More Accomplished Thespians to Join John Woo’s Already Star-Studded “The Crossing”
Director John Woo’s (吳宇森) The Crossing <太平輪> has attracted much attention since the unveiling of its star-studded main cast. At the recent 2013 Busan International Film Festival held in South Korea, it was revealed that mainland Chinese actresses Qin Hailu (秦海璐) and Faye Yu (俞飛鴻), mainland Chinese actor Wang Qianyuan (王千源), and Japanese actress Hitomi Kuroki (黑木瞳) had begun filming for The Crossing as well, though their exact roles remain a secret.
Often likened to “the Chinese Titanic,” The Crossing is the story of three couples and their search for happiness in the midst of conflict and catastrophe. Although the premise sounds disheartening, Woo stressed that the film “is full of hope – it will have a lot of action, dramatic, and humorous elements.”
The main cast, which consists of Zhang Ziyi (章子怡), Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城武), Huang Xiaoming (黃曉明), Tong Dawei (佟大為), Korean actress Song Hye Kyo (宋慧喬), and Japanese actress Masami Nagasawa (長澤雅美), was already enough to raise eyebrows at The Crossing’s impressive star power. The inclusion of four additional experienced thespians is sure to attract even more viewers, especially those who may have previously dismissed the film for casting too many “pretty faces.” Although these new cast members may not be as well-known as the main cast, their critical success is proof of their acting abilities.
Qin Hailu, for instance, has shown prowess in both commercial and independent films and is the only artist to have won Golden Horse Awards for Best Actress, Best New Performer, and Best Original Screenplay. Likewise, Wang Qianyuan, who collaborated with Qin Hailu in The Piano in a Factory <鋼的琴>, is the only Chinese actor in the past ten years to have snagged the Best Actor Award at both the Tokyo and Shanghai International Film Festivals.
The remaining two may have less critical acclaim in China but are worthy additions to the cast nevertheless. Faye Yu is a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy and, after graduation, remained at the institution as a teacher. In 2010, she even tried her hand at directing a film called Eternal Beloved <愛有來生>. Japanese actress Hitomi Kuroki, who claimed the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actress in 1997, is considered a superb actress with an extensive drama- and filmography.
With ten well-known actors on board The Crossing, fans are eager to learn what roles they will be playing, a fact that the producers have continued to keep a secret. However, Woo assured fans that each actor had gone through a selective screening process to ensure that they were suitable for their characters.
Source: Hunantv.com
This article is written by Joanna for JayneStars.com.
