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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Zhang Ziyi: Major Talent or Lucky Starlet?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:49:51 PM)
or some she was the most memorable part of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. They were mesmerized by the dark energy she brings to her portrayal of a freespirited young adventuress. For others she was one more annoying thing about a glacial, poorly edited sword-fight flick. They were left cold by the hard, souless gleam of her obsidian eyes and her puckish face.
Regardless of your opinion of Zhang Ziyi, one fact is indisputable: since the release of CTHD in late 2000, the media has lionized the gamin-faced actress. Virtually every glossy and tabloid has hailed her as the hot new Asian female actor and/or great new beauty. In the heat of CTHD's surprise success Zhang was signed to several projects, including Rush Hour 2, The Legend of Zu, 2046 (a science fiction flick), Hero (a Jet Li kung-fu flick) and Musa (a Corean film set during the wars between the Yuan and Ming Dynasties).
Luck is essential to every success, but Zhang Ziyi appears to have enjoyed more than her share during her brief acting career.
She was born February 9, 1979 in Beijing to an economist father and a kindergarten teacher mother. At the age of 11 she enrolled in a dance school. Four years later she decided to switch to acting despite some promise as a dancer. She went for a shampoo commercial audition and was picked out by the legendary director Zhang Yimou to play a schoolgirl who falls in love with her teacher.
When The Road Home was released in China in 1999, the young actress was promptly dubbed "Little Gong Li" on the popular suspicion that she had followed the great actress into Zhang Yimou's bed. (Zhang Yimou had discovered Gong Li in 1987 and lost her in 1994 when she left him to marry Singaporean businessman Ooi Hoe Siong.)
The Road Home received no attention in the U.S. but won the 2000 Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. It also caught the eye of Ang Lee who was casting Crouching Tiger. No one suspected that the low-budget film he was planning to shoot in China would go on to become the next year's most profitable film, ultimately grossing $150 million worldwide. It turned Zhang Ziyi into an international superstar in one fell, elaborately-wired swoop.
Is Zhang Ziyi really a great beauty and first-rate actor? Or is she a second-rater whose fame is as un-credible as her CTHD fight sequences?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
Why so much importance as to who's MOST beautiful? Why should physical beauty be the ultimate criteria for an actress or female for that matter?
abc
Sunday, December 01, 2002 at 00:43:21 (PST)
[205.188.209.140]
I think zhang ziyi is attractive but she's certaintly not the most beautiful, I think that Hsu Chi looks better than her, Ohhhh and I'm just talking about her looks okay, don't drag this into an argument about skills or whatever.....Not everyone thinks zz is the best that outshines all others.
ty
Tuesday, November 26, 2002 at 16:30:42 (PST)
[198.81.27.12]
Hey, I can live with that.
But she is a brilliant and talented actress...
Rain
Saturday, November 23, 2002 at 00:23:05 (PST)
[202.57.91.133]
rain:
I didn't say she's lucky...sure she's talented but not the the most brilliant asian woman that's all...
azn storm
Friday, November 15, 2002 at 09:45:50 (PST)
[203.162.132.171]
Opinions, opinions......
Why do you guys always have to say that Ziyi is lucky?
How far does luck carry one in any field? Let start with music: many bands or singers are labeled "one-hit wonders": getting lucky with the first single, then drowning in the sea of obscurity.
Luck can only take you so far...after that, the talent takes over. The greatness: the exhiliration, the beauty.
Again, tRH was a hard movie for Ziyi. Put yourself in her place: shooting for months in the cold, tripping and falling headfirst into the ground, and actually learning to cook village food.
And now, for one day, your body gives way, and you complain. Any normal human being could do as much: your body and your spirit will give way to the hard work.
But Ziyi came through, and tRH is definitely one of the best films ever made.
I think we may overlook the one day she complained, and focus instead on the months of toil and hard work she put into her portrayal.
Again, not lucky....talented, she is.
Rain
Thursday, November 14, 2002 at 20:05:03 (PST)
[202.175.229.177]
I wonder if you have read my earlier post carefully, or indeed you have read them at all.
I am never begrudging of showing compliments toward zhang ziyi's performance in tRH and CTHD.
I have admired zhang ziyi's award as something i must recognize with.
And Didn't i repeatedly emphasize that zhang yimou was pleased with zhang ziyi's overall performance, she merely failed to meet his approval on instance of high anxieties? (Look for the proof yourself this time, they are merely located in this forum, i believe you will not have difficulties with that)
So please, don't try to put words into my mouth, or deliberately distort my posts, that is another bad practice. *_*
Zhang yimou did slate zhang ziyi into tear on the set of tRH, read the interview for yourself(i know you don't know chinese, then find someone to translate it for you, i wouldn't do that, in case if you think i will distort the article). One can never persuade obstinate and closed people, even to believe in the discernible facts. The link is here, do whatever you feel like to.
Beside, even you insist i told lies on my part, name calling is indeed the worst practice in discussion. "with you severely mentaly blocked mind", hmm, so who is the one that really runs out of arguments here? Only people without ways of validating their arguments would resort to derogatory comments. Please retain some minimal etiquette, and keep the barbarity out of this forum.
fight here? Please don't indulge yourself too deep into the paranoiac sentiments. That is the least thing i am interested in doing with you. I participate in discussions to air my notions on certain subjects, but not necessarily to ask people to fall in with my views. Why should we fight, with mutual understandings being proven to be the superior resort for ironing out conflicts.
It maybe my honour to engender another issue of warning from you. This is really reminiscence of the three-strikes out rule, may i ask you what will actually happen to me, and what course of actions will you take on your part, if i receive any further warning? Just out of curiosity........
Exactly, you have just proven my point. Those figures are afterall great because they are finally being recognized by the public consensus, maybe not instantly but still at their due time. Zhang ziyi doesn't immediately make a perfect analogy to them because they are still by no mean in the same caliber. So what will really happen to zhang ziyi? Let's see in, say, a few more years time. Will she gradually fade from public limelight and bury by the ashes of time?
Or the time itself will ascend zhang ziyi to an altitude few people can catch up?(it's too early to tell at this moment, so please don't make any assertions anymore)
On one hand you scorn at the "dumb mass", on the other hand, you stress on the enormity of zhang ziyi's fanbase. Don't you think there is a little paradox here? So what distinction you possess that transcend you above the rest of the "dumb mass"?
"I know that Yimou has been a major factor in Ziyi's career: but guess what? Yimou also discovered so many starlights which have now completely disappeared into organic dust"
Please brush up yourself on these misinformed informations. Zhang yimou is only mentor to three starlets(not "many"), whom are Gong li, zhang ziyi and a relatively less known one, Dong Jie, and credited for bringing stardoms to them.
When does Gong li become part of the organic dust? You may want to enlighten me on this. And though less celebrated, Dong Jie remains quite active in chinese showbusiness.
Hmm.......drowsiness seems to have overpowered me, the next time see you around, hope you have quitted those practices.
JJH
Saturday, November 09, 2002 at 10:07:57 (PST)
[202.62.139.64]
I know that Yimou has been a major factor in Ziyi's career: but guess what? Yimou also discovered so many starlights which have now completely disappeared into organic dust.
it seems clear to me you're another clueless guy who doesn't know jack about Zhang Yimou and what's he been doing. Name me the *many* actresses discovered by him that completely appeared into organic dust!!! You are certainly very very clueless...Of course I won't hold you agianst it but If you don't have a clue don't bab on it like you know it. FYI, Zhang Yimou when commenting on her talent stated that he doesan't think she could be compared to Gong Li and she still has a long way to go to reach Gong Li's caliber.
Zhang yiyi is a pretty girl, but go to china and u see way more beautiful women. As for the greatness she's achieved, I truthfully think she still has a long way to go. What hollywwod movie role had she? a supporting devil role...If that is what one can gauge as achievement of greatness in the west I'm truly disappointed.
AZN storm
Friday, November 08, 2002 at 20:55:24 (PST)
[61.11.245.6]
who the hell do u have to think JJh is a basher, Rain? He only gives his opinions, that'as all. It did nothing but proved you are biased in your judgement...and you are a huge fan of ZZY. but remeber not everyone is and those who aren't may have more objective opinions about her. I see clearly he didn't bash ZZY, just give his opinions
k
Friday, November 08, 2002 at 13:09:19 (PST)
[61.11.245.6]
Zhang Ziyi does look good in Hero, but Maggie Cheung looks even better. I just wished they didn't have to put such a CTHD slant on this movie. The website has a similiar feel as well as the music. Well, I will reserve my judgement until I watch Hero. Let see how Zhang Ziyi come off in this movie against real actors like Maggie, Jet Li, Donnie Yen and Tony Leung. I wish her the best, I honestly do, but she does have a long way to go before achieving greatness. Attending MTV award shows and winning an award for fashion is not going to do it for her I am afraid.
IMO
Friday, November 08, 2002 at 03:27:54 (PST)
[203.103.158.77]
Slated? I have never heard of Yimou ever complaining about Ziyi's performance in tRH. As I understood, he was very proud of her performance!
If it was indeed a "poor" performance,why the awards?
Oh, OK, you don't believe in awards, why don't you just go and see the film? What would you believe? Popcorn trophies?
Still, with you severely mentaly blocked mind, I woulnd't wonder if you'd still be a basher by the time were through.....
Go on, close your eyes. But one request.
Keep the fight here. If you wanna fight there...well, I warned you....
Rain
Wednesday, November 06, 2002 at 22:24:56 (PST)
[202.138.155.4]
And another thing: did Herman Melville's great American Novel, Moby Dick, instantly receive the "public consensus" at the time it was published? Did Oscar Wilde's "Salome" immediately delighted the masses at its first performance? Did Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers score a big hit with their debut album, despite Dylan's heritage?
All of them are misunderstood artists: include Ziyi in there. The fact that the masses like you and put up fansites for you does not mean greatness or talent. It only means that you're popular: and for what? Most of the time its not because you are talented: most of the time its just because you're just damn popular, and at that particular time, you have "caught" the taste of the masses. The dumb masses.
If I can only tell you how many dedicated Zhang Ziyi fans there are in the world, and what we all do to make Ziyi's craft available to all...and how hard we all work for her to be misunderstood no more!
Rain
Wednesday, November 06, 2002 at 22:21:07 (PST)
[202.138.155.4]
Greatness does not rely solely on being loved by almost everyone in this world. You can't please everybody: that is a known fact.
If you don't want to be criticized: say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. Its as goddamn simple as that. Ziyi is taking the risk: the talent is there, the fans are there, the greatness is there.
Now, about my post in my "home" site...I suggest we keep the battle here and not try to defame the one Ziyi fan site whose members are loyal and trusting. If you want to fight, then let's do it here. Let's not take it anywhere else. Besides, who crying? If you don't think Goldsea is enough for a battleground, why are you here? And why quote the posts on my "home" site? Are you running out of arguments? No other sources for your "gallant" stand?
Look: I won't mind if you really believe that Ziyi is not a great actress: I'm not the one to convert people and force them to believe. I have never believed in forcing anyone to trust in anything.
I know that Yimou has been a major factor in Ziyi's career: but guess what? Yimou also discovered so many starlights which have now completely disappeared into organic dust.
The fact that Ziyi managed to keep the greatness bestowed by Yimou and not fade into cosmic oblivion is already a testament that she is a MAJOR talent. She knows how to use that talent, to inspire people, to keep the flame burning.
That is what makes her different from all actresses today. And besides of her fame, she is still the simple, trusting, friendly girl with a smile for everyone.
"Nope....(head's shaking) She got her breakthrough here and it's time for her to prove herself. Time has not proven anything yet. Zhang ziyi's performance is far from consummate. She still has lots of grounds for enhancement, granted that she is really dedicated to her craft."
Well then, point me to another actress who can cry at the snap of a finger, and then laugh like crazy at the next snap. Ziyi has that natural talent: that natural glow. She has proven it and time will only make her better.
Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.
Rain
Wednesday, November 06, 2002 at 22:11:03 (PST)
[202.138.155.4]
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