Q&A: Ge You

Known for his natural and lively delivery, Ge You is one of the most popular and internationally recognised actors from the mainland, appearing in critically acclaimed films such as Farewell My Concubine. He was named best actor at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival for his role in Zhang Yimou's To Live. Many of his movies such as Cala, My Dog and If You Are the One were major hits on the mainland.

Ge, 53, plays a crook in the dark comedy Let the Bullets Fly, which opened here last week. Co-starring Jiang Wen, Chow Yun-fat and Carina Lau Kar-ling, the movie is adapted from a novel by Sichuan author Ma Shitu. It is set in the turbulent 1920s and has grossed more than 650 million yuan (HK$767 million) on the mainland.

You've acted with Jiang Wen in the past. How was working with him this time?

This time he was the director as well as an actor in the film. It is the first time he has directed me. It was an enjoyable and interesting experience. He just gave me a few little reminders on the set. I think he was confident about my acting and knew I'd be totally into my part.

In the beginning, I wanted to play the character played by Chow Yun-fat, but Jiang said, 'I can't find someone else better than you to play Old Tang.' I understood his difficulty, so I took the offer.

He really works on the details. He thinks about the character's hairstyle and how it should change in different circumstances. This may seem tedious but it really makes a difference.