Were the Bed Scenes in “Lust, Caution” Real?
Ang Lee’s (李安) 2007 film Lust, Caution <色，戒> was as controversial as it was famous. Though the film single-handedly propelled actress Tang Wei (湯唯) to overnight fame, it was also the movie that pushed China’s movie industry to ban Tang Wei due to her explicit sex scenes with Tony Leung Chiu-wai (梁朝偉). The sex scenes appeared so realistic that many viewers were convinced that Tony and Tang Wei really performed it.
While promoting the film at the time, both Tang Wei and Tony insisted that the sex scenes in the film were the result of clever filmmaking and camera tricks. Now that it’s been ten years since the film’s inception, both actors are ready to open up a bit more about Lust, Caution’s filming process.
Tony had always been quite transparent about his mental state during the film’s production. He has mentioned that Lust, Caution was one of the most emotionally-taxing films that he has ever done, and at one point, Ang Lee had to ask Tony’s wife, Carina Lau (劉嘉玲), to convince him to continue doing the film.
On working with Tony, Tang Wei praised Tony as a “very professional actor” and that he “didn’t use a body double,” seeming to apply that the explicit love scenes in the film were real, rather than the result of clever camera angles. The scenes were performed in a private studio, with the presence of only Ang Lee and the cameraman.
“I’m so lucky to have worked with [Tony],” said Tang Wei.
Source: QQ.com
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
Terrible movie. Glad China banned Tang Wei, who is now married to a Korean man. I don’t know about you, but her husband has this very creepy look that you can tell just by looking into his eyes.
@peachyogurt I think she has films after Lust, Caution. I remember there was Finding Mr. RIght and Monster Hunt which both are a hit at the Box office. She is also coming out with a new TV series Empress of the Ming coming out next year. I would have to agree with you about her husband look, but I guess he makes her happy. I think if China was to banned Tang Wei, they should ban Tony Leung and everyone envolve with the film, why only banned the actress?
@shishi @m0m0 Yeah, I don’t like cheaters (real life cheaters and character portrayal of cheaters). The plot in Lust Caution shows Tony having a marital affair with mistress, Tang Wei. Tang Wei also happened to filmed a movie with real life cheater, Wu Xiubo in Finding Mr. Right.
@peachyogurt
why was the movie bad? i thought it was a good movie. it portrayed the thoughts of the characters and their internal struggles very well
@peachyogurt So (1) you think it’s okay to only ban the actress in a controversial movie; (2) you’re criticizing her for marrying outside of her ethnicity; (3) you cast judgment on someone for the way he looks.
Hmm. Good job.
As for people who think the sex scene is real, I’m sorry but you have to be pretty naive to believe that. If you’ve seen porn vs simulated sex scenes, you would see the difference. It’s called acting for a reason ffs.
@lyu310 I think you got some things wrong. I am not criticizing her for marrying outside of her ethnicity. I am just stating the facts that she married a Korean man. There is nothing wrong with interracial or intercultural marriages. And I never said that it is okay to ban “only” the actress, but that I was glad the actress was banned. If China wishes to ban other actors/actresses, that is up to China. And yes I am judging him by appearance as everyone does all the time. Some people have a hip look, some have a professional look, and some just seem to have a creepy look. Even shishi agrees with me about his look, so I am not the only one.
@peachyogurt
I didn’t know what her husband looked like until I Googled him just now. I think it was the dorky haircut he had. The bangs and also the really round glasses he had made him look like a pedophile or something. The bangs also made his face look like it had no forehead which seems disproportionate and odd. In his newer photos where he has a more “modern” slicked back haircut, he looks less creepy. Other people may have different thoughts, that’s just what jumped out at me.
lol, what’s the point of rehashing old details about a movie that no longer has any relevance? This article doesn’t reveal anything that hadn’t already been revealed 10 years ago, during the film’s initial release.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter whether the performances were “real” or not, because when you’re filming in front of camera crew for work purposes, everything is just an act at the end of the day. What’s more important is that it was performed in a safe, controlled environment where all parties involved were willing, and maintained a high level of professionalism (which it appears they had).
Not to mention, unless revealed by someone on set or the director or actors admit it themselves, everything is purely speculation. Personally, despite how seriously Tony takes his work, I highly doubt he would put his reputation on the line by performing actual intercourse for recording.
As an avid fan though, I’ll say that while this wasn’t my favorite movie of his, it was definitely one of his best performances, IMO.
That’s a bit of a stretch – no body double to implying intercourse. Must’ve been a slow news day…
@kuks what is body double?
That doesnt imply anything at all.
Saw the movie many years ago and never doubted the sex scenes were real. So yeah, I believed they were real.
Ehh doubt it. Ain’t no way Carina Lau would’ve given her stamp of approval. And I doubt Tony, with his introverted tendencies, enjoy being gawked at by others while getting busy. Soooo…doubt it.
@coralie I thought Carina and Tony were in an open relationship back then?
Tony is a consummate actor. I wouldn’t doubt his professionalism. If he had to, he will. If there wasn’t actual sex, there was at least actual almost sex as in minus the actual deed. But I think it was real. Much like how his other namesake also did a real sex scene.
@funnlim almost actual sex definitely cos both dropped their pants but real sex , no .
Of cos the sex scenes were not real. They’re actors remember? It’s their job to make it look real. This was just all hype to drum up interest in the movie and get people curious and become a talking point.
@passingby I think they were real. Not the first actors to film real sex scenes. It felt like it and it looked like it.
@funnlim oh that would be so gross. I know he’s a consummate actor but not to this extent. Also his co-star has to agree to it. What if they both caught some disease from each other? He’s a good actor, faking such movements is a breeze to him lol. “It felt like it and looked like it”…..this is called acting.
@passingby
I agree with you. It wasn’t real. Looking like real does not mean it is real. It is normal for the media to make a big deal out of it and it was good promotion for the movie for everyone to believe it was real…