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Q&A: Li Bingbing

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Mainland actress Li Bingbing describes playing an intelligence decoder in Chen Kuo-fu and Gao Qunshu's new spy thriller, The Message, as 'mental torture'.

Last year, Li, 33, was named best actress at the Golden Rooster Film Awards, dubbed the mainland's Oscars. In The Message, she plays mainland communications officer Li Ningyu, who is working for Wang Jingwei's collaborationist regime during the Japanese occupation of China in the second world war. But when it is suspected that a communist mole is hiding in the regime, Li is one of five high-ranking officers tortured to determine the identity of the spy.

'Li Ningyu is the type of women who is very tough on the outside but soft on the inside,' the actress said. 'She was born into a wealthy family and is well educated, having studied abroad, which was quite rare for a Chinese woman in the 1940s.

'She would also have been one of the few lucky ones still able to live a decent life despite the war going on. But her brilliance as a code breaker leads her to a tragic ending, as she is forced to confront the painful truth that her lover, and her best friend, Gu Xiaomeng (Zhou Xun), who she saw as a sister, have betrayed her.'

Li will also vie for the best actress award at this year's Golden Horse Awards, along with co-star Zhou. The awards ceremony will be held in Taipei on November 28.

What made you want to take part in this project?

I was hesitant to take on this project initially, especially because both directors warned me that my character would be the most difficult to play. But they convinced me in the end. They kept goading me, saying things like, 'Why can't you take on this challenge? You've played seductive and bubbly roles in the past, why don't you step out of your comfort zone and do something challenging?' That sounded right, so I was in.

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