I just wrapped my part of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Dan Shen Nan Nu) less than an hour ago here in Suzhou. According to IMDB it's my 50th movie. To be honest, I never would have imagined that I would have the career that I'm having when I set foot in Hong Kong back in 1997 and I've savored every minute of it. Thanks to all my supporters for making that possible and to all the directors who keep giving me work!

Johnnie To, Gong Zai(our props man), Me, Yuan Yuan and scriptwriter Wai Ka Fai at my wrap party.
DGBMH was really a fun film to work on. There is a reason why Johnnie To is one of the best directors working in Hong Kong today and it was an absolutely amazing experience watching him work. I was constantly taking mental notes watching him direct and I will defintely be using that knowledge next time I take the director's chair. My co-star Gao Yuan Yuan was an absolute pleasure to work with. Sweet, charming and hard working...who could ask for more? My other co-star Louis Koo and I did not see each other much on this shoot as our characters only cross path once in the film, but again always nice to work with an old friend. Also after having spent almost a week here in Suzhou, I must say it's a really beautifully clean city and is now probably one of my favorite cities in China. (My Grandma is from Suzhou which makes me 1/4 Suzhounese. Biased maybe?) The film still has a couple more weeks to go so I wish them all the best!
What's next for me? Well I need to get through some other work obligations this month and then I'm disappearing for an indefinite amount of time for a well deserved holiday. I have been working non-stop since October 2009 and with Inseparable and DGBMH in the can, I think that's enough output for now.

Good Bye Suzhou!

I just came back from Beijing, doing some post-production work for Inseparable. I have talked very little about this film because a lot of stuff was top secret for a while but I have been now been given the ok to talk about my experience on this film.

Dayyan Eng was the director and his previous film Waiting Alone was a cult hit in China, because it was one of the first modern youth oriented films. Dayyan is originally from Seattle, Washington but has been in China since 1994, where he attended the Beijing Film Academy. Dayyan actually approached me to be in WA, but it conflicted with another project so I couldn't do it. We eventually ended up meeting at a film festival and talked about hopefully working together soon. Not long after, Dayyan sent me a script and I tore through it quickly. Usually I can't get through a script in one session but this one pulled me in and I was hooked. The fact that it was a black comedy really got me excited. Although I may be perceived as a mainstream type of guy, I really am not. I love off beat humor and things that are a bit left of normal. If you've noticed, I tend to excel in roles where there is something "off" with the character. Anyway, Inseparable was full of off beat stuff and I loved it. I told Dayyan I was in, but unfortunately it wasn't that easy. This was 2007.

What took so long? Filling in the rest of the cast. Well actually, just one character. There is a very important character in the film, a buddy to my character, and the casting needed to be just right. Dayyan had his sights set on a big Asian star and I agreed he would be a good choice. This actor expressed his interest but would not fully commit because of a busy schedule. We waited and waited and couldn't get a straight answer. After more than a year of waiting, we got fed up and Dayyan decided to give up and go for someone else. It actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Dayyan decided to give some Hollywood actors a try and Mr. Kevin Spacey replied back with interest. I almost couldn't believe it when he told me. "Two time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey?...Let's do this!" I said.So finally by October last year, I was on set and starting work. The impossible became possible.

Working with Kevin was probably the greatest acting experience of my career so far. Not only was he an insanely talented actor, he was generous, considerate, and a ball to work with. We got along like old friends and you can see the chemistry in the film.

I have seen pretty much most of the film already, albeit it's still getting it's final touches put on it, and I have to say it's even better than the script. In the more than 50 films I've done, it is very rare for that to happen. I am so excited for this film and can't wait till it comes out! Check out some stills below. These were taken by our second camera operator Saba, on a film camera. For all you post 90's people, film is something that people used to have to put in a camera to take pictures.


Dayyan and I on set.


Mr. Spacey!


Guangzhou set. More to come later!

Firstly, sorry China, but you won't be able to see any of this because this is going to be a youtube post. I couldn't find any of the other videos on youku.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQzUsTFqtW0

Video: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTY3OTk3MzEy.html

I remember when youtube first started back in '06 one of the first hit videos was this skateboarding bulldog video. I loved it because it combined two things I loved: skateboarding and my bulldog Buddy. I had it in my mind that Buddy could learn to skateboard too.
Now it's 2010 and I'm no longer allowed to skateboard after breaking my ankle skating in New York. Buddy never learned to skate but I love her all the same. In the dog skateboarding world, however, things have been taken to the next level.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB0n3Sp6Vf4

When I first started skateboarding it was relatively simple, fat wide heavy boards. Railslides, grinds and ollies were the basic tricks. Now it has evolved to a point where people are doing superhuman things on a skateboard and if you can't do a 360 heelflip ollie, you're considered pretty lame. I guess dog skateboarding is doing the same evolution. This guy here can kick push just like a human while smiling ear to ear. He's loving it.
But this, is some other world shit....

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bluJaIMQN0k

Extreme Pete is rad. This is actually mind blowing to me. I think we've found the Tony Hawk of the canine skateboarding world. And like most skateboarders, he's good at other boardsports too. Here's another Pete montage. Check out how much air he gets off that launch ramp!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haDfnuPsYAk&feature=related

What's next?

I remember I was pretty impressed when i saw Beck's "Hell Yeah" music video but this kind of takes it to a whole nother level. They are a bit creepy but the detail in the articulation of their movement is incredible.

Video: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTgyNjY3NTQ4.html