cover news reporter Li Yuxin
"Flowers" has come to an end, but the aftertaste is endless. This TV series details the ups and downs of Shanghai's trend-setters in the early 1990s, a great era when everyone was vying for the top. Even though it has come to an end, it is still a hotly discussed topic on the Internet.
"Flowers" stills
He has a sharp gaze and can always see the changes in the current situation; he is energetic and full of emphasis in his gestures... Among all the characters who appear in "Flowers", the uncle played by You Benchang has a natural appearance when he appears. The temperament allows the audience to understand how Shanghai businessmen strategized in that Pentium era. Even if he doesn't say a word, the uncle's eyes can convey a sense of story.
Such an uncle is difficult to associate with people for a while. He said that decades ago, Jigong sang "The shoes are torn, the hat is torn, and the cassock on the body is torn." In "Flowers", You Benchang's performance was praised by the audience as the "dwelling needle" of the whole play. Born in 1933, he is now 91 years old. When he appeared in this drama, he was almost octogenarian. He once joked humorously: "I have also joined the ranks of the post-90s generation!"
Stills of "Flowers"
html At the age of 387, he decided to play the role of uncle in "Flowers"
He is Hu Ge's "life mentor" both in and out of the play
The uncle in "Flowers", Always be calm and unhurried. As Mr. Bao (played by Hu Ge)'s guide on the road to success, he taught Mr. Bao that doing business should have style, gimmicks, and signs, and contributed many classic lines: "A man should have three wallets. The first one is that you actually How much money you have; the second is your credit, that is, how much money you can mobilize in other people's wallets; the third is how much money people think you have."
When you decided to star in "Flowers", You Benchang was already 87 years old. But he still chose to meet the challenge and added another highlight to his career as an actor. Years later, recalling the moment when he chose to collaborate with director Wong Kar-wai, Yau Ben-chang said: "I like to meet challenges. I heard that he (Wong Kar-wai) spends ten years working on one film, so I just caught up and did it. "Bah!"
made Mr. Bao lose 3,000 yuan in his first stock trading, and warned him that "if you want to make a profit, you must first learn to lose"; he took Mr. Bao to customize a suit and told him "In business, pay attention to style, gimmicks, and signs. "... In the first episode of "Flowers", Uncle Ye's training and guidance all the way made A Bao become Mr. Bao. Outside the theater, You Benchang entered the Acting Department of Shanghai Theater Academy in 1952 to study. After all, Hu Ge is his legitimate "junior brother". The uncle in the play is Mr. Bao's master. With his support and protection, A Bao can transform into Mr. Bao. Outside the play, You Benchang is even called "life mentor" by Hu Ge.
"Flowers" stills
Hu Ge once revealed that on the set, You Benchang had to work nearly ten hours a day, which was a great challenge for a young actor like Hu Ge, let alone a ninety-year-old actor. Travel to Benchang. But no matter how late it is, as soon as he turns on the phone, he is immediately energetic and never feels tired. In order to present a better work, You Benchang actively acted with Hu Ge even without his own camera, which is very admirable.
There was a eating scene that impressed Hu Ge deeply. At that time, You Benchang broke the pieces of meat into pieces and then ate them. Hu Ge thought it was because of his bad teeth. Unexpectedly, You Benchang replied calmly: "I play the role of Uncle Shanghai, I can't Eat a lot of meat. If I eat a lot of meat, I will become Jigong again."
In the opening scene of "Flowers", my uncle saw A Bao in a suit and thought of his young self, and his eyes got wet. This scene made The audience was impressed by You Benchang's "eye skills". In fact, after filming this clip, You Benchang was unable to appear in the film for a long time. After the director called for a break, he still couldn't stop crying and lamented that he was "too slow to perform."
html He only played the role of "Ji Gong" at the age of 352
"There are no small roles, only small actors"
In "Flowers", my uncle entered the Shanghai Stock Exchange at the age of 16 and got his own brokerage license at the age of 18. But in reality, You Benchang was not so lucky.He worked as a bit player for 30 years, and it was not until he was 52 years old that he had the opportunity to play the role of "Ji Gong".
In 1985, the song "The shoes are torn, the hat is torn, the cassock is torn..." resounded across the country, making You Benchang, the actor of Jigong, a household name and becoming a memory of a generation of audiences. The image of Jigong, who was wearing a torn monk's robe and holding a torn cattail leaf fan, looked crazy but actually possessed unique skills, making it difficult for later actors to play Jigong.
"Ji Gong" starring You Benchang became a household name
After Jigong became a great success, You Benchang did not stop and worked hard on the road of acting. He believes that "there are no small roles, only small actors", and he always takes every role seriously and carefully considers every detail. It is precisely this kind of accumulation that allows You Benchang to interpret Jigong who is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and shape the uncle he is today. "You must love art and you can sacrifice your life for it, but you must not love yourself in art."
is here. In March 2023, You Benchang attended the TV series quality ceremony and won the title of "Quality Master". When you were asked on stage to receive the award, what would you like to say to the young actors in the audience? You Benchang said: "I have a heartfelt statement, which is a purpose that I have practiced for decades, to guide people's hearts through literature and art."
Interestingly, after "Flowers" was broadcast, You Benchang was also following the drama at the same time. Asked what it feels like to look at himself through a screen now, he smiled and said he was "examining and appreciating." In the face of the audience's love, You Benchang also expressed his gratitude to everyone for still thinking of him, remembering him, and liking him. "As long as the audience needs it, I will live until I am old, learn and work until I am old. As an actor, this is who I am. The greatest joy and the greatest happiness!"
(Picture of this article is from Jiangsu Satellite TV)
