Comedienne Yao Chen generates LOL with microblog
By Xu Fan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-29 09:47
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Yao Chen rarely fails to live up to the audience's expectations of generating chuckles as one of the country's most famous comedic actresses.
She even aims to make people laugh through her ventures in online media.
"I created a big joke this morning while having breakfast," she said. "At first I poured sugar onto myself, followed by spicy sauce and then the porridge. My assistant laughed and said, 'Boss, do you want me to cook you with all the spices?' "
The messy meal was one of Yao's recent entries on her personal Sina.com's micro blog - a Chinese equivalent to Twitter - which has brought 800 reviews.
One of the fastest-rising Chinese actresses, Yao, 31, won fans with her roles in the television dramas My Own Swordsman (Wu Lin Wai Zhuai) and Lurks (Qian Fu).
She told METRO that sharing her personal life and experience of filming TV dramas with her online fans brings her joy.
With her wide lips have brought comparisons to those of Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts, and Chinese media have remarked that Yao veers from the "traditional Chinese beauty".
She has been showered with praise for her straightforward personality and a knack for humor, hewn from her early days in Northeast China, where she was born. Her regional dialect in many ways is one building block to her effective comedic effect.
"Microblog writing is the most suitable way for me to showcase myself," she said. "I'm also really studious about recording."
During a press conference to promote her new television drama, The Days Living with an Airline Hostess (He Kongjie Zaiyiqi Derizi), Yao revealed more about how she was able to attract more than 14 million fans to her microblog and about life with her husband, actor Ling Xiaosu, who stars with his wife in the new TV program.
Q: Most celebrities generally don't like to expose their personal life to the public. Why are you doing the opposite?
A: The entertainment industry, with well-operating systems, should let stars lead genuine lives. Hollywood has done a good job in this regard.
An actor or actress can lead a comparatively normal life in the dream factory of Hollywood. Whether they fall in love, get married or have babies, they don't need to cover up the truth or lie to the media. They can live their lives as average normal people.
So rather than risking the distortions made by the paparazzi, I prefer to release information about my personal life by myself via the Internet. I would like to be the first star to change the sometimes intense and weird relationship among the media, public and celebrities.
Q: How do you find spare time to surf the Internet while shooting new TV dramas or movies?
A: Actually, most of my microblogs were uploaded by cell phone. It's just a message type and click away.
It's not a very difficult task, and I'm a person who wants to share every funny thing with friends, the more the better.
It's also fun for me to read hundreds of reviews.
In addition, I find that sometimes I can even threaten my husband through my microblogs.
Q: Could you elaborate on those "threats"?
A: Well, I'm just kidding. My husband is a comparatively low-profile person who dislikes being concerned too much with netizens.
So I threaten him in such a kidding way: "Hey, guy, if you don't treat me well enough, I will complain and reveal whatever you've done on the Internet."
However, I have found this "blackmailing" does have good effects, as he would soon become obedient.
Q: Can you tell more about your marriage and family?
A: My husband, Ling Xiaosu, was my classmate when I was a student at the Beijing Film Academy from 1999 to 2003. At the very beginning, we almost broke into an intense quarrel because of a failed cooperative performance together on college stage.
But when we were waiting for a bus at the station after class a couple months later, it suddenly began to rain. The bus was coming and Ling ran so quickly in front of me.
I felt so angry and thought he was not a gentleman. However, he disappeared around a corner and came back with an umbrella in his hand. I was totally touched. We fell in love on campus and then got married after graduation.
Q: Are you the boss in the family?
A: He makes decisions on big issues and I manage the trivial things.
I think I'm the person who looks strong but is soft inside. When I stay with my husband at home, I will be a demure lady, far different from most of my screen roles in which I mostly behave rudely and am abrupt but straightforward and outgoing.
Q: Some industry reviewers commented you took the role in The Days Living with an Airline Hostess to help your husband's career, as you are far more famous than he is. What's your comment?
A: Ling is an excellent actor in my eyes and he was capable to realize a perfect portrayal of his role.
For me, I took the project because I would like to challenge myself with a new-style character, which is totally different from my previous roles.