Xiao Zhan: Digging deep into the character’s heart, rejecting the stereotypical portrayal | Interview

Original Article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/p6Q-Nm3WURrUv-mFFWYm3g
Original Author: 熊杰灵 邵小涛
Translator’s note: The original authors are part of 中国电影报道 China Movie News.

The oriental fantasy romantic drama “The Longest Promise” starring Xiao Zhan and Ren Min is currently on the air, and it tops the Maoyan popularity list. The series tells the story of the aloof and cold Shiying, the crown prince of Kongsang, and the enthusiastic and lively princess Zhu Yan of the Chi clan, forming a fated relationship, staying together and guarding their homeland. Xiao Zhan plays Shiying, the aloof and cold crown prince of Kongsang.

In an exclusive interview with us, Xiao Zhan revealed that in order to make Shi Ying vivid, he worked hard to dig out the character’s heart and worked hard on details such as handling of lines.

As an actor with a non-professional background, Xiao Zhan has always put extra effort on performance. From a fledgling greenhorn to accumulating himself, he had accumulated many film and drama works with 3 years of experience on the theater stage, continuously consolidating his performance ability. When it comes to the criteria for selecting characters in the future, Xiao Zhan said that the most important thing is to fall in love with him first.

The following is the transcript of Xiao Zhan’s interview:

China Movie News: Can you share with us what was the reason you took on “The Longest Promise” at that time?

Xiao Zhan: In fact, it had been a long time since I had made a costume drama, so I was always thinking about what kind of appearance and character my next costume drama would be. I think he (Shi Ying) was a very complicated character. He seemed cold and aloof on the surface, but in fact he was very forbearing and restrained in his heart.

China Movie News: Tell me about your creative methods to make Shi Ying appear cool and refined without being rigid?

Xiao Zhan: Because I didn’t know how to display his coldness, this was a very difficult point. When discussing with the director and screenwriter, I would find out what his reasons were (for his coldness). Combining his growth experience, what he went through, to understand his persistence, his refusal to accept fate, and his insistence on the concept that man can conquer nature, I thought I could find a resonanting point.

China Movie News: Regarding the death of his queen mother, you had a relatively strong emotional scene in the drama, could you share that scene with us?

Xiao Zhan: I remember that it was filmed at night, and there were many special effects shots in that scene, but we were actually doing unaided performances on the scene. The post-production special effects such as lightning and thunder, were all not there, instead there was only one big giant blower on the scene. The blower was facing me and Han Dong, so the biggest challenge for me in that scene was the sense of faith. How do you ensure that you were always immersed in very sad emotions, and at the same time you have to put the very complicated (emotions) points to act them out, and express the emotion that you had killed your mother. For me, that scene was very unforgettable.

China Movie News: There are so many big scenes in “The Longest Promise”, which one was more difficult for you to leave the scene?

Xiao Zhan: I think there were quite a few scenes. The one that impressed me the most was the scene where he saw his mother committing suicide in a vision. This was one of them. There is also a scene where Xinghai Yunting, where Zhu Yan stabs him for the first time.

China Movie News: How do you prepare and handle the big scenes?

Xiao Zhan: Before starting the film, I will pull out all the big scenes first, and read it myself first. When it comes to the performance, it will not be so sudden. I think the psychological construction is not done on the spot, but it is the homework you have to do in private. Every time I will deal with some different small details, for example, when he became a young Priest from a small cleric, I will be more calm when dealing with his lines.

“China Film Report”: When filming “The Longest Promise”, how did you establish a sense of faith with the characters?

Xiao Zhan: I think our props, scenery and set, etc were very exquisite, and the director will create a strong sense of security for the actors. Before filming, I remember the director would tell all the staff on the scene, let’s be quiet for ten seconds or five seconds, let the actors enter the character state, I think this was a great help to us.

China Movie News: What kind of emotion do you wish to convey to everyone through “The Longest Promise”?

Xiao Zhan: The emotion I most want to convey to everyone is actually that everyone can learn more from Shi Ying. Although he knew what his fate would be, he still refuse to accept his fate and changed his fate despite of the heaven’s word. I believe that all success or failure is within our choices, try hard to change your own destiny.

China Movie News: Have you read the scrolling comments while watching the drama recently, were there any comments that made an impression?

Xiao Zhan: Because I don’t turn on scrolling comments when I watch dramas, but I did see some very interesting comments, but I don’t quite remember them. Let me check my phone. I will share it with everyone. “I see all beings in the world, I see you and me while getting along, I see boundless love in the ordinary, gentle water flows for a long time, delicate and natural.” When I saw this comment, my heart was very touched, because I think this was exactly the feeling “The Longest Promise” wanted to convey to everyone, a feeling that we might not have multiple lifetimes, and might not have so many stirring romances, but what we wanted to convey to you is that, among all living beings, every choice in our life is very precious, the gentle water that flows for a long time will be the most touching.

China Movie News: What have you gained from the accumulation of so many roles? What kind of acting direction do you want to challenge in the future?

Xiao Zhan: What Xiao Zhan’s life may experience, and is already at this point, so he needs to experience different lives and different experiences in the roles to enrich his emotions. (In the future) In fact, there is really no fixed direction. The most important thing is that the script and character can move me, I think this is a very important point. I have to fall in love with this character, this role and the plot first, before I can transform it into my own motivation or energy, and then convey it to everyone and move everyone.