Wu Lei: Dare to take risks and embrace new life

“Embrace a New Adventure”

Perhaps due to his personality, the 18-year-old Wu Lei doesn’t talk much. He is very restrained, which is rare among his peers, but his eyes are extremely clear and focused when he looks at people. Wu Lei was admitted to the Beijing Film Academy with the first place in the country in the acting major. he will enter the university and start a new life. The road of youth is long, and this young man with fine clothes and strong horses* has unlimited possibilities in the future.

*鲜衣怒马 used to describe young heroes who are full of vigor and vitality. This term not only describes the external luxury, but also emphasizes a kind of spiritual heroism and self-confidence.

The Joy of Acting

When talking about the new work “Shadow”, Wu Lei recalled the days of filming. It was a hot day, and he wore armor weighing 15 kg (30斤) every day and waved a big sword in front of the camera. This latest work directed by Zhang Yimou is scheduled to land in the theaters during the National Day on September 30. Wu Lei plays the role of the young general Yang Ping in the film. In the previously released trailer, there was a scene of a bloody sword cutting through water. Wu Lei was fully armed and his body was suspended. It took 17 shots to complete it. The external hardship is secondary. “In Director Zhang’s crew, there is pressure every minute and every second.” This kind of pressure was not given by Zhang Yimou. On the contrary, in Wu Lei’s eyes, Director Zhang was formidable**, but very friendly and would not put any pressure on him. The so-called pressure all came from himself, not from others.

**不怒自威 means someone who can make you feeling intimidated due to their dignified aura, even when they’re not being angry.

The leading actors of Shadow include Sun Li, Deng Chao, Wang Qianyuan and Hu Jun, all of whom are well-known actors who are good at acting. In the crew, there are also a group of very professional staff around. “You will involuntarily feel pressured and hope that you can be as professional and excellent as them.” There are many fighting scenes in Shadow, and the fighting scenes themselves are not a problem. Wu Lei will also do some physical training when he works out. Before the start of filming, there will be special action training for the fighting scenes in the play, but the most difficult part for Wu Lei is that he has to act while fighting. While fighting, he also have to pay attention to his facial expressions and release his emotions just right, which is not so easy to control.

This role is a challenge for the 18-year-old Wu Lei, but he likes this feeling. Every time he completes a shot, especially when it meets his expectations, he enjoys the satisfaction, just like making a three-pointer in basketball, which is very satisfying. In Wu Lei’s view, this “special satisfaction” is exactly the joy of acting.

Is Yang Ping in Shadow the most difficult role he has ever played? Wu Lei shook his head and said no. “How should I put it? Every time I act in a play, I always feel that the role is extremely difficult.” Every time he reads the script, he gets a headache, and feels from the bottom of his heart that the character he is about to play is particularly complicated. Wu Lei does not think that he is a complicated person. His experience is relatively simple. Apart from filming, there is little else. Like many child stars, he has been in and out of various crews since he was a child, playing roles such as the protagonist’s childhood or son. For child stars like him who have been acting since childhood, the window to observe the world is the crew.

Because child actors don’t spend much time in school, they often fall behind in their studies. For young actors who have been acting since childhood, their studies are somewhat different from those of ordinary children. They are familiar with all aspects of the crew and filming, but they know very little about some experiences that ordinary children have. Take Wu Lei for example, he doesn’t go to the supermarket to buy things like ordinary children, at least not in China.

In his words, “That would seriously affect other people’s shopping experience.” But he doesn’t have this worry when he goes abroad. When he goes to a supermarket abroad to buy things, no one will watch him. Someone once asked Wu Lei what he disliked most about being an actor. Wu Lei replied that it might be this lack of freedom.

If he is not filming, Wu Lei’s usual entertainment is to stay at home and watch movies, and occasionally go out to play basketball. Basically, most of his friends are also made in the crew. However, in Wu Lei’s opinion, “You can learn a lot even from chatting with people around you.” No matter how busy you are at work or how many things you have to do, as long as you pay attention, you can always find opportunities for “input”.

People Who Can’t Stop

Wu Lei likes acting. A life without acting is unimaginable to him. As an actor, he can do things that he cannot do normally, such as martial arts scenes, where he has the power to go up to Heaven and down to Underworld***. It feels like he is in the world punishing evildoers and eliminating evil.

***上天入地 decribed having great supernatural power and also a metaphor for running around to achieve a certain goal.

He has had a hero complex since he was a child. He is a fanatic fan of Ultraman and has a special liking for movies about saving the earth. Since his youth, he has particularly liked superheroes like Iron Man, “The Avengers”, “Spider-Man”, etc. In short, they are all extraordinary characters.

In the past two years, as he grew up, the films he made were mostly fantasy or adventure-themed. For example, in Tian Can Tu Dou’s “Fights Break Sphere”, he played the leading male role Xiao Yan; in “Tomb of the Sea”, the sequel to “Grave Robbers’ Chronicles” written by Nan Pai San Shu, he played the leading male role Li Cu. “I’m a person who cannot stop, I like new things, and I can’t stand a particularly boring and stereotyped life.” As an actor, Wu Lei feels that he seems to be able to walk into different lives and experience different lives.

He has appeared in more than 50 TV series and 9 movies since his debut more than 10 years ago. He has been filming with his mother since he was 5 years old, such as the little Nezha in The Legend and the Heroes, the little Yang Guo in The Romance of the Condor Heroes, etc. Of course, the role that the audience is most familiar with is Fei Liu in “Nirvana in Fire”, a role that made him famous.

At a young age, he had suffered a lot for filming. When he was 11 years old, he accidentally cut himself while filming. Because the filming schedule was too tight, he didn’t get stitches. Later, the skin grew and left an indelible scar. Another time, his left hand was burned, it was horrible, but he just wrapped it with gauze.

Someone once asked if Wu Lei is a “mama’s boy”? In fact, he is just filial. Wu Lei once said that his mother was a big motivation for him to move forward. Now that he has grown up, he can no longer focus on playing. He hopes to be independent as soon as possible and not make his mother work too hard.

Hu Ge, who co-starred with Wu Lei in Nirvana in Fire, once commented on Wu Lei: “He entered society very early and has filmed so many dramas. He is more mature than his peers, but he does not have a unruly mentality. He is very upright, which is rare.” There are two key points in this statement, one is “mature” and the other is “upright”. The so-called maturity may be due to his personality. He doesn’t talk much. Few of his peers speak as restrainedly as he does. As for “upright”, his eyes looking at people are extremely clear and focused, which can easily make you believe that such a young man is naturally very “upright”, an “upright” person with a good family background.

The scenes he filmed when he were young were relatively simple. When Wu Lei was happy, he would smile from ear to ear, and when he was sad, he would cry loudly. Later, as he played more roles, his understanding of acting also increased. Acting cannot be superficial. If he wants to show something deeper, he must learn how to get into the role and integrate himself with the role.

Three years ago, after filming Nirvana in Fire, the 16-year-old Wu Lei said that his dream was to be a good actor. “Every actor doesn’t want to be stereotyped, so I really want to grow up, leave behind the identity of a child star, and show a more diverse and mature image of a man. I hope that in the future audiences can judge me as a good actor, that’s enough.”

From a child star to a good actor, the gap between them is actually very large. Perhaps, it require the process of transformation****. In this year’s art exam, Wu Lei was admitted to the Beijing Film Academy with the first place in the country in the acting major. In September, he will enter university for further studies. He will only turn 19 at the end of this year, and his youth is still long. This young man with fine clothes and strong horses has unlimited possibilities in the future

****脱胎换骨 is to shed one’s mortal body and exchange one’s bones. It’s an idiom means to change wholly.

Talk to Wu Lei

mu: What are your expectations for the upcoming college life?

Wu Lei: I look forward to studying hard. I also hope to have some good brothers in college. Most of my current friends are people I met on the set, because I usually spend a lot of time on set.

mu: After entering college, in what aspects do you hope to improve further?

Wu Lei: All aspects, everything about actors. Many actors start their acting career in college. I started earlier than them, so I have to settle down during college. As a person, including all aspects of acting, there is still a lot of room for improvement, and I believe that I will be able to improve in college.

mu: Acting in “Shadow” is your first time to work with Director Zhang Yimou. What kind of help did he give you?

Wu Lei: Working with Director Zhang is just the normal communication between a director and an actor. Director Zhang is a world-class director, and his crew is a golden combination. There is no need to say much about professionalism. The key is their seriousness and enthusiasm when filming, which touched me deeply and benefited me a lot.

mu: You can learn different things in different teams, right?

Wu Lei: Yes, the crew of “Tomb of the Sea” is a young team. The director and photographer are both graduates of the Beijing Film Academy. I have absorbed a lot of fresh ideas and concepts from them. And the director of “Fights Break Sphere” is Yu Rongguang, who is very experienced and capable. I have learned a lot of practical and experienced experience from him.

mu: What efforts have you made for “Shadow”?

Wu Lei: Not just “Shadow”. In fact, I put a lot of effort into every play. The most tiring one is actually “Fights Break Sphere”, which has a lot of scenes, more than a thousand scenes, and there are not many scenes without me in the whole play. “Fights Break Sphere” took a full six months to shoot, and I went to six or seven places across the country, including Guizhou, Yunnan, etc. I was tired but happy, because I’m a fan of the novel “Fights Break Sphere”, and I was fascinated from beginning to end.

mu: “Fights Break Sphere” and “Tomb of the Sea” are two new dramas this year, and you played the leading role in both of them. What is the difference between these two roles for you?

Wu Lei: Xiao Yan in “Fights Break Sphere” and Li Cu in “Tomb of the Sea” are both passionate young men, but Xiao Yan is not as weak and helpless as Li Cu. He is more positive and knows what he wants when he appears. He has a clear goal from beginning to end. Li Cu is constantly exploring and gradually finding himself. He has his own flaws and is not a perfect character. This character has more layers.

mu: So the role of Li Cu is more challenging for you?

Wu Lei: Li Cu’s personality is more negative and extreme, which is somewhat different from the roles I played before, and is not very similar to my own personality. I need to figure out the character well, and figure out his psychology by reading novels and scripts.

mu: How to figure it out?

Wu Lei: Imagination. Actors need imagination. Imagine what it would be like if this happened to such a person, and what kind of reaction and actions he would make.

mu: Are there any scenes that impressed you deeply?

Wu Lei: Yes, for example, walking in the desert and struggling in the water in “Tomb of the Sea”, and the breaking of the engagement and revenge in “Fights Break Sphere” all left a deep impression on me. These scenes that impressed me have one thing in common, that is, they have a greater impact on the fate of the characters in the play. It’s the kind of “powerful plot”.

mu: After filming, will you have any regrets when you look back at the drama?

Wu Lei: There are regrets in every drama. For example, in “Fights Break Sphere”, I’m a loyal reader of the novel, and I feel that some plots in the original novel are missing, which is quite regrettable. But this drama also presents the whole story, so I’m quite satisfied. There are also some plots in the original novel of “Tomb of the Sea” that cannot be restored in the drama.

mu: Are you satisfied with your performance in these two dramas?

Wu Lei: It doesn’t matter if I’m satisfied, the audience must be satisfied.

mu: Are you afraid of repeating yourself when filming?

Wu Lei: Yes, actors hope that each of their roles is unique, and of course they will worry that these roles will be difficult for the audience to distinguish.

mu: Will you deliberately take on different types of roles in the future?

Wu Lei: I don’t know. I think the most important thing when accepting a role is to read the script.

mu: Have you ever thought about what kind of life you might live if you didn’t act?

Wu Lei: Maybe there will be other alternatives. But I think a life without acting is unimaginable.

Source: Men’s Uno

Wu Lei, Leaving the Garden

There is a saying in the southeast region: “16 years old means leaving the garden”. It means that the child has grown up and can leave the garden. He is no longer a child playing in the garden all day.

Wu Lei’s high degree of professionalism made him leave the garden earlier than his peers. In his stormy growth, he became an adult who is occasionally childish but very sensible, smart and lively, and calm in the face of adversity.

On Wu Lei’s bookshelf, there are six special section, with markers marking the six subjects for liberal arts students. The math section had the most exercise books, and it was also the one that gave him the most headaches. On the cover of his math homework book, he wrote the words “天书” (The Book of Heaven). He changed the lock screen of his phone to “戒” (give up/quit) to remind himself not to play games; when he was sleepy, he wrote “不睡” (don’t sleep) on the back of his hand as a self-suggestion. Only at such moments, when I heard the rustling sound of pencils scratching white paper, did I remember that he is an ordinary senior high school student preparing to enter the Beijing Film Academy.

At the age of 16, the road to adulthood is destined to be full of obstacles

What choice will a young man make when faced with desire? Wu Lei gave the answer in “Asura”. When the film was shot, he was only 16 years old. For the first time in his life, he took on a leading role (in movie), playing the happy shepherd boy Ruyi. He was dressed in coarse linen, holding a hoe, and on the cowhide bag across his body was a hemp rope with arrows hanging from it. His eyes were dramatic, clear and powerful, and behind him was a forest full of exotic flowers and plants.

This Chinese fantasy masterpiece, which cost 750 million yuan to create, sought out unique locations that are rarely visited by people in order to show the unique scenes: the boundless sea of ​​desire and the palace on the sea. Wu Lei followed the crew and visited Huoshizhai in Xiji, Ningxia, Kanbula Forest Park, Ashgun in Qinghai, and Maba Village. “The Northwest really has its own filter, it’s so beautiful and vast. In such an environment, it’s easy for me, a shepherd boy, to get into the role.“

Some places have no water or electricity, and the ultraviolet rays are strong, and he must not get tanned. The crew members were most impressed by the fact that they went to the mountains to shoot, where there was no access by car, only by boat. At dawn, they boarded the boat to go into the mountains to film, and finished work at nightfall. One day, during the boat trip, rocks rolled down. Wu Lei prefers to find joy in adversity, “The Northwest is really bold, the scenery is beautiful, and even the food is huge. The bowl of dumpling soup is huge, bigger than my face.“

The local altitude is very high, and Wu Lei had nosebleeds seven or eight times a day. He smiled and said, “Maybe it’s too dry. I’ll just drink more water next time I go there.” Ming Dao, an actor in the same group, revealed that “Brother Lei didn’t sleep well and often suffered from insomnia.” During the filming, he also learned parkour and climbed on a 90-degree cliff. British parkour prince Damien Walter served as his action director. Before joining the group, Wu Lei did a lot of strength training, and the strong muscles he later showed in variety shows were trained at that time.

When it came to the actual filming, veteran martial artists said that Wu Lei’s performance on the cliff was more agile than that of professional martial artists. Injuries were inevitable, but he just regarded them as bumps and bruises. “This is unavoidable, and there is nothing much to say. As long as the ultimate result can be achieved, it doesn’t matter if the process is hard. Besides, I don’t feel it’s hard, and I enjoy it.” Later, director Zhang Peng concluded: “Wu Lei has a motivation to shape himself into a good actor.”

This year, Wu Lei has another drama to be aired, “Tomb of the Sea”, a new work in the grave robber series of Nanpai Sanshu. During the filming, he often crossed mountains and ridges. He filmed in the desert for a month or two. The weather was dry and the temperature difference between day and night was large. The staff was digging sand every day. “You must be with the main team when you are on the move, otherwise you can’t tell the direction at night, everything is the same, there is no difference”, but in his eyes, the hardest-working ones are the directors and crew, “They were white and tender when they went there, but they were all black as charcoal when they came back.”

At the age of 17, young man, don’t panic, take two steps forward

Wu Lei’s final scene in “Fights Break Sphere” was a big scene in martial arts competition. The moment he finished filming, he just wanted to look up to the sky and shout, “I’m done!” The crew moved to many places. Most of the scenes in Yunnan were outdoor scenes, including the Jiulong Waterfall in Qujing, the rapeseed flower fields in Luoping, ethnic minority villages, and then to Duyun Film and Television City, and finally to Hengdian and Xiangshan.

During that time, Wu Lei frequently traveled between Guiyang, Kunming, Ningbo and other cities where he was going to work. When the filming was finished, he “felt a little reluctant, but also relieved.” The protagonist Xiao Yan in the play is the same age as him, both 18 years old. In the released stills, Wu Lei holds a weapon, has a unique Jianghu temperament, and is calm and smart.

In 2009, the writer Tian Can Tu Dou published “Fights Break Sphere” on Qidian Chinese website. Wu Lei was only 9 years old that year. Two years later, the book was completed and became a phenomenal IP masterpiece. As a fan of the book, he wanted to play Xiao Yan well, and the pressure was imaginable. “At first, I felt that Xiao Yan’s weapon, the Heavy Xuan Ruler, did not match the description of the ‘black giant sword, extremely heavy’ in the book. I discussed it with the director for a long time, and finally got the current look.”

In Wu Lei’s eyes, Xiao Yan is also so persistent. “I liked him when I read the novel. He was persistent at the beginning and decisive later.” In the place called Douqi Continent, practicing Douqi can determine the direction of life. Xiao Yan is the most talented child in the family, but he became useless overnight and was looked down upon. When he was about to despair, a ray of soul emerged from the black ring on his hand. With the help of the soul in the ring – Yao Lao, Xiao Yan stepped towards the peak of Douqi Continent.

Muchen, assistant of Tian Can Tu Dou, once said that he did not think that Tu Dou was the one with a “black ring” on his hand, and that his energy came more from hard work and diligence. This is similar to Wu Lei. What people know is that he started filming commercials at the age of three, TV series at the age of five, played Hu Ge’s childhood in “The Young Warriors”, played the young Nezha in “The Legend and the Hero”, and won the Children’s Feitian Award for “Naughty Boy Ma Xiaotiao”…

In fact, in Wu Lei’s acting career, “little Yang Liulang” is already his third drama, “Ma Xiaotiao” is his 31st, and “little Yang Guo” is 48th. In addition to costume dramas, he has also acted in a large number of Republican dramas. At the age of ten, he played “someone else’s husband” in “Niang Qi”. When facing a scene where he chased away his love rival, he pondered for a long time: “How can a child have the strength to chase away an adult?” “Nirvana in Fire”, which made him popular with the audience, is already his 52nd work. So far, Wu Lei has been in the industry for ten years.

In “Fights Break Sphere”, he roared out the words “Thirty years at Hedong, thirty years at Hexi. Don’t bully the poor young man*”, which shocked people. A sunny boy has gone through his most adventurous growth journey. Fighting spirit, passion, youth, Wu Lei’s performance at this age is just right, and his personal experience is enough to support the character. Just like the saying circulating in the Douqi Continent: If one day, you fall off a cliff and fall into a cave, don’t panic, take two steps forward. Perhaps, you will become a strong man.

*Hedong is east of the river. Hexi is west of the river. This saying means that someone’s fate isn’t constant. Someone who is weak now might become strong in the future and vice versa.

At the age of 18, the world outside the window is waiting for him

According to incomplete statistics from fans, Wu Lei flew at least 58 flight routes in 2017 and visited 23 cities. There was the dry and cold Bayanchol, and the flowing water of Lijiang. He went to Jiami and Zhangjiajie to record variety shows, and flew to Los Angeles to do motion capture for the film. To celebrate the birthday of Madame Tussauds, he flew to Hong Kong for the second time in his life. Knowing Wu Lei’s wish to become a “movie king”, the wax museum also gave him a little golden statue.

In this way, Wu Lei turned 18. L’OFFICIEL photographer Dalong Yang photograph him this year, and the theme of the photo shoot was “From Boy to Male God**”. At first, Dalong asked him to hug a pillow on the sofa and act playful; then he moved to a high stool and acted like a teenager in deep thought. “Seeing that everyone was tired, in order to liven up the atmosphere, when I asked him to pose in deep thought, he would make a very funny expression, exaggerated and hard, as if he was racking his brains.”

**男神 is a general term for men who are out of reach and considered to be very attractive, usually referring to the object of girls’ admiration or idol.

In the final photoshoot, Wu Lei was wrapped in a black sweater and used his hands to block out the sun. Dalong said, “It was as if the world outside the window was waiting for him. From boy Wu Lei to actor Wu Lei, he was welcoming this moment.” When he was young, Wu Lei said many times: Studying is my main job, and acting is my hobby. To this day, he has not said it for sure: “I don’t know if being an actor will be my lifelong career, but it will definitely be my lifelong interest.”

Before his 18th birthday ceremony, Wu Lei was also obsessed with being an actor. He was called “tone-deaf” because he sang the song “Gardenia Blossoms” on “Happy Camp”. But now he is practicing singing for his coming-of-age ceremony. “I originally refused. As an actor, I should act. I even thought about rehearsing a big play, but the team rejected it. If I don’t sing or dance, I can’t invite everyone to a tea party, right?“

In the recording studio, he ate shaomai from a takeaway box and started coughing after singing for a while. He was still catching a cold at the time, and thought it might be because the dust in the studio was too heavy, and it was difficult to recover from the illness. In order to rehearse the sword dance, this young man who can fly in ancient costume dramas felt his hands and feet were the same for the first time, and found that dancing is more tiring than fitness. Indeed, Wu Lei entered the industry with acting, and his experience over the years has been focused on acting itself.

Recalling the year he played the role of Little Nezha, he and his mother arrived in Hengdian late at night and couldn’t find a hotel, suspecting they were scammed. After much difficulty, he joined the crew, wearing a dudou in the middle of winter to shoot the water scene, and his whole body was frozen red. Wu Lei only remembers shooting day and night, and had no idea about acting, thinking that he would stop after this film. He never thought that he would get more and more excited as he acted, “Once you start on the road of acting, you can’t quit.” Compared with his peers, he lost a lot of childhood fun and gained a lot of love from everyone.

“We grow up day by day / In my memory, the rain never stops / Summer vacation ends with the sound of cicadas / It’s time to get a haircut again in the new school year.” The song “Childhood” sung to his fans contains his school days that he rarely experienced. Now, Wu Lei only desires a perfect college life, “Meeting many new friends, playing basketball together on the court, eating in the cafeteria with student cards, and doing homework with classmates in the rehearsal hall. That kind of life is very exciting just to think about.“

Q&A

What did you learn from your senior Tony Leung Ka Fai when filming “Asura”?

Wu Lei: Ka Fai ge was involved in everything on the set, and he often warned everyone not to litter, and he took the lead in doing so. He was also a very dedicated actor, taking every scene seriously, and this attitude infected everyone on the set, making me unconsciously treat every shot with higher standards. When I was filming with Ka Fai ge and Ga Ling jie, I felt like I was taking an exam every day at first, and I was very nervous, but I also learned a lot. Now that I think about it, I should have performed well, haha! I hope everyone will support the movie when it is released.

After working with Tony Leung Ka Fai and Carina Lau, what Cantonese words do you know? Are there any Hong Kong movies you like to watch?

Wu Lei: There is a Cantonese word “磊好哇” (Lei Hao Wa), which means “雷猴, which is “Hello” in Cantonese. It was a name I got when I was recording “Who’s the Keyman” some time ago. It’s very Hong Kong style haha! There are so many classic Hong Kong movies I like, such as “In the Mood for Love”, “Chungking Express”, “Infernal Affairs”, etc. I have watched many movies several times.

In “Who’s the Keyman”, you’re very good at solving problems and decoding. Why are you so good at puzzle games?

Wu Lei: Fortunately, I used to like to read mystery novels, such as “Journey Under the Midnight Sun”, “The Devotion of Suspect X”, “Modern Times” by Kotaro Isaka, “Ship of Theseus”… When encountering similar situations, I will associate them. The staff have the most powerful imaginations, and they can think of so many wonderful plots. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I find the key clues. In the previous episodes, I was quite good at unlocking locks, and everyone called me the lock king.

On your 18th birthday, the crew of “Tomb of the Sea” recorded a blessing video for you. What unforgettable memories do you have of this birthday?

Wu Lei: I also had an unforgettable birthday party when I was 18. I have always considered myself an actor. I rarely stand on the stage to sing, dance, play guitar, or perform shows. This is a challenge for me, but also a gift to my fans. The time I have spent together is a gift to me.

Director Zhang Yimou praised you for “performing well, not being late or leaving early, and having a bright future.” What did you learn from working with the director?

Wu Lei: Too many. Every day I was filming with Director Zhang, I was constantly learning. Every time I received Director Zhang’s affirmation, I was very happy and felt that I was really making progress. The director was like he was creating 24 hours a day, and he had very clear ideas about what he wanted. We often discussed, for example, whether this scene would be better this way, and the whole process was very enjoyable!

The pace of work has been very fast in recent years. If you had a few days off, what would you like to do?

Wu Lei: I want to go out and play, but they told me that I can only have two days off (smiley face). Hahaha, just kidding. Actually it’s pretty much what everyone wants to do, play games, play basketball, go shopping, etc. Oh, and I also want to skydive.

Do you have any dietary requirements when working out? Do you have any particular favorite foods?

Wu Lei: I love eating sweet potato balls, but I don’t eat them when I’m working out.

What do you do on a long journey of more than ten hours?

Wu Lei: Sleep, listen to music, read books, play games.

After the college entrance examination, what do you plan to do with your “Five Years of College Entrance Examination and Three Years of Simulation”?

Wu Lei: Take a group photo with all sad tears.

Choose three days without your phone or three days without your assistant?

Wu Lei: The assistant might go crazy.

Where did I find the work phone I lost on the set of “Who’s the Keyman”?

Wu Lei: At the shooting location. Because I couldn’t find my phone, the evidence search site was temporarily turned into a phone search site.

What are the troubles of being handsome, having a good figure and being popular?

Wu Lei: Aiyo, stop talking like that, I’m so shy.

Have you played games today? What games did you play?

Wu Lei: Oh, I have already quit playing games. I’m saving them for later. To play them together after the exam!

Have you ever been “tricked” by Nanpai Sanshu’s big pit?

Wu Lei: Of course. When filming “Tomb of the Sea”, we dug sand in the big pit in the desert every day. I really want Sanshu to experience it.

Have you ever scratched yourself with a razor?

Wu Lei: I think so… I lack skills.

What is the most incredible gift you have received when you become adult?

Wu Lei: Birthday party, thank you all for coming to spend a special and unforgettable day with me.

Have you scheduled your driver’s license test?

Wu Lei: I’ve always planned it, but it’s never been on my schedule.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what movie, TV show, or game would you bring with you?

Wu Lei: The Revenant.

What superpower would you like to have to help you in your career?

Wu Lei: Teleportat. It’s so important.

What is the secret to memorizing lines?

Wu Lei: The key is understanding. If you understand the scene thoroughly, you will naturally feel involved and it will be easier to memorize lines.

Whose basketball games have you watched using mobile data?

Wu Lei: A lot. I have 40 g of data a month. I don’t mind.

Which one would you choose when playing basketball, being knocked down or being blocked?

Wu Lei: I would say the other person’s sneakers are fake.

Can you accurately identify whether your fangirls are wearing makeup?

Wu Lei: Yes.

Source: L’OFFICIEL Hommes

Wu Lei: Yes, I’m Ready!

OK!: The new film “Asura” starring you will be released in the summer of 2018. What kind of physical training did you undergo for this film?

WL: I trained in some sports such as parkour and rock climbing.

OK!: Do you have many scenes with Carina Lau and Tony Leung in the film? How does it feel to work with these two great seniors?

WL: Working with these two seniors, I feel like I’m taking an exam every day. Every time I wake up, I think: I have another exam today! But after working with them for a while, I felt that I gained a lot.

OK!: Do you really want to film a contemporary drama*? What type of role do you most want to try?

WL: Actually, I just finished shooting a modern drama, “Tomb of the Sea” by Nanpai Sanshu. Although it is not a traditional contemporary drama, it was quite hard to shoot. This drama has plots on school and in desert adventures, which is quite exciting. I hope everyone will pay attention to it.

Note: Contemporary drama (时装戏) is a form of drama that reflects various social issues and real life stories. Contemporary drama is famous for depicting modern life and wearing fashionable clothes.

OK!: If you hadn’t been an actor, what would you have done?

WL: Some time ago, I did some charity work and built a small house for children in the mountains. When I saw the house being built from scratch, I thought, maybe being an architect would be nice too, hahaha, it would be very fulfilling.

OK!: What was your favorite gift on your 18th birthday?

WL: Before the birthday party, many people asked me what gifts I wanted. I always said that your presence at my birthday party was the best blessing, and the two hours I spent with everyone were unforgettable.

OK!: You said before that you would definitely go skydiving when you turned 18. Do you have this plan now? Where would you choose?

WL: Let’s talk about it after I finish the college entrance examination. Now I have to rush to attend classes every day. How can I have time to go skydiving? It’s too luxurious, haha.

OK!: People say you are really warm to your fans. How do you evaluate your fans?

WL: My fans are also very warm-hearted to me, and they are a very brave group of people. They have done a lot for me, and some of them are often waiting at the airport very late at night. I’m quite worried. I hope everyone pays attention to safety and goes home early. I remember you in my heart, haha.

OK!: What kind of world do you think adults should have?

WL: I think adulthood is not a “privilege”, it does not mean that you can do a lot of things that you could not do before. I think adulthood is more like a symbol of “responsibility”. When you grow up, you will have more abilities and you will have to take on more responsibilities. After all, the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.

OK!: Have you ever been particularly willful because of something? The kind that is not very obedient.

WL: I’m not willful, but sometimes I will insist on my own ideas. If I think it is better and more appropriate to do so, I will try my best to convince the people around me.

OK!: Funny, sincere, sunny, handsome, naturally cute, warm-hearted, good and evil, obedient, rebellious, humble, grow up, ordinary, different… Which of these words do you think is more suitable for you now?

WL: Grow up. The most unavoidable topic at the age of 18 is growth.

Source: OK!

Wu Lei’s explosive moment as a shining young man

Wu Lei just turned 18, but as one of the most promising new generation actors in the entertainment industry he already has dozens of film and television works in his hands. He is appreciated by big directors, favored by the big screen, and his acting skills are recognized. He is popular and well-known among the people. More importantly, after more than a decade in the entertainment industry, his innocence and youthfulness have not been worn away at all.

The day before the cover shoot, Wu Lei had just cut his hair short. In his words, “I dedicated my shortest hairstyle to Men’s Uno.” But the reason for the haircut was that he didn’t have to film for a while. From his tone, you can feel the joy of “letting go of myself”.

This boy, who has been in the industry since he was 3 years old, shot his first commercial and grew up in the crew, is finally going to spend half a year returning to his student status to prepare for this year’s college entrance examination. What is the most difficult time for most children is an extremely happy “vacation” for him.

But in the next few months, the movies “Asura” and “Shadow” and the TV series “Fights Breakk Sphere” and “Tomb of the Sea” will be released one after another. Each of them is a big production, and the concentrated explosion of his works makes it impossible for you to ignore his presence. The year 2018 is destined to be infinitely wonderful for this shining boy.

A concentrated burst of works

mu: 2018 should be considered the year of your works. Please first introduce to us several of your upcoming works.

Wu Lei: This year, there should be four works for everyone to watch: Shadow, Fights Break Sphere, Tomb of the Sea, and Asura. In Shadow, I play a young military commander who is always fighting. In Asura, I play a kid who herds sheep. Fights Break Sphere tells the story of a kid who grows from a “good-for-nothing” to someone who can achieve his goals. Tomb of the Sea tells the story of an ordinary high school student who is involved in a very fierce fight.

mu: Are there any of these characters that are similar to you?

Wu Lei: They all look like me. Of course, the characters I play look like me.

mu: How did you join the crew of Shadow?

Wu Lei: Someone contacted me and said there was such a role, and asked me if I wanted to try it. If I was willing, I could come for an interview. I first met the assistant director, and then I met director Zhang Yimou. He roughly told me the background of the whole story and how he hoped I would play it, and that was it.

mu: What is your impression of director Zhang Yimou?

Wu Lei: He is a director who has many ideas about movies and has very high requirements. What impressed me most was his “focus”. But he is actually a very friendly person. When communicating with actors, he is very willing to listen to your ideas.

mu: Will he criticize others?

Wu Lei: Yes, of course it’s not malicious criticism, he just says whatever he thinks and he really doesn’t miss any details.

mu: After the collaboration, what did the director say about you?

Wu Lei: Of course he encouraged me to act well and be a good person.

mu: In this movie, who do you have more scenes with?

Wu Lei: Mainly with Teacher Hu Jun, and then Brother Qianyuan. He hits me and I hit him back.

mu: Was it difficult for you to play the role of this little warrior?

Wu Lei: First of all, it was very difficult physically, because I had to wear heavy armor and fight in the rain. Secondly, Director Zhang Yimou was very demanding on the details of the performance. Filming with him was indeed very stressful, but of course I could also learn a lot.

mu: Do you need to do supplementary work like watching his movies or biographies because you are going to work with Zhang Yimou?

Wu Lei: I don’t need to do that. I have basically watched all of his works. Because I like watching movies and I’m an actor, so I will watch all the movies of the greatest Chinese directors.

mu: Which of his work do you like best?

Wu Lei: He had already produced many good works before I debuted. My favorites include “Hero” and “Curse of the Golden Flower”.

mu: The characters you have played in recent years all have very high martial arts skills. Do you have a basic foundation in martial arts, or do you learn on the spot for each role?

Wu Lei: I don’t have any foundation, it’s all accumulated experience. Because there will be some training before each play begins, I will learn from the martial arts masters, and now I can learn the moves faster.

mu: How do you think of your fighting skills?

Wu Lei: Actually, I’m still an amateur, just some fancy moves.

mu: Can three or five people get close to you?

Wu Lei: That’s definitely not possible. We need at least 50 people. (Smirk)

mu: bragging!

Wu Lei: I think one thing that’s particularly interesting is, for example, when I was filming “Tomb of the Sea”, I played a very ordinary person who was beaten badly by others. But I had just finished filming “Fights Break Sphere”. Based on my character in the previous play, dealing with these people is a very easy matter. If I blow a breath, they will all die. I feel secretly happy just thinking about it, haha!

mu: After filming so many action scenes, have you ever been injured?

Wu Lei: That happens a lot, but I don’t think it’s necessary to talk about it.

mu: “Tomb of the Sea” was filmed in the desert, the conditions must have been very difficult, right?

Wu Lei: It’s actually quite dry, with a huge temperature difference between day and night. It was really cold at night. The most depressing thing was the lack of internet. Another thing that left a deep impression on me was that one time we were filming in the desert and it suddenly snowed.

mu: Can we see the real scene of snow falling in the desert in the drama?

Wu Lei: I don’t see it (in the drama), it’s not captured in the filming camera. But I took a lot of photos and kept them.

Meet the Growing Self

mu: The filming of “Fights Break Sphere” took quite a long time, about 5 months?

Wu Lei: Yes, filming this drama was indeed very tiring, and I also put a lot of effort into it. Before filming, I had read the novel of Fights Break Sphere, and after reading it, I said that I must act in this drama one day. At that time, I was just a little kid, only thirteen or fourteen years old. I didn’t expect my dream to come true.

mu: Did you actively strive for this role or was it a coincidence?

Wu Lei: The production team found me and it was a perfect match.

mu: Since you are a fan of the book, you must have had some understanding and imagination of the role beforehand. After performing the role, how would you rate yourself?

Wu Lei: Since I’m a fan of the book, I roughly know what the fans want, and I put everything I wanted to act into the role. I think the Xiao Yan I played should not be too different from what everyone imagines.

mu: “Asura” has always been very mysterious. Can you tell us something about this play?

Wu Lei: For me, it’s actually just a play about myself.

mu: What do you mean?

Wu Lei: I just fought with myself throughout the whole play.

mu: Was most of the filming done in front of a green screen?

Wu Lei: Yes, a lot of CG.

mu: Each crew will form a different crew culture due to its member composition and shooting environment. After shooting so many dramas, is there any crew that left a particularly deep impression on you?

Wu Lei: They are all very profound. For example, “Sand Sea” was produced by a very new team composed of a group of young people; and “Fights Break Sphere” was produced by a very experienced and professional team, with a fixed cast. They knew what to do at every step and everyone was moving forward steadily; “Asura” was very international. Although it was all invested by China, in addition to the Chinese team, there was also a first-line American team working together; needless to say, “Shadow” was a golden combination under director Zhang Yimou.

mu: Which crew has better welfare? For example, food

Wu Lei: Every crew was very nice to me and would give me extra food because I was very popular with the cafeteria aunties. They would always give me the most meat, maybe because they thought I still needed to grow.

mu: Yes, you just turned 18 and are now in puberty. Do you think you have ever been rebellious during puberty?

Wu Lei: Yes, but my adolescence and rebellious period were mostly spent in every drama, and the characters I played were all quite rebellious.

mu: Do you think you mature earlier than your peers?

Wu Lei: In the past, reporters asked me if there was a generation gap between me and people of the same age, and I always said no. But today, I feel that there really is a little bit of a generation gap between me and my peers.

mu: So what kind of person are you among your friends?

Wu Lei: Among my peers, I am considered a leader, but when I have older brothers with me, I just follow them and play.

mu: Are most of your friends people of the same age or older?

Wu Lei: Most of them are older.

mu: What’s your style in your circle of friends?

Wu Lei: I may only post once every few months, so many people think I have blocked them, but I don’t, it’s just that I rarely post. I only post when I’m in a particularly good or bad mood.

mu: When you are in a bad mood, what do you do to cheer yourself up?

Wu Lei: Sports and fitness.

mu: Do you have any “passionate” hobbies in life?

Wu Lei: I spent all my pocket money on headphones. But I was very careful when buying each pair. First because I knew what I liked, and second because they were really expensive, so I would do my homework before buying each pair.

mu: How many headphones do you have?

Wu Lei: I gave away a lot of them. I have about seven or eight pairs now.

mu: Since you love listening to music so much, have you ever considered realizing your musical dream?

Wu Lei: No.

mu: Why?

Wu Lei: To have no courage is to lack courage.

mu: You haven’t taken any acting jobs recently. Is it because you are preparing for the arts exams?

Wu Lei: Yes.

mu: Do you have a target school?

Wu Lei: Yes, but I can’t tell you.

mu: It shouldn’t be difficult for you, right?

Wu Lei: It’s quite difficult, because I’m an actor, and what I’m best at is acting with a script, not reciting, singing, or dancing. So it’s really difficult.

mu: Finally, let’s make a wish for 2018.

Wu Lei: Can I make two wishes? To get into my ideal school, and to have my works released online.

Source: Men’s Uno