"It makes me happier to hear everyone calling me 'Miss Wang' and 'Xiao Wang' than calling me 'Miss Tang'!" Tang Yan smiled heartily, making no secret of her strong feelings for the character of Miss Wang.
looked back on the three-year filming of the TV series "Flowers". She felt that while she breathed life into Ms. Wang, she also felt the character's feedback on her. Although she was not sure whether she could play this role well at first, with the encouragement and help of director Wong Kar-wai, she firmly believed that she was Miss Wang, and eventually became one with her in the play. As the series aired, the role created by Tang Yan was also recognized by the audience.
Tang Yan spent three years interpreting Miss Wang without anxiety or insecurity. In her opinion, she just wanted to do it well. Photo courtesy of interviewee
In the past three years, because of focusing on the filming of "Flowers", the number of Tang Yan's broadcast works has decreased in the eyes of the outside world. Some people specifically asked her why she didn't take other roles. In fact, in the past three years, her "workaholic" nature has not changed at all, she just works on the set of the same drama every day. Fortunately, she has never been too anxious, and is more accustomed to doing something purely and without distracting thoughts, without thinking about what will happen next. "Instead of anxiously asking what to do, it is better to use this time to think of ways to solve the problem."
She described her heart as a rubber band, which can be loosened or tightened. She can enjoy the busy state when the work is running smoothly, and when there is no work schedule There will be no lack of security. She hopes to have more roles in the future that step out of her comfort zone and make breakthroughs in performance.
cooperated with Wong Kar-wai
"You can", making her firmly believe that she is Miss Wang
"Really? Director, are you sure I can do it?" "You are 'Miss Wang', you can."
Meeting director Wong Kar-wai for the first time At that time, after a chat that transitioned from Mandarin to Shanghainese, Wong Kar-wai had already captured the characteristics of Miss Wang in "Flowers" from Tang Yan. During the filming, Wong Kar-wai also gave Tang Yan a lot of confidence. He would show her the clips he had shot before, letting her see that she could do it, and also let her complete the transition from initial uncertainty to the belief that she was. Ms. Wang's heart changed and she put aside distracting thoughts and devoted herself to the performance.
Beijing News: In what ways are Ms. Wang similar to you?
Tang Yan: has tenacity, drive, refuses to admit defeat, is a little sun, and is extremely positive. I think these are actually a bit like me.
Beijing News: What was it like meeting director Wong Kar-Wai for the first time?
Tang Yan: The first time I met the director was in Shanghai. After meeting, I said that I wanted to play Miss Wang. I didn't know that the director could speak Shanghainese. As he continued to talk, he said that he was also from Shanghai. I was so pleasantly surprised. From now on, we all communicated in Shanghainese. The whole chat was very relaxed and comfortable.
Beijing News: The director discovered the similarities between you and the character through chatting?
Tang Yan: I think the director is very good at judging people. He can capture some traits from each actor that he doesn't know yet, and he can also tap into the potential of the actors. This is amazing.
From the initial uncertainty to being very sure that she was Miss Wang, Tang Yan said that this was indispensable without the encouragement of director Wong Kar-wai. Photo provided by the interviewee
Beijing News: What are the qualities that you may not know much about yourself, but were discovered through this collaboration with the director on "Flowers"?
Tang Yan: For example, in this play, you can see a lot of things that are different from my previous screen image. Before this, I didn’t know that such a breakthrough could be made. It was the director who said to me very firmly: "Why can't you What?" He would tell me: "You are 'Ms. Wang', you can do it." I went from being uncertain at first to being very sure that I was Miss Wang. This is a mental journey.
Beijing News: What is the node of change?
Tang Yan: I think it was the first time the director asked me to watch the replay.After all, the challenge was a role that I had never played before, and I was in such an excellent team. Compared with other actors and teachers, I was a junior, so the pressure was very high. The director told me, "You don't need to be nervous or pressured" and gave me strength. After about ten days of filming, he showed me the clips he had shot earlier: "Look, I said you can do it." After watching it, my confidence doubled, and I never thought about whether I could do it or not. No, I am still nervous or not nervous anymore. Put all the problems behind you and tell yourself to just work hard and devote yourself.
Beijing News: There has been a rumor that acting in Wong Kar-Wai's scenes is "torture" for actors, but during the filming of "Flowers", he was more encouraging to you. Is there any difference between this Wong Kar-wai and your previous impression?
Tang Yan: When I have never really been exposed to a thing or met a person, I will not make hasty conclusions. So no matter what the previous rumors were, I will not put pressure on myself because of them. Do you think I am nervous? Of course I was nervous. I am very lucky and honored to be an actor in director Wong Kar-Wai's work. My nervousness comes from here, not from the director's "legend" in "Jianghu". In fact, during the entire three-year shooting process, we all enjoyed it very much and the creative atmosphere was quite good.
The friendship of pork ribs and rice cakes
Partner with Hu Ge again, and they are surprised by each other's growth
Miss Wang and Abao (played by Hu Ge) like to eat pork ribs and rice cakes together. If she eats pork ribs, Abao eats rice cakes. Later, the two worked hard on their own. Uncle Ye (played by You Benchang) said: "From now on, spareribs are spareribs and rice cakes are rice cakes." Abao responded: "Spareribs and rice cakes have never been a business."
"Flowers" is performed in Shanghainese throughout, restoring the original It captures many scenes and details of Shanghai in the 1990s, and "Spare Ribs Rice Cake" is one of them. Tang Yan is from Shanghai. The pork rib rice cake in her memory is the "flavor of love" of her parents. In the play, it also reflects the "flavorful" friendship between A Bao and Miss Wang. She and Hu Ge have been old friends for many years. They collaborated again ten years later. They felt each other's growth and both gave each other surprises in their performances.
Beijing News: Spare ribs rice cake is Ms. Wang’s favorite food. As a Shanghainese, what are your memories of pork ribs and rice cakes?
Tang Yan: "Flowers" tells the past events of my father's generation. Ever since I was little, I have heard from my parents that they go out to eat pork ribs and rice cakes on dates. The pork ribs rice cake was not bought at a street stall, nor was it made at home. It had to be eaten in a specialized store, and there was no takeout at that time. When ordering, it says "one dish" of pork ribs rice cake, not "one serving". So when the "Spare Ribs and Rice Cake" scene appeared during the filming, I was so surprised, "This is so realistic!"
The Spare Ribs and Rice Cake in "Flowers" also symbolizes the friendship between Po and Miss Wang.
Beijing News: The pork ribs rice cake also corresponds to the relationship between A Bao and Miss Wang?
Tang Yan: The reason why the pork ribs rice cake is delicious is that it has both pork ribs and rice cake. Without the ribs, it is just an ordinary rice cake. When the ribs and rice cakes are added together, one plus one is greater than two, which is the embodiment of "rich flavor". A Bao and Miss Wang are like pork ribs and rice cakes. They have a "rich flavor" together and are indispensable in each other's lives.
Beijing News: "Flowers" is your second collaboration with Hu Ge after ten years. Are there any changes?
Tang Yan: clearly feels each other’s growth and growth in acting. We have long forgotten how everyone performed ten years ago. This kind of forgetting is not deliberately forgotten, but from the process of playing "Flowers", I feel that this is a brand new cooperation. We have been friends for more than ten years, we are very familiar with each other, and we are already five partners. But when we are acting together, it is like working with a brand new actor, and we will not predict what he will do next in a routine way. Do. We all find surprises in each other and in performances.
Hu Ge (left) and Tang Yan (right), who partnered again, both found surprises in their performances.
Beijing News: In what ways have you gained from this performance experience?
Tang Yan: has gained so much. The tangible gain is that I have completely created a very full character - Miss Wang. The intangible gain is that I have seen my own growth and a different version of myself. This experience in made me love acting more, understand myself better, and become more calm in my inner world.
Beijing News: What is it like to perform in Shanghainese throughout?
Tang Yan: is very special. I was a little confused at first - was this acting or real life? When I was matching words, I felt it was so amazing. Indeed, these contents were particularly interesting when spoken in Shanghainese. When I acted in other plays later, I also tried to recite my lines in Shanghainese and found that the taste was different.
Beijing News: Will you look for more opportunities to perform in Shanghainese in the future?
Tang Yan: I won’t deliberately look for . Shanghainese is just a way of expression. If you happen to encounter it this time, just enjoy it. But I won't set limits on myself because of this. When you see a character you like, it doesn’t matter just because the lines are in a certain language. It must be based on the script and the character.
My favorite is "Hongkou Xiao Wang"
I have watched Fan Zhiyi play football since I was a child. He has "loyalty in the world"
"I want to be my own dock!" "Don't call me 'Miss Wang', call me 'Xiao Wang', 'Hongkou "Little Wang'."
This is the self-declaration made by Miss Wang, who was sent to the dock warehouse, to Master Fan (played by Fan Zhiyi). The thick glasses cannot hide her tenacious vitality, like a wild flower swaying in full bloom in the waves of the times.
"Hongkou Xiao Wang" is Miss Wang's most depressed stage, but it is also Tang Yan's favorite state. Photo provided by the interviewee
Ms. Wang has four stages of life. The "Hongkou Xiao Wang" in the dock warehouse is the most desolate, but it is also Tang Yan's favorite look, because that is the most simple and authentic state of the character. Ms. Wang has two mentors. The Golden Flower Section Chief (played by Wu Yue) at No. 27 on the Bund is her first life mentor, and Master Fan from the warehouse is the "elegant man" who gave her strength during the trough of her life. Tang Yan and Fan Zhiyi, a cross-border "free agent" hit it off on the set. The two's joint collision brought a lively and market-like performance to "Flowers".
Beijing News: In "Flowers", there are Miss Wang who wears glasses and contact lenses, Miss Wang who wears business suits and warehouse work clothes...Which look do you like best?
Tang Yan: I believe that a person's beauty and ugliness come from within. If the heart is confident and sunny, the temperament exuded will give people a feeling of beauty. During this period, friends often asked me which of Ms. Wang's looks was my favorite. I chose "Hongkou Xiao Wang", which was when she was sent to the warehouse to work as a worker (wearing glasses and overalls). That was her most simple and authentic state. Although she was a little slovenly compared to before, she was the most vital at this time.
I don’t know how the audience feels, but I was completely moved by “Hongkou Xiaowang”. When I played "Hongkou Xiaowang", I never considered whether she was ugly or not, or whether she looked good or not. I really liked that outfit. When I looked in the mirror, I thought: "Wow, 'Hongkou Xiaowang' is online." I didn't know who Tang Yan was at that moment.
Beijing News: Section Chief Jinhua at No. 27 on the Bund and Master Fan at the Wharf Warehouse are both Ms. Wang’s masters. What's the difference between them in Miss Wang's mind?
Tang Yan: These are two different stages of Miss Wang. Number 27 seems to be her comfort zone. Jinhua is the first teacher who introduced her to the industry, her first life mentor, and Xiao Wang's original goal. From the beginning, she wanted to be like Master, a "golden flower on the 27th."
At first, Master Fan thought she was a charming girl from the Yellow River Road, but later he found out that she was such a tough girl and was impressed by her. Master Fan was a noble person that Miss Wang met when she was out of her comfort zone and was at the lowest point in her life. He gave her the strength to support her.
Beijing News: When Ms. Wang left the warehouse, Master Fan said to her: "Remember 'Hongkou Xiao Wang' for me, don't give me Tanzao style (Note: 'Tanchao style' is pronounced in Shanghainese, and the subtitles show 'Shameful')!" How do you understand this Shanghai slang?
Tang Yan: "Don't make trouble" means "Don't collapse", which is a very common Shanghainese saying. Not only does it have the literal meaning of "don't be embarrassed", but it also has the feeling of "we are one of our own" - you are from our place and you cannot let yourself go. This sentence is to encourage Miss Wang.
In this scene, Xiao Wang had mixed feelings when she walked out. When she said to Master Fan, "Don't call me Miss Wang, I am 'Hongkou Xiao Wang'", she was actually expressing herself and when she first came to the warehouse. It’s different now. Xiao Wang is now more tenacious and unable to defeat . The "thank you" she said back at the end contained too much master-disciple friendship, as well as the gratitude deep in Xiao Wang's heart. She was telling Master Fan through gritted teeth and tears that she was going to go out on her own today.
A sentence of "thank you" contains too much of the master-disciple relationship between "Hongkou Xiaowang" and Master Fan.
Beijing News: Fan Zhiyi is a professional player, but not a professional actor. How does it feel to play opposite him?
Tang Yan: Teacher Fan’s guest appearance here is equivalent to a big crossover. He is very modest and says that he has little acting experience. In fact, his performance is very comfortable, very free and very relaxed. This is the most powerful . This is also the first time for me to play against such a powerful "liberal" player as Mr. Fan. Only by being able to catch his "unexpected" can I match his scenes and make the collision more exciting. Teacher Fan’s characteristic is authenticity, so I will be more authentic.
would like to thank the director for giving us a lot of room for performance. He has no restrictions and tells you how the scene must be performed. Usually after clarifying the main core of a scene, we play it based on our own understanding. If the director didn't shout "Ka", I would continue to act, and Teacher Fan would also continue to act, and neither of us would let go. "Don't let go" here is a complimentary word, and 's "not letting go" of each other finally turned into a dramatic spark, and the director laughed "quacking" in front of the monitor.
Beijing News: In the play, "Hongkou Xiao Wang" and Master Fan exchanged house numbers, and also said that they could not help Master Fan get Fan Zhiyi's signature. Is this line an improvisation by the two of you?
Tang Yan: is right. (Whose house do these two house numbers belong to?) His previous home, this is real. Now many people are asking, does Fan Zhiyi really live there? I found it very funny when I was acting. I also grew up watching Shenhua team games. I told Mr. Fan after he came to the set and asked for his autograph.
Beijing News: What impression did this collaboration leave on you?
Tang Yan: "General Fan" is well-deserved. He is very kind and has no airs at all. The first words we said hello to each other brought us closer together, and we felt like we had known each other for a long time. He has a very forthright personality, and you can see something like "loyalty in the world" from him. I am also a relatively straightforward person, so there was no adjustment process when I first started shooting, and I just started shooting. It felt really good.
Optimistic and not anxious
I am still a "workaholic" and focus on doing the things at hand
"When the media interviewed me, friends sent me messages, and viewers left messages calling me 'Ms. Wang', I was really Happy!"
In the past three years, because of focusing on the filming of "Flowers", it seems to the outside world that the number of Tang Yan's broadcast works has decreased. But she never felt anxious because of it, she just wanted to do the things at hand well without thinking about what would happen next. In the past three years, while she injected vitality into Miss Wang, she also received feedback from the character. After "Flowers", Tang Yan hopes to have more roles that jump out of her comfort zone and make breakthroughs in performance.
Beijing News: What position does Ms. Wang play in your acting career?
Tang Yan: The irreplaceable position of .I think an actor is very lucky to be able to meet a role that he likes very much and be able to perform well. Many times actors are not able to play any role they want to play, it is a kind of fate that they meet them. In the past three years, while I have breathed life into Miss Wang through my own efforts, Miss Wang has also breathed life into Tang Yan. I am very grateful to her and have very strong emotions for her. This emotion is combined with Miss Wang. I was really happy when I was interviewed by the media, when friends sent me messages, and when viewers left messages calling me "Ms. Wang"!
Beijing News: In the past three years, because you focused on the filming of "Flowers", the number of your works has decreased in the eyes of the outside world. Do you feel anxious about this?
Tang Yan: I am a relatively optimistic person and don’t have much anxiety about myself. In the past three years, some media friends have also asked me why I didn’t take on other roles. I just want to concentrate on playing Miss Wang in "Flowers" and purely want to do the things in hand well. As for what will happen after it is done, I don’t think about it.
Beijing News: After "Flowers", will you have any new plans for your acting career?
Tang Yan: Miss Wang is just one of the types of roles I have played, but it does not mean that I will play Miss Wang in the future. I like to accept new things and challenges, so I hope to step out of my comfort zone, accept the challenges of different roles, and achieve new breakthroughs in performance.
Tang Yan said that she seems to have always been a "workaholic", but she does not deliberately keep her schedule full. Photo provided by interviewee
Beijing News: When you were interviewed by the Beijing News seven years ago, you said that you enjoyed the rhythm of a "workaholic". Has this changed now?
Tang Yan: I seem to have always been a "workaholic". I have been working on the set of Flowers every day for the past three years without stopping. But I don’t deliberately make my schedule very full. My heart is like a rubber band, it can be loose or tight. It doesn’t mean that you have to have a full schedule of work to feel safe, nor does it mean that you have to relax to a certain extent to allow yourself to recharge. For example, is very busy at the moment. I will enjoy this state very much. In the future, it may be relatively relaxed. I can also arrange this relaxed time to do my own things.
Beijing News: So you are not a person who is used to planning in advance?
Tang Yan: I am not because the plan cannot keep up with changes. The nature of our work makes it difficult to schedule all the time for the next two months. Even if we schedule it, there may be many changes in the middle. Personally, I am not a stickler for rules. I will not be unable to accept or cope with today's schedule being disrupted. If there are any temporary changes, I will make adjustments immediately. For example, if a job suddenly comes and disrupts all the original vacation plans, some people may feel: "I am unprepared, so what should I do? How should I face this job?" I would not be like that. Anxious, my reaction was - since there is a change, cancel the vacation and start working immediately. Instead of worrying about "what to do," use this time to figure out how to solve the problem.
Beijing News reporter Yang Lianjie
chief editor Wu Dongni
proofreader Li Lijun
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