Go to ‘Faye Wong Today 2’

I’ve decided to continue Faye Wong Today on a new site — Faye Wong Today 2. Please join me there. This site, Faye Wong Today, won’t be active, but it will remain up and I’ll continue to maintain it.

Happy Birthday, Faye!

From Mark on 2014/08/07:

Happy Birthday Faye, from your biggest fan in the US of A. I will love you until the day I die and then in the next life too. thank you for providing hours of endless enjoyment with your voice and music, I know you were just born with that, your fate, but I just wanted to thank you and wish you well.

 

From Feifan on 2014/08/08:

Happy Birthday, Faye! For bringing so much joy to others, wishing you all the happiness in the world. We’ll never stop loving you!

Rumor: Faye’s New Love Is Wu Xiubo

Faye and Wu Xiubo (吴秀波), popular actor, singer, songwriter, chatting at the 2012 Smile Angel Foundation dinner.

Faye snapping a photo of Wu Xiubo.

Wu Xiubo

Wu Xiubo at the 4th New York Chinese Film Festival Opening Night at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on November 5, 2013.

Wu Xiubo’s wife. They have two sons together.

Faye & Yapeng Together for Yan’s Birthday

To celebrate Yan’s birthday (May 27), Faye and Yapeng recently got together.

‘Merry Go Round’ – CCTV Concert Hall 2003

Faye at Super Live 1998 in Taiwan

From a Moving Car – Hangzhou 2001

“Fleeting Time,” “Red Bean,” and “Mortal World” — at Westlake Expo.

‘Red Bean’ – CCTV Concert Hall 2000

A Scene from ‘Usokoi’ 2001

Faye starred in this Japanese TV drama series. This is arguably her most complete screen performance in terms of a wide range of acting situations. Usokoi demonstrates that Faye is a versatile actor with depth in comedy, romance, action, and drama. (BTW, her song, “Separate Ways,” dominates and sets the tone for the entire series. See the video below.) In her other TV series and films, her roles are narrower, limiting her natural range.

The cinematography, too, is the best I’ve seen in terms of capturing Faye’s range and depth of beauty. The short scenes in this clip — dancing on the beach and deep in the creative process of designing — are just two of many in the series that go far beyond her images in other films.

I believe Faye’s success in Wong Kar Wai’s edgy films, Chungking Express and 2046, was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, she got  a lot of attention. On the other, she was typecast as a quirky character, limiting her range of future roles. Her roles in other films were also limiting. In Chinese Odyssey, it was one-dimensional comedy; in Leaving Me, Loving You, the focus was on Leon and Faye’s role was limited to that of girlfriend lost, girlfriend won. In Okinawa Rendezvous, the focus was on Leslie Cheung, and Faye was reduced to his quirky girlfriend.

It’s only in Usokoi that we see Faye shed these molds for the freedom of creating a complete character. It’s too bad that the series was based on an international Japan-China script. These collaborations are interesting, but they’re seldom successful in terms of ratings and dramatic depth.

Faye needs more demanding roles in mainstream Chinese drama series or films. Directors need to let go of the  myth that Faye’s a singer who dabbles in movies. Faye is among the world’s greatest singer. And she is also potentially a great actor with immense range and depth.

“Separate Ways” from Usokoi

‘I’m Willing’ – CCTV Concert Hall 2003

A moving rendition of one of her greatest hits.

Channel V Up Close Interview 7 Nov 1999

Faye & Leon 1993

2001 Concert Tour: Budokan, Tokyo, 11 Jan 2002

Soundcheck.

2001 Concert Tour: Guangzhou 7 Sep 2001

Soundcheck and actual performance.

‘Everything’ Live – June 1991

‘Fragile Woman’ – 1992 4th Quarter Award

‘Dream Person’ – 1994 3rd Quarter Award

This is the song that’s on the Chungking Express soundtrack. Comment from Topaz Chiu: “This show was on air in late September 1994, from her hairstyle, you can tell that she was at that time busy preparing her second Mandarin studio album ‘Tian Kong’ released in November 1994.”

‘No Regrets’ MV Feb 1993

Composed by Yuan Wei-Ren; Lyrics by Faye Wong

Rare: Faye as Wang Jingwen with Jiang Zhiguang 1990

Faye – Pepsi Music Fest Tour 1999

Faye & Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou

Faye & Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in 2004(?)

Faye, Leon, and Jacky Cheung at 1994 Awards Ceremony

Faye appears at the 2:00 mark.

Anti-Piracy Concert Rehearsal 15 Nov 2003

Faye & Takeshi – 36th Golden Horse Awards 1999

The quality in these two videos, especially the first, is a lot better than I’ve seen thus far.

Faye’s HK Scenic Tour 98-99 Concert Video

Faye’s 2014 Organic Milk Commercials

Faye at the 1993 Jade Singers TVB Anniversary

Faye appears at the 4:40 mark.

‘Know Oneself and Each Other’ – Song of the 2nd Quarter Award 1994.

‘Fragile Woman’ – Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards 1993

Faye’s Inside-Outside Outfit 1994

Faye & Patty Hou play foosball – Taipei concert promotion 2004

Faye ‘Super Sunday’ 2000

Faye’s 2002 Taipei Press Conference for ‘Hero’

Faye’s Taipei TVBS Appearance 1997

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Faye and Anita Yuen 1994

Faye appears at about the 0:33 mark.