Wu Lei: HOT Inside and Outside

Wu Lei is always seen with a sunny smile in the media, but what attracts everyone’s attention is the “Fei Liu” he played in “Nirvana in Fire” – a very stubborn child who hardly smiles. As an actor, a certain level of depth is needed to support the role and make it three-dimensional. “Fei Liu” makes everyone realize that Wu Lei is a big boy with a bright smile, but his eyes are brimming with content when he is serious.

When I saw Wu Lei, he was struggling to tear open the outer box of a courier package. He first used the key at hand to cut the seal, and then tore off a corner with his bare hands. His technique was very manly. Even though his finger was scratched, he still declined the help of the staff around him. In addition to the excitement of a big boy receiving something he loves, his face also showed concentration and persistence. As a big boy who is surrounded by people all day and does not need to do anything himself, his focused expression has revealed some masculine charm.

As a child star, the general pattern is that they are extremely cute when they are young, but they tend to grow crooked or become rebellious when they grow up. Wu Lei did not develop according to that pattern, but gave a very positive example. Fei Liu seen in “Nirvana in Fire” is still the same as the little Nezha back then, with clean and smart eyes. Transformation is a challenge that every actor, especially child stars, must face. How to combine the character setting with one’s own personality, let everyone witness a boy slowly grow into a man, and live each stage of life full of vivid details as the starting point of the future, this is a long and challenging proposition.

During the interview, Wu Lei was putting on makeup and had to keep a blank expression. When asked whether he is a slow-to-warm-up type, Wu Lei said that he is a very hot person inside and outside. To enhance his persuasiveness, he turned his head slightly and looked over. His smiling eyes flashed with confidence and playfulness, and his dark eyes were full of spirit. He was still expressionless but unquestionable. Perhaps this is what an actor is like. It is enough to just use his eyes.

Q&A

When did you realize that you like acting? Is it possible to change your career path in the future? If you change, what kind of work do you want to do?

When I first started acting, I just thought it was fun. Although I was young, I knew I liked acting. So I liked acting from the beginning, and it has never changed until now. Some people think that acting is hard, and one shot may have to be shot many times. When I finish a shot, especially when it meets my expectations, I will enjoy the satisfaction very much. It’s like making a three-pointer in basketball, which is a very refreshing feeling. So far, I will choose to be an actor as my career. If I have to have a second choice, I will choose to be a director.

As a spokesperson for the “post-95s” actors, your image has always been a sunny boy. Have you ever experienced a rebellious period?

I don’t seem to have an obvious rebellious period. Perhaps because I have played some roles in the rebellious period, I have experienced the contradictory psychology of the rebellious period during the acting process, and also realized my possible rebellious behaviors through the roles. This should be the advantage of an actor, and you can have different experiences through the roles.

You once said that you hope to be a man like “One Piece”. Can you describe what kind of man that is?

Luffy is a symbol of the kind of man I admire. He is responsible, capable, and cool. Responsible means having a sense of responsibility, and capable means being confident. Being cool is the least important of the three. In fact, when it comes to the most important thing, I think the first one is kindness. The first criterion for me to choose a friend is also kindness. First of all, he must be a good person.

How do you view a man’s appearance?

I think appearance is important for everyone. It’s not only actor who cares about their appearance. Of course, inner qualities such as kindness are always more important than outer qualities. I often take selfies and share them with my fans on Weibo. It is a trend for men to care about their appearance, and their inner qualities can be better reflected through their appearance.

What kind of books do you like to read? How do you enrich yourself when you are busy at work?

I like reading history books recently. I will read anything related to history. On the one hand, I like to read the specific historical facts, and on the other hand, I also like to read the authors’ analysis of these events. I have filmed a lot of period films and I feel that I should know more about this aspect. Of course, reading is not the only way to learn. There must be something I can learn from others. Even chatting with people around you can learn a lot. No matter how busy you are at work or how many things you have to do, you can always find opportunities for “input” as long as you pay attention.

If you use characters from Jin Yong’s novels to describe yourself, which one do you hope to be?

I would choose Ouyang Feng, haha, you didn’t expect it! Although Ouyang Feng is a villain, I think he is very cool and a martial arts fanatic with a bottom line. If I have the opportunity in the future, I would like to play some villains, such as Ouyang Feng. This is very challenging and exciting for an actor.

Nowadays, as an actor, you have to face a large number of fans every day. How do you view the crazy behaviors of fans? What do you think “Leimi*” value most about you?

I must first remind fans to pay attention to safety, this is the first priority. As for what “Leimi*” like about me, I’m not really sure, maybe they like different things, I just need to do my best. It is not good to care too much or not care at all about other people’s opinions, keep improving yourself.

*Leimi is the name of Wu Lei’s fandom. It literally means Lei fans.

Which work are you currently filming or about to start filming? What are your criteria for selecting scripts? Will you intentionally seek breakthroughs?

I’m currently filming the movie “Asura”. Everything about this movie is confidential, so I’m not in a position to say more. As for the criteria for selecting scripts, I will not deliberately choose different types of roles, as long as I like them. Even if it is the same role, you can interpret different feelings, which is the fun of acting. Of course, a bigger challenge will bring greater satisfaction, which is what I look forward to.

Source: Men’s Style LEON