2007-08-01

A performer in films from world-acclaimed Chinese directors like Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, one of China's classiest actors Sun Chun stands out from his peers for his professionalism. He is like Robert De Niro in Hollywood, acquiring exquisite acting skills but possessing a better taste for good scripts.

In a career spanning more than twenty years, Sun Chun has taken on character roles, romantic leads, historical figures, murderers, superintendent officers, soldiers and the ordinary men in the street.

"All actors want to play the widest range of roles possible. A teacher in college told me don't love yourself, love the characters you play. So after graduation, my career dream has been to portray real people in all sorts of situations. "

After Sun's graduation from the Shanghai Drama Academy in 1982, his good looks soon landed him roles in a string of films; a soldier in Chen Kaige's 1986 film "Big Parade" and a deranged killer in 1989's "A Time to Die". He went on to earn more widespread recognition as a treacherous young gangster in Zhang Yimou's "Shanghai Triad" opposite Gong Li.

In 1997 he won "Best Supporting Actor" at the Golden Rooster Awards for playing a drug smuggler in "A Hero against Drugs".

However, what's made him known to nationwide audiences is the recent hit TV series "Really, Really Want to Fall in Love".

The drama was dubbed the Chinese "Sex and the City". Sun plays a well-bred IT professional called Wu Yuefeng. He's wealthy, handsome, and exudes good taste. But for all his charm as a lover, he always keeps his girlfriend at arm's length and never comes near proposing marriage.

The character was a particular heart-throb for the younger female fans.

"I hadn't expected this role would be so popular, and liked so much by nowadays youngsters. One day when I walked in a city, which city I forget, people shouted at me 'Hi, Wu Yuefeng!' my character's name. I was dumbfounded. Then I realized the drama was shown there."

Charming the new generation of young professional women aside, his most prominent role has been his portrayal of Northern Warlord Yuan Shikai from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in the hit TV series "Marching towards the Republic" on China's Central Television in 2003.

Yuan Shikai is an unpopular figure in the Chinese history.

Sun Chun captures a more complex character than the one usually portrayed in the history books. A fleshy, earthy, and vivid Yuan Shikai, torn by both ambition and doubt earned Sun resounding applause.

"Before then I had portrayed fictional characters, not historical figures. But with Hong Chengchou and Yuan Shikai I began to approach real characters. There are files and pictures for you to refer to. You need to do your homework, how much do you know the history of modern China? About Qing history? And the key figures of the era? And then I needed to find the connections between myself and Yuan Shikai."

To look physically alike to Yuan Shikai, Sun put on 20 kilograms in a short time. It did great damage to his body and Sun had to rest for six months.

Though keeping a high standard for his acting career, Sun Chun is not a workaholic. Actually he enjoys taking some time to travel and visiting art galleries as a method to recharge and broaden his horizons.

"Life is fleeting, so enjoy the moment as much as you can."

Sun's rich and varied career has offered many moments of pleasure and insight to his army of fans. Long may it continue.