Shanghai star's turns full circle home to China
0 Comments
From then on, her acting career took off again with a string of internationally successful movies including "Iron and Silk" (by Shirley Sun, 1990), "The Joy Luck Club" (by Wayne Wang, 1993), "Heaven and Earth" (by Oliver Stone, 1993) and "Eve and the Fire Horse" (by Julia Kwan, 2005).
Among her most notable works is the 1996 art-house feature "The Pillow Book" directed by English wiz Peter Greenaway.
In "The Pillow Book," Wu portrayed Nagiko, an obsessive Japanese woman who indulged her erotic fantasies by painting the nude bodies of herself and her lovers, one of who was played by the celebrated English actor Ewan McGregor, the lead of the Oscar-winning "Moulin Rouge" in 2002.
"I was encouraged to break all traditions and to act really free. After playing Nagiko in 'The Pillow Book', I think I'm capable of playing any role," Wu said.
Her emotionally powerful performance helped the movie win awards at sundry international film festivals, and her second-time collaboration with Greenaway in "8 and 1/2 Women" also received wide acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival in 1999.
Not only did "The Pillow Book" bring Wu fame and fortune, but also her future husband - the American-based film director and producer Oscar Luis Costo.
"A couple of months after shooting the film, I proposed to Oscar because he is such a wonderful catch for me - loving, romantic, patient and helpful.
"All in all, he is my most trusted friend, (and he has become) just like the other half of me," she smiled.
But the smart, sophisticated Shanghai lady also confessed to the challenges of managing her cross-cultural marriage over more than 10 years.
"Of course we had different ideas at the beginning and we did spend time learning how to (compliment) each other. Challenge is part of our happiness."
During the interview, she also unveiled her "top secret" for maintaining an intimate rapport with a partner - "show your affection by speaking out and cooking for your beloved."
"Cooking is so therapeutic that whenever I cook for Oscar, he knows how deeply I love him and how much love I have added to the dishes," said the savvy chef.
And their romance also works in terms of business.
The couple set up their own company - Shanghai MAR de ORO Films Inc - to produce films and TV series.
One of their most remarkable productions is 2007's "Shanghai Red," the first installment of a planned Shanghai trilogy to promote the city to a wider audience.
Written and directed by Costo, "Shanghai Red" tells the story of a widow's revenge for her husband's murder. It is set in contemporary Shanghai but has a Hollywood-style approach.
The widow protagonist Zhu Meili, a Shanghai native always wearing red, was lively portrayed by Wu who was also the film's producer.
"For me, 'Shanghai Red' is memorable as the first film ever made with my husband who taught me so much about film making."
But despite having worked with some of the best directors in the West over the past decades, Wu found that her greatest challenge was working as actress for her hubby.
"He knows me very well. I always had to give him the best acting I could muster to get through," she noted.
Further challenges came from her responsibilities as a producer.
"I had to look after others, such as the cast and crew and it was the first time I saw everything from that distinctive angle. The whole experience was a truly second education, teaching me how to be a better worker on the movie set."
After "Shanghai Red," the couple will embark next year on their second brainchild "Blue Bamboo" to further promote Shanghai.
"In Hollywood, I've accomplished most of what I need to accomplish. Now, it's my time to come back to find a 'Shanghai Hollywood' as the city is full of dynamics, potential and possibility.
"I want to bridge the links and resources between the East and West to benefit more film makers at home and abroad," said the lifetime judge of the Academy Awards.
After many career highs and lows through her illustrious life, Wu now seems to be paying less attention to what she achieves.
"I've learned not try to find a result because no such result is either 'good' or 'bad.' In the end, we know it's all gonna be okay," the charming Shanghai lady said with a beaming smile.
Comments