Shu Qi may have got her start in sex kitten roles but the Taiwanese actress' versatility has made her one of the most sought after names in the Chinese movie world. She first drew attention for her acting talent in Derek Yee's Viva Erotica, for which she won Best Supporting Actress and Best Newcomer at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1997. There have been other accolades over the years, most recently Best Actress at the Golden Horse Awards in 2005 for her work in Three Times, art-house veteran Hou Hsiao-hsien's trio of love stories set in different eras.
The 34-year-old actress was recently in Hong Kong to promote Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, in which she plays a Japanese spy in Shanghai posing as a sultry cabaret singer. Producers have released a soundtrack album featuring four songs that she sang in the movie.
One of the highlights from Legend of the Fist is a scene in which you kill your best friend (Huo Siyan). Was this the most unforgettable part for you?
Even mentioning that scene makes me want to cry. The emotional change is very dramatic, and I had to bring different layers to the role. Huo is a very good actress. When I saw her shedding tears, it was really heartbreaking and got me into the mood naturally.
A number of scenes in the movie were quite hard to handle. The dancing scene with Donnie Yen was challenging, too. My character asks him to run away with me, but when he refuses I have to pretend to be very considerate and hide my feelings. It's not easy to handle all these inner struggles. You have to control it very well. I'm lucky there are so many great actors in the movie and that there was good chemistry between us.
A record featuring your songs in the movie will be released soon. Did you learn singing before making the film?