After 40 years, the chemistry still crackles between Hong Kong stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau, who have reunited for financial crime drama The Goldfinger.
It has been two decades since the pair were last on screen together to close out the Infernal Affairs trilogy and both agree that time has changed them.
“We have gotten more mature over the years and gained more acting and life experience,” says Leung. “Compared with Infernal Affairs, this collaboration is more developed.”
“The performances are richer and more rounded,” adds Lau. “But we are still in tune and work together comfortably and happily.”
The pair are adversaries once again in The Goldfinger. Inspired by true events and set during the 1980’s, Leung plays Chinese businessman Ching Yat Yin who goes from rags to billion-dollar riches as the chairman of the Carmen Group. Lau plays senior corruption investigator Lau Kai Yuen, who launches a relentless search for the truth behind the wealth of the company – a pursuit that spans 15 years. The story is understood to be inspired by the fall of Hong Kong conglomerate the Carrian Group.
The film will be released in several Asian territories including China and Hong Kong on December 30, with a limited release in North America that same day. Trinity CineAsia will begin previews in the UK and Ireland on December 30 and expand from January 5.
The Goldfinger also reunites the stars with writer and director Felix Chong, who co-wrote Infernal Affairs.
“Tony Leung and Andy Lau have a powerful on-screen chemistry,” says the filmmaker, whose recent credits include Project Gutenberg and the Overheard series of features. “Just having the two of them act together creates intense tension. I separately sent the script to each of them, and their first question was whether the opponent role was the other person.”
It is a rapport that began when they filmed TVB series The Duke Of Mount Deer in 1984.
“The understanding between us is based on trust and, personally speaking, dependence because I am an actor who needs a good acting partner,” says Lau, whose recent credits include The Movie Emperor, which premiered at Toronto, and The Wandering Earth II, which was China’s submission to the upcoming Oscars.
The role of the flamboyant chairman Ching proved a welcome challenge to Leung, whose recent films include Marvel superhero title Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, Hong Kong crime drama Where The Wind Blows and Chinese spy thriller Hidden Blade.
“For me, every scene playing this role was challenging because I have never played someone this cocky or unreserved,” says Leung.
With an estimated budget of $45m (HK$350m), The Goldfinger is one of the most expensive films ever made in Hong Kong, co-produced by Emperor Motion Pictures (Beijing), Emperor Film Production and Tianjin Maoyan Culture Media. The cast also include high-profile actors Simon Yam and Charlene Choi.
Both Leung and Lau hope that the universal topic of financial crime will appeal to international audiences and want to see Hong Kong films travel more.
“I think Hong Kong films need [to reach] more markets because there are more competitors, and the film market seems to be shrinking,” said Leung. “Recent Hong Kong films focus more on local social issues and topics. Because the market is shrinking, we have fewer productions. I hope that streaming platforms can expand the market and pull in more money for different [film] works in the near future.”
“For me, because of the platforms and the trend of short clips, I think Hong Kong films should have universal but unique themes and shooting styles,” said Lau. “The Goldfinger has some special scenes using CGI. I hope the creative technology can be well-integrated with more films in the future. I think Hong Kong films should have this international vision.”
“We cannot just produce crime thrillers,” added Lau. “I hope there will be more epic films like Anita [the award-winning biopic of Anita Mui, directed by Lok Man Leung] that are international, while at the same time retaining local elements. This is what we need in the future.
“We have worked in the industry for more than 40 years, we hope that a new generation of actors and actresses will get the chance to work on big productions, to let audiences see our new blood.”
Infernal Affairs inspired Martin Scorsese’s 2006 Oscar-winning crime thriller The Departed and if there were to be a remake of The Goldfinger, the two Hong Kong stars have actors in mind.
“I wonder what it would be like if Leonardo DiCaprio played my role again,” says Leung, referring to how the US actor took on his role of a cop who goes undercover to infiltrate a gang.
“Is it still possible for Daniel Day-Lewis to play my role?,” adds Lau with a laugh.
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