Bai on the Movieline Interview 白灵接受Movieline专访

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Bai Ling: 'One Day I Will Win an Oscar'

Written by Seth Abramovitch | 15 Apr 2009

from: http://www.movieline.com/2009/04/bai-ling-i-have-huge-big-nipples.php

Better known for a heretical fashion sense and red carpet ubiquity
than her lengthy acting resume, we thought it was time to start taking
Bai Ling a little more seriously. She has two movies in the pipeline
that we absolutely want to see: hyperkinetic action-trash romp Crank:
High Voltage, which opens this Friday, and the upcoming Love Ranch —
Taylor Hackford’s retelling of the creation of Nevada’s first legal
brothel, co-starring Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci.

She showed up promptly and cheerfully for lunch at a crowded outdoor
cafe on the Eastside, dressed, somewhat disappointingly, in a tasteful
black raincoat over babydoll dress. She looked cute. Over a bowl of
chef’s salad the size of her head (which she steadily devoured
throughout the course of the interview), the actress was relaxed and
forthcoming on just about any topic we threw at her. From her tabloid-
friendly dalliance with Mickey Rourke to her infamous LAX arrest, Bai
talked. And we listened.

So what can we expect from Crank 2: High Voltage?
The movie is hilarious. My role — she is crazy. She’s hilarious, but
she’ll break your heart. I’ve never acted this crazy and free in any
movie. The two directors are young and nuts. At the beginning, they
asked me to read the script, but during the shoot, I could basically
do whatever I wanted — because whatever I said didn’t make any sense,
but made perfect sense to her.

I once said to Jason [Statham], “You are my shiny diaper.” He laughed
so hard, he couldn’t start. The directors said, “Where is this coming
from?” I said, “I don’t know, it just came out of me.”

You’ve done movies that some people might call “B Movies.”
I don’t know how to say this, but I find it strange and feel sorry for
who have to label things as “A actor” or “B actor” “B movie” and all
of that. Basically, you are making yourself worse. We are all human
beings, these are all jobs. You can’t say a waiter is worse than a
doctor. A waiter is a waiter. I’m lucky to do what I do, and I don’t
think in those terms. I think we need to respect what we do.

What kind of movies would you like to make if you could have your
choice?
I deserve so much more than the roles I get offered now. I’m one of
the best actresses. One day I will win an Oscar. I’m already winning
it. I just have to find the platform to show it. I’m already winning
it! I’ve got that talent.

A lot of actors would never say that out loud, thinking once they do,
it won’t happen.
I’m not superstitious.

Talking about the Academy Awards reminds me of Mickey Rourke. You were
linked to him around that time.
You know, it’s difficult to talk about these things when it involves
other people. Because I don’t want to affect them with what I say.
Especially around that time, I just shut down all questions, because I
didn’t want to affect him. I didn’t want to say anything good or bad,
because it was his life. It had nothing to do with me. So I was very
gracious. He’s a very good friend. I met him at The Wrestler’s
premiere. He was very good, very powerful — he put everything into his
performance. But I know nothing about his history.

Were you familiar with his earlier work?
A lot of people said he was so handsome. So it turns out I had met him
before. He said, “Four years ago, I tried to pick you up at the
Château Marmont. And you ran so fast.” I said, “Really? To be honest
with you, I can’t recall.” He said, “You got my number.” I was like…
hm. He was very friendly. The second time was at the LA Confidential
party. He had just won the Golden Globe. And I said, “You just won the
Golden Globe, it’s your night, I’m going to go.” And he said, “No, you
should stay. I want you to stay.” So I stayed. And that’s how it
started.

So that made you his date.
[Pauses] I don’t know how to talk about that, but the fascinating
thing for me was that Sean Penn was there. I know him too. It’s
interesting for me because I’m not from there, I’m not from Hollywood.
They are the pros in this field for many, many years. Just to hear
their conversation about the early years, all the jokes, and the
stories was fascinating for me. People come through my life, whether
or not we’re attracted, and I’m very curious and excited to discover
things about them.

Wait — we’re not done talking about Mickey yet. So did you start
seeing him after that?
I don’t know how to say this, but we’re just friends. And I’m glad I
could offer whatever company or encouragement he needed as a friend
there.

So it wasn’t romantic.
I don’t know. You know, when a man and a woman meet, there’s always
something. You play a different part. It’s not fair for me, because
it’s private. So all I can say is that we’re friends, and I’m glad
that we met, and wish him best of luck with everything.

Are you still friends with him?
We don’t really talk that much. I think sometimes when the media get
involved things become complicated, so it’s unfortunate.

You’re very honest on your blog, Naked Seduction. You wrote about your
state of mind soon after your shoplifting arrest at LAX.
It was just sharing. That time was very difficult. I was shooting Love
Ranch, and I had to be strong. I was just really reaching out. It’s a
way of sharing something true from my heart, not just what you read in
the media. When I got back to the set, Helen Mirren came to me and
hugged me and said, “I understand.” She knows how the media works. And
Joe Pesci said, “Fuck them. You can’t take that stuff seriously.”

What happened?
I was innocent. That’s all I can say. I was shocked. All I cared was
that I had to catch the ride to the set. That’s all I cared about.

Did you make it?
No. I didn’t. They took me to a wherever. It was scary.

A police station?
Yeah. I was like, wow. Sometimes you can’t … Authority of society is
kind of powerful and scary, and you feel very vulnerable. I just … uh…
it’s hard. Like everybody’s calling me. I was on a movie set, and I
didn’t want to affect them. And basically it’s like an open wound, an
open heart in front of everybody. Everybody I’m sure was texting and
talking. A set is boring — everyone’s looking for something to do. The
entire set. Everyone. I was trying to do my work.

How did you cope?
I just didn’t talk. You have to be proud of who you are. I didn’t do
anything wrong. The truth will come out. It’s just something you have
to get used to as an actor.

Did you ever leave the house in an outfit you absolutely knew would be
mocked?
You know what? No. My agent told me I get a lot of criticism about how
I dress. But I think, “Why not?” On the red carpet you see a lot of
designers — you see Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Gucci, everybody — but
where are you? The designers are supposed to show us, but we’re
showing the designers. Where’s your spirit? It’s 2009. You have to
stand out. There’s individuality you have to celebrate. I have this
one spirit — she’s like this adventurous, careless, breezy spirit. I
hate shopping. I don’t go shopping. If I do, I run in and out. But she
loves it.

This is a friend of yours?
No. A spirit. And when I go shopping, she feels open and sexy. She
doesn’t care. She enjoys it. She rides a pink bicycle all over the
place. Sometimes I think a skirt is too short and she says, “Noooo …
It’s perfect!” Or I’ll want to stay home and not attend an event, and
she’ll say, “I’m excited — lets go!” I’m very creative in my nature.
It’s my body! I’m not harming anyone doing it. It’s just me.

So when does your book Nipples: A Novel come out?
I finished it already. I’m editing it, to make it better.

Does it have a publisher?
Collins?

Harper Collins?
Yes, them. They’re interested. I’m still working with the editor. And
actually, I just made a movie. It’s not based on the book, but it’s
called Nipples: Secrets of My Dreams. I shot it, directed it, starred
in it with my eight little spirits. I have 11 songs in it. It’s like a
totally new…

You have 11 songs in it?
It’s crazy, very unpredictable…

Actually that reminds me of something we haven’t talked about. What
was the name of that singing show on VH1?
But Can They Sing?

That’s the one.
The show is not about singing. No matter how good a singer you are on
that show, it doesn’t make a difference. They’ll change the tone to
make you a bad singer. If you’re a bad singer, it’s more interesting.
I learned that later. I treated it so seriously. They kept wanting to
bring me back because I was so ridiculous, I wasn’t going to do it.
But my little spirit, she said…

What do you call your spirit?
Eight Little Spirits in Miniskirts.

You have eight separate spirits. And they’re all in miniskirts?
Yes! They’re sitting on your hair, on your shoulder, on your nails.
I’m like their peacemaker, because they don’t like each other. I have
a panda, a chicken, a dolphin … I have a monkey … All in miniskirts.

So the panda in the miniskirt told you to go on But Can They Sing?
They go crazy. They make me lose control. They try to catch Bai Ling.
I wasn’t really aware they were going to be judging me on that show. I
wasn’t conscious of it. I has just come from the Playboy shoot, and
was feeling very comfortable with my body.

When I watched it later with my friend, I found it hilarious. But when
I was there, I was in a different space. They gave me a song that was
too high, and I tried to quit. They were making fun of me. So I
threatened to quit. Finally, they gave me a song that fit me —
Blondie’s “Call Me” — and when I got on stage, they played it three
keys higher and it was like, [squealing] “CALL MEEE!”

It was memorable in a good way. The kind of thing you wish was on TV
more often. Quality entertainment.
It’s like hilarious comedy, right? See, I was stupid. At home
watching, I was like, “How could I do that?” But while I was there, I
was like a little girl having the time of her life. My panda was
sleeping at the time. He was like, “Hey — you’re destroying yourself!”
But the other spirit was like, “Shut up! Give me a shoe. I have to get
onstage.” I was totally nuts.

What would you say to women if you could address them right now?
This is a new age — 2009. I’ll use myself as an example. That’s how a
modern woman should be. Meryl Streep has won all the awards. They
invite her to be on festival juries. But you wouldn’t see her on
Playboy magazine. She would not be. They would not portray her. She
wouldn’t get jobs. But look at Pamela Anderson? She’s on the cover of
everything, but she’s not going to win any acting awards. These are
two extremes. But I’m both. See? I was a jury member at the Berlin
Festival. My movie got an Asian Oscar. And I’m on the cover of
Playboy. So there’s two sides. It’s not only an intelligent woman
who’s not sexy. Or a sexy woman with no brain. You can embrace both
sides. That’s what I’m encouraging others to find in themselves. ♦