Source: Xin MSN
Credit: noreen (www.jay-chou.net)
He plays the cool superhero sidekick Kato but this Taiwanese musician is like any other ordinary Joe when it comes to matters of the heart
Give him a musical instrument and he'll master it in two days. But don't expect this multi-hyphenate performer to be speaking fluent English anytime soon as he's not bent on brushing up the language "unless there's a sequel".
Before he landed this plushy role of playing the superhero's sidekick, Kato, in The Green Hornet, Jay Chou could barely speak a word of English; much less hold a conversation in the language.
For his big break in Hollywood, he practiced hard for one month and learned his lines phonetically. Jay reckons he "can probably master the language" with more time, but the self-professed "disobedient child" cheekily declares he does not enjoy learning new things -- especially if it's something he has no love for.
"I feel that being able to converse in Mandarin is sufficient, furthermore there will be interpreters around," quipped Jay in Mandarin, no less, during an interview with xinmsn.
In town for The Green Hornet press junket held at St Regis Hotel and a meet-the-fans session, Jay attended the movie's gala premiere together with co-actor Seth Rogen and director Michel Gondry later in the evening.
When the conversation topic veered to the rave reviews heaped on Jay's character by critics worldwide, the unassuming lad began talking about his last big-budget film project, The Treasure Hunter.
"I find it perplexing that the efforts sowed may not directly represent the results garnered in the end. I filmed The Treasure Hunter tirelessly and even injured my arm in the process, but for The Green Hornet, it was relaxing, like a vacation. I just had to work on my English and it is performing well at the box office. I think it all boils down to luck," he said, heartened by the movie's positive reception at the US box office.
Candid and upfront about the success and flops in his life, the 32-year-old jokes that he has finally managed to regain back some stature after "losing face" from his last production.
"I'm calling out to all fans to help support the movie, if not I'll lose face from it. If it performs well in America but fails to do so in Asia then... (laughs)"
Known to be an individual who is fiercely proud of his Asian roots, Jay rationalized that he was picked due to the influence he wields over the Asian market.
With a wry smile on his face, he mused, "I can't let them belittle me or lose face from this [the movie's faring at the box office]."
With one leg in the global market following a successful Hollywood breakthrough, and an established music career in Asia, the talented musician once confessed that he "needs a girl" to rally behind him and his hard work.
A constant figure in the Chinese headlines with countless of romantic speculations, Jay admits that he has to be "extra careful" whenever he's out in the company of female pals.
"As long as she's not my mother, relative or assistant, they would write that she's my girlfriend," he lamented, clearly perturbed by the media's incessant speculations.
For someone who prefers to leave his love life up to fate, Jay frankly acknowledged, "Telling me to go find a girlfriend is a very difficult task for me.
"I hope that I can find one before Valentine's Day," he wisecracked, "Because everyone is telling me Valentine's Day is coming!"
And if there's anything in particular this director, producer, actor, and music extraordinaire would like to achieve in the new year, it's not to hit the ten-million mark in album sales or have his hosting gig take-off.
Instead, he poked fun at the slew of rumours on his love life and chuckled, "I hope that I won't have as many relationship rumours this year. (laughs) I also hope that I won't be photographed when I'm out with my female friends."
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