Thriller 'The Wasted Times' portrays emotion in difficult times

Ge You on acting

Actor Ge You and actress Zhang Ziyi have collaborated previously in director Zhang Yimou's The Banquet, in which the two were enemies who both wanted to kill each other.

This time around, though they are not romantically linked, there certainly is a fling between the two on-screen.

When asked how it felt like, Ge joked that he did not feel anything inside, but how the audience perceives is up to them.

"To feel something in your heart is the most romantic thing," added Cheng.

Director Cheng Er praised Ge's acting.

"He not someone to be rated casually. I think he combines supreme acting and his personal charm to perfection. Many of my friends have told me that they were moved to tears when Ge took off his hat at the end of the film, and that they were moved by Ge's aura," said Cheng.

Ge, who's playing mafia don for the first time, attributed the results al to Cheng's directing and spoke little of his efforts.

"As an actor, I don't talk much. If I say I want to portray a certain image prior to filming and present a completely different thing later on, it would be like lying to the audiences. Now that it's screening, my job is done. Let the audience judge. Anything I say now will seem redundant."

Ge has paced himself down quite a lot in recent years. As for his future plans, Ge said he would probably only take on supporting roles from now on.