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.
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.
Please think back to December 1999, what you were doing at that time? Wu Lei was born at that time.
Perhaps because of his strong presence and high professionalism, when Wu Lei held his 18th birthday party (at the end of December 2017), many people realized: Wu Lei has never been an adult? Yes, this boy who has been on the screen for several years was born on 26 December 1999. He just turned 18 recently and is an adult in the legal sense.
Everyone, please recall what you were doing in December 1999? The Y2K computer crisis, the big carnival at the end of the century… It seems like it’s still in front of us, and Wu Lei was born at that time.
He is a talented actor. He had a good sense of the camera when he was shooting commercials at the age of 3, and naturally embarked on the path of acting. Later, he volunteered to let the director take photos for him for auditions. He was born to be an actor. The young protagonist in The Young Warriors, Little Nezha, Naughty boy Ma Xiaotiao… Wu Lei has become the most popular child star in China.
When he plays a child role, he doesn’t just play the innocent card. In “My Mom is an Angel”, he played Jiang Xiaoqiang, the child with intellectual disability. He played two roles in “Mother’s Heart”, which showed his qualities as a professional actor and his endless possibilities in the future.
As a child star, Wu Lei has a huge output as he caught up with the booming period of Chinese film and television production. He has grown up slowly in the accumulation of film and television dramas, and has transformed rapidly in the past two years.
In the 2014 remake of “The Return of the Condor Heroes”, when Wu Lei played the young Yang Guo, his sunny and handsome image appeared on the screen, and his charm as a teenage idol began to radiate. After that, “The Whirlwind Girl” and “Nirvana in Fire” made him seamlessly transition from a popular child star to a popular idol.
He is 1.82 meters tall, has a handsome appearance and a fresh temperament. Among the many fresh and handsome young men in the entertainment industry, Wu Lei is one of them who carries the sunshine and spring breeze around him.
In 2017, when the fantasy drama “Magic Stars” starring Wu Lei was broadcast and hit a total of 1.3 billion hits, no one could ignore Wu Lei’s existence as a leading actor. This year, Wu Lei frequently appeared in media headlines, fashion events, and popular variety shows; this year, he also took on several major film and television production.
All of this will bear fruit in 2018. This year, Wu Lei’s costume fantasy drama “Fights Break Sphere” will be broadcast on Hunan Satellite TV. In terms of movies, “Shadow” in which he participated and “Asura” in which he starred will be released soon. “Tomb of the Sea” will also meet the audience. Wu Lei’s 2017 was a great year, and Wu Lei’s 2018 will definitely be a big year.
At the beginning of 2018, the cover character of the first issue of In Shanghai Magazine in the new year is 18-year-old Wu Lei. Please ask 18-year-old Wu Lei to answer 18 questions.
The most suitable cover character for the new year, the best time, the best start——
Q&A Wu Lei: After 18, I am a big brother!
1) Where are you filming and what drama are you doing during this email interview? Can you briefly introduce it?
Wu Lei: I’m currently filming “Tomb of the Sea” (a TV series adapted from the novel of the same name by Nanpai Sanshu), in which I play the role of Li Cu. The filming of this drama was quite difficult, and it has now entered the final stage of filming and will be wrapped soon. In short, I hope everyone will look forward to the broadcast~
2) When you were a kid, did you ever think about what you would be like when you were 18? How was it different from what you imagined when you actually got there? Which of the things you imagined about being 18 as a kid have come true, and which have not?
Wu Lei: Actually, it’s OK. When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up a lot, but when this day came, I didn’t feel much. When I was a kid, I imagined being 18, just to be taller and have more pocket money, and now it’s all come true, hahahahahaha.
3) You have been acting since you were a child. When did you really realize that acting is a profession and develop the feeling of being an “actor”? Which play or what person or thing touched you? What is different about your acting after that?
Wu Lei: I definitely didn’t understand it at the beginning. I was new to it and I was young. I didn’t know what acting was at all. But after experiencing it a few times, I roughly understood that it was a profession. I think this industry is a process of subtle influence and slow exploration. Every play and every role is a foreshadowing and a good foundation. If I say that my acting skills have improved, I should thank all the works for touching me.
4) When you were a kid, did you have a deep affection for any actor (uncle, aunt, brother, sister) who took good care of you in the crew, and cried when you left? What was it like at that time? How did you get used to it later?
Wu Lei: When I was a kid, I would cry every time I finished filming, because filming meant being with these people every day, and we all got to know each other very well. Then, when we separated, I would definitely feel reluctant. It wasn’t just the senior actors who took care of me, but also the crew members, many, many people. In fact, I still haven’t gotten used to this kind of separation, it’s just that I’ve grown up.
5) Many people become very rebellious during adolescence. Do you feel this way? Where does your rebellious side manifest?
Wu Lei: My rebellious feelings all went away during filming, hahahaha! Filming allows me to try out many different lives and personalities, and I have already been rebellious in my roles. My own rebelliousness is probably when I choose the script. I have my own ideas and want to film the drama that interests me.
6) Looking back, which crew experience do you find most unforgettable? If you could travel back for a day, which crew would you like to return to and why?
Wu Lei: “The Legend and the Hero”, because it was my first time on a crew and I didn’t know anything. If you could travel back? I actually hope to go to the next crew. I don’t know what to do when I go back, so I’d better go to the next crew and continue filming.
7) Who was your best friend in childhood? What was your attachment to him?
Wu Lei: When I was young, I had a dog named “Sanlang”. Later, I didn’t have time to take care of him, so I fostered him at a friend’s house. I miss him a lot. He was a good friend who grew up with me. (Note: For Wu Lei, “it” is “he”.)
8) I recently saw a video of you doing charity work. Can you tell us about it? What are your most memorable memories of this charity work?
Wu Lei: Yes, I went to Sichuan some time ago to build a “Sunshine Children’s Park” for the children in the mountainous areas there, because they had few toys and extracurricular books. The day I first went there, I saw a few balls on the ground, all covered with mud and deflated, and the children were still writing with pencils that were so short that they could not hold them. They were really surprised and happy when they got the mechanical pencils, which really made me sad. So I hope they can make good use of the children’s park, be happy, and study hard.
9) You sacrificed your playtime to film since you were young. Have you ever lost your temper on the set? How did you overcome it?
Wu Lei: It’s impossible to say that I’ve never had a temper tantrum, hahahaha. But children are just that, so after the temper tantrum, I’ll be fine and continue filming.
10) Did you receive any special gifts for your 18th birthday?
Wu Lei: Before my birthday, many friends sent me WeChat messages asking me what gifts I wanted. I didn’t need anything, so I told them that as long as they could come to my birthday party, that would be great. So the most special gift this time was the birthday party. I met many old friends, played with fans, and chatted with them. I said a lot of sincere things that I don’t usually tell my fans or my family. I was very happy, really.
11) What kind of different roles do you hope to play after you turn 18? How do you overcome the transformation problems faced by child stars?
Wu Lei: Try some more complex roles. I really want to challenge this kind of role. Transformation… I don’t want to transform (laughs). I always let things take their own course and continue to film and be an actor.
12) Do you cry easily? When was the last time you cried and why?
Wu Lei: I really don’t cry easily. I usually cry when I’m filming or have crying scenes. But recently, it was because of my birthday party. The fans’ videos and what my mother said to me were very touching. I wanted to hold back my tears, but I couldn’t. I’m very grateful to my fans and family for accompanying me along the way.
13) If you could become a superhero, what would you like to do for the world?
Wu Lei: Give everyone energy and keep them healthy, this is the most important thing.
14) If you could exchange identities with someone and be an unknown ordinary person for just one day, what identity would you want to exchange to? What would you do?
Wu Lei: I want to exchange identities with someone who is in college, so that I can have a day off and not have to do the papers.
(Note: The above view is purely Wu Lei’s “beautiful misunderstanding”. Who said that college students don’t have to do the papers! But let’s also imagine Wu Lei’s diligent picture of doing the papers while filming.)
15) I saw you singing and playing guitar at your birthday party. Was it a challenge for you? I also saw that the gift you gave to your fans was a ring. Does it have any special meaning?
Wu Lei: Of course, of course. I practiced for about two months. After all, it’s not my specialty and It’s quite difficult to learn. The special thing about this gift is not the ring, but the ripples on the ring. They are the sound waves of a message I said to my fans. I often filming and stay in seclusion, and I don’t have birthday parties or fan meetings very often, so you can listen to the sound when you miss me.
16) What film and television works will be released in 2018?
Wu Lei: There is “Fights Break Sphere”, and “Tomb of the Sea” is currently being filmed. The movies “Shadow” and “Asura” will be released one after another. I hope you will support them.
17) Your mother has done a lot for you. How do you hope to repay her one day?
Wu Lei: It’s not “how will I repay my mother one day?” I can do it now! (Laughs)
18) What do you want to say to your fans after you become an adult?
Wu Lei: Now that I am an adult, I will be the big brother!
Wu Lei’s mom speech to Wu Lei on his 18th birthday.
My dear son, you will be 18 soon. 18 years have passed so quickly. Mom is so moved that I don’t know what to say. I still remember when I took you to shoot your first movie. You were only 5 years old. The winter in Hengdian was very cold. It was late at night when the bus arrived. We couldn’t find a hotel. We all started to wonder if we were scammed. We finally got into the crew. In the middle of winter, you wore a dudou to shoot the water scene. Your whole body was red from the cold. But you never complained and never told mom that you wanted to give up. Son, now that you have grown up and are standing in front of the screen and on the stage, you have the love of so many people. Mom is very happy and grateful.
In the eyes of others, you are different from ordinary children. You rarely act like a spoiled child with me. When you are unhappy, you will adjust yourself and always try your best to complete what you should do. But in the eyes of your mother, you are always a child who never grows up. Your requirements for yourself are far higher than those of me and your father. This is what makes us most relieved.
During the 13 years of filming, your mother has seen all your ups and downs. I still remember that time when you had a high fever, but you insisted on going to the hospital after work. When you were getting an injection, you turned your head away and cried silently, not wanting your mother to see. You made your mother proud, but also made your mother feel distressed.
You are 18 years old now, you have your own dreams to pursue, and there are so many people cheering for you. No matter what the future holds, Mom hopes that you will always remember the paths you have taken and the people who have helped you, and continue to grow with an upright and grateful heart, enrich your life with better works, and realize your dreams. Family is always here, by your side, and will always give you the warmest hug!
Wu Lei Galaxy 