SIFF MASTERCLASS | Tony Leung Chiu-wai: Two Decades of Honing the Fundamentals, Never a Big, Showy Performer

On the evening of June 19, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Jury President of the Main Competition at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), took part in the SIFF MasterClass held after the screening of Silent Friend. He had an open conversation with fans in attendance, sharing his creative journey and decades of insights into acting. His sincere, down-to-earth remarks drew warm rounds of applause from the audience.

Known for being quiet and low-key off-screen, Tony admitted he might “not utter a single word the whole day” when staying at home. Yet at the event, he opened up freely about his approach to performance. He even joked about director Hou Hsiao-hsien teasing him as “quietly passionate”, and his straightforward “I’ll own that” sent the whole room laughing. When fans shouted that they hoped he would keep acting until he turned 90, he replied readily that he had no plans to retire and would keep putting in the work going forward.

Tony remained lively and engaging throughout the lighthearted interaction segment. One audience member asked what kind of plant he would choose to be if he could transform into one. He answered an apple tree, explaining that apple trees bloom and bear fruit to feed all kinds of creatures.

On His New Film: Six Months of Preparation to Build a Scientist’s Mindset from Scratch

Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Silent Friend, screened that night, was directed by Hungarian filmmaker Ildikó Enyedi. The film took home the FIPRESCI Prize and the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. When talking about this new feature, Tony said it offers a unique, thought-provoking perspective. Instead of handing audiences clear-cut conclusions, it leaves plenty of room for reflection.

To bring to life Dr. Wong, a neuroscientist in the story, Tony began preparing six months ahead of filming and gained many brand-new experiences. He had long preferred literary reading and barely touched science books before. To match the character’s background, he dived into books on botany, philosophy and related fields to build up knowledge from scratch. Beyond reading, he visited multiple universities across Hong Kong, talking with various neuroscientists to gather comprehensive research materials.

In the film, Dr. Wong carries out research on infant consciousness and launches an unexpected experiment with a ginkgo tree. Off set, Tony applied for and obtained permission to visit local brain science labs in Hong Kong, where researchers walked him through how brain activity works.

Tony shared that the biggest challenge of playing a scientist was truly identifying with the role from within. “You have to convince yourself that you are a scientist, and think and know like one,” he explained. After three to four months of preparation, he slowly slipped into a scientist’s way of thinking. Even his daily chats with friends shifted; he began discussing climate, history and science, truly finding an emotional connection with his character.

This period of preparation completely changed his long-held views on plants. “I gradually realized that plants are far more like humans, and they possess their own form of intelligence.” He explained that people assume plants are static simply because they grow slowly, yet plants constantly sense outside shifts and interact with their surroundings. “Scientists can now predict climate changes through plants. Plants detect environmental changes long before we do. Isn’t that a kind of wisdom?”

It was through Silent Friend that Tony discovered a brand-new side of himself. He admitted most of his past on-screen roles carried a touch of melancholy. “This character is different. He is endlessly curious, just like a child.”

On Collaboration: Trust Instincts Instead of Overthinking Others

Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Having worked in the industry for decades, Tony has collaborated with countless top directors from home and abroad. In his eyes, every director boasts a distinct creative style. Some stick firmly to their vision and expect actors to follow their direction closely. Others set extremely high standards for pre-production, yet grant performers full freedom to explore on set. There are also directors who polish every detail to perfection. For a single scene, they might reshoot across spring, summer, autumn and winter, changing locations and atmospheres repeatedly. “Each has their own way of arranging crew members and guiding actors.”

Take Silent Friend as an example. When Tony first read the script, he thought the story felt incomplete. To fully grasp the director’s creative vision, he held in-depth talks with Ildikó Enyedi. He said he always judges whether he clicks with others by instinct. “I don’t want to size people up with my mind, because that means overthinking and calculating. I feel people with my heart instead. The heart never lies. It only knows what it likes and dislikes. I’ve always trusted my intuition.”

This free-spirited choice led to an incredibly harmonious collaboration. On set, the director was very open-minded and encouraged him to act spontaneously. Thanks to his thorough preparation, Tony threw himself fully into the role and delivered outstanding performances. He said Ildikó Enyedi is not only a brilliant director but also a great mentor. Beyond creative work, they often exchanged thoughts on life, and Tony gained a great deal from these conversations.

Having worked with so many outstanding directors, Tony believes he does not have the talent to be a director. A director needs wide-ranging knowledge and immense mental energy. “That’s why I focus on doing my part well on set, so the director has one less thing to worry about.”

He also openly admitted that as he grows older, the range of roles available to him will narrow, yet he takes everything as it comes. “I never make rigid plans. I don’t want to try controlling things that are out of my hands. Too many expectations only lead to disappointment. It’s better to leave room for pleasant surprises. My journey from TV dramas to films, and all the amazing directors and crews I’ve met along the way—none of this was planned out in advance. If something sparks my interest, I’ll take it on.”

On Acting: Two Decades of Honing the Fundamentals, I Am Not a Natural Talent

Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Looking back on his decades-long acting career, Tony divides his artistic journey into three phases. The first began when he entered the industry through television. It was not until he worked with director Hou Hsiao-hsien that he found his footing and formed his core acting principles and initial style. His long-term collaboration with Wong Kar-wai marked a vital leap forward in his craft. The two built great chemistry and created works side by side for twenty years. “Over those two decades, I kept practicing nonstop to build a solid foundation and develop a performing style all my own.” To him, acting is much like martial arts training. Only constant, daily practice of the fundamentals lets you perform freely and naturally later on, making every gesture and emotion feel completely genuine.

When talking about his acting style, Tony calls himself a “performer of subtle details”, and many layers of his work can only be noticed by viewers watching closely in a cinema. “I am not an actor with bold, dramatic, outward displays of emotion. I fill my roles with countless small details, which you will miss if you do not watch attentively.” Speaking honestly to a young student in the audience, he advised that acting skills improve little by little over time. “You can only progress through real filming and constant practice, adjusting your performance and adding subtle touches step by step. All my growth came from real-world experience on set.”

He humbly rejects the label of a “naturally gifted actor” and instead describes himself as someone who has been lucky. “Actors must work hard. Talent needs to be nurtured; it will never shine through without consistent effort.” He encouraged young people to try new things and live fully to discover what they truly love. “Genuine passion may be where talent stems. You have to experience and explore to find out what you are capable of.”

Having portrayed countless iconic characters, Tony admits there were times when he failed to grasp a role and delivered unsatisfying performances. Today, however, he accepts imperfection and setbacks calmly. “Stepping outside your comfort zone means having the courage to face failure.”

In his view, filmmaking does not chase absolute perfection, but authenticity. “What cinema seeks is sincere acting and genuine expression, not a flawless film from start to finish.”

In addition, an audience member asked if Tony had considered appearing in stage plays. He said he had received relevant offers in recent years, yet he still gets nervous at the thought of performing in front of a large crowd. “Performing on stage is nothing like acting in front of a camera. I would have to overcome my nerves first.” He also joked that retirement is nowhere on his mind right now. His ultimate career goal is to keep acting until he turns 90. “If I can keep working until I’m 90, the next 30 years will just become the final chapter of my acting journey.”