#hidden blade

I've seen these rumors too. Claims that Cheng Er's methods are abusive and exploitative, that he 'damaged' DD when working on Hidden Blade, and again when working on Mermaid. That he put DD through so much agony that DD basically quit the industry and walked away from filming entirely for years on end, because he was so traumatized.

BS. Utter BS.

In my opinion.

DD's 'hiatus'

First of all, we cannot attribute DD's break from acting to Cheng Er or to Mermaid.

He's been wanting a break for years. He said so himself that he was burning out on acting and on being a star. He wanted to live a free, casual life, to be an ordinary person, to pursue other interests that he's never had time to pursue.

He loves climbing, he loves racing. He loves nature and camping and hiking and exploring the world. He loves challenging himself and pushing his limits.

He hates being the subject of attention all the time. He hates being followed, photographed, yelled at in public, creeped on and stalked. This is something we've known about him for years - long before Cheng Er even entered his life.

And I feel the need to say, with all due respect to those who believe this slander about Cheng Er, that attributing a major life decision like 'taking a long break from the industry' to the actions of someone else rather than to DD's own personal autonomy and initiative is not only defamatory to Cheng Er, it's insulting to DD.

DD is the one behind the wheel of his life. No one else.

And I prefer not to frame DD's choices in the way some fans have. I don't view DD's life over the past couple years as 'a break from his acting career', I view it as, 'DD's life, where he is focusing on what is currently a priority for him'.

Acting is only one part of his life. He has many other facets, interests and pursuits. The fact that he's being authentically himself and just doing what he wants to do - that's very much part of who he is. I think it's to be celebrated.

"But I've 'heard things' about Cheng Er..."

Of course! People always believe they've 'heard things' about anyone they have chosen to attack. That's the entire purpose of rumors - to sow negativity, to tarnish reputations, and to direct hatred toward a target. Dark PR, antis, etc. are exceptionally good at weaponizing fans against whatever it is they want to take down.

But even the most casual examination shows some serious flaws in the logic of these claims about Cheng Er.

There's never any source for these rumors. They seem to bubble up lazily from the bloated underbelly of the internet, expelled like so much hot air from a posterior region. Nothing trackable or verifiable, just a 'vibe'.

Cheng Er's sets are some of the most locked down, private, impervious sets in the entire industry. It can rarely be verified where or even if filming took place, let alone what might have happened on set. The idea that somehow magically these stories emerged... it's just not credible at all.

These rumors directly contradict everything we know about Cheng Er's reputation as a director, and everything that the actors he's worked with - including DD - have said about him.

Tony Leung is a highly celebrated legendary actor who has worked with some of the greatest directors in the industry, and he could take his pick of almost anyone on the planet to work with. He will only work with directors based on how he feels around them. He needs to feel safe, he needs to feel a sense of trust.

He chose to work with Cheng Er.

He's also one of the most introverted, reticent celebrities out there, yet when asked about what it was like to work with Cheng Er he had a lot of positive things to say about the experience. He said he enjoyed the professionalism of the cast and crew, he appreciated the quality of Cheng Er's work and his calm, quiet manner, and he found the collaboration, "very enjoyable and pleasant" and the filming process, "a very happy experience."

Most telling, he said, "I think this is just the beginning, and I hope to have the opportunity to work with the director again in the future."

Let me just say, if a talent like Tony Leung wants to work with you, if he appreciates the quality of your work, and especially if he wants to work with you a second time - you're absolutely doing something right.

Wang Chuanjun appeared in Cheng Er's film The Wasted Times in 2016, and chose to work with him a second time in Hidden Blade. In a Sina Finance interview he described working with Cheng Er warmly, and described the director's process as one that helped actors grow and improve.

"Ever since 'The Wasted Times,' I've felt that this kind of creative process is really helpful for me, and after so many years, getting another chance to refine things makes me feel really, really lucky."

"During the process, everyone keeps going through pain, then trying again, and then seeing themselves improve bit by bit, and going back to sleep feeling really happy and satisfied. The next day, you go through the same thing all over again.

"Every day you grow a little bit, just a little bit. When I talked to Yibo about this, he said the same thing. He said filming 'Hidden Blade' was very typical. The process was really painful, but every day after it was over, thinking back made him feel so happy."

Despite the fact that Cheng Er has only released a handful of films, he's been able to attract top talent. That reflects the reputation of a well-respected director who artists want to work with.

Cheng Er's approach

Cheng Er isn't just a filmmaker, he's an artist. He writes, directs and even edits his own work, and is very meticulous about every aspect of his films, including casting.

And before people accuse him of being a control freak or of micro-managing, let me add that this is the approach of a creator who is expressing an artistic vision through a particular voice. Much like other 'auteur' (as much as I hate that word) directors such as the Coen Brothers or Wong Kar Wai, he has a specific vision that he is trying to bring to life.

It's for this reason that he will film the same scene over and over again - to capture the perfect moments, and to give himself options during editing. It's why he is so 'method' in some of his approach, wanting actors to be fully immersed and in the right headspace. It's why he maintains such a quiet and protective set.

Even when marking a scene or calling cut, he does it quietly and calmly after waiting a few beats, to ensure that he's not pressuring or startling the actors, or breaking the mood.

Cheng Er's entire philosophy as a director is about immersing the performers in the era, mood and scene, and about protecting that immersion and giving them the space and freedom to embody a performance. As he said in an interview,

"I try to let actors perform in a relaxed state. I never directly tell them how to act or move. I like to first see how the actors think and feel, and how they deliver their lines and interpret the role, and then make adjustments. I try my best to create a calm environment that's easy for everyone to focus in."

He also deliberately creates a quiet set with minimal crew present during filming to ensure the atmosphere is safe for the performers. As he said in a Sohu interview:

"Because actors are different from other crew members, the profession requires them to directly contribute their bodies and facial features. On set, their emotions are the most vulnerable and most in need of attention and protection."

"I feel that throughout the entire filming period, eighty percent of all my work was about maintaining and protecting the emotions of every actor."

Does this sound like a monstrous taskmaster to you?

The role of personality

As an autistic person with a flat affect (I don't tend to have a lot of facial expressions), I often feel a certain protectiveness toward people like Cheng Er (and DD), who have a similar affect and tend to be misunderstood as a result.

One thing that's always said about Cheng Er is that he's quiet, thoughtful, meticulous, and careful with his words. Tony Leung described him as being 'very polite, with the manners of a scholar'.

People who are like this - who are very task/ideas-focused and calm and who don't engage in a lot of performative social pleasantness - frequently get penalized for it, and cast as 'unfriendly', 'angry', 'intimidating' or even 'harsh' no matter how genuinely happy, open-hearted or well-wishing they may be*.

*Ask me how I know! 😑

People who are more relationship-focused and extroverted, and who present themselves as aggressively friendly, charming, and comedic tend to undergo much less social scrutiny and criticism.

Don't take my word for it

You've heard a fair bit about Cheng Er here, and about why I don't think he's a cruel man or an abusive director, but don't take my word for it - take a look at what DD himself has said:

About Cheng Er's direction:

He told me what needed to be done, how to complete it, what kind of acting to draw from, and which direction was more accurate. The director always explained everything very clearly. The director truly respects every staff member, respects his own work, and respects the film. Then there's care. I think the director's protection and concern for actors is something I've never seen before. He cares deeply about the actors' feelings, helping them calm down and prepare their emotions without any distractions. There's no need to worry about whether everyone is still waiting for me to prepare. That's the kind of environment the set is. (source)

About Cheng Er's influence:

I think Director Cheng Er gave me a good start. He asked me not to "act" but to subtract. In fact, I am very grateful to the director for cultivating such a good habit in me. (source)

I said at the (Golden Rooster Award) nomination and commendation ceremony that I was very grateful to the director for helping me with the film, but I might have been a little nervous on stage at that time. In fact, what I wanted to say was that it was not just in "Hidden Blade", but it also helps me a lot outside the theater, whether it's the aesthetics of movies, music, or art. He told me that if you see too many good things, you will know what is bad. (source)

👨: My understanding is that in addition to the cooperative relationship between director and actor, Director Cheng Er also has a kind of appreciation and support for you. WYB: Well, yes, it can be understood that the director is teaching me like a teacher, he is my mentor and helpful friend. (source)

"I think the director's protection and concern for actors is something I've never seen before" and "he is my mentor and helpful friend."

I believe DD over a bunch of fans who weren't in the room and have no direct knowledge of what DD's experience has been with Cheng Er.

Being a fan isn't always easy

One thing I can say about celebrity fandom is, take everything extreme that you hear with a huge grain of salt. I'm not saying that bad things don't ever happen (c-ent can be scary!😥), but I urge people to evaluate things rationally and not get carried away by wild tales. It's worthwhile to instead carefully examine and evaluate the evidence, think critically, and engage in intellectual self-defense.

Fans can be... (I typed and deleted so many times here lol)... they can be unreasonable, excessive, overly emotional, irrational, and quick to jump to conclusions. It's just the truth. I'm not saying that to be a dick, nor am I claiming to be free from these faults myself, it's just...

Too much in fandom seems to be the product of:

exaggerated or heavily biased story (often manipulatively framed by external forces in order to instigate fans)

+ vague yet tantalizing rumors

+ rabid overprotectiveness

+ obsessive devotion

+ highly emotional overinterpretation

+ in-group social contagion/solidarity stoking things higher

= extreme behavior, slanderous narratives, and single-minded reactions that are vastly disproportionate to what might have actually happened, or to any possible 'harm' that might have been done.

It's something I've often found frustrating about fandom. Fans often show little restraint, and it can be very difficult to have a rational, measured discussion about a topic once it's caught fire.

Thankfully the Cheng Er claims haven't reached that point (at least, not yet - let's hope it never does), but it frustrates me to see so many people show such an eagerness to attack and malign the close colleagues of their favorite celebrity.

I've seen similar with the hate fans have always had for YH and Du Hua.

DD (rightfully) inspires a lot of love and devotion in people. He's truly special, and he has so many qualities that endear him to people who love him. He's clever, he's goofy, he's forthright, he's just so damn good 🥲. And he is inspiring. He never gives up. He's easy to cheer for.

It's true that at times he's been badly mistreated and underestimated by the industry and by haters. I won't even repeat most of what's said about him. It should die on the lips of those who speak it.

His history is often held against him, as someone who didn't take the 'acceptable' path of getting a degree from a reputable university, or of kissing the right rings, etc., and there are people who frankly can't stand to see him earn status and respect, exhibit real talent and skill, or be as successful as he is, because it challenges their (ironically incredibly small-minded, unintelligent) bigotry.

People capitalize on this bigotry to try to take him down, and he deals with a tremendous amount of abuse/cyberbullying - and always has.

But most of that abuse comes from shrimps fans of other artists who have devoted their lives to attacking DD and to being heinous creeps rather than dedicating themselves to being good people with morally and intellectually consistent perspectives, who live the values they claim to hold.

In the industry DD has actually got a lot of backing and support, and YH - despite all the hate it gets - has been a powerful ally to him. He has won over many influential people in the industry as well - just through his own personality, sweetness and good works.

In other words, he's not as much of an underdog as a lot of fans seem to think. There's no need to constantly paint him as a victim who needs protection. We should all know DD enough by now to know he'd absolutely hate that kind of thing.

The real evidence

DD is at the level in his career/life where he has a hell of a lot of control over his choices and over the direction he takes.

Fans should take a close look at those choices and learn from them.

DD renewed with YH not once, but twice. DD worked a second time with Cheng Er, travelled extensively with him scouting locations for Mermaid, included him very prominently in his Exploring the Unknown series, did Hidden Blade road shows and promotional events for Hidden Blade with Cheng Er where it was blatantly obvious they have a very close, powerful relationship of mutual trust and respect.

People who think there's any credibility at all to claims of abuse from Du Hua, or from Cheng Er, or from Rocco Lui, or from Da Peng - or from anyone else in his career or life (is there ANY project he's been a part of where fans haven't cooked up this kind of anti narrative toward everyone involved?) - do not need to investigate scandalous rumors, do not need to dig into the person's history or background, do not need to follow melons.

GQ MOTY 2022 - DD with Rocco Lui and Cheng Er (he really surrounds himself with 'monsters').

All they need to do is look at DD, see his behavior toward those people, see who he chooses to work with, who he ties his projects and life to, who he clearly trusts, and the truth will become abundantly clear.

DD is a no-bullshit guy. He calls the shots in his life - he's worked really hard to get to a place where he can do that. He knows what he wants, he knows who he likes, and he does what is best for him.

I trust him to manage his life, his career, his projects and his associations. If he's working extremely closely with someone, there is - in my mind - absolutely zero chance that the person is abusive or exploitative toward him.

End of story.

A final note

I said this back when the whole Golden Rooster nomination controversy was swirling in the fandom and I'm going to say it again now:

"A rising tide lifts all boats."

It's in DD's best interests that the people and projects he is connected to are respected, championed and supported by fans! This should be self-evident.

Fans should be exceptionally cautious about rumors, especially ones that would tend to turn them against someone or something that DD is connected to. Often that's precisely what these scandals are crafted to do. Fan behavior can harm or even kill the future of a project.

Mermaid is a highly anticipated project, one that is going to get a lot of attention, and which is likely to bring DD to even higher levels of respect in the industry.

I do not think it's an accident at all that it has been surrounded by negative stories from the very start.

C-ent can be a very cutthroat industry, and top talent is constantly under attack, their projects are under attack, their associates are under attack. And there is no cheaper, easier, more readily accessible weapon than overprotective fans with something to prove.

I've seen this time and time and time again.

Refuse to be instigated! Refuse to believe unsubstantiated rumors! Refuse to turn against DD's projects and colleagues!!

Or everyone can do what they want, but this is my perspective on things.

Related posts:

Check out my 'hidden blade' tag for all my posts about the film, including interviews and discussions about the process and about working with Cheng Er. My 'mermaid' tag covers all my posts about that production.