Xia Yu: Shadow Magic

Words: Jonathan Noble

Xia Yu: Fast Facts

Name: Xia Yu
Age: 31
Home: Qingdao, Shandong
Blood type: B
Favorite cuisine: Japanese sushi
Favorite color: Any color involving gray
Favorite animal: Chameleon
Favorite sport: Skateboarding
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Favorite place to visit: New York

Debuting at 17 in the 1993 Jiang Wen film In the Heat of the Sun, Xia Yu won best actor award at the 1994 Venice Film Festival. While enrolled at the Chinese Central Academy of Drama from 1995-1999, he was awarded best actor at the 1995 Singapore Film Festival and at the 1996 Golden Horse Film Festival.

While leaning over a cup of corporate java with Beijing This Month staff, Xia Yu spoke about his recent Shadow Magic's experience.

Despite the rigorous filming schedule, Xia Yu found the experience rewarding overall. "What I was most pleased about with this film was the opportunity to meet so many excellent actors. Like In the Heat of the Sun, this film had a superb cast."

Xia Yu accepted the role of Liu Jinglun, the young assistant in the Fengtai Photo shop enthralled by Western novelties, as he was interested in both the script and the character.

However, Xia Yu is more critical of his character than the film."When I first saw the script, I thought Liu was not such a good fellow. But in the film he comes across in a positive way. This character has many selfish desires. He is they type of person who aspires to make a name for himself."

Did Xia Yu find playing Liu a challenge? "It was quite difficult to play this character as I had to research and find materials about the mentality of the people of that time because I consider myself to be a man of our times. I went through lots of materials. I even found a historical record of my character - only three sentences - which turned out to be completely bogus ... So I essentially had to rely upon my own imagination and comprehension to re-create the character."

Look to see Xia Yu next time playing a more suave and less antiquated character. "I like to actually play cooler characters. I prefer not to play historical figures. The costumes and make-up are just too much trouble."