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