Gao Yuan Yuan

[owbjhx]

Here's what might be the first ever English-language newspaper article about GYY; it was published in November of last year, in the 'South China Morning Post'.

Accidental actress; After years of dabbling, Gao Yuanyuan has taken the plunge and gone professional. She tells Michelle Chen Min why it took her so long

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GAO YUANYUAN had already shot three films, four TV dramas and scores of advertisements before she decided to make a career of acting. And with Shanghai Dreams, her first feature as a professional, under her belt, she says she's loving it.

Gao was spotted in 1996 in a bookstore, and was invited to audition for an advertisement. It wasn't long before she was being offered more work than she could handle - in ads, TV dramas and even films. But she says she didn't take the work seriously for years.

"I didn't treat it as a career until 2002, when I worked on Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre," she says. "It changed my opinion of acting and helped me make up my mind to be an actress." The TV drama was the first time she'd worked with a Hong Kong production crew and proved to be a big challenge. "Before, acting was easy and comfortable," she says. But Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre forced her to re-evaluate her approach to acting. "I had to be devoted to adapt. Gradually, I found acting fun.

"A professional actress is very different from an amateur one. I feel more responsibility now and I've set certain requirements for myself to fulfil."

After Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre, Gao shot more television dramas, but she knew she wanted to focus on film and learn more. Her chance came last year, when director Wang Xiaoshuai, with whom she'd worked on Beijing Bicycle (2000), got in touch.

"Xiaoshuai gave me a call in August and asked me to find a 19-year-old for his new film," says Gao. "So I recommended some girls. But a month later, he called again, asking me to be the leading actress.

"I didn't look at the script until we went into production because I was on vacation. But I wasn't worried because I believe in Xiaoshuai. He has a clear idea about me. He knows what fits me and what I'm fit for.

"Most of the time in this film, I acted the way I liked, according to my understanding of the character. The director didn't restrict me."

Shanghai Dreams is the story of 19-year-old Qinghong (Gao), who's at odds with her father, Wu Zemin (Yan Anlian). Qinghong's family are among the thousands forced into the countryside during the 1960s. With the resurgence of urban economies, her father wants to return to Shanghai - but Qinghong wants to stay where she is, with her friends and boyfriend, factory worker Honggen (Li Bin).

Gao says her character is depressed for long periods of the film - which put her in low spirits. "I'd been waiting a long time for this scene where Qinghong bursts out and has a quarrel with her father," she says. "I needed it to release my depressed feelings. But, when the time came, the director told me we had to cancel it."

Despite her disappointment, Gao says she now understands why Wang cut the scene. "She doesn't need to burst out - it's where her strength lies. The most powerful impact is that she sticks to what's inside her heart, even if it's wrong or hurts. She's not a character who will amuse audiences. If you treat it like entertainment, you won't find fun in it."

Beijing-born Gao has never had any formal training as an actress, but doesn't consider it to have been a disadvantage. "Even if I have the chance, I won't study acting. I can't see any need."

In all, Gao has now shot more than 50 ads, 11 TV dramas and four films, of which Beijing Bicycle (2000) won second prize (Silver Bear) at the 2001 Berlin film Festival and Shanghai Dreams (2005) took the Prix du Jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival. It also opened this year's India International Film Festival.

Gao says she'll be shooting a Hong Kong film at the end of this year, but doesn't plan on having a career in Hong Kong. "There are many excellent directors and actors on the mainland," she says. "Society is more tolerant and there's more room for films to develop. Directors such as Wang Xiaoshuai and Jia Zhangke show the potential of the mainland market."

[sw33t_angel]

wow, she spoke wit such great potentail. she's just born to be an actress.

so does tis mean tah she took some acting classes but never really take any further classes? have she graduate?

[sunnysnow]

wow, she spoke wit such great potentail. she's just born to be an actress.

so does tis mean tah she took some acting classes but never really take any further classes? have she graduate?

She's never been to drama sch before, bt she might have had some acting lessons..if not, she's a borned actress. And yes, i tend to find GYY rather eloquent, both in speech and writing (check out some self penned articles on her blog).

[sw33t_angel]

She's never been to drama sch before, bt she might have had some acting lessons..if not, she's a borned actress. And yes, i tend to find GYY rather eloquent, both in speech and writing (check out some self penned articles on her blog).

where is her blog? is it in english?

[Excelsior]

where is her blog? is it in english?

No her blog is in Chinese here's the link :
http://blog.sina.com.cn/m/gaoyuanyuan

[sunnysnow]

[sunnysnow]

Watcha lookin' at?!?

[patricia n]

are these modeling pics old?

anyhow, gyy looks superb in them...yes, she is a professional model. clothes hang very well on her.

[chuy605]

are these modeling pics old?

anyhow, gyy looks superb in them...yes, she is a professional model. clothes hang very well on her.

They are 2004 pictures.

I don't like that guy, he look so gay and stupid.

[patricia n]

They are 2004 pictures.

I don't like that guy, he look so gay and stupid.

now now, no need to be jealous...seriously, leo ku isn't in the same category as gyy when it comes to physical attractiveness but the guy is decent and also a popular actor so it doesn't hurt her to pose with someone already famous. but yes, i'd rather her pose with someone more mature looking and equally attractive like...maybe daniel wu or takeshi. even though i like alec su for the role of cmk, i must say that he doesn't seem manly enough for our gyy.

[chuy605]

I rather see this no name person then leo ku, leo ku is famous for being with Vicki Zhao not GYY.

[patricia n]

I rather see this no name person then leo ku, leo ku is famous for being with Vicki Zhao not GYY.

umm...as a girl..even i have to say that nameless person is much more effeminate looking (based on that pic) than leo ku. honestly, if i had to choose between that guy and leo...i'd go for leo even if leo is meant for vicki. at least leo looks like a guy.

i think gyy's best co-star i've seen is lu ching from miracle healers...the foreign guy who fell for alyssa's character initially but ended up with gyy...at least he was very cute and manly...more manly than the other men in the series even though i'm a huge fan of zhao wenzhuo...yeah, i'd like to see gyy pose with lu ching.

[sunnysnow]

Yes, i find GYY rather compatible with.. it's Lu Xing btw not Ching, they've acted in 3 series together so far. 2 (MH and YHSY) where their characters are involved with each other and 1 (QWLSM) where their characters are not involved with each other. As patricia has put it, i do agree that GYY would look good with a manly guy, one who is tall with a good built, since GYY is rather tall, matured and womanly herself. I kept thinking that Alec was somehow too 'small and cute' for GYY in HSDS, she was almost as tall as him..thats why i and i guess many others dont really find them compatible in HSDS. The classic example would be Zhang Ya Dong (her so-called bf) who looks way too meek and skinny in appearance for GYY. As much as i dislike Peter Ho, i have to admit that he has the built and so, looks rather good with GYY in QWLSM, and same goes for LYP, who played her husband in TXDY..at least i can imagine these guys protecting GYY, but i cant do so with actors like ALec. Another guy which looks good with GYY would be Yan Kuan, he is manly, has the built and looks..too bad his character and GYY's sorta clashed in QWLSM, if not they would have made an excellent couple imo.

[owbjhx]

I kept thinking that Alec was somehow too 'small and cute' for GYY in HSDS, she was almost as tall as him..thats why i and i guess many others dont really find them compatible in HSDS.

"small and cute" .

I actually reckon Alec's characteristics sort of worked to GYY's favour in HSDS. Her ZZR ended up looking rather tall and imposing next to him, and sometimes it looked like she was basically bullying him (which was the subtext of many of their conversations). She was the big cat toying with the little mouse. I think this is one of the reasons why a lot of people find her ZZR memorable in the same way that they find Alec's ZWJ unmemorable.

A similar thing happened in MH. GYY looked quite regal alongside the pocket-sized Alyssa and the not-particularly-tall Vincent Zhao.

Thinking about the various productions GYY has been in, it's ironic that she's refined her acting technique quite noticeably since HSDS but hasn't really had a role that lets her use it properly (TXDY was practically a cameo). She does a good 'damsel-in-distress', but it's 'vulnerable-but-vicious' that makes her special.

[patricia n]

hee hee...alec is certainly a small man...while watching hsds, i couldn't help but think what a little man he is...but he certainly is boyishly cute. and he's the perfect size for alyssa chia too.

so lu xing is the right name? i thought he was way cute for someone who is only a supporting character. looks great with gyy.

as for peter ho, i was going to mention how compatible he looks with gyy, but when i see him pose in ancient costume, i can't help but cringe so i decided to drop him from the list of potential. yes, yan kuan is also a looker...would have loved to see them pair up.

LYP is a good actor and i was glad that gyy had a chance to pair up with him, it's just i couldn't enjoy world's finest as i can't get over the fact that michelle is lead and her fans are criticizing gyy for her character...blah


owbjhx-i agree with your analysis...gyy really does tower over alec su in hsds even though she is a bit shorter than him...i think it's because she's not as petite as alyssa and also. you're right about how gyy exudes such a regal aura that it's hard not to imagine her to be more majestic and grand than her size really is. and one does have to wonder how gyy became such a fine actress given her few experiences and the lack of variation in her roles...she's just darn talented...so hard to find beautifully talented women in the asian entertainment market now. darn, i wished all of those idiotics producers exploited gyy when they had the chance to for our viewing pleasure. but noooo, they just had to give her lame roles...

oh, another guy just popped into my head: it would be nice to see GYY alongside with vincent jiao...that would be a good looking couple.

[chuy605]

Some new Mag pictures.

[coldrunner2]

Amazing pictures of GYY. The 1st pictures of GYY with Wings looks really pretty; just like a real angle.

[sunnysnow]

Beautiful shoot, thanks Chuy

[patricia n]

gyy...she is definitely a picture of beauty...btw, those smaller pics remind me of alyssa chia...not that it's a bad thing. thanks for sharing those new pictures...

[chuy605]

gyy...she is definitely a picture of beauty...btw, those smaller pics remind me of alyssa chia...not that it's a bad thing. thanks for sharing those new pictures...

Beautiful shoot, thanks Chuy

No problems ladies...hehehehe