(Screen capture from Youtube)

Chinese actress Tang Wei has finally revealed her thoughts on shooting a bed scene with actor Tony Leung Chiu-Wai in “Lust, Caution” (2007).

Tang Wei gained prominence within and beyond China after starring in director Ang Lee’s film. Despite the film’s huge success, China’s State Administration of Radio Film and Television placed a media ban on the production due to its strong sexual content. All promotional content featuring the actress was taken down.

Leung said shooting the bed scene was “extremely difficult.” The actor also mentioned that he experienced a lot of psychological stress from the sexuality of the scene even though it was his decision to work with his close friend Ang Lee.

(Screen capture from Youtube)

Tang Wei recalled the bed scene as being extremely technical and including many motions. The actress felt humiliated during rehearsals with only her, Lee and Leung on set. “It felt like I was taking a hot bath every time,” she said.

However, Leung expressed admiration for Tang Wei, saying, “She is a wonderful actress. When you point out one thing, she learns 10 things. Her hard work is unparalleled.”

The pair suffered a lot of stress and went through countless rehearsals to perfect the scene. Their efforts seemed to have paid off, as moviegoers and fans said the scene is not simply sexually provocative, but rather an artistic portrayal of Leung and Tang Wei’s passion.

By Catherine Chung (cec82@heraldcorp.com)