People always think that success must take advantage of youth, and all dividends should be harvested early. But look at Yang Ziqiong, this is another way: pure.

"When you give up or give in, that's the real loss."

March, 2023 13, Beijing time, Oscar ceremony. With the opening of the envelope with the name of the best actress, everyone's heart was shaking and the countdown began-Yang Ziqiong, 61year-old, finally welcomed her golden statuette. This is the first time that China won the Oscar for Best Actress. Under all the exciting appearances, going deep is a woman's struggle against powerful barriers for more than 40 years, a tough story hidden behind every highlight moment.

Her story is brilliant. Her story describes the strength of women and hides the ups and downs of suffering and long-term patience. People always think that success must take advantage of youth, and all dividends should be harvested early. But looking at Yang Ziqiong is another way: pure, clear, fearless of time and never giving up.

Yang Ziqiong appeared on the cover of the March issue of Bazaar.

A new stellar universe

The film Instant Universe is a very modern and subversive film. Evelyn, a hard-working and typical Chinese mother in the mezzanine, was entangled in trivial matters, caught off guard by being sucked into many universes crazily, escaped from worldly dust, experienced all kinds of life at high speed, and really faced the ultimate test of the rescuer.

Poster of the movie "Instant Universe"

There is no doubt that this is a wonderful film. Even before it appeared, it was impossible to predict that it would be as successful as it is now. The question is, to play such a woman, Yang Can Ziqiong, the big star, and Evelyn don't know each other in The Laundry Project?

In an interview, Yang Ziqiong once said that mother-daughter relationship, father-daughter relationship, family and love are very important fetters in the lives of many Asians, especially China people. How Evelyn became a competent daughter in her father's eyes is something that many women around Yang Ziqiong are puzzled about. "I think it is necessary to tell their stories." Yang Ziqiong, who was born into a Malaysian family at an early age but gave up the noble family road, became a martial arts star instead of a doctor or a lawyer, and once said half jokingly, "I am a' failed' daughter."

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

Evelyn is both a daughter and a mother who is troubled by her own daughter. Based on this, Yang Ziqiong recalled, "Evelyn was a gift for me. Like countless people, I have deep feelings for her, because in the end, no matter which universe she is in, she has been fighting, fighting for the people she loves and for her family. "

After experiencing many universes, Evelyn also experienced a series of dreams.

The dream journey is the stars, the sea and the infinite universe.

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

In the previous era, the exploration of heroic epic may be sailing or interstellar voyage, magnificent, classic, single-line narrative, word of mouth. In this era, classical mechanics is changed by quantum mechanics, street frolicking is changed by online games, stars are changed by rising stars, and the world is changed by multiple universes, nonlinear narratives and diversified communication. In this era, innovation is introduced at a faster speed, and a hundred flowers blossom.

6 1 year-old, many contemporary stars have retired, but Yang Ziqiong is still on the screen, telling new stories and new strengths in new ways. This is incredible. She said, "This story is crazy, psychedelic and modern. It allows you to run to the stars and cross the universe without limit, but it is still credible because this is the universe we created. This is the challenge of this film. "

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

In those lives in the multiverse, Evelyn may be a kung fu superstar, a famous Peking Opera actress, and may follow her true love, even a stone ... She is a mortal and a hero. When all kinds of high-definition close-ups are constantly taken on Yang Ziqiong's face, her appearance is by no means exquisite, so we know that no matter how confused Evelyn is, Yang Ziqiong is the kind of woman who has no anxiety about the years.

Stills of the movie "Instant Universe"

"I like to be associated with people. It seems that you can live indirectly through the role, which is why you really fall in love with the profession of actor. "

All new things are breakthroughs in old barriers, and all new things still have inheritance and emotional connection. Yang Ziqiong's method is clumsy when it comes to every character. She doesn't look smart, but frank words are more powerful. She would say, "I always try to avoid injecting' I' into the character, because I regard the character as a real person, and she needs real feelings and a way."

Stills of the movie "Instant Universe"

Yang Ziqiong said that her feelings about movies are always updated. "Movies can organically combine creativity and vision. With so many things gathered here, artistic ability can be brought into full play. Yes, now, I still want to study. I always open my eyes and ears. " She is not the kind of woman who shouts to break the tradition. "It depends on how you develop and how you change the times and your way of thinking. This is an inclusive issue. Try to be original, not just stick to what has been proved. Otherwise, we will never have new ideas or try new things. "

She used her role to go to a new planet universe.

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

Never give up.

When playing Evelyn, Yang Ziqiong feels that Evelyn seems to have watched her all her life. Yang Ziqiong fell in love with her: "She knew very well that she would never give up. This is also my character, because I refuse to give up. As we all know, this road is like riding a roller coaster, with ups and downs. I think that when you give up or give in, that is the real loss. "

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

This sentence is not groundless. For 40 years, Yang Ziqiong has been pursuing this belief. At one time, Yang Ziqiong gave the impression that she beat women as well as Jackie Chan. In the prosperous era of Hong Kong movies, people often like attractive, gentle or charming women. Once, she was like an alien. People saw her strength, but they were unwilling to praise her: it was strange and unyielding.

Yang Ziqiong in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

She is the champion of double beauty pageant. When she came to Hong Kong, Yang Ziqiong and Jackie Chan co-produced an advertisement for the first time, in which she played a fresh and beautiful girl. Making a movie for the first time, let her play a beautiful woman who can only cry when she is bullied. She quickly bid farewell to the role, in her own way.

Yang Ziqiong mocked himself for choosing the route of hitting women, because when he was a child, he studied in England, but Cantonese didn't pass. But the truth is more inclined. In the 1980s, I could have been a noble family or a rich woman, and chose the most difficult path.

When she offered to try action movies, then director Sammo Hung refused. "The crew are all boys, and I don't know if the little girl can do it. If you punch her, will she cry' pain' every time? " But instead of being discouraged, she cut her hair short and tanned her skin. "Girls can be as strong as boys and practice hard. Just give me this chance and I will impress you. "

Yang Ziqiong in the film "Tai Zhang Chi Sanfeng".

The story behind is familiar. Until Yang Ziqiong became famous for her martial arts, she sat firmly on the throne of the first-line actress in Hong Kong films, staged a fascinating and wonderful performance, and also passed by death. "At that time, Hong Kong films were shot directly at the scene without trying. If you watch me filming at the scene, you will find that when I don't have to bury my head, I limp like an old hunchback. But when facing the camera, I have to die. Now, whenever it rains and blows, my back hurts, and my right foot is not ready yet, so I can't ride a horse. "

The empire of tomorrow of 007 (1997) is also a process of constantly striving for victory. Yang Ziqiong recalled, "This has always been a man's world, and every man wants to be Bond. Almost every Bond girl is "that" Bond girl. Fortunately, I hit it off with female producers and both want to increase the emotional depth and the overall quality of the film. " In the 90' s Bond movies, she was the only one who played the role of Bond girl and could support each other and be evenly matched with Bond.

Yang Ziqiong in the 007 movie Empire of Tomorrow is 35 years old.

Before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yang Ziqiong had been trapped in the cognition that he could only play with women. It is possible that her efforts and struggles are clear at a glance, and there are not so many flowers and plants overlapping, and the winding path is quiet, which is considered as plain as water in the description of works that are good at artistry and atmosphere. It was Ang Lee who discovered her deep energy and gave her the chance of Yu Xiulian. She firmly grasped the role of a woman who sticks to tradition.

Yang Ziqiong played Yu Xiulian in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at the age of 37.

Later, Yang Ziqiong went to Hollywood and experienced a long experience that was ignored by China actors. Although she has been famous for many years, even though the leading role is reserved for black men, it rarely falls on China women. Under the calm water, it seems to be a longer wait until "I finally met such a script, which can show all the things I have learned all my life."

At that moment, Yang Ziqiong choked up, which is rare.

She said, "All actresses understand that as we get older, we have fewer and fewer opportunities to perform." She once comforted herself, come on, sister, you have been very good along the way, and cooperated with the top workers in the industry. "But I still didn't give up, and then came the best gift, the instant universe."

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

Inconceivable

He has been a superstar for many years, but Yang Ziqiong doesn't have the airs of a big star. I remember seeing her many years ago. She staggered her shoulders on the stairs, looked into her eyes, and took the initiative to greet the reporter-although I didn't know who it was at that time-an irrelevant staff member, X Cai Lan, once said to her, "I have no shelf at all. Come to me if anyone asks her to take a picture. I was a little distressed to see her sit down and stand up at dinner. "

Yang Ziqiong appeared on the red carpet of the Oscars today.

Yang Ziqiong is passionate and equal to human nature, but he is very strict about his career or life. She said, "If you stay in your comfort zone all the time, you don't have to face danger or explore hard, but the result is that you can only repeat the same thing over and over again. This is by no means what I want. "

When interviewed by Harper's Bazaar, she sat freely and calmly, with a smile on her face, but this did not hinder her chic charm. Her gestures will be expressed freely with the sentence. "I have had several major stages of selection. Every time you make a choice, you will create a new path. " Although I don't shoot in Hong Kong and the mainland now, the imprint of that time "is still firmly with me. It was in Hong Kong that I got the idea of becoming an actor. Today, I still carry the ability and energy it has brought me. "

"My attitude towards work has always maintained a constant sense of responsibility, that is, to be slow and steady, and always have passion.

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

Ang Lee described Yang Ziqiong in the movie Ten Years' Sleeping Dream: "In acting, Yang Ziqiong is a special case I have ever seen. I have been in the business for many years, but I haven't acted in any good plays, so I am already a big star, but I still have that innocence ... childlike innocence and curiosity. It seems that she has been waiting for the role of Yu Xiulian all her life. "

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon swept the Oscars more than 20 years ago and gained a lot, but it was not nominated for the performance award. In 2023, Yang Ziqiong, who still did not hide her innocence and enthusiasm, finally stood on the podium of the Oscar and received her golden statuette.

With the aftertaste of A Moment in the Universe, Yang Ziqiong appeared on the cover of Time magazine, was elected as "Idol of the Year", won the Golden Globe Award and screen actors guild awards, and then became the best actress at the Oscar. Her career once again ushered in a spring-like bloom. She also received an honorary doctorate from the American Film Academy (AFI) and said at the award ceremony: Mom finally admitted that I am an adult with a serious job and a doctor!

Yang Ziqiong appeared on the cover of Time magazine and was elected as "Idol of the Year".

"I just want to stand here and accept it. For 40 years, I won't stop there. This is an incredible journey and battle. " She said.

In recent years, in Hollywood, the Instant Universe and more films starring China have attracted attention. More importantly, Yang Ziqiong explained that this is the result of everyone's persistence and efforts. Everything that seems to be taken for granted today, "The real change is not a miracle overnight, but it is paved by everyone." She nodded emphatically.

It is easy to forget that Yang Ziqiong, who is still full of enthusiasm, is 6 1 year old. Things have been ups and downs, and many people have retreated inward, but she has ushered in a better time of her own. Behind the highlight moment, there should be what Ang Lee called "childlike innocence". Besides the love of performance, it can persist until this moment.

Photographer Man Chen felt Yang Ziqiong's "tolerant and free heart" and saw Yang Ziqiong, 6 1 year-old, "efficient, confident, calm and comfortable. I think as an older young woman, there is absolutely no need to worry about those fragments. "

Yang Ziqiong Fashion Fair in March.

Say to Yang Ziqiong, you have mature self-restraint polished by years, and you can't destroy girlish innocence. She smiled happily on this topic: "Great!"

Off-topic, Yang Ziqiong and "Devil" Cate Blanchett can be people who appreciate each other, "because we both respect each other very much and love our work". Two young ladies who stretch freely have already passed the state of mind of competition, competing with each other, and then sitting and watching the rising clouds. "We are ready to laugh, ready to have fun, ready to give ourselves and take our promised responsibilities seriously."

Cate Blanchett and Yang Ziqiong embraced at the British Film Academy Awards.

I never thought about what kind of person Yang Ziqiong was before, but now I think about it, she doesn't follow, doesn't attach, is incredible and imperfect. Perhaps, in a single universe, Yang Ziqiong has lived a collection of parts shaped by multiple universes in her films, and there may be new unknowns in the future, which is also a very wonderful thing.

Yang Ziqiong told us that you can be what you want to be, and you don't have to be afraid of mistakes or imperfections on your way forward. "Every decision I make is not necessarily perfect. If you do something wrong, I hope to be smarter because of those mistakes and not repeat the same mistakes. This is enough. "