With seven bestselling albums, and more than 200,000 copies sold
in Singapore alone, no one could fault singer Jay Chou if he rests
on his laurels.
But the 28-year-old looks set for a fulfilling second career: He
wrote, directed, and starred in his first movie, the campus romance
titled Secret, which opens in Singapore on Aug 8.
Early reviews from press screenings have been favourable - most
called it a competent debut effort.
In the 90-minute movie, Chou plays a music student who embarks
on a search for his female classmate (Kwai Lun-mei) who
mysteriously disappears from school one day.
While Kwai has given her co-star a full "100 marks" for his
debut work, Chou would only allow himself 95. "It'd be strange if I
gave myself a perfect score," he said.
Casually clad in a black shirt, jeans, and canvas shoes for this
interview, Chou was in Singapore as part of a regional promotional
tour for Secret.
Last seen in last year's Zhang Yimou period movie, Curse of the
Golden Flower, Chou said he prefers staying behind the camera: "As
an actor, you do what you're told. As a director, you can change
your ideas any time, and control the scene."
Saying he has hit a plateau in his singing career, Chou sees
directing as an alternative creative outlet. "If I continue to
stand at the same spot, I cannot improve. So it's time to change
tracks. I have lots of ideas to express."
For a start, he has drawn inspiration for Secret from a
childhood experience, never mind that it's nowhere as romanticised
as the movie. "It happened when I was about 14," he said. "She
broke up with me saying that the exams were near."
A romantic at heart, Chou confessed: "I used to like this
(other) girl. On her birthday, I brought her to a park, told her to
close her eyes, and then set off some firecrackers. It was like a
scene from a movie."
But his next directorial effort is likely to be an action flick.
Or perhaps a serious drama. Or maybe even an animated movie.
After all, Doraemon is his favourite cartoon.
"Many childhood dreams have been built upon this character," he
said.
(CRI.cn August 2, 2007)