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I knew nothing about martial arts. And I don't really like it! But in the film, I not only had to pretend that I knew all about it, I had to be the best at it. That was very difficult.

Zhang Ziyi

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Zhang Ziyi
Age: 45
Born: 1979
Born: February 9
Actor
Dancer
Film Actor
Film Actress
Model
Stage Actor
Peking
Ziyi Zhang
Difficult
Art
Film
Best
Nothing
Martial
Really
Pretend
Like
Arts
Knew

More quotes by Zhang Ziyi

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From my opinion, 'geisha' means a woman skilled in the arts. Like dancing, singing and playing musical instruments.
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Chinese women are much more modest than American women when it comes to clothes. We tend to show less flesh.
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Whatever you see - any good results - are all from the pressure.
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In China, we don't consider someone truly beautiful until we have known them for a long time, and we know what's underneath the skin.
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I enjoy being an actress a lot, because I can feel different women's lives. I have the chance to feel like a geisha one day, and on another day maybe a scientist. That's the interesting part for me. My profession has helped me to grow up.
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There are films you see that only reach your eyes. Then there are films that you can watch... that reach down to your throat, or reach your heart. In the Mood for Love, though, reached all the way to my belly.
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Zhang Yimou is always going to need young, pretty girls for his films. But I don't really concern myself with what Zhang Yimou's next starlet looks like.
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For myself I don't like the geisha look. It's like a mask.
Zhang Ziyi
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I wanted to escape so badly. But of course I knew I couldn't just give up and leave school. It was only when I heard my mom's voice that I came out of my hiding place.
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The atmosphere at my school was very competitive. Young girls were competing with each other every day for status, for leadership, for the affection of the teachers. I hated it.
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Obviously I'd love to work with any of these great directors because every time I've worked with them I've gained a tremendous amount as an actor. Each director has his own way of pushing you towards improving yourself.
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When I watch a movie for the first few times I'm usually thinking about where I was in a given scene, who was next to me, what we were doing etc. But after I've gotten through all of this, when I'm really watching the film itself, then I get moved.
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I always think it's really hard if you are Asian or Chinese to be really in Hollywood. There are not so many really great characters for you.
Zhang Ziyi
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They're not willing to admit that I've also shed blood and tears and often paid dearly for my success. This makes me feel extremely sad.
Zhang Ziyi
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I want, through my roles, to express the parts in the hearts of Chinese women that they feel unable to let out.
Zhang Ziyi
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Yes. Otherwise I could have done a lot of Hollywood movies. After Crouching Tiger I got a lot of offers, but I turned them down because they were all victim roles - poor girls sold to America to be a wife or whatever. I know I have the ability to go deeper, to take on more original roles than that.
Zhang Ziyi
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I'm not really interested in politics, because I think it's just too removed from my own life. If there's a war, though, or a disaster, I want to know what's happening.
Zhang Ziyi
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I've discovered that I value simplicity above all in dressing. I don't like anything I wear to be too complicated or fussy.
Zhang Ziyi
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Today's China is not in the least shut out from the rest of the world. Trends come to us from all over the world. And the Internet is really developed in China. We get news from all over the world.
Zhang Ziyi
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I was really interested in geishas' work, and wanted to meet real geishas.
Zhang Ziyi