Hong Kong actor Andy Lau ages for his latest movie
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Different faces of Andy Lau
It's all about family for Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau.
In his latest film Wait Till You're Older, the actor takes on the role of a young man from an unhappy family, who ages rapidly from 20 to 80 after coming into contact with a potion.
With age no longer on his side, the character comes to understand the problems his parents faced in their lives, which culminated in his mother committing suicide.
Wait Till You're Older, which also stars Felix Wong and Karen Mok as Lau's father and step-mother, opens here on Sept 29.
In real life, however, the 44-year-old Lau comes from a happy family. His father was a fireman, and Lau was the fourth child in a middle-class family of seven children.
In fact, he struggled to empathise with the character's unhappy family life and needed to consult with director Teddy Chan before filming each scene.
It was Chan's tumultuous family background that was the basis for the film. Chan was estranged from his father and it was only after his father died that he regretted their strained relationship. "You know why I've been so successful in my work? It's because I have a good family behind me. I'd like to push the idea that a happy family can do so much good for you," Lau said, during a conference call from Hong Kong on Wednesday night.
Playing happy families
According to newspaper reports from Hong Kong, Lau's mother was so pleased that she proclaimed the film as the best work her son has done.
Considering Lau has also made the cult classic Infernal Affairs (2002), which is currently being remade by director Martin Scorsese, that is high praise indeed.
But it was a different matter when it came to his father. "Dad's seen my film but he didn't say much," said Lau.
"He keeps his feelings to himself. We have a great relationship but I'm from an older generation, so I wouldn't say that the relationship with my father is like the relationship I have with my friends. Instead, I've always put my father on a pedestal."
For the film, Lau endured over five hours of makeup for scenes where he had to play an old man.
Not only did he have gelatine-like fake skin applied to his face, he also had "old man" hair plastered to his scalp and wore contact lens that made his eyes water.
To top it off, Lau needed to see a dermatologist when his skin reacted to all the prosthetics."I still have to take extra care of my skin. Even now, I have to use a cream every day. But it's much better now," he said.
But as for the news that he had his face insured for HK$30 million ($6.49 million) in the film, Lau replied curtly: "That's just a rumour."
No longer forever young
Despite the torturous make up, it was acting as a 20-year-old that Lau found the most challenging.
"The most difficult part was playing a 20-year-old," he said with a laugh. "Everyone knows my age, so having to act young, people might think that's a little fake.
"It wasn't actually that hard playing an old man. Despite the heavy make up, I could move my face, although I didn't want to move too much in case I spoilt the make up."
It's certainly not the first time Lau has transformed his appearance on film.
In Love on a Diet (2001), he and co-star Sammi Cheng donned fat suits to play obese lovers, while in Running on Karma (2003), which won him a Best Lead Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2004, he wore a muscle suit to look like a buffed up body builder.
Yet Lau claimed that the filming process for Wait Till You're Older was the toughest yet. "This film was harder to do. In Love on A Diet, the make up was thicker so you didn't have to worry about wrecking it when you moved your face," he said.
"The make up for this one was more delicate because there was a need for more facial expressions since many of the scenes were close-ups." - TODAY/sh -
I'm looking forward to this movie and zai shuo yi ci wo ai ni!!!!!
Wait till u're older will be out on 29 sept!
I hope I can win the tix to go watch the Premier!! -
I also look forward to the movie.Originally posted by browniebaobao:I'm looking forward to this movie and zai shuo yi ci wo ai ni!!!!!
Wait till u're older will be out on 29 sept!
I hope I can win the tix to go watch the Premier!!
If you win a pair of tickets, can I go with you?
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The price of growing older
September 23, 2005
ANDY Lau's skin was nearly ruined by his latest movie Wait 'Til You Are Older.
The 44-year-old actor has been seeing a dermatologist for treatment after developing angry rashes from the special effects makeup for the movie.
Wait 'Til You Are Older is about a boy who can't wait to grow up and gets his wish when he starts turning 10 years older with every passing day.
Felix Wong plays his father while Karen Mok plays his stepmother.
It sees Andy's character age from 20 to 90.
During a phone interview with Singapore reporters yesterday, Andy said that he still has to put ointment on his face every day to help it heal.
Despite his condition, Andy still sounded perky: 'I still have to maintain my skin, but it is a lot better now.'
This is not the first movie that required Andy to go to lengths for a character.
For the 2001 romantic comedy Love On A Diet with Sammi Cheng, Andy had to don a fat suit, and in 2003's Running On Karma, he also wore a muscle suit.
But Andy says that wearing a fat suit is easier than putting on ageing makeup.
He said: 'A fat suit is just uncomfortable, but because we had to shoot a lot of close-ups to show the different ages in the movie, I had to be a lot more expressive.'
Wait 'Til You Are Older is also loosely based on director Teddy Chan's estranged relationship with his late dad.
Andy is more fortunate. He enjoys a much better relationship with his father.
He told reporters proudly: 'My career is so smooth-sailing because I come from a very stable family. It allows me to concentrate on my work. And that's why I advocate family harmony!'
Wait 'Til You Are Older opens in cinemas on 29 Sep. -
bu hao yi si~ All these years, I have someone to go with me. If I win I jio her, if she wins, she jio me.Originally posted by Honeybunz:I also look forward to the movie.
If you win a pair of tickets, can I go with you? 
If we dun win, then we go with other AWC members. heez
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I think it's from age 20 to 80 ba.
The 12 year old boy is not him la.. he appeared at age 20 to 80. -
Story:
In this fantasy story, a 12 year old boy hates his family because he thinks his father and his stepmother are responsible for the death of his birth mother.
He wants to grow up quicker and asks help from a mad scientist. With a bottle of lotion made by the scientist, the boy grows to a handsome young man over night. He starts dating one of his teachers and discovers how his mother really died. Now he wants to be 12 again and badly needs another bottle of lotion to change him back. But he is already well over 80 and it seems his time is running out...
Directed by Teddy Chan, written by Cheung Chi-Gwong and Susan Chan.
Starring Andy Lau, Karen Mok, Felix Wong, Cherrie Ying, Lam Ka-Tung and Sit Lap-Yin.
Cameo by Li Bingbing, Chapman To, Tin Yui-Lee and Feng Xiaogang. -
Awwwww.....Originally posted by browniebaobao:bu hao yi si~ All these years, I have someone to go with me. If I win I jio her, if she wins, she jio me.
If we dun win, then we go with other AWC members. heez
If you watch before me, pls share your review here, ok?
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Wonder if anyone ever watched a Tom Hanks movie or whatever? Can't really remember the title..
It's also about a boy who wants to be an adult. -
Sure!~Originally posted by Honeybunz:Awwwww.....
If you watch before me, pls share your review here, ok? -
The title is <>Originally posted by browniebaobao:Wonder if anyone ever watched a Tom Hanks movie or whatever? Can't really remember the title..
It's also about a boy who wants to be an adult.
That one at least he didn't age so fast. He just remain as 20 plus only. But forgot what happened to his gf in the end when he went back to 12 years old. -
Official website : http://www.waitolder.com/
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Here got some pics of Karen Mok and Andy Lau.
(Karen Mok plays the role of the stepmother)
http://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2005-09-23/1014848859.html -
Just managed to watch this.
Very touching.
If you wonder whether this movie is like Tom Hank's "Big",
then my answer is : this is even better than Tom Hank's. -
reali?!Originally posted by Honeybunz:Just managed to watch this.
Very touching.
If you wonder whether this movie is like Tom Hank's "Big",
then my answer is : this is even better than Tom Hank's.
here i come, andy lau!!! -
Yeah!~!!!Originally posted by Honeybunz:Just managed to watch this.
Very touching.
If you wonder whether this movie is like Tom Hank's "Big",
then my answer is : this is even better than Tom Hank's.
I watched it with my dear also on wed, premier.
Touching and meaningful.. Tom hanks that one actually talks about his experience as an adult all that.. not so much gan qing xi..
this one is different.. how he regret his act and reconcile with his stepmum..
the 2 little boys also v cute. haha. -
Be careful ah.... will cry one ah. I cried quite a lot at the 2nd half of the movie, esp after he found out the truth about his own mother, Karen Mok and his father. Very shocking disclosure in very unexpected way.Originally posted by kaobeikaobu:reali?!
here i come, andy lau!!! -
harnor. The younger brother so cute.Originally posted by browniebaobao:Yeah!~!!!
I watched it with my dear also on wed, premier.
Touching and meaningful.. Tom hanks that one actually talks about his experience as an adult all that.. not so much gan qing xi..
this one is different.. how he regret his act and reconcile with his stepmum..
the 2 little boys also v cute. haha.
I love the way the young Kong Zai greet his bro when he came home : simply lean his forehead towards his bro's forehead. So adorable. -
I hope Felix Wong gets a normination for best support for this movie .
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Originally posted by Honeybunz:harnor. The younger brother so cute.
I love the way the young Kong Zai greet his bro when he came home : simply lean his forehead towards his bro's forehead. So adorable.
yes lor, so heart warming.
u cried so much ar? -
you watch with who ? how come never jio meOriginally posted by Honeybunz:Just managed to watch this.
Very touching.
If you wonder whether this movie is like Tom Hank's "Big",
then my answer is : this is even better than Tom Hank's.
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Ya esp at the end when old Andy Lau talked to Karen Mok.Originally posted by browniebaobao:
yes lor, so heart warming.
u cried so much ar? -
I watched with a mad gorilla.Originally posted by crazy monkey:you watch with who ? how come never jio me -
My eyes wet when huang ri hua slapped the old andy lau.Originally posted by Honeybunz:Ya esp at the end when old Andy Lau talked to Karen Mok.