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The TV series “Happiness to Ten Thousand Homes” is being broadcast on Dragon TV and Beijing TV in prime time, and it will be broadcast simultaneously on Youku at 22:00. Liu Wei plays Wan Shantang, the village party secretary of Wanjiazhuang. Wanzhishu has a high reputation in Wanjiazhuang and is deeply respected and loved by the villagers. Although he has a hot temper, he is dedicated to the welfare of the people. Whether it is old or young in the village, he is highly respected.

Liu Wei said that the most important quality of an actor is to do his own job well and shape the role seriously.Photo courtesy of the interviewee

Since his debut, Liu Wei has played countless roles from costume dramas to modern dramas, emperors, peasants, soldiers, villains, and tyrants. But so far, his most impressive film and television image is the farmer. From the TV series “Ordinary World”, there are old and small farmers in northern Shaanxi, Sun Yuhou; to the film “White Deer Plain”, who is honest and responsible for a lifetime, but finally killed his daughter-in-law Tian Xiaoe’s Lu San; and then to “Happiness to Ten Thousand Family” Wan Shantang, the party secretary of the village, who acted vigorously and resolutely and led the whole village to a well-off society. Liu Wei said that he prefers to play a farmer, “I want to play a great Chinese farmer.”

In his opinion, the most important quality of an actor is to be sincere, to treat each role with sincerity, and not to be influenced by the outside world. Creating a character is the most important quality of an actor.”

“Happiness to Ten Thousand Homes”

The difficulty of acting in Wanshantang lies in how to be real

In “Happiness to Ten Thousand Family”, Wan Shantang is upright and kind, but the only drawback is that he has good face and always loves to set his paternalism. In Liu Wei’s opinion, the character of Wan Shantang is vividly written, and he is a very different village party secretary, “Wan Shantang is a good person, I can imagine that he has suffered a lot, he is also a very mature person in thought, and has a very good personality. Strong. But also a very warm person and a good cadre.”

Liu Wei said that many years ago, he played a model worker in Shaanxi, and he was also a figure who took the lead in the village to become rich. At that time, Liu Wei had a relatively long contact with the character prototype. After getting along for a while, Wan Shantang also had his shadow. Moreover, Liu Wei also lived in the countryside when he was a child, so he knew more about rural life, so he was able to grasp the appearance of the “Village Party Secretary”.

Liu Wei said that the most difficult thing about playing Wan Shan Tang is to make the audience feel his authenticity.Photo courtesy of the interviewee

Now there are many advanced figures who are village party secretary and university student village officials, and their deeds are often seen in the news, newspapers, and the Internet. Liu Wei hopes to play Wan Shan Tang as a person that everyone can see in daily life, so that he can be tepid and down-to-earth. In his mind, the image of characters often appears, whether it is the way of speaking, communication, clothing, or even walking posture. When Wanshantang and the company’s people walk together, their posture is more upright, and when they walk with villagers like Wang Youde, they will Closer and warmer. “I think the biggest difficulty is how to make the audience feel real after watching it, rather than relying on the actors to perform, it is the character displayed by the normal drama process, whether it is his character, inner heart, or his language, and external appearance. The way of service is expressed through some details.”

On the set, I felt “you’re welcome” from the director

Director Liu Wei and Zheng Xiaolong have been friends for many years, but “Happiness to Ten Thousand Homes” is their first collaboration. During the filming process, especially on the state of the actors, Zheng Xiaolong gave a lot of opinions. “He is very good at chatting, and he is very good at chatting. In the process of chatting with him, I can feel his requirements for this role. There are times when I act incorrectly, because we are good friends, he will directly say ‘No no no’, There are not so many processes, and it is a joy to work together.”

One thing impressed Liu Wei very deeply, because no director had ever been so rude to him on set.He Xingfu is filming(played by Zhao Liying)During the wedding scene, Wan Shantang, played by Liu Wei, got out of the car and greeted everyone with a “pretend”. At this time, Zheng Xiaolong ran over from the monitor and said, “You’re acting wrong, you have to be more enthusiastic. Although you are the party secretary, you are not a bully in the village. On such a joyful occasion, you are in a relationship with the people on this land. Although you later became the leader of the village, you may have some bureaucratic habits, but That doesn’t affect your closeness to the big guy in your bones.”

Liu Wei said that until now, he still remembers the tone of the scene and the route he took. “It’s rare to hear a director evaluate an actor face-to-face, especially now, unlike in the past, if the job is bad, it’s not good. Now the director is more polite. I think that is a wrong relationship between the director and the actor. I always thought that the only psychological support for an actor on the scene is the director. I have acted for most of my life, and whether it is a young director or a senior famous director, the actors depend on them. They can tell me what is wrong or right. The mirror of an actor is director.”

life affairs

Give up phasic sound performance, get admitted to the opera and learn to watch the door

Liu Wei was born in Changchun, Jilin Province in 1957. At the age of 17, he was admitted to the Jilin Folk Opera Troupe and studied cross talk performance. But in the few years he was engaged in the cross talk industry, there were not many opportunities for Liu Wei to really come to power. In 1980, 23-year-old Liu Wei was admitted to the Shanghai Theater Academy to study acting. For Liu Wei, applying for the drama was a “fight to the death”. He believed that he had no other talents, and he did not want to return to the Quyi troupe. He even thought about becoming a truck driver if he failed the test.

My love for acting began after I was admitted to university. Before he knew about acting, he was watching the lively scene. After learning acting or engaging in the acting industry, he began to watch the doorway. Liu Wei said that an actor is a profession. “As a person who does my duty, I want to complete this profession well. Therefore, even if I became a driver at the beginning, I would still be a very good driver.”

In the TV series “Tang Minghuang”, Liu Wei played from Li Longji’s ascension to his death. (Lin Fangbing is on the left)

The TV series “Tang Minghuang”, which premiered in 1993, is the most important work in Liu Wei’s acting career. From his ascension to his death, 35-year-old Liu Wei vividly and delicately portrayed Li Longji’s tortuous and complicated life. In order to play the role of the elderly Tang Minghuang, Liu Wei also went to understand the mentality of the elderly and observed their eyes. Most costume dramas rely on everyone’s imagination, even on the director’s request, and on the creation of atmosphere to shape the characters. For actors, they must be able to turn the character feelings provided by the script into their own interpretation methods. Liu Wei said that it is not a matter of one person to create any role. From the twenties to the seventies, one person cannot complete it. There are changes in the atmosphere, characters, and appearances. Changes in language, including changes in scenes and vocal forms.

However, looking back on his acting career, the work that really influenced Liu Wei the most was not a work that everyone is familiar with. “Few people watched it. It was director Yan Jiangang’s “Qin Shi Huang”, and I played Li Si in it. It was the most enjoyable, fun, and satisfying role I’ve ever played. I like it very much.”

If you shoot too many movies and TV dramas, you will be numb, and acting in a drama is a “return”

Liu Wei’s play is very broad, and he can not only create a rough and cold tough guy, but also play a humorous, naughty, witty and unrestrained character. On the stage of drama, Liu Wei has also played many roles that the audience loves. “Four Generations Together” in 2012, “Mansion Gate” in 2013, and “Long Night” in 2014 all let the audience see a different Liu Wei. In October 2021, the National Theater will launch the original drama “Live Founding Ceremony”, in which Liu Wei plays “Old Xia”, a senior Kuomintang general lurking on the radio.

Liu Wei played Bai Jingqi in the play “The Gate of the Mansion”.Figure/Visual China

Liu Wei said frankly that because of the working environment, many people will be a little numb when filming movies and TV dramas. For him, acting in dramas is a process of “returning to the oven”.

In his opinion, there is no distinction between which is difficult to perform and which is easy to perform in movies, TV dramas, and dramas, and dramas are constantly improving. For example, some rhythms and some effects may not be felt in TV dramas. TV dramas are not in a state of performance in which people, actors and audiences have the same breath. “But in a drama, you can have new adjustments and new changes on the stage every day. Creation, performing a new scene, performing a new scene every time, all these can mobilize the creative state of the actors, and they will have different feelings for the actors. Through adjustment, the so-called living things in the performance, the life Things, things that come alive will have a new understanding.”

In the heart of a son, he is a little bit older than his brother

In “Happiness to Ten Thousand Homes”, Wan Shantang hits and scolds the child when he reaches out his hand. He feels that the beating is a personal scolding and love, but Liu Wei does not think that Wan Shantang is a parent who does not educate children, but in different eras In a different way, “Now, of course, children are taught not to hit and scold when they raise their hands. Maybe he was right at that time. I was beaten when I was a child, but it didn’t delay growth. In fact, in addition to parental education, society Education is also important.”

Whether it’s the TV series “My Family Is Happy” ten years ago, or the new drama “Long Live Life” in 2021, Liu Wei has performed various types of “dads”. In his opinion, no father is very close to his own character, but every character seems to have his shadow. He said that in his son’s heart, he is a bit bigger than the big brother, and he basically gets along with him as a friend. “As a father, I have to lead by example, such as taking him to exercise by example, and treating him like an adult. He communicated and discussed the problems I encountered in my life and the problems he encountered. The most important thing is to teach by words and deeds. Parents should be a role model and set a good example for their children, good living habits and a correct world view.”

Liu Wei is more concerned about cultivating children’s “sensitive and kind” qualities, but also has a tough personality and a strong body. “No matter what skills, motor skills and even game skills, he should do better. This is good for him. There are benefits too.”

Liu Wei said that he didn’t have any special standards for taking on the show over the years, but he always wanted to play a great Chinese farmer.Photo courtesy of the interviewee

Liu Wei usually stays at home when he is not working, watching movies, magazines, reading books, and then going to the gym. When I am happy, I also cook. Talking about the current standards for accepting dramas, Liu Wei said that the standards are a bit “chaotic”, and most of the dramas he has accepted in recent years are because of helping friends, acquaintances, and buddies, “Most of them are like this, I There is no specific standard.” He said that if one day he can’t act anymore, he will stop acting. “You can adjust when you are older, and you can skip some dramas. For example, when my son is on vacation, I can stop acting. , I also promised to accompany him unless it was a last resort.”

When it comes to the role that he is looking forward to, Liu Wei said that it is a well-written character, or a very great Chinese farmer.

dialogue

Beijing News: You have been in the industry for so many years, and you have played so many roles that everyone likes. Do you have a so-called low ebb period?

Liu Wei:The back waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves, and it’s normal to encounter low tides. What matters to an actor is how you view yourself. Being an actor is a profession, just do it normally and remove those halos. How many people are following? What is your box office value? It’s not something actors should think about. I don’t think I have a low ebb, there are always dramas coming to me, and I still have enough options. I think it’s good to play a role when you get it. As the saying goes, after eating the boss’s meal, we will do it for the boss. We have professionalism in it, and according to the requirements of the script, the requirements of the director, and the cooperation with the opponent, we can complete the role well.

Beijing News: Do you usually have much contact with young actors? In your opinion, what is the difference between young actors now and when they were young?

Liu Wei:I usually don’t have much contact with actors other than filming, there are young(actor)There are also old friends, like Zhang Fengyi and Li Qiang. To be honest, the young actors now have made great progress compared with the young actors in the past few years. At least in terms of their dedication, they will not do so-called hype, but will shape their roles in a down-to-earth manner. At least the young actors I have come into contact with are A large part of the actors are like this, such as Zhao Liying and Ou Hao. So I think the young actors today have made great progress in thinking, culture, and even creation compared to the actors of our time.

Beijing News: What is the biggest attraction for you in acting?

Liu Wei:Acting for me is a lifelong career. The reason why I love acting is because the process of acting is a process of spiritual and spiritual cleansing, because we are not playing ourselves, we have to understand the lives of others, we have to feel the society, and you will see all levels of society . When you play different characters, you will learn about that era; it even forces you to see a lot of things and learn a lot of things. I think acting is always a learning process. As I often say, if you have done enough in this life, you just haven’t read enough books. So acting is actually a process of letting oneself live and learn old age.

Liu Wei, chief reporter of the Beijing News

Chief Editor Wu Dongni

Proofreading by Chen Diyan