Ming Pao Weekly
April, 2003 Issue 1798

Initial translation of the interview by Snoopyke, modified by Chocolate.

Still Hoping……

How much you own in life depends on the way you count what you have. Chow Yun Fat was supposed to promote Bulletproof Monk in the U.S. this month. Because of SARS, he is retained on this sad little island. Things are unexpected. Just like BPM changed filming from New York City to Toronto because of the September 11 disaster. Faced with so many changes in life, we just have to settle with and get used to changes and try to retrieve happiness within. The 48 year old Chow Yun Fat smilingly said, "My happiness comes from an ordinary, quiet and healthy life." This seemingly small wish has become extravagant these days with SARS.

For 30 years in show business and now making US $13 million a film, Chow Yun Fat still considers the TVB HK$500 a month days the happiest of time of his life.

Those hard working days seem like yesterday to him.

A few years ago he was not feeling well. Chinese medicine did not help and he had to see a psychologist. His body was exhausted because of the years of hard work. Therefore, he needed to relax and replenish himself. He even has to eliminate his favorite photography trips and just stay at home to develop pictures.

And yet, he found a lot of satisfaction looking at those old pictures one by one.

Those were good moments that captured life which, he thought he had lost.

This afternoon Chow Yun Fat did not wear a mask. He shakes hands with me with lots of smiles. His hand is warm and our hearts are even warmer. Hope everyone on this small island feel the same.

MPW: Living in this period of time, everything seems out of our control. The person you loved most could be lost suddenly. Does that make you feel that human beings are tiny and vulnerable?

CYF: (Closes eyes, smiles and re-opens his eyes slowly) Human beings are indeed small. My wife teased me that I am always a hero in front of the camera and always steps forward to encourage people. Yet, there are times I am also weak and flimsy inside.

MPW: For someone who loves a simple life like you, is the world becoming too complicated?

CYF: I became an actor in 1973 and I finished the contract with Golden Princess Company in 1994. I was always working within those 21 years in a small world. It’s not until 1994 that I had the chance to travel around the US and broadened my world. It’s also not until then I am able to restore some pleasure in my life, such as photography.

I did not share the best time of Hong Kong before 1997 when the stock market and realty were at their peak. Many things happened in HK after it was returned to China in 1997 but then I was mostly working overseas. However, every time I came back to Hong Kong, I saw HK citizens complaining about every policy that the authority brought forward. Within those 5 or 6 years, it seemed like we were always arguing and fighting about everything. There wasn’t a day that we could sit down and discuss things peacefully like a family.

I am not sure whether the British government was really that great when they ruled this place, or is the current authority such bad government. This situation reminded me of a saying from my mother, "a family with peace and cooperation will prosper. A fighting and arguing family will go down."

My friends from the U.S asked me what has changed after Hong Kong returned to China. I just smiled and said nothing changed much except that we are speaking more Chinese. I also hope that this is the truth in reality.

MPW: At this level of your career, what else can be your target at work?

CYF: In fact, for 30 years since my first day of work, I had always considered myself as an ordinary and simple worker. Whether it was the time making HK$500 per month at TVB or US$ 13 million for a movie like now, I never care and will do any kind of movie. As long as it is not too tiring, not insulting to the Chinese or asking me to go naked. All these years, it was my wife who took care of me at home, running around handling my business and kept me company at work. She said people in Hollywood are complicated and a lot of politics involved but she never gets me involved. She gave herself a lot of pressure trying to find better chance for me and negotiate more money. When a movie did not get good ratings or box office, she will then think it is her fault. So I often comfort her that I am only a worker and as long as I got a job, I will be happy.

MPW: 2 years ago, CTHD was hot but it was defeated by "Gladiator" at the Oscars. This year, "The Pianist" was defeated by the US movie, Chicago. Does that make you think the Oscars is a game in the US?

CYF: It is hard to define. Any movie showed in the US is eligible for entry at the Oscars. If the Hong Kong Film Award also allows all western movies to compete, I wonder how many Hong Kong films can get awards. If we look at it from this angle, the Oscars is an open and generous event.

MPW: Is it true that the less we care or bargain, the more happiness we can get?

CYF: Every one has a different definition about happiness. Some want to make a lot of money, some eating expensive food, some driving expensive cars and some playing golf. My happiness is from a simple and ordinary life. Good health is the greatest gift from heaven.

I am a big TV fan. TVB recently sent me 3 VCD series, "The Bund", "Master So", and "The Smiling Proud Wanderer". I have a chance to watch my own acting from 20 years ago. I worked days and nights back then and never have a chance to watch them. Watching the series bought back memories of all those happy days. Those were the happiest and most unforgettable days and they seemed like it was just yesterday. For more than 10 years, the people I worked with were like a family. We worked together everyday at the film factory and played all night long after work. Whenever we have to work outside, we would also barbecue together.

Hollywood movies are different. People from different parts of the world gathered at one place for a few months work. After that, we will separate and return to our own place again. It’s a very different feeling. We can only treasure the time we spent together. I feel lucky to have my wife by my side and I won’t feel too lonely.
Every year, I still meet with my old TVB colleagues for dinner but lesser and lesser people attended. Many of them had changed jobs.

MPW: Comparing Leslie Cheung with you, he seemed more of a perfectionist. It seemed harder for him to find happiness in an ordinary way.

CYF: Every actor wants to be perfect in front of the camera. Other than acting, I don’t to need to be too perfect. I could be a very lazy actor. I remember during the TVB days, there were times I had to do 4 different series directed by 4 different directors at the same time. No one prepared costumes for us at that time. For convenience, I chose 4 sets of clothing with different colors and simply remembering to match a certain color to the particular director of the series. All I cared about was to make sure the clothes matched from episode to episode in each series. I was too lazy compared to DoDo (Carol Cheng). She would spend a lot of time choosing and arranging the best costumes and hairstyle for every scene. So, I think Leslie Cheung must have a lot more pressure than me. He was both singer and actor. Besides a necessary well-packaged appearance, he also must pay attention to every detail on stage and must worry about every part of the show.

MPW: Could you understand Leslie’s decision?

CYF: I think only the closest people around him and himself will understand his decision. What I remember most about him besides making ABT together are the days we filmed "Once a Thief". We spent a lot of time abroad and stayed in the same hotel. We had many heart to heart conversations. He had been a straight forward person. He should not have made such a final decision.

MPW: Are the children of this generation growing up in a bad world?

CYF: Once I asked my friend’s child what he did during school recess. He said he will stay at a corner of the playground and play mobile phone games until the bell rang. Then I saw on TV, fans of the young singers like to cover up their faces to avoid being recognized. I wonder is it a shame to adore someone? What are we giving to our younger generation? If children grow up in a too materialistic life, they will lose the challenge to fight in life. What they want is just love and time of their parents.

MPW: During these hard days for us, should we reflect and re-evaluate some problems in our lives?

CYF: Maybe we really should think in new and different ways. Hong Kong people care too much about material things. What values did we convey to our children? What are we pursuing? Is it the outside look of a Rolls Royce we are going after instead of the well made mechanics inside the car?

MPW: All these years, after so many films, which is your most unforgettable scene?

CYF: There was a scene in "Prison on Fire" that Ringo Lam wanted Tony Leung and me to stay in a cesspool. He really did found one for the scene. There were a lot of maggots in it together with the excrement. And I was stupid enough to jump into it. Shortly after the scene, my eyes were all red and swollen because of infection from the germs. My God! That was the most painful scene in my life. I still shiver thinking about it!

MPW: You have always been a person who value tradition and relationships. With all these years working overseas, do you have strong feelings of coming home every time the plane arrived at the HK airport?

CYF: Yes, I am. I am a resident of Hong Kong. I grew up in Lamma Island and I am the 21st generation since my ancestors settled in Hong Kong over a hundred years ago. Every year when its time to pay respect at our ancestor’s cemetery, I still carry the roast pig over there myself. Respecting the ancestors is a Chinese custom and tradition. I hope we can keep this tradition from generation to generation.

MPW: What did you missed most in Hong Kong when you were abroad?

CYF: I missed my mother most. It is a good thing that I forced her to learn swimming 9 years ago. She recovered from asthma. She is now over 80 and in good health. I also missed the smell of Hong Kong. The smell of food sold on the streets of Mong Kok; the fishy smell at Aberdeen fish market and the smell of food garbage of Sai Ying Poon alleys. They are unique smells and cannot be found in other places of the world. Wherever I am I will always remember the smells, remember this is my home and continue my trip happily.

There were days when Chow Yun Fat traveled with a group of photography fans to scenic places in China. He got up at 4am, went up the mountains and hopes to capture valuable scenes in black and white.

"It's a pity that we climbed hard up the hills but found views covered by fog. Some weather and scenes only appear a few times in a year. If you missed them, then they’re gone."

A rare disappointing look found in his eyes.

"Well, it doesn't matter; there is always next year to go again."

Perhaps our views are blocked by sad things at this time. Sometimes, we forget we still have tomorrow, a next year and bright blue skies to come again.

As long as we still have...

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