[Nu-NRG]

Grudge's Chen Speaks English

TOKYO—Edison Chen, a veteran of more than 20 Chinese-language Hong Kong action films, such as Infernal Affairs and Gen-Y Cops, told SCI FI Wire that he makes his English-language film debut in the upcoming horror sequel The Grudge 2—even though he was born in Vancouver, Canada, and his first language is English.

"I actually got into the entertainment business by chance," said Chen, who also gained fame in Asia as a pop singer, during a break in filming on the sequel's set at Toho Studios here last week. "This one time I went to Hong Kong for the summer, and I got cast in a commercial. They were going to New York—I love New York—and so I said, 'Yes, I'll do it.' And when I came off the plane, lots of paparazzi were taking pictures of me. [They started] offering me movies, and then [I] started to learn my Cantonese. I've been working for about five, six years, and this is my 23rd movie. I've waited for this day, and I'm happy it's come so quick for me."

Despite his long film resume, Chen is only 25 (they make movies fast in Hong Kong). In The Grudge 2, the follow-up to 2004's hit supernatural movie The Grudge, Chen plays a new character, a Hong Kong photojournalist who helps Aubrey (Amber Tamblyn) investigate the fate of her older sister, Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar), from the first Grudge.

To assuage ethnic sensitivies in Japan—where the movie is being shot with a Japanese crew and director, Takashi Shimizu—the script changed Chen's character, Eason, who was originally Japanese. Despite that, Chen welcomed the chance to act in his native language. "It's much better for me," he said. "I can fully understand the meaning of the whole script. I don't have to worry about my pronunciation being right. I don't have to stress about the script supervisor coming to tell me, 'OK, you're saying this wrong.' And, like I said, English is my first language, so I kind of get into the mood and my role a lot better. The words flow instead of being forced or premeditated. I go there, and I just go!" The Grudge 2 is currently in production with an eye to an Oct. 13 release.


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Shimizu: 'Grudge 2' to differ from 'Ju-On 2'

Wednesday, April 12 2006, 10:04 BST - by Daniel Saney
Takashi Shimizu has revealed that he is taking a different direction in The Grudge 2.

Having already directed Ju-On and its English-language remake The Grudge, he told Comingsoon.net that The Grudge 2 will take a different approach in order to keep the idea fresh.

"The Grudge was a complete remake of Ju-On, meaning the storyline was very similar, basically the same," he explained. "But Grudge 2 is actually different from Ju-On 2. I don't think I would have accepted this job if it was going to be the same storyline. Since it is a different story, my motivation was a lot higher, and I actually enjoyed doing this."

Shimizu also stated that he is flattered by the decision of the makers of Scary Movie 4 to parody the films, noting that "in Scary Movie 4, they're doing a spoof of War of the Worlds and King Kong, and these are the movies with big budget, big movies. Next to that, there's Grudge."

Starring Amber Tamblyn and featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar, The Grudge 2 is expected to be released in October(13).
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....He....just got lucky...filming movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jennifer Beals etc... he can't act imho