#leo: interview

[chronicleofleo]

吴磊 奔向旷野 | Cover Story L'Official Hommes

In Nothing But You, Wu Lei who portrays Song Sanchuan, once expressed that tennis is a romantic sport, intricately entwined with the four seasons and weather; so as the wind, sunshine, rain, and snow where each game embodies a unique encounter. As an actor, he experiences the beauty of various seasons while filming: from the vibrant flowers of winter to the delicate snowflakes of summer. Although the seasons may be fictional in the productions, the emotions and moments of each character are genuine and irreplaceable.

Having embarked on his career at the age of 5, Wu Lei has always aspired to become an intelligent actor. He has mentioned in interviews that being referred to as a new actor is a great thing because newcomers carry such enthusiasm and yearning for this profession. After many years in the industry, he dreads the possibility of becoming complacent in his career and, more importantly, developing detrimental acting habits as habits tend to become deeply ingrained over time and make change arduous.

Therefore, he approaches every performance with a fresh perspective and leaves the past behind. As an actor who reflects on the pursuit of wisdom and has dedicated himself unwaveringly for two decades in the acting industry, his love for art and sincerity shine even more brilliantly.

Wu Lei enjoys cycling and horseback riding in his free time, and there are fascinating tales of fans meeting him during his cycling expedition to Xinjiang. In his Fly To The Ground VLOG, he shared with his fans the scenic views of ice glaciers, starry nights, and sunrise journeys in temperatures as frigid as -30°C. Riding horses across the expansive wilderness, he radiates both the unexpected romance of a poet and the youthful vigor of a young man.

In both Amidst a Snowstorm of Love and Nothing But You, Wu Lei portrayed protagonists who also happened to be athletes. The demands and brilliance of competitive sports, combined with years of training, have been lessons that Wu Lei has continuously learned from.

“Sports provide me with the most direct experiences: health and freedom. Of course, sports come with challenges, and conquering these challenges is fascinating. However, it's an entirely different experience for professional athletes; they face peaks and low seasons and can be susceptible to injuries. Therefore, it's crucial to delve into their mindset, techniques, and expressions in competitions. These aspects play a pivotal role in shaping a character and ensuring the audience's ongoing engagement. It's quite a formidable task.”

Upon receiving the script for Nothing But You, Wu Lei felt that the line “We are all hot-blooded idiots;” perfectly encapsulated his character, Song Sanchuan. “Song Sanchuan is someone who approaches his career and relationships with sincerity, boundaries, and balance. I wanted viewers to grasp that immediately. Back then, if people could know at first glance that he's an athlete, that means I've already achieved half of my goal.”

When preparing to portray Song Sanchuan, Wu Lei understood the importance of capturing the essence of tennis; that's why he conducted private studies of Rafael Nadal's matches and playing style as he considered Nadal to be a resilient player. Given Song Sanchuan's late transition from badminton to tennis in his athletic career, marked by numerous setbacks and comebacks, it was evident that the same level of resilience was indispensable.

Then, when working on Amidst A Snowstorm of Love and taking on the role of snooker player Lin Yiyang, Wu Lei conducted in-depth research by studying contemporary snooker players; specifically Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby, both of whom he regarded as prominent figures in their time. By identifying and incorporating these crucial elements into his character portrayal, Wu Lei aimed to enhance the authenticity and vibrancy of his performance.

Samuel Johnson once stated in The Idler that to fully commit to any endeavor, one must first have a love for life. Wu Lei consistently absorbs the details and stories of the places he films. He shared an anecdote, saying, “During my time in Finland, the weather wasn't exceptionally cold, and I observed many locals enjoying open-air seaside pools. I decided to give it a try, but within seconds, I hastily retreated – it was unbearably cold. However, the most profound memory I have from that experience was witnessing the Northern Lights; it was truly awe-inspiring.”

Despite spending years on set and in the spotlight, it didn't cause him to lose his sensitivity to real-life emotions. At its core, acting involves the study of people, interactions with others, introspection, listening to others' stories, and portraying one's character with authenticity.

While playing the role of Lu Xiaobei in Crossfire, Wu Lei observed a person in an elevator using crutches because of a broken foot. He noticed how they shifted their weight away from the injured foot and incorporated this detail into Lu Xiaobei's character, thereby enhancing the authenticity of his actions.

In the highly acclaimed film Love Like The Galaxy, there is a scene in which Wu Lei's character, Ling Buyi, swiftly grabs his weapon and seamlessly mounts a horse in one fluid motion. Netizens have commented that the young general from the novel, described as "whose silver saddle shines on the white horse and who runs at shooting-star speed," now has a face, bringing Li Bai's poem to life.

This natural ease on camera was the product of rigorous training behind the scenes. While shooting My Country, My Parents, he fell off the horse because he needed to hold the gun and shoot with both hands. Yet, he calmly distanced himself from the horse's hooves and assured the director that he was unharmed. His willingness to remount the horse and continue galloping after such a fall is a testament to his bravery.

The film All Ears, in which Wu Lei plays one of the main characters, is set to be released on September 9th. The movie explores a unique profession – eulogists, with Wen Shan, portrayed by Hu Ge, at the center. It tells the story of someone who straddles the line between the departed and the living, offering comfort to others while seeking warmth within themselves. This marks the third collaboration between Wu Lei and Hu Ge. In the film, Wu Lei takes on the role of Xiao Yin, a character who exists and yet doesn't, encompassing both his individuality and serving as a projection of Wen Shan.

Wu Lei possesses a profound understanding of this role: “Xiao Yin is a truly unique character. I must convey my individuality while also capturing Wen Shan's traits. Xiao Yin and Wen Shan share a conflicting yet harmonious relationship, making this approach to acting innovative and demanding. Each time I delve into understanding these characters and interpreting their stories, it offers me new life experiences. The journey I embark on with these characters provides fresh insights into both myself and life.”

The movie Dwelling By The West Lake completed filming in 2022. It's the second film in director Gu Xiaogang's Shanshui painting series, following Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, which was the closing film at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival's Critics' Week and earned Gu Xiaogang the Best Director award at the 13th Youth Film Festival.

As a native of Hangzhou, Wu Lei feels a deep connection to his hometown, which significantly influences Gu Xiaogang's work. The English title of the new film is "Dwelling by the West Lake," and its narrative centers around West Lake, a renowned landmark in Hangzhou. In the film, Wu Lei plays a character named Mu Lian, and by combining this with the classic folk tale of "Mu Lian Saving His Mother," one can infer that the movie's theme revolves around redemption between mother and child.

From Wu Lei's perspective, Hangzhou is a very poetic, beautiful city enveloped by greenery and filled with stories. His experiences working with director Gu Xiaogang differ significantly from his previous collaborations. “Collaborating with Director Gu brings a more spontaneous experience. Often, you must depend on instinctive physiological responses to enhance your performance because he excels at crafting an authentic environment for actors. This distinguishes him from other directors I've had the privilege to work with. For instance, Director Fei (Fei Zhenxiang) brings a cheerful demeanor and knows how to ease the tension on set.”

“While filming Love Like The Galaxy, I faced considerable pressure, and it was quite challenging. Director Gu had a knack for helping me relax. He invests significant time in addressing the 'unseen' elements, striving to enrich the emotional journey for both us actors and our characters. His efforts, often behind the camera, have proven immensely valuable, providing me with a fresh and enriching learning experience.”

Nietzsche once said, "What matters is not eternal life, but eternal vitality." Observing Wu Lei is akin to witnessing a vibrant tree. Although he may not have reached the sky yet, he is already flourishing. Bathed in sunlight, the signs of his growth remain hidden beneath the lush foliage, and, like a tree, he continues to firmly anchor himself in the soil while fearlessly growing upward without forsaking his roots.

[weirdo-from-bonesborough]

Dick: on the one hand, I would give anything to hear my mother’s voice again

Dick: on the other hand, not being able to remember helps me avoid certain types of psychological warfare

*sounds of yelling in the background as Damian mimicries Janet Drake*

[phoebepheebsphibs]

MOCK INTERVIEW OF THE UNTIL I FOUND YOU SEPARATED AU BOIS!!!

@tmntaucompetition

[shadowpuppetteer]

The four moods of Urban/Historical Fantasy.

[fredhechingerdaily]

AP Breakthrough Entertainer: Fred Hechinger lives out his circus dream

"We’re all human and everyone should be treated as full humans. But I don’t have any particular gripes at the moment,” Hechinger says.

Instead, he expresses gratitude for having the opportunity fulfill his dream.

“For so many years I wanted to tell stories and be an actor,” he says. “So, the moment I started to get paid to do it, where it was a job, an actual real job to do this thing that I loved to play and focus and work in this way, that’s something I count as a blessing.”

[k-wame]

LEO WOODALL · 'One Day' Press 🎭 ⋮ The Graham Norton Radio Show · Feb. 2024

[reddamselette]

valgrace except leo prefers to sleep. he’s never awake for longer than four hours and during those four hours, he’s not all there either. he’s daydreaming and thinking and mulling over every possibility, everything that went wrong. he keeps himself busy for four hours but he’s not useful when his mind isn’t in it.

perhaps it’s the grief. the aching feeling in his heart knowing that he’ll never see jason again. so he sleeps. he sleeps in hope of dreaming about him, in seeing him and spending time with him.

because how does one function without their other half? where leo would spend all hours of the day with jason, never sleeping because every second and every minute counted so much so to the point that leo’s sleep schedule synced with jason’s. he slept when the other slept, woke up when he woke up.

how is he supposed to go about his life without his best friend, his lover, his heaven, his everything?

leo doesn’t remember how to work in the forge once he begins to get better.

his hands stopped working the moment jason’s heart ceased to beat. and his fire never felt colder.

[theridervhagar]

"It’s partly down to seeing the young Aemond actor, Leo Ashton, in episodes six and seven of season one: the boy underneath the veneer. This kid was bullied day in and day out for not having a dragon egg like the rest of the kids in the family. He recognized very early on that he was going to have to go out and get what he wanted. I always carried that around with me in season two. [...]"

— Ewan Mitchell.

[thesideburnsalon]

Nice video game Hazelight Studios can i add gay angst to it

[austinslounge]

He's a Leo 🦁😏🥰

"That's exactly me!" (Cute😄)

[a-realproblem]

you know it’s still crazy to me the way louis changes when he interacts with humanity.

there’s this type of comfortability that he immediately gets when he’s in those spaces.

in episode 1, as soon as he’s sitting at a table and having a conversation with a regular degular human, he doesn’t even care about using his fake name anymore. He’s dancing, smiling, and cracking jokes with these people, mind you, he literally just met them.

at the end of episode 8, when he finally leaves armand and he’s in new orleans, from the interaction with the driver to the front desk at the hotel to the tourists….i have never seen louis look better in present day.

I swear louis is the embodiment of the sun and that’s probably why vampirism and who he is clashes because vampires can’t be in the sun, much less BE the sun. its also why the other vampires want him so badly, that man is light and warmth in a dark and cold existence…

[leosgreyfringe]

[What did it feel like to celebrate with the boys at the end there? Those are the kind of results that really build camaraderie and team spirit.] "Yeah I think it really shows how the team bonds together. Everyone wants everyone to do good. It's a great team we are in. Everyone is happy."

LEANDRO TROSSARD for arsenal.com

[dilfssi]

in another life this man is a teacher

[portraitoflestatonfire]

Dissolves in Interview with the Vampire 1.01, "In Throes of Increasing Wonder" dir. Alan Taylor (1/7)

[hermywolf]

this can be either hilarious or heartbreaking depending on how you take it. i'll admit i was giggling the whole time as i made it though, sorry baldie

[k-wame]

LEO WOODALL & ADAM DiMARCO ↳ Unpacking S02E04 · The White Lotus (HBO)