shadow with a life of its own

Looking like a super star might sound like a good thing but for some aspiring actors known as "A-listers' stand-ins" it can be a typecasting burden.

Among this group of individuals is Du Yiheng, known for his remarkable resemblance to Hong Kong film star Andy Lau.

The 33-year-old used to be part of a song and dance troupe in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Thinking that Beijing was the best place to "strut my stuff", Du quit his job and moved to the capital in the late 1990s to work as a dancer and part-time TV commercial model.

"Honestly, I didn't think I looked like Andy Lau," Du says. "It was a TV program producer who told me about the likeness in 2000."

The producer, who was organizing a talent show in Beijing putting the spotlight on celebrity imitators, saw Du in an advertisement and invited him on the program. Thinking it could be a stepping stone to greater things, Du started to impersonate Lau's acting and singing style and eventually won first place.

Not only did the program help Du appear on further TV shows and commercials, but he eventually got a call in 2005 from the producers of Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon. They wanted a stuntman for Andy Lau, the film's lead.

"They found me via an Internet search and reckoned I was the ideal choice," Du says. "So another chance for publicity came, and I was in."

Du had to endure months of intense combat training and horse riding lessons to prepare for the role, as he had previously had no martial arts training.

"As a beginner, I was often scolded by the action choreography director," Du says. "But I didn't complain and improved as time went by."

"Being a stuntman is very adventurous," Du adds, recalling his frequent blood-splattered experiences shooting grandiose battle scenes.

When he was injured, Du says he had to deal with it and get back on set as quickly as possible.

The actor's stoic, devil-may-care and hard-working spirit saw him standing in as Lau's stunt double in another two films: Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, and Future X-Cops.

In 2009, Du was selected by director Jiang Wen to take a part in the blockbuster Let the Bullets Fly, which Du calls "a miracle".

"I don't know the exact reason why the director picked me. Maybe I was the best among the candidates who met the requirements: Tough-looking and rides horses well," Du says.

"But I'm sure it had nothing to do with my resemblance to Lau. After all the pain I endured came the reward."

Du considers Let the Bullets Fly his first film as he plays "a character with a racy personality".

"I'm glad that people now know my name after watching the movie and I'm not just referred to as 'the mainland version of Andy Lau'," says Du, who is currently working on new film projects.

"I've learned a lot being a stuntman, but I guess I've bidden farewell to being an actor's double, because you don't get much credit for that.

"I want to be recognized for my portrayals of characters. This makes me feel like I'm a real actor."

In the same film, Wen Xiang made his first appearance as the double for Hong Kong heavyweight Chow Yun-fat.

Wen first realized he looked like Chow in 2000, when he worked at a restaurant in Yueyang, Hunan province.

"Many customers stared at me and told me I was like Chow, especially when I smiled," Wen says.

"I looked at myself in the mirror, and smiled. Holy cow! We were alike!" Wen says, laughing.

Wen started to mimic the Hong Kong star, especially his smirk, for customers, and that led to his first stage performance imitating Chow, in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

He moved there thinking this would be "a better place to make a fortune" and worked as a security guard at a shopping mall.

It was at the New Year's Eve gala held by his company that Wen did a scene from The Bund, a classic TV series featuring Chow. "I was shocked by the reaction of the audience, they all shouted 'bravo' and said I was a dead ringer for Chow," Wen says. "It gave me a huge confidence boost."

The 32-year-old started developing his interest in performing and took part in a number of TV shows, most of which were focused on celebrity imitations.

Wen quit his job and completely focused on his performing career and his big break eventually came in 2009 with Let the Bullets Fly, as Chow's stand-in.

"They saw my photo on the Internet and were convinced that I was qualified," Wen says.

"A wild dream came true," he adds, laughing again. "I'd been surviving as a celebrity imitator for a decade and then came my first film, the nation's highest grossing domestic film, can you imagine that?"

During filming, Wen often stayed up late to analyze Chow's clips "frame-by-frame", in order to copy the star's speaking style and gestures.

He was mainly used for medium- and long-distance shots, but he also did a scene in which Chow and Wen slapped each other. "'You're a record breaker. In your cinematic debut, you smacked Chow Yun-fat!' is what Chow said to me afterward," Wen recalls with a grin.

He says he feels satisfied with his performance in the film because few could tell that Chow had a double and the Hong Kong actor was happy with his "spitting image".

"Chow said to me, 'If they remake The Bund, I'll do the long-distance shots and leave the close-ups to you,'" Wen says, adding that he is looking forward to becoming a lead actor himself one day.

"I've imitated Chow for years and I was his double in my first film," Wen says. "But I prefer playing different characters in films. You can't always be someone's shadow, you've got to be yourself."