Tuesday August 25, 2009
Breakthrough role
By SETO KIT YAN
Hong Kong actor Alex Fong exercises his acting chops playing a cyborg in Kungfu Cyborg.
LIKE many guys, Hong Kong actor Alex Fong Lik Sun likes robots and grew up playing with toy robots. But never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined himself playing a robot one day.
In a telephone interview from Hong Kong, Fong shared his excitement about playing a cyborg in Chinese actioner Kungfu Cyborg.
“Since becoming an actor, I usually get cast as an ordinary young man or in love stories. Yet, in my very first big budget production, I got the opportunity to deal with subject matter that is so fresh and unique.
“Moreover, this is China’s first robot film and I get to play a cyborg in it. I feel very fortunate.”
Cybernetic organism: From left, Alex Fong Lik Sun and Hu Jun star in Kungfu Cyborg.
Fong plays cyborg K-1 (named Deming in its human guise), who is on a top secret mission to track down rogue android K-88 (played by Chinese action star Wu Jing).
The US$10mil (RM35.3mil) martial arts/ sci-fi romantic comedy is helmed by Jeff Lau Chun Wai. Lau is famed for making A Chinese Odyssey, series of cult hits with rubber-faced comedian Stephen Chow Sing Chi as the Monkey King.
“I’m very glad the project is a dream come true for Jeff and many others involved in its making. Hence, it is especially meaningful,” offered the former professional swimmer who represented his homeland in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Touted as China’s answer to Transfomers, Kungfu Cyborg sees an ensemble cast of Hu Jun, Wu Jing, Sun Li and Gan Wei from China as well as Eric Tsang, Ronald Cheng and Law Ka Ying from Hong Kong.
“I did not know about my role until the week before I flew to Ningbo to commence shooting,” said the 29-year-old actor, adding that filming also took him to Hangzhou and Shanghai.
“I asked the director why he didn’t tell me earlier as I could have done more research to prepare for my role. He said it was because he did not want me to come too prepared. He wanted me to arrive fresh so he wouldn’t have to deconstruct any preconceived ideas I might have formulated of the character,” Fong explained.
“Filming the movie was not easy as it was winter and even the director fell ill – something which has never happened to Lau in all his years of movie making,” revealed Fong, who regards Lau as his mentor since he first worked with the filmmaker in The Fantastic Water Babes (2008).
Fong said: “Although I appear to be like a human being most of the time, there’s always the underlying robotic consciousness that shows I’m a cybernetic organism.
“He’s quite a multi-faceted character and I had to conjure up bizarre and even outrageous expressions.” Fong shared that the stylist spend more time on his hair and face than on his wardrobe.
“I wore a half-wig, as the front portion is fake hair. I also had some reflective substance sprayed on my face for that mannequin-like appearance.”
Since his joining show business in 2001, Fong has 10 albums, six TV series and 23 movies to his name.
When asked what else he would like to explore, he quipped, “I look forward to publishing a photobook. It actually takes a lot of hard work. You have to work out and keep fit before you can even think of doing something like that.”
■ Kungfu Cyborg, distributed by RAM Entertainment, opens in local cinemas nationwide on Thursday. Free tickets!
IN conjunction with the wide release of Kungfu Cyborg in Malaysia, RAM Entertainment is giving away free movie passes to StarTwo readers.
Just cut out this coupon and head over to GSC Tropicana Mall City, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, tomorrow evening. Ticket redemption begins at 8pm and each person is entitled to redeem two tickets on a first-come-first-served basis. Screening begins at 9pm.
Screening details:
Movie: Kungfu Cyborg
Date: Wednesday (Aug 26) at 9pm
Venue: GSC Tropicana Mall City
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