1987 Precious Interview Video: A very interesting 15-minute interview to learn about the young JW and HG off the screen (they didn't know they could become the best actor at the Venice Film Festival at the time), and the two after the film Maurice. Starships....
Below is the video translation:
Reporter : (to JW) How did Ivory contact you to play the male lead Maurice in the film?
JW: Usually in the UK, our agency would send me to auditions for various roles. I went to the Maurice casting meeting, where many young actors auditioned for various roles, including three main roles. They let me try out a few roles. Then three weeks later, Ivory called and wanted to see me again for a main role audition.…
Reporter : Are you the first choice for Maurice?
JW : No! I'm the second choice (laughs).... Ivory was supposed to play the lead actor Julian Sand in "A Room with A View" as Maurice, but for some reason, JS dropped out. So, they have to find another Maurice within 3-4 weeks before starting. So they found me.
Reporter : (to JW) How did Ivory contact you to play the male lead Maurice in the film?
JW : Usually in the UK, our agency would send me to auditions for various roles. I went to the Maurice casting meeting, where many young actors auditioned for various roles, including the three main roles. They let me try out a few roles. Then three weeks later, Ivory called and wanted to see me again for a main role audition.…
Reporter : Are you the first choice for Maurice?
JW : No! I'm the second choice (laughs).... Ivory was supposed to play the lead actor Julian Sand in "A Room with A View" as Maurice, but for some reason, JS dropped out. So, they have to find another Maurice within 3-4 weeks before starting. So they found me.
Reporter : Have you acted in any film and television drama before this?
JW : Most of them are in stage plays. I have acted in stage plays for 4-5 years and am a full-time stage actor. I like the stage very much, which is also a big reason why I want to be an actor. Of course I have also acted in some TV and movies. But they are not particularly heavy roles. So, Maurice is a very important role for me.
Reporter : So Muarice is a very big breakthrough for you!
JW : Absolutely! It has played a vital role in my future career development.
Reporter : (to HG) Is it the same for you?
HG: Of course! Except that Julian Sands wasn't going to play my part...well...well, I hope this drama will help me in my career....I don't know.....
Reporter : What is your main job now?
HG : Most of my performances now are on TV, and there are also a lot of stage performances. That's basically it...
Reporter : What do you think was the hardest part of each of you in this movie?
HG : I think same-sex love is never easy...because love itself is not easy to act. Same-sex love isn't that hard...I've been thinking about it. Because people ask this question a lot...I guess um...in real life, when there's a real sexual tension between two people, it's a lot harder to act. And I honestly didn't have a lot of sexual tension between James and I, because we knew each other before the movie, so it was easy to act.
JW : I think this question needs to be addressed in two parts. First of all, I think the hard part is... in that scene where Clive and Maurice broke up. Maurice broke down and burst into tears...I've never acted like this before as an actor. This may be a scene that I find difficult....but the most difficult for me is not to act a particular scene. ..........but the complexity of the shooting. .Because our filming is not in the order of the script, but we are always jumping and shooting different scenes, so I have to always think about how the scene that is about to start is played in the novel, and Maurice's emotions at that time. What it's like, because Maurice has changed a lot from start to finish. Muarice started out as a very ignorant young man who was extremely afraid of the world around him, then his thinking became more and more clear, so I had to have a complete picture of the novel in my mind.... .the director can't help you with this...
Reporter (to HG): In your real life, would you act like Clive (leave your gay lover and get married)?
HG : Well...that's a tough question to answer because I'm not like Clive. Clive is clearly doing something wrong. I think he denied his own nature. However, his choice is also very general. Because, if you want to be a person like Maurice who tries to be yourself regardless of social traditions, you must first be a very, very brave person! So I can understand Clive's choice.
Reporter (to HG): I know that as a young actor in the UK, there are always very few opportunities, although we have TV, stage and movie platforms... So if you want to stand out in the future, where do you think you should go? On the one hand development?
HG : Well....they gave me a lot of choices...for example: stage play...actually stage play is more interesting and freer for actors, there is no doubt that Yes, (to JW) I think you must agree with me on that! When it comes to filming, the scenes are always very thinly segmented, and then there are piles of photographers and technicians surrounding you, which makes me feel very limited. And, to be honest, you probably won't believe it, the daily flow of filming is so boring (JW laugh)! Because you have to wait there for hours and hours until you finally get a line from you, which is really driving you crazy...
Reporter (to JW): Do you feel the same way?
JW : (laughs) I don't feel that way! I really enjoyed the whole process of filming. After I took a selfie with Maurice, I took on a lot of movies. In fact, I really enjoyed taking small gaps. Because I can smoke a cigarette (hahaha....), take a little rest, and won't be instructed by the director to do this or that. Also, I think this also answers your other question: it feels really good to be an actor in a successful movie, because you're going to suddenly become popular, which means you're free to choose the role you like in the future , instead of just working for the sake of work and making money for the sake of making money, all you have to think about is how to develop your acting career. So, I hope I can work more and more in this direction in the future to do more interesting work.
Reporter (to JW): Tell us about the funniest thing about filming Maurice
JW : I remember a scene with Rupert Graves. He played Alex Scudder and I (Maurice) in the first boat scene. At that time, when I was on top of him in the early morning, the bed suddenly collapsed, and then the French photographer murmured: "What a man!" I remember he said to Rupert, and everyone in the room burst into laughter! The filming of that day went quite smoothly and was very relaxing, and the tense and awkward atmosphere caused by the naked body was also swept away.
Reporter : Did you continue to shoot that scene afterwards?
JW : No. We have to wait until the bed is fixed before we shoot! That scene is really funny!
Reporter (to HG): Are you waiting for some filming opportunities after the Venice Film Festival?
HG: Well, it might be a little embarrassing to say it. James is making a very interesting blockbuster (referring to "A Handful of Dust") also starring, the director is the famous | Charles Sturridge. I only have one radio drama "A Slice of Bread" right now, just one day. So I'm a little different from him (laughs)
Reporter : Good luck to you at the Venice Film Festival!
JW & HG : Thank you!
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