actresses of the Decade
(Asia)".
February
20: From Secret Handshake Entertainment, LLC -- "[The] next
feature, St. Vincent, directed by Walter Hill and starring Mickey Rourke, Ray
Winstone, and Gong Li is scheduled for production May 2010."
 January
12: Thanks to NewPath for the tip on a new L'Oreal
commercial advert. Follow the link; then, when the page loads with Gong Li's
photo, click on the first of the four links at the bottom of the screen to watch
the commercial. ->Watch
January
7: A photo taken of Gong Li at a previous Berlin International Film Festival
will be
included in a special exhibition this year. Other celebrities to be included in
the exhibit, according to WeltExpress.info: Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, George
Clooney, and Mick Jagger.
From
the Berlinale official site: "The Berlinale star portraits, taken by our
photographer Gerhard Kassner and signed by the portrayed stars before their gala
premieres at the Berlinale Palast, are familiar to every Festival goer. As part
of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Berlinale, a selection... will
be displayed in a comprehensive photo exhibition in public space throughout
Berlin in numerous City Light Poster display cases."
The
photo of Gong Li was taken in Berlin on February 14, 2003.
->Video
clip of Gong Li speaking about the festival (scroll about half-way down the
page)
Dec
25: As I reported on our forum in November, Gong Li's
manager told me that there has been a film project in contract negotiations.
When it was noticed that "St. Vincent" had been added to Gong Li's
imdb.com page on Wednesday, based on info found on a distribution company's
site, I contacted her manager to ask if I could confirm that this is her next
project. He responded today, informing me that "St. Vincent" is indeed
the project they have been negotiating. He wrote that they are "still
waiting for the new draft of the script. Walter Hill wants to create a new full
role for Li." He added that discussions are ongoing, so filming will be
postponed.
Regarding
the upcoming Chinese project, he informed me that one is planned for
"around the end of March", but did not name the project.
Dec
23: Casting news has been spotted on a distribution company site,
IMGlobalFilm.com: "'St. Vincent' -- Hitman Vincent Novena (Mickey Rourke)
goes deep undercover portraying a priest to get close enough to kill his
gangland traitor target. He soon discovers that playing the part of a good man
is more dangerous than being a mob killer ever was... A taut and explosive
crime drama fueled by irony and laced with wry humor, with an A-list ensemble
cast including Ray Winstone, Forest Whittaker and Gong Li." According to a
December 4 Screen Daily article, filming is scheduled to begin next month in
Montreal.
Dec
13: Images from the January issue of Harper's Bazaar are on sohu.com... ->GO!
Dec
11: Gong Li is the cover girl for the January issue of Harper's Bazaar China. A
blogger posted pics of the photos. Hopefully, a fan in China will soon have
scans... ->View
Pics
Dec
4: A reporter for China Daily writes that the casting rumor for Wong Kar-Wai's
"The Grand Master" is true, that he "learned from people around
Wong Kar-Wai" that inviting Gong Li to join the cast "was among the
early plans". There has not yet been an official confirmation of her
casting, and Gong Li's manager has twice denied to me personally the rumors of
her attachment (July and October). The actors confirmed for the project include
Tony Leung, Chang Chen and Zhang Ziyi. ->Article
Nov
20: Petition To End Hunger - 1 Billion Hungry Campaign... Gong Li was named
United Nations FAO Goodwill Ambassador in 2000. The ambassadors are
participating in a "Get Involved" program to educate people about
world hunger. I have been asked to post a link to a video on the FAO.org site
and request that fans sign the petition. Thank you. ->Get
Involved!
 Gong
Li is the cover girl for the December issue of Cosmopolitan (China).
Thanks
to "loves Gong Li crazily" for scans...
Update: Larger scans posted ->View
Nov
14: "Shanghai" star John Cusack spoke about the film while promoting
his current release. Paul Fischer conducted the interview published on
DarkHorizons.com. Excerpts:
JC:
"...Another perfect mix of a great movie... that's as good as you're
going to get, for adult drama... And they're waiting for the Chinese to
approve the film to open in China, and then we'll come out in the States after
that."
PF:
"Is it a spy thriller?"
JC: "It's a bit of an epic romance thriller, I guess."
PF: "Who's your leading lady in it?"
JC: "Gong Li, one of the great, heavyweight actresses and she's one of
the great actresses alive. To me."
 November
1: Photos from Gong Li's appearance tonight in Beijing at the Aimer media
conference are posted on our forum. There is also a lengthy video report on the
lady.163.com site. According to a sina.com reporter, Gong Li said that there are
plans to begin a new film at the end of this year, or beginning of next year,
but the details cannot be disclosed at this
time. ->Photos
->Video
October
28: Gong Li is scheduled to attend opening evening festivities at China Fashion
Week on November 1 to announce her signing as spokesperson for fashion company
Aimer.
 October
7: I posted photos on our forum from Gong Li's appearance today at the Louis
Vuitton Ready To Wear show in Paris. ->GO
October
5: Thanks to Gong Li's manager for the tip that she is scheduled to attend the
Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week October 7.
 October
4: Thanks to "Love Jiujiang" for taking photos of the Gong Li article
in the September 26 issue of Madame Figaro magazine, ''Gong Li: Free Spirit''.
Included are an interview and several images. I translated the text of the
interview from French to English. ->GO
Highlights:
''For the most part, the rumors are created by the celebrities themselves. Me, I
just go out and I never make any comment. I am convinced that overexposure is a
disastrous thing. It is also a confession of weakness and a lack of confidence.
In short, it is the opposite of accomplishment.''
|
