In a recent interview with the United Morning News, actress Carina Lau, who portrayed the role of “Master” in Stephen Chow’s self-directed and self-written film “Kung Fu Soccer,” shared many interesting behind-the-scenes stories about her old friend Stephen Chow, her husband Tony Leung, and her cameo role in the film.
During the promotion of the new film in Hong Kong, Carina Lau was asked how she completed the essay prompt “There is a kind of friendship called Carina Lau and Stephen Chow.” Lau laughed and said that Stephen Chow has been the same for decades; every time she asks about his recent situation or if he has a girlfriend, he would always reply with an expressionless face, saying “Just like this.”
Reflecting on Stephen Chow’s changes over the years, Carina Lau mentioned, “He is old now, his hair has turned white, but his heart has not aged.” In Lau’s eyes, what is most remarkable about Stephen Chow is that he always has a childlike innocence within him. She added, “You see the movies he makes, older people may not understand them, but children enjoy watching them.”
Carina Lau believes that Stephen Chow’s genius lies in his ability to constantly attract a new generation of young audiences with his works. She said, “He has ‘cultivated’ a group of young viewers who, in 10 or 20 years, will still remember Stephen Chow, the director.”
Speaking about Stephen Chow’s current appearance with white hair, Carina Lau was asked if she had advised him to dye his hair black. Lau replied, “Yes!” Knowing his personality well, she knew she couldn’t convince him. She said, “He won’t do it. He is very true to himself. Look, if it’s not for movie promotions, he basically doesn’t come out.”
In “Kung Fu Soccer,” Carina Lau’s character “Master” has scenes of playing mahjong. Lau revealed that she jokingly suggested to Stephen Chow off-screen to cameo as one of the mahjong players before accepting the role. However, Chow refused, saying, “Carina sister, don’t joke with me,” as he doesn’t actually play mahjong but prefers table tennis. On set, Lau still tried to persuade Chow to cameo as her mahjong partner, but he never ended up appearing.
“As his friend and a viewer, I still hope that he will come out of retirement,” Carina Lau said. Even if it’s just a cameo role like hers, she expressed her eagerness to collaborate (act) again in her 60s.
Since “Kung Fu Soccer” focuses on soccer, Carina Lau was asked to imagine a celebrity soccer match and where she would position Stephen Chow if she were the coach. After some thought, Lau jokingly said she would place the agile Stephen Chow in a forward position like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, while she would stay on the sidelines, adding, “I won’t play, I’ll just walk around and maybe be a coach, instructing them on how to strategize, telling Stephen Chow to play more!”
Describing Stephen Chow as an “unworldly sage” and jokingly referring to her husband Tony Leung as another “sage” by her side, Carina Lau recounted her past impression saying, “Tony Leung is a genius, Stephen Chow is a weird genius.” One excelled in artistic films, the other focused on comedy movies, and both have created their own enduring histories without needing to be compared or surpassed. They each found the most suitable way of living comfortably and freely, not disturbing others but being earnest in doing what they love, Lau noted, “I feel very lucky to have met such extraordinary people.”
Carina Lau also revealed the ways in which Tony Leung and Stephen Chow, the two “unworldly sages,” interact privately: when in a “civil” mood, they sit quietly and properly, with her often caught between them; in a “martial” mood, both being fans of Bruce Lee, they chat about Bruce Lee, Wing Chun, and sometimes even engage in a friendly martial arts demonstration to see who strikes first.
There is a popular rumor about how Stephen Chow and Tony Leung first crossed paths: as fans of Bruce Lee in their childhood, they once accidentally bumped into each other while riding bikes to watch a movie and even got into a scuffle. Surprisingly, at the cinema, they ended up sitting next to each other and became friends without a fight.
Both entered TVB’s artist training class at the same time, but later followed completely different paths in the entertainment industry. Lau remarked, “If they could have a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration, I think they would both be very excited, which is something all audiences are eagerly anticipating.”
Carina Lau concluded the interview by making a plea to Stephen Chow, hoping he will consider making a comeback to reward his adoring fans, carefully think of a role suitable for his current age, and return to acting. She expressed her strong anticipation to see Stephen Chow and Tony Leung have a “century screen” collaboration.