Sarah Michelle Gellar

IGN talks with The Grudge 2 co-star.

Edison Chen makes his Hollywood debut in The Grudge 2.

April 7, 2006 - IGN FilmForce spoke with Canadian-born actor-singer Edison Chen earlier this week on the Tokyo set of The Grudge 2. Chen, 25, plays Eason, a Chinese journalist in Japan who is investigating the events that transpired during the last Grudge movie. After filming a scene opposite star Amber Tamblyn, Chen sat down with IGN and other members of the press to talk about working on The Grudge 2.

Chen went into great (and SPOILERISH) detail about the story and Eason’s journey. "I’m a reporter for a local newspaper, but I am actually from Hong Kong. I left Hong Kong because, I guess, it’s too boring. It’s all entertainment. I want stranger stories, stuff that’s abnormal. So the closest place I could find work that would pay me, and for stories like that, it was Japan," Chen explained, adding, "I picked up on the grudge story, from Grudge 1 and I’ve been doing an ongoing investigation. I’ve been to the house. I’ve interviewed the detectives. I’ve interviewed everyone but Karen. Karen is Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character."

"So the story starts off with me trying to find her, then the grudge starts happening to me. I kind of have to help her sister [Tamblyn] try to find out [what happened]. I’m the information-giver. She comes here, not knowing anything, just kind of thinking it’s a tragedy but there’s actually something behind it. In the beginning I really don’t care for her much, to be honest, because I’ve got the grudge and I’m trying to save myself. But then after I hear her story and everything, I kind of form a friendly relationship with her. We go and attack this grudge thing together."

The actor, who claims to have once seen a hateful red ghost while watching a World Cup match in Malaysia, also revealed, "You’ll learn the origins of exactly what happened to Kayako [the vengeful ghost portrayed by Takako Fuji]. In part 1 you get the sense that they want to undo The Grudge. In this one, its kind of wanting to undo the curse forever, to the root of what happened in the very beginning. Before anyone entered the house or the murder of the whole family. That’s what I start learning in this movie ’cause everything that happened before I already knew. So that’s an adventure that me and Amber are taking together."

Although Chen’s native tongue is English, he has so far only worked in Chinese-language films, including Infernal Affairs. The Grudge 2 is Chen’s first film in English, as well as his first Hollywood movie. "I’m pretty excited about it, pretty pumped up," he said, adding later, "It’s much better for me. 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, ’Okay, 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."

Chen was struck by the differences between working in China and Japan, right down to the catering. "It’s different in the way they delegate work, it’s different in the working hours, it’s a different level of professionalism. I mean, compared to Hong Kong, it’s a vacation for me. In Hong Kong, you work 15 to 18 hours a day and the crew is much smaller than this. Time is so tight. It’s like, move-move-move. The script is written on set and it’s basically, ’OK, say this!’ [laughs]. ’This is what happens.’ You’re like, ’What? Why?’ ’Just do it, please, go!’ Here, at least, there are enough people to just guide me through the story. [Grudge 2 director Takashi] Shimizu has been really helpful with me. Whenever I have any questions, he’ll stop everything and give me pointers. It’s a lot different."

"Just to work with everyone has been quite rewarding for me. I can tell that they’re really into their job and really respect it. The lighting people are very proud of what they do, the cameramen, the production managers here are something that I never encountered as well. They take care of you to the full extent. Producers in Hong Kong, I’d see them on the set once or twice throughout the whole movie; here they’re detailed via everything. ’How are you doing? What do you need? You got the script? Are you ready? Need anybody to help you translate, etc.?’ It’s just been unbelievable and a learning process as I want to become a director one day. Before I worked with maybe 10 or 15 directors and I saw their directing styles. Now I see the production of it and what it can really mean."

In addition to The Grudge 2 being Chen’s first English language film and his first Hollywood effort, it also marks a genre debut for him as well. "This is my first horror movie. The whole pace, like action movies are like ’bam-bam-bam.’ I didn’t know what the pace of a horror movie was. In the beginning, Shimizu said, ’Well, you have to walk faster.’ And in the beginning I thought it would be easy. Kayako comes and I go, ’AHHHH!’ It gets harder when there are forty, fifty people looking at you expecting a certain reaction or emotion out of you. It’s been a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, more difficult than an action movie for me. I have to catch the exact pace, tone, moves, set, setting, lighting, everything is kind of new to me and was a bit difficult to kind of adjust."

"(Shimizu’s) very clear about what he wants. He’s not shy to tell you that you did something wrong. He’s very specific down to the motions you use and the feelings you’re supposed to feel. Like I said before, I was supposed to walk into the Grudge house. He said move faster, I said, ’But I’m scared.’ He said, ’It doesn’t look right on the film and the way I’m gonna edit.’ So I said, ’Oh, okay.’ You say it that way than I’ll move faster, but if you just say move faster, than I’m like why? He gives you a command and the reason and as an actor you feel more comfortable."

Chen admits that, due to political and cultural considerations, his character was changed to being Chinese after initially being conceived as Japanese. Regardless of his or his character’s ethnicity, Chen knows how important and rare it is that there is an Asian male lead in a major Hollywood production, and how much it means for his career. "I don’t feel any pressure from the movie itself. I feel the pressure that I’m an Asian actor from Asian cinema and I’m getting a chance in Hollywood and I hope I don’t screw up. I know there’s a lot of actors in Asia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China that are looking to get the break. I’m not saying that I paved the way at all but I hope that I made a good impression on the people that watch the movie that they’ll further trust more and more Asian actors into the circle."

He is also glad to see opportunities for Asian actors and filmmakers beginning to trend away from strictly martial arts fare. "I think it’s starting to change with Ang Lee, Andrew Lau who just filmed a movie with Richard Gere [The Flock]. Those aren’t action movies. They’re dramas. It’s a start. I see TV shows in America having more Asian actors in them and they’re not doing kung fu, and I’m proud of that and wish them the best and hopefully, more and more the acceptance will grow."

Despite the learning curve, Edison Chen is thankful to have worked on a big Hollywood movie like The Grudge 2. "Just to be able to break into the American market is unbelievable to me, too. I thought maybe like a lot of people like Jet Li, Jackie [Chan], Chow Yun Fat, they got their breaks when they were thirtysomething. And my whole career, I was thinking maybe if I shoot one or two Hollywood movies before I retire, I’d be happy. And here I am, already, so quickly and doing this. I’m very happy."

The Grudge 2 opens stateside October 13.