Lust, Caution, and the Body Double

Zou Kaiyun, a drag queen now infamous for a few Internet hoaxes in China, made his/her biggest splash with the “Body Double Affair” — a rumor that Zou actually stood in as a naked double for actress Tang Wei in Ang Lee’s film “Lust, Caution.” After another recent prank in July (see “The Sounds of Ridicule”), bloggers linked to an interview Zou sat for in 2007, translated here, in which she discusses her first big hoax.

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THE INTERVIEW:

Am I in big trouble?

“Am I in big trouble this time?” Zou Kaiyun was bursting to ask a reporter yesterday afternoon.  He claimed he didn’t expect this situation to arouse the attention of so many people. “This situation made a lot of noise,” [he said], a little mentally disturbed, therefore he turned off his cell phone, not wanting to let too many people disturb him.

Reporter (from this point, abbreviated as Note*): Did you see “Lust, Caution?”

Zou Kaiyun (from this point, referred to as Zou): I did not watch the whole thing, the Internet has some clips, I watched a few scenes.

Note: How did you decide that you wanted to mastermind the phony “naked double” affair?

Zou: Online that day I saw Tang Wei enter the Miss World competition in Beijing and win fifth place; when I saw her, I felt she and I looked very similar, face shape, stature, etc., I thought I could ride on her coattails.

Note: What reflections do you have on it now?

Zou: I don’t know… it’s not the same, it’s different, huh?  Ang Lee did not respond.  The media’s coverage was very heavy.

Note: In terms of the glaring publicity, it’s also impossible for them to respond.

Zou: It’s said that’s true, but then at that time I didn’t expect very much, I only wanted to bring the entertainers closer.

Note: You don’t feel that your image and prospects carry weight?

Zou: At this time, am I encountering huge troubles?

Note: How do you think you can become famous as an actress?

Zou: Must have genius, be able to network with people, and must have a good family economic situation.
     
Note: Why did you choose to be an actress?

Zou: The most important reason is that my appearance is acceptable; there are some other people’s bodies on which we cannot find quality.

Note: Why do you feel that, all along, you haven’t become famous?

Zou: I don’t know, maybe my luck isn’t good, and I still want to study. Actually, right now with this many students in Chinese art schools, most all of them can’t act; I am fairly good.

Note: Now have you become famous?

Zou: I didn’t expect to cause this much of a stir, all the previous posts that were sent out did not receive any large reply.

Note: Are you afraid of doing this kind of thing?

Zou: I don’t know, if Ang Lee and Tang Wei want to find me, then it’s their freedom to do so.

Note: Do you feel you acted correctly?

Zou: I feel like there was no correctness or incorrectness, the key is to look at how most people view it.

Note: Do you regret that so much noise has been made?

Zou: I don’t know.  Right now, many people looking for me is a good thing, but I wish that a director looks for me, I don’t want them to look at this affair, look at my strengths and good performances.

Note: If you could make a new choice, would you still do what you did?

Zou: I still would! I just am this kind of person, I just innately cannot regret. ❑

– Translated by Jason Weinberg

ORIGINAL STORY: 我是不是闯大祸了？

EDITOR’S NOTE:
* This is a convention, like “Q” and “A,” for differentiating the two speakers in the transcript. The character 记 (jì), for “note” or “record,” is used instead of “Q.”

ADDITIONAL READING:
‘Lust, Caution’ actress banned in China