Actor Wei Xiang: speak with works
After waiting for 24 years, the first male lead box office broke 2.1 billion
It took Wei Xiang 24 years to finally find his first male protagonist-playing Wei Chenggong in this year’s Spring Festival comedy “This Killer Is Not Too Calm”, the film’s box office has exceeded 2.1 billion.
From the Spring Festival Gala to “Joyful Comedian”, and then to “This Killer Is Not Too Calm”, Wei Xiang has brought a lot of joy to the audience. What is unknown is that he is from Mianyang, Sichuan. Recently, Wei Xiang returned to his hometown to thank the fans, along with the actor Zhou Dayong and the film’s promotional song singer, Uncle Gem. Wei Xiang was very excited. He not only thanked every audience present in Sichuan dialect, but also showed a rap.
In front of the fans in his hometown, Wei Xiang admitted that this is the first male lead in his life, and he is under pressure and attaches great importance to it. Wei Xiang said that he was very nervous before the movie was released and might not sleep. After its release, Wei Chenggong, played by him, has attracted countless fans, “I’m very grateful to so many people for watching this movie, I really didn’t expect it.”
Many netizens sighed that in the movie, Wei Chenggong played the male lead for the first time; off-screen, Wei Xiang was also the first male lead. Shen Teng cheered for his friend Wei Xiang, bowed deeply and praised him, “Mr. Wei Xiang, you acted so well!” He also said with a smile, “Brother Xiang will be my biggest threat in the future. It doesn’t matter what the content is in the future, As much as it contains, the film will be as good as it is.” The heroine of the film, Ma Li, borrowed a phrase from netizens in an interview and said, “Wei Xiang is not popular, and God is intolerant.” Wei Xiang has acted in dramas for more than 20 years and should have become popular.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News Reporter
Zhang Shihao’s intern Yu Xuejiao
Photojournalist Wang Huan
◎Talking regarding hometown:
Hope to have the opportunity to go back to Chengdu to film
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: How long has it been since you returned to your hometown?
Wei Xiang: I haven’t been back to Mianyang for two or three years. It should be regarding the same.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: When interviewing you when “The Richest Man in Xihong City” was released in 2018, you said that you like Mianyang rice noodles the most, and you have to eat two bowls at a time.
Wei Xiang: Yes, but I haven’t had a chance to eat yet. In fact, Chengdu is a place I really want to stay. I remember the last time I might stay in Chengdu for more than two or three days. After graduating from high school in 1998, I came to Chengdu to take an examination of an acting school, and I was admitted to two schools at that time. . At that time, Chengdu gave me a very good feeling, but unfortunately I didn’t receive the filming in Chengdu. I especially hope that I will have the opportunity to come back to film in the future.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: You play Wei Chenggong with a lot of laughs. As a Sichuanese, do you reflect the humor of Sichuanese in this role?
Wei Xiang: The humor of Sichuan people should be more reflected in Coach Ma in “The Richest Man in Xihong City”, which is caused by the language system.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: Have you come back with a new work, has your mentality changed?
Wei Xiang: That must have changed a bit, because this time it is the work of the male lead. The first man has to carry all the responsibilities, right? So during the filming process, my pressure was even greater than in previous works, including the level of tension following the release, which I had never experienced when I was not a male lead. But for me, I don’t think I can think too much regarding this, because this is a role I played, and I should forget it as soon as possible. The more people pay attention or even like it, the more pressure it will put on me, and I should think more regarding what to do next time.
◎Talking regarding characters:
Score 85 for your performance
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: You have received a lot of praise as a “golden supporting role”. This is your first time as a male lead. How much do you rate your performance?
Wei Xiang: Let’s give it 85 points, because there is no role with a full score, this is the same for every actor, and it is impossible for any role to have a full score, and there is a regret of 15 points.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: Where is the regret of this play?
Wei Xiang: This may only be known to me, because any character will have regrets. This regret is what you call constant revision. For example, following reading the finished product, I think it would be better if it was that way, and how to adjust it here. Could it be more perfect?
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: In the film, you have to play an actor and a killer. There are dual performances and a play within a play. Is it difficult to adjust the conversion between the two?
Wei Xiang: Well, this is more difficult, but it is also the director and the producer who have been helping to control the degree. Of course, I have also played two roles in the past, and often played three or four roles in a drama, which is also something I have done before.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: The impressive part in the film is a tribute to “Singing in the Rain”, which is very infectious. How do you understand this clip?
Wei Xiang: In this clip, Wei Chenggong’s parents came to visit the class at that time. His parents were actually adoptive parents, and they were the existences of each other’s sustenance. In the movie, you may see that Wei Chenggong is pretending to be their son, pretending to be the brother who fought with him and died. You say that although his brother’s father is blind, is it so easy to pretend to be a man’s son in real life, even if he is blind? He might even be able to smell your scent. So according to my understanding, I think his father knew that it was not his son, and also knew what Wei Chenggong was doing, but the two of them regarded each other as their emotional sustenance, so I thought it was beautiful at that moment, and everyone was very kind.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: This film tells regarding the experience of a dragon actor. There are many interesting anecdotes in acting that are considered to be very real. Do you think the monologue and mentality of the characters in the film are consistent with your experience?
Wei Xiang: It’s not just me, all the actors who have worked as actors and grew up from small roles basically have such a mental process. I have also received feedback from my peers. In fact, not only in this industry, but maybe not yet Those who are in this industry, such as students who are studying acting, will be very excited following watching it, because they will have more empathy.
◎Talking regarding partners: mutual mentoring and mutual promotion
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: You are one of the earliest actors of Happy Twist. You and Shen Teng used to be roommates. Did he give you any advice for your role in the film?
Wei Xiang: He came to visit the class, but he didn’t communicate much. It was too late and he didn’t have much time. That day happened to be the scene of burying Wei Chenggong alive, and I was quite scared. It was relatively dangerous to shoot a scene where a shovel slid across my face, so I had to concentrate.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: Shen Teng said that you are his biggest threat, and it is very heart-warming to watch movies in the future to see if there is any content. What role do you think these friends played in your acting career?
Wei Xiang: Peng Damo introduced me to Shen Teng. Yan Fei and Peng Damo (the producer of “This Killer Is Not Too Calm”) are friends. We grew up together. We are partners and mentors. Promote each other and help each other, professionally and in life all the year round.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: Ma Li supports you in saying, “Wei Xiang is not popular, and the law of nature cannot tolerate it.” In the process of cooperating with her, were there any bridges that the two collided with on the spot?
Wei Xiang: From the beginning of the stage play to the sketch, to the film and television drama, we have all created this way. We have long been accustomed to this creative mode. Everyone is led by the director and producer together. collided. After arriving at the scene, some things will need to be modified due to the environmental conditions, or we may not be satisfied with the filming according to the book, so let’s think regarding it once more, in fact, every movie is such a creative process, it’s just a comedy. Requires more space.
◎Talking experience: Don’t worry regarding being labelled
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: In your opinion, did Wei Chenggong finally succeed?
Wei Xiang: Wei Chenggong in the movie is of course successful, but that is a movie, not everything in life will have a happy ending like a movie. To be successful in life is to focus more on yourself and constantly surpass yourself.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: This time you have surpassed yourself a lot.
Wei Xiang: Don’t dare. It’s been 24 years since I started acting, and I haven’t counted the roles I’ve played too clearly. Anyway, there are quite a few. This time the role is only one of the N many roles, but this time it was seen by more people. Well, that’s what happened to me.
Chengdu Business Daily-Red Star News: At present, you appear in more comedies, are you worried regarding being labelled?
Wei Xiang: I’m never worried. The audience can know me however they want. As an actor, if you want to change other people’s perception of you, then you can talk regarding your work.
