Stephen Fung Tak-lun might be showing off his magic skills in a series of new TV commercials. But at a media event on Tuesday, he was desperately trying to change topics and disappear as the local media pressed him on gossip and rumours, ranging from his meeting with Tom Cruise to possibly marrying his long-time girlfriend Karen Mok Man-wai.
The actor-turned-director apparently met Katie Holmes' better half at the Berlin film festival and told him about his project based on 1967's Story of a Discharged Prisoner -the inspiration for John Woo's A Better Tomorrow. His replies in short: Yes, he plans to shoot the project next spring. No, neither Andy Lau Tak-wah nor Aaron Kwok Fu-shing have signed on. Yes, he would love to work with Cruise one day. And, no, he and Mok are not even engaged.
Instead, Fung wanted to emphasise that his film will not be a direct remake of the Patrick Lung Kong classic. 'I am just using the name of the film as I own the rights,' Fung said. 'The movie I am shooting is a brand-new story with new characters.'
It did not stop the press from continuing to ask whether Mok will star in the film and when they're going to marry? Fung's reply is that the script - and their careers - come first. 'If Karen is right, of course, she will be my first choice for the film, but the script comes before everything. We won't decide until the final draft is done.'