(9/6/2003)Chun Yu also revealed that he has declined to star in INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 (JUNG GIK MO GAN). He explained that he could not reprise the feel and quality from INFERNAL AFFAIRS 2. "Hopefully not! I would rather let him have my body! Good things can be done all at once. If I have to pick up the character anew for one or two scenes then that won't be too good. My character is very special. If I play it again in the third installment, the feel will be very different. The second one is too perfect, I am afraid that I can't reach that quality again."
(9/5/2003) Kelly Chan Wai Lam yesterday attended a radio interview. Kelly will join the production of INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 at the end of the month. As reported earlier, Kelly has hired a Hollywood acting coach to instruct her. "My acting used to be really bad. This movie has too many Best Actors, I don't want to embarrass myself and want to pull closer so I hire an instructor. At first during rehearsal he said that my acting is very fake! Luckily he praised me for being a natural. After five days I can cry on cue. Now I know how hard being an actor is. I have a lot to remember and have to analyze the script."
(9/4/2003) Kelly Chan Wai Lam will soon begin work on INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 (JUNG GIK MO GAN). She has been very nervous about and even losing sleep over working with four Best Actors Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Leon Lai Ming, Andy Lau Tak Wa and Chen Daoming. For her performance Kelly has not only hired an acting coach from Hollywood with HK$200,000 of her own money, but also has bought all four Best Actors' movie VCDs for research. Kelly expressed, "The co-stars this time are very strong. Every one is a Best Actor. In INFERNAL AFFAIRS I only have to work with Leung Chiu Wai, but this time the directors said I will have scenes with all four. I can't be any more nervous. I am always losing sleep. Although I already have the script, but a lot of the story has changed. The directors have been adding and deleting scenes, so I am thinking about not memorizing the script and let the director do his thing on the set."
(9/3/2003) INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 yesterday began production. Although Hurricane Dujuan was invading Hong Kong, it did not affect production at all. As category 8 hurricane warning went up, yesterday's shoot was already completed. Lau Wai Keung expressed, the film started production yesterday morning at six. Actors included Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Chapman To Man Jat. Because they were shooting in bath houses, audio visual stores, and shopping centers, the shoot wrapped around 2PM, which is shortly before the category 8 hurricane warning. Later they will shoot a major scene with Eric Tsang Chiu Wai, Chen Daoming and Wai Jai. The director is still thinking about the exchange. Meanwhile, INFERNAL AFFAIRS has already been scheduled for a September 5 release in over 300 cinemas in China. Lau Wai Keung hoped that INFERNAL will perform well in China. He stressed that the film's effect can only be fully appreciated in cinemas.
(8/23/2003) The critical and commercial success of INFERNAL AFFAIRS (MO GAN DOH) has made people look forward to it becoming a film franchise. Yesterday INFERNAL AFFAIRS III (MO GAN DOH 3 JUNG GIK MO GAN) held a production start ceremony. Media Asia boss Peter Lam Kin Ngok again invited White Dragon King from Thailand to Hong Kong to host the film prayer ceremony. The ceremony held at 10AM and attracted over 100 Chinese and foreign reporters. Cast members Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Andy Lau Tak Wa, Leon Lai Ming, Chen Daoming, and director Andrew Lau Wai Keung yesterday were all dressed in white out of respect; Eric Tsang Chi Wai and Chapman To Man Jat were working on their film MEN SUDDENLY IN BLACK (DAI JEUNG FU) and could only wear their costumes to the event. Rumored to be at odds earlier, Lau Tak Wa and Lai Ming had plenty to talk about yesterday. Wa Jai even asked Lai Ming for a photo together. After the ceremony, White Dragon King distributed to reporters one hundred dollar bill that has been autographed and blessed. The cast later distributed blessed fruits and cigarettes to the reporters. Because Tsang Chi Wai was working on another film, he arrived 20 minute late to the site; but when White Dragon King saw him, he immediately gave him a warm embrace.
Meanwhile, director Lau Wai Keung pointed out that INFERNAL 3 will officially begin production on September 2. The production cost will reach HK$70 million. Days ago a report claimed that the film will have eight Best Actors with a total salary of HK$30 million. Lau Wai Keung said that is business secret and could not be revealed. As for whether Francis Ng Chun Yu and Tony Leung Ka Fai will join the cast, Lau Wai Keung is still studying the roles and have not actually talked with them yet. Right now the script is only at its fourth draft. The director also is considering Sammi Cheng Sau Man to reprise her role, but the final decision will lie with the final draft of the script. The White Dragon King gave the film one-word advice of "good". As for Lau Wai Keung, he was advised to keep his temper in check, be careful while driving and avoid high place. The film's only actress Kelly Chan Wai Lam yesterday did not appear. Alan Mak Siu Fai explained that Kelly had the flu and could not attend. Anthony Wong Chau Sun was working on a television series in Guangzhou and could not return in time for the event. On the other hand, yet to be confirmed cast member Li Bing Bing due to her multiple film deal with Media Asia attended the event.
This film is mainly actor driven and the only actress is Chan Wai Lam, but he would not have any onscreen romance with her. His role has always been talked about as the villain, will this be his first villain role? "The first time I heard the story the role was a villain, now it's changing." He felt that the character is unimportant. Because each film has many structures, as long as he did his part well then he is fine. Earlier at the press conference Lai Ming expressed that he has not signed the contract yet. Yesterday he said that he has already signed it and explained that at the time he has not finished reading the script and thus has not signed. He stressed that absolutely no unpleasantness has taken place. The fact is he has known Lam Kin Ngok and Mak Siu Fai for a long time. As for HEROIC DUO (SEUNG HUNG), his film with Dior Cheng Yi Kin, not performing well in Hong Kong, Lai Ming had no special comment. The film has performed well in China perhaps due to different viewer taste. He felt that director Benny Chan Muk Sing's focus was not on the Hong Kong market. Chinese Best Actor Chen Daoming two days ago arrived in Hong Kong for the morning ceremony yesterday. Today he returned to China to continue work. Some claimed that he would play a mob boss. Chen Daoming said that he has seen the script and indeed the character exists but for now he does not know whether he would play that role. For his first collaboration with Lau Ta Wa and Lai Ming, he flet that both are good actors and he has heard Wai Jai's songs. This is also his first Hong Kong film and he hopes that through this chance he could understand Hong Kong film production methods. Thus whether the role is a hero or a villain matters not to him.
Chen Daoming has worked with Leung Chiu Wai earlier on HERO. He never thought that they would work together so soon again. He also suggested to the writers to reduce garbage dialogues in the film because a movie is not necessarily better with more lines. His salary was rumored to be HK$2 million. Is he paid better in China or Hong Kong? "First we haven't talked about salary yet. Is that important?" He said that even with HK$2 million he would not be paid more than working in China. Leung Chiu Wai's role died in INFERNAL AFFAIRS. This story will take place six years before so he has a part in it.
(6/14/2003) Andy and Leon Lai Ming has been competing since the Four Great Heavenly Kings era. Soon they will have a chance to trade blows in INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3. Before the film has even begun production, rumors have already flown all over. About this nemesis, Wa Jai has said, "I have never hated or been mad at him. On a certain level he and I are on the same boat!"
(5/23/2003) Yesterday INFERNAL AFFAIRS 2 shot on location at the old Kai Tak airport. The entire cast was in 70s fashion. Toward rumors that INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 will include Mainland Best actor Chen Daoming, Andrew Lau Wai KEung said, "I didn't approach Chen Daoming. Right now we are wholeheartedly focused on INFERNAL AFFAIRS 2, the rest we don't care about for now. The script for INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 hasn't been completed yet. We have to look at the script first before approaching the suitable actors to join us."
(5/9/2003) Tony Leung Ka Fai, Eric Tsang Chi Wai and Parkman Cheung yesterday worked on their film JEH GOR AH BA JUNG BAU JA. Chi Wai talked about the rumors that Leon Lai Ming was upset over playing a villain and the size of his role in INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3. "I don't believe Lai Ming wasn't upset. I just came back to Hong Kong recently. (Andrew) Lau Wai Keung said the script for 3 has been very troublesome because he didn't want anyone to play a support role. Everything will have to wait until the script is done. I have seen the story and feel the villain role is right for Lai Ming, probably the most suitable role in his career. If he quits because it is a villain role then he isn't too sensible. He should then remake the reason behind him making movies."
(5/6/2003)As for claims that Sammi was dropped from INFERNAL AFFAIRS 3 over salary issues, Kwok Kai Wa yesterday clarified, "We and Universe have always had an understanding a long time ago. Sammi will star in two other new films for them. Because INFERNAL ultimately is male actor driven, we have decided long ago that Sammi won't be in it."
Articles are courtesy of Sing Tao Daily, Next Media, Apple Daily, Ming Pao Daily, Oriental Daily, the Sun and Ta Kung Pao. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduced with the kind permission of HK Film Top Ten
