Fan Bingbing on Transformation to Play a Farmer in ‘Mother Bhumi’: ‘Some of My Friends Didn’t Recognize Me’ During Filming
Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing has offered insights into her character in “Mother Bhumi,” the upcoming Malaysian-Italian co-production being directed by Chong Keat Aun.
At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, Fan discussed the challenges and rewards of portraying Hong Im, a farmer grappling with loss and the supernatural on the Malaysia-Thailand border.
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“My career is to be a performer, that’s what I’m doing,” Fan said. “Actors are good dough, so let’s see what the director is going to make out of it.”
The actress highlighted the importance of authenticity in her approach to the role. “If you play a peasant woman, you can’t have too white skin, with long eyelashes and big eyes,” Fan explained. “We actors have to convince the audience to believe in the character, and present the character’s emotions, feelings, state of mind, and the explosive power of the story.”
Fan also spoke about her physical transformation for the role. “There is no such thing as a good or bad looking character in a movie. Even during the filming, some of my friends would not recognize me when they came to visit me,” she revealed. “I think this shows how committed the whole production team was in helping me transform into Mother Bhumi.”
The actor praised the film’s Malaysian crew and director Chong’s leadership. “The whole team is very professional, gentle and organized, and everyone is doing their job in a timely matter, putting in 100% effort,” Fan said. She added, “Director Chong is confident and has a strong knowledge about his cultural background; he created a good atmosphere on the set, which is helpful for us as actors.”
Fan also surprised the audience with a brief performance of chanting scriptures in the Pali language, which was met with applause.
“Mother Bhumi,” which explores themes of loss, community, and the supernatural, also stars Taiwan’s Bai Run-yin and Hong Kong’s Natalie Hsu as Hong Im’s children. Veteran Malaysian actress Pearlly Chua plays her best friend.
Hsu described the challenging but rewarding shoot, comparing it to an “enriching eco-camp,” while Bai described Chong as “an exceptionally talented director, with deep knowledge of folklore, language, and a rich artistic background.”
“Mother Bhumi” is a co-production between Kew Soon Wong’s Janji Pictures (Malaysia), which produced Chong’s earlier features, and Stefano Centini’s Volos Films Italia, the Italian branch of Taiwan-based Volos Films.
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