Original title: Tu Youyou recognized Zhou Xun as her director Zheng Xiaolong: She even walked into the role with a bag
Since the launch of Dragon TV, the major themed TV series “Meritorious” with Zheng Xiaolong as the chief director has been gaining popularity. The drama mainly tells the stories of 8 heroes such as Li Yannian, Yu Min, Shen Jilan, Huang Xuhua, and Tu Youyou, who are awarded the Medal of the Republic. After the broadcast, Douban scored as high as 9.1.
Recently, “Tu Youyou’s Gift” starring Zhou Xun was launched. This unit mainly tells the story of Tu Youyou, the Nobel Prize winner and outstanding representative of technological innovation in traditional Chinese medicine, who developed a new antimalarial drug artemisinin. Zhou Xun was very nervous and stressed in his first role as a scientist. After receiving the role, she deliberately visited Tu Youyou and chatted with Tu Youyou’s colleagues to find out the role. After the shooting started, Zheng Xiaolong discovered that Zhou Xun’s appearance of walking and carrying a bag became more and more like Tu Youyou, and he really entered the role.
The unit of “Tu Youyou’s Gift” is directed by the famous director Zheng Xiaolong, and his wife Wang Xiaoping is the screenwriter. Zheng Xiaolong has created many hits such as “Beijing People in New York”, “Golden Wedding”, “Zhen Huan Biography”, “Miyue Biography” and other hit works. He has won “Magnolia Award”, “Flying Award”, “Golden Eagle Award” and “Five One Project Wang Xiaoping’s representative works include the movie “Gua Sha”, the TV series “Zhen Huan Biography” and “Mi Yue Biography”.
As Zheng Xiaolong’s gold partner, Wang Xiaoping recalled that the reason why she chose to be the screenwriter of “Tu Youyou’s Gift” was because she grew up in Zhongguancun, the home base of Chinese scientists. Her mother was one of the founders of the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Its unit is also a collaborative research unit of Tu Youyou’s “523 Project”. Participating in the creation of such a work is also the best memorial to my mother.
Zheng Xiaolong recalled that most Chinese scientists were unknown, but they worked hard to give the lowest voice, the most boring life, and the greatest dedication. Day after day, year after year, they devote their time to the subject of finding human well-being. Very few of them can succeed. Zheng Xiaolong said that when he started creating this unit, the first thing he thought of was the character of the protagonist? That is, how to create a common and vivid image of Tu Youyou who is different from other film and television works and other female scientific research workers. After a lot of interviews, they found Tu Youyou’s character traits—the unconcerned focus and the stubbornness of ignoring others’ comments and eyes. Tu Youyou is in her own ideal kingdom, so her words and actions are different. So I emphasized this kind of focus in creation, and made Tu Youyou’s focus interesting and cute through countless details, making Tu Youyou’s image unforgettable as soon as he appeared on the stage.
Judging from the current broadcast situation, “Tu Youyou’s Gift” is touching, and various details also make people see the true historical outlook. It is reported that in order to show the face of that era, the crew made a lot of preliminary preparations. From clothing production to the restoration of women’s hairstyles at the time, from a pair of glasses and a notebook, to the restoration of the main scene of the “Da Bailou” of the Chinese Medicine Research Institute, the establishment of a field hospital for the Vietnamese army in Hainan at that time, and then from Xiangshan Seven heavy artemisinin-derived props have been transported from a long distance…every aspect, strives for a high degree of reduction.
Due to rigorous scientific experiments, the crew also produced a large number of experimental instruments for artemisinin research. Zheng Xiaolong and the chief creator not only learned how to use each instrument, but also invited experts to be stationed in the group to train the actors during the shooting. “The more professional the details, the easier it is for the audience to feel the truth of the plot.” Zheng Xiaolong said.
Before filming, the director, screenwriter, and lead actor made a special trip to visit Tu Youyou. Zheng Xiaolong recalled that Tu Lao had a simple life, was indifferent to fame and fortune, and had no pretensions. He talked about artemisinin, “I was particularly impressed that she said that I must not take this matter as my own contribution. She said it was everyone. The credit is a collective labor. She has repeatedly emphasized this. She feels that Tu Youyou, as a scientist, is very respectable.”
Interestingly, choosing Zhou Xun to play Tu Lao was approved by Tu Lao himself. Zheng Xiaolong said that before filming, the criteria for the selection of actors were: first, both virtue and art, second, both god and form, third, superb acting skills, and fourth, the meritorious person himself agrees. Tu Youyou has been focusing on scientific research and doesn’t know the actors. He asked who Zhou Xun is? Her daughter said: “Zhou Xun is good, acting stick.” Tu Youyou said: Then Zhou Xun.
Although he has won various acting awards, his encounter with Tu Youyou made Zhou Xun guilty. “At that time, Teacher Xiaoping and Director Xiaolong said that they wanted me to play Tu Youyou. Actually, I was very nervous and stressed. Because I didn’t know much about that field, especially the experimental part. Although I consulted a professional teacher, Due to the lack of proficiency, the professionalism and accuracy must always rely on the guidance of experts.”
After confirming the leading role, Zhou Xun visited Tu Youyou and chatted with Tu’s colleagues to learn about Tu Youyou in the eyes of others. During the exchange, Zhou Xun also found the similarities between himself and Tu Youyou, and resonated with the character. “Ms. Tu and I have a similar character. She studied medicine and I studied acting. So after such a change, I touched We have reached some doorways.” Zheng Xiaolong commented that Zhou Xun’s appearance of walking and carrying a bag later became more and more like Tu Youyou.
Red Star News reporter Qiu Junfeng
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