RED carpet, cameras everywhere, and a Jury Prize for her work on "Shanghai Dreams". Gao Yuanyuan's Cannes Film Festival trip put her in the limelight in a way she hadn't expected. But, back in Beijing last week, Cannes was far behind. "There isn't much to show off, I'm an actress, I was just doing my job," Gao said.
Nor did Gao think the trophy was a new start for her. She described herself as an actress without much ambition. She has no goal of being an international star. In fact, she has no plan for the rest of this year. "I do want to have some time for myself," she explained. Gao enjoyed her current lifestyle, choosing the scripts she likes, shooting a few film and having time off. She thinks that being a good actress is more important than being a star. These days, she said, people pay more attention to fame and money in the entertainment business, and ignore the effort an actor should make. "Acting is just a vocation. Like any other job, you should show you're capable," Gao said. Gao said that she hadn't thought of acting before. She was spotted by a talent scout doing ads when she was 16. At college, she majored in secretarial studies, and her dream was to be an office lady. "I shot some ads and films when I was in college, but I saw it as part-time work to make money to support myself," she said. It was not until the TV series "Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber" (Yitian Tulong Ji ) that Gao developed a love of acting. At first, the Hong Kong director didn't think she was good enough for the role. "I was angry and I've never been so earnest before," she said. "I found that the more you love acting, the more you seek perfection". |