TangWeiinastillfromFindingMr.Right2.CFPSomehavesaidthatsheisnotespeciallypretty,buthasacertainglamour.“AgirllikeTangWeiwouldnotbepopularinthemainlandofChina,”DirectorAngLeeoncesaid.“SheappliedforActingDepartmentofCentralAcademyofDramathreetimesbutwasrejectedbecauseshewasnottypicallygoodlooking.Finally,shewasadmittedtoDirectingDepartment.Shelooksjustlikeahistoryteacherfromlongago.ThisdispositionishardlyfoundinChineseyoungpeople.Eventheexpressionswhenshetalksarelikeahistoryteacherfromthepast.”
Tang’sspecialcharmcouldberootedinherhometownandfamily.In1979,TangwasborninHangzhou,acityspoiledbynatureandnurturedbyculture.Herfatherisapainterandcalligrapher.Hermotherwasanactress.Fromyoungage,Tangstudiedpaintingandgraduatedfromanartschoolin1997.Becauseshewasnotatypicalbeautyinmanypeople’seyes,fewpeoplethoughtshecouldbecomeanactress.
However,Tangbecameanactressandevenanexcellentone.HerworkinAngLee’sLust,CautionwonherglobalfameandtheBestNewArtistAwardatTaiwan’sGoldenHorseFilmFestival.ThemediainHongKongpraisedherperformancewiththeword“stunning.”“IfAngLeescoresa99.9,Tang,asanewcomer,getsfullmarks,”saidHongKongactorChowYun-Fat.
TangplayedWangJiazhiinLust,Caution,acollegegirlduringtheRepublicofChina(1912-1949)period,andthesubjectofTheGoldenEra,abiographicalfilmaboutXiaoHong,afamousfemalewriterofthesameera,tworolesforwhichsheseemedanaturalfit.InWuXia,sheplayedaraggedruralwoman,andasamoney-worshippingexpectantmotherinFindingMr.Right,shechangedmanyfans’viewonher:Tangcandomorethanjustliteraryfigures.Tanghasnotworkedmuch,onlyappearinginoneortwomoviesayear,butshestillwinsawardsoneafteranother.“IfIammodestandhonest,mycareerasanactresscanlastlonger,”shesays.
Lust,Caution’sstoryismostlysetinHongKongin1938andinShanghaiin1942,whenthelatterwasoccupiedbytheJapanesearmyandruledbyapuppetgovernment.ItdepictsagroupofChineseuniversitystudentswhoplottoassassinateahigh-rankingofficial(playedbyTonyLeung)ofthepuppetgovernmentusinganattractiveyoungwomantolurehimintoatrap.Afterthefilmwasreleased,itsgraphicandviolentsexscenescausedTangtobeblacklisted.Disappearingfrompublicsight,TangheadedtoLondonAcademyofMusicandDramaticArttostudy,whereherEnglishbecameevenmorefluent.InLateAutumn,aKoreanarthousefilmdirectedbyTae-yongKim,almostallofTang’slineswereinEnglish,evenapartsheimprovised.Inentertainmentcircles,Tangstillkeepsalow-profile:Sheneveropenedsocialmediaaccounts,isn’tseeninpublicwithdates,doesn’tretainapublicistandrarelyreceivesinterviews.Shespendsmostofherfreetimereadingandattendingthetheater.
Hernaturalandstraightforwardattitudehasdrawnmanyfansandwonthemedia’sfavor.MediaoutletsinHongKongandTaiwanlikeherbecausesheisnotaggressivewiththem.ReportersoftheChinesemainlandlikeherbecauseherperfectbalanceoftraditionaldispositionanddemeanorshapedbyheroverseasstudies,ablendhardlyfoundincontemporaryChineseactresses.KoreandirectorTae-yongKimwasalsoenamored,andtheymarriedinJuly2014.
Tanggraduallyreachedsomespecialstatus:Sheneithertriestopleaseanyonenorshowboats.Sheisperpetuallynaturalandaloof.
SuShi,arenownedpoetoftheNorthernSongDynasty(9601127),comparedWestLaketoXiShi,oneofthemostbeautifulwomeninChina’shistory,andexclaimed:“Nomatterheavymakeuporlight,sheiselegant.”ThesamecouldbesaidofTangWei.