新还珠格格 New My Fair Princess (New Huan Zhu Ge Ge)

演员介绍之二 Cast Descriptions – Part II

刘雪华 饰 太后

Leanne Lau (Liu XueHua) as the Empress Dowager

长久以来「琼瑶剧」就像是一个影剧圈的戏剧指标，一个品牌，一旦接演过琼瑶戏剧的演员，通常就会被人贴上了「琼瑶剧」的标签，我们也更不难从那些演员身上，嗅出那一股独树一格的「琼瑶味儿」，尤其刘雪华，更是「琼瑶品牌」里最佳的代表人物，听到她的名字、她的人，不由得会让人想到无数的琼瑶戏剧＜庭院深深＞、＜雪珂＞、＜烟锁重楼＞等等脍炙人口的佳作，这些会令观众难忘又印象深刻的画面和感动，都需归功于刘雪华超乎自然的演技功力，以及对琼瑶笔下人物的体认与投入。当琼瑶阿姨开始动笔编写新版「还珠格格系列」开始，太后一角便已设定了刘雪华，论资历、论气场，刘雪华诠释太后实在是再适合不过了，虽然太后远远超过她年龄，但以刘雪华多年在戏剧上的演技成绩，相信已经没有一个角色可以难倒她。刘雪华的演技大家有目共睹，更想介绍的是她直率纯真的性格，她的直率经常在她的访谈中显露无疑，尤其她的直言直语，还包含着更多的诚恳和真实，这样的她成就了我们心目中的影剧女神 ----「刘雪华」，更相信她在自己的人生历程中，都会为自己的每个阶段，注入崭新的活力和生命力，非常期待刘雪华在新版「还珠格格」中与每位演员擦出精采的火花。

For years now, Qiong Yao dramas have set the standard for excellence in small screen productions. Qiong Yao dramas have become a brand.

Once an actor takes on a role in a Qiong Yao production, people usually tag him with the label ‘Qiong Yao drama’. We can easily detect a unique, exclusive Qiong Yao mien on these actors, more so when it is Liu XueHua. She is the best representative of the Qiong Yao brand.

Just the mention of her name sends one reminiscing about countless Qiong Yao dramas that have won critical acclaim including Ting Yuan Shen Shen, Xue Ke, Yan Suo Chong Lou. These performances have left lasting impressions on people and stirred up strong emotions in viewers. The critical success is attributed to Liu XueHua's naturalistic acting as well as her deep understanding of Qiong Yao's characters and a dedication to them.

When Auntie Qiong Yao began penning the New Huan Zhu Ge Ge screenplay, it had been decided that Liu XueHua would play the dowager empress. In the matter of experience, in the matter of screen presence, Liu XueHua fit the role perfectly. Although there is a vast difference between the ages of the dowager empress and Liu XueHua herself, we are sure that no role can faze her, not with the acting experience she has accumulated over the years.

Liu XueHua's acting is universally acknowledged. Instead, I wish to talk about her personality. She is straightforward, simplistic and pure of heart. Her outspokenness often comes right through in interviews, her candor envelopes a deep sincerity and earnestness – it is this Liu XueHua which became the screen goddess in our hearts. Moreover, we believe that she will inject a fresh zest for life into every stage of her life. We are looking forward to the fireworks between Liu XueHua and each cast member in the New Huan Zhu Ge Ge.

邓萃雯 饰 皇后

Sheren Tang SuiMan as the Empress

早期香港的影剧业几乎是所有华人地区的戏剧摇篮，在那个戏剧蓬勃发展的年代，孕育了不少演技精湛非常优异的演员，除了上述的刘雪华，我们非常幸运的邀请了邓萃雯加入「还珠格格系列」饰演皇后一角，如果说新版「还珠格格」的年轻演员是我们的一时之选，那么今日所介绍的每一位资深演员，那更是我们的上上之选。尤其邓萃雯的演艺经历和过往的人生洗炼，相信可以将这位太后眼中「端庄惠下母仪之风」的皇后，演绎得淋漓尽致。「还珠格格」中的皇后，在后宫权倾一身却又毫无安全感，她善妒多疑、好胜倔强，她生于权力斗争的宫闱只知道宫闱的求生法则，因此，她疾言厉色、高傲寂寞，深怕任何的挑衅和侵犯是对她权力最大的威胁，这样高处不胜寒又多重心理状态的皇后，若没有纯熟的演技实难挑动观众的心弦。毫无疑问的，当邓萃雯来到剧组定装之时，她的气势、眼神、动作和呼吸等等各种面貌，几乎已经走进皇后的躯壳，入了戏，尤其看到现在附上的定装照，依稀感觉到皇后那份心里的复杂，在冷眼中吐露着猜疑，在冷峻的脸上又难掩一丝的企盼。欣喜邓萃雯的加入，为新版「还珠格格」展现不同的风貌，也让我们大众能够体会，一朝为后的悲欢与哀荣。

The early years of Hong Kong's television industry could be likened to the cradle of drama civilisation in all Chinese-speaking regions. Quite a few exceptionally skilful actors were bred in that era where dramas blossomed. Aside from the aforementioned Liu XueHua, we are fortunate to have Sheren Tang join the Huan Zhu Ge Ge franchise.

If the younger actors in the New Huan Zhu Ge Ge cast are the best candidates for their roles then every critically acclaimed thespian we introduce today is considered the crème de la crème of the filmmaking industry. With Sheren Tang's extensive acting experience as well as her past life experiences, we are certain that she can portray the empress who is a dignified, benevolent and motherly queen in the dowager empress' eyes yet a rather antagonistic, forlorn, and insecure woman in reality.

The empress in Huan Zhu Ge Ge gave her all to the harem but she has no sense of security, she is prone to suspicion, a sore loser and has an unyielding strength. She was born amidst the power struggles of the palace and only knew the survival rules of the palace, hence, she is rather sharp-tongued and belligerent; she is aloof and reclusive. She is deeply afraid that any challenge or encroachment on her territory will turn out to be a threat to her power and status.

It would be an onerous task to pull the viewers' heartstrings if the actress portraying such a psychologically frustrated ‘snow queen’did not possess supreme mastery of the art of acting. When Sheren Tang came to the set for fittings, it was evident in her poise, her eyes, her actions, her breathing and her mannerisms that she had become one with the empress. There was no doubt that she had walked into the empress' shell. When filming started, the inner turmoil in the empress' heart could be seen, more so in the photograph attached above. Her supercilious eyes make her suspicions and doubt known to others; her haughty face barely hides the strand of hope.

We're grateful and delighted to have Sheren Tang participate and show new aspects to her empress for the new adaptation of Huan Zhu Ge Ge as well as lead us to empathise with an empress’sorrows, delights, anguish and pride.

庄庆宁 饰 愉妃

Zhuang QingNing as Consort Yu

当琼瑶阿姨决定改编新版「还珠格格」剧本之时，就决定将过去剧本上不完善或错误的地方，要在这一版当中做些更正和修改，于是「愉妃」──永琪的生母，也就这么「复活」了，而且也将在我们的剧集当中隆重的出场。庄庆宁那份优雅高贵又不失温暖的气质，是琼瑶阿姨一眼就看中，饰演愉妃娘娘的最佳人选。而当看到定装照上的庄庆宁，更让人惊喜的发现这「愉妃」和饰演五阿哥「永琪」的张睿还真像是一对母子，张睿和邱心志「父子」相似也就罢，想不到缘分是这么奇妙，连「母子」也找得巧！庄庆宁自早期从影以来，因一股独特的古典气质，走进了观众的视线里，也因为她某种清雅忧郁的美丽气息吸引着大众的目光，曾经在其它清装剧中也多次扮演过妃子的角色，但最令人意外的是，看似高雅娴静又善良的庄庆宁，居然也扮过特务和女警官等与自身形象非常冲突的角色，试想，这大概就是所谓的「演员」，能突破外在的表象，充分发挥演技，这对演员而言，才是一种「升华」吧！「愉妃」新角色的加入，是否会为永琪和小燕子之间的爱情，带来更多的波折？又是否会善待懵懂无知的小燕子呢？且待将来庄庆宁为我们揭开这神秘的风云。

When Auntie Qiong Yao decided to rewrite the screenplay for the new adaptation of Huan Zhu Ge Ge, she decided to make some corrections and right the mistakes. And so, that was how Consort Yu, Yong Qi's biological mother got ‘resurrected’. Not only is she alive in this remake, but she will make a grand appearance in the new series. Zhuang QingNing's elegant disposition and warm temperament caught Auntie Qiong Yao's eye immediately, hence, making her the best candidate to play Consort Yu. What left us astounded was the fact that this ‘Consort Yu’ and ‘Yong Qi’ really looked like mother and son; it was enough that Zhang Rui and Qiu XinZhi looked alike, finding the mother to the son was pure coincidence! Destiny is truly a riddle!

Zhuang QingNing had walked into the viewers' lines of sight since the early days of her filming career because she carries a sense of antiquity about her. Her (TN)resigned appearance and sorrowful grace has attracted the public's attention, enabling the actress to play many concubines in Qing dynasty period dramas. What is truly astonishing is that Zhuang QingNing who looks so refined and kind has also taken on roles that contrasted with her image greatly such as a secret service agent and a policewoman. This is probably what it means to be a thespian, to go against the grain of one's physical appearance, to utilise one's acting skills completely, this is a kind of elevation for all thespians.

Will the inclusion of this new character, Consort Yu, add more setbacks to the romance between Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi? Will she treat the bumbling, ignorant Xiao Yan Zi kindly? Let's wait and see as Zhuang QingNing unveils this mysterious wonder.

Translator’s note: As the emperors of the Qing dynasty often had harems which consisted of thousands of concubines, consorts and imperial consorts. Most women never saw the emperor and had become resigned to a life of loneliness. Concubines who were not in the emperor’s confidence anymore also accepted the idea that the emperor might never love them again.

刘晓晔 饰 令妃

Liu XiaoYe as Consort Ling

「令妃」是在旧版「还珠格格」中唯一用真情对待小燕子和紫薇的人物，因有别于宫闱中工于心计的妃子，所以令大众留下深刻的印象。新版「还珠格格」令妃再次出场，依然是那般的恬静高贵，由刘晓晔饰演。刘晓晔毕业于中央戏剧学院，因近期反响不错的作品而获得大众注目的焦点，从一个爱憎分明、行径麻辣的时髦女子，到回归清朝，扮演娴静温柔的妃子，这样两极的形象，可以让我们看到刘晓晔不同的表演风华。岁月对人们来说，也许会加深经历的重量，但却无法掩盖，身为演员纯熟演技的焠炼精华，更让人们无法忽视演员散发出来的精采。刘晓晔享受着演技，享受着因专业所展现出的自信魅力，她从容演绎各种脸谱，用率直真意展示出世间故事的欢喜与哀愁。我们等待着刘晓晔的出场，盼着刘晓晔化身的「令妃」，让我们感受不同的雍容与韶味。

Consort Ling was the only character who treated Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei lovingly in the original Huan Zhu Ge Ge, because she was different from the royal wives who harboured malice and often schemed against others, thus, she left a deep impression on everyone. Consort Ling returns in the new version of Huan Zhu Ge Ge. Portrayed by Liu XiaoYe, she is as classy and gracious as she ever was.

Liu XiaoYe graduated from The Central Academy of Drama. She has received the recognition of the public for her recent works. Going from a modernistic, peppery, hot-blooded woman who separates love and hatred to a cultured, serene and gentle concubine in the Qing dynasty shows us what Liu XiaoYe is capable of as an actress and the different sides of her performances.

To mankind, time may add to the depth and breadth of experience, but it cannot conceal the talent inside. The audience cannot ignore the light radiating from an actor. Liu XiaoYe enjoys acting and the confidence that comes with being a professional actress. She plays a variety of characters and uses her sincerity to re-enact the world's stories of joy and grief. We wait for her appearance and we expect Liu XiaoYe's Consort Ling to enable us to feel the different facets of grace and beauty.

方青卓 饰 容嬷嬷

Fang QingZhuo as Rong MoMo

方青卓对于大众来说并不陌生，但对于她将在新版「还珠格格」中，饰演容嬷嬷一角，不禁有种「惊讶」和「颠覆」的感觉，因为方青卓在大众的心目中是一位和蔼可亲，笑容满面，又喜爱厨房，热爱做饭的好母亲形象，实在无法和那位「心狠手辣」的容嬷嬷联系在同一个水平上，但事实上，演员和真实的自己，经常是如此的反差，反差越大，挑战性更高，任何演员最大的乐趣和成就感，就是接受「挑战」！喜欢传播快乐的琼瑶阿姨，找上天性快乐又浪漫的方青卓，这是多么有趣的缘分，虽然角色可能与「快乐」无关，但却与「忠仆」有关，在皇后的视角里，容嬷嬷是她的心腹，是她的亲人，皇后看似位高权重，但却又经常垄罩着不安的威胁，主仆二人筑起了皇宫中最深沉阴暗的氛围，而方青卓饰演的容嬷嬷，将是这道恐怖气氛的制造者。琼瑶阿姨特别挑选了容嬷嬷这张定装照，让大家先睹为快，也可让大家感受着方青卓不同以往，挥洒自如的精湛演出。

Fang QingZhuo is no stranger to the public. People were shocked when they heard that she took on the role of (TN)Rong MoMo in this new adaptation of Huan Zhu Ge Ge as they could not reconcile their idea of the kind, smiling and motherly Fang QingZhuo who loves to cook with the acrimonious, malicious Rong MoMo. In fact, the greater the difference between a role an actor takes and the actor himself, the greater the challenge. Every actor's greatest joy and sense of achievement lies in rising to the challenge!

What a fortuitous situation this is, that one who loves to spread joy and happiness such as Auntie Qiong Yao finds the naturally blithe and romantic Fang QingZhuo.

The character may not be associated with joy but it is associated with loyalty. In the empress' eyes, Rong MoMo is her heart, her kinswoman. The empress looks as if she holds great power and has a high status, but she often hides her insecurities. The mistress and the servant built an environment shrouded in clouds of fear and darkness in the palace. Fang QingZhuo's Rong MoMo is the creator of this terrifying environment.

Auntie Qiong Yao specially chose this still for everyone's first look at Rong MoMo as well as to allow everyone to feel the diversion from her past roles as Fang QingZhuo plays the character with great ease.

Translator's note: 嬷嬷 ‘MoMo’ is pronounced ‘mwo-mwo’ or ‘more-more without the ‘r’

阚清子 饰 欣荣格格

Kan QingZi as Princess Xin Rong

「欣荣格格」是新版还珠格格剧中另一位举足轻重的全新人物，因出身高贵的满人家族，因此地位备受尊荣，她的出现，也使得皇宫引起一阵震撼和涟漪。「欣荣格格」这一角色的表演层次难度极高，她必须跨越种种内心的挣扎去迎合命运的安排，更须在失意中不断维持着自己的骄傲，这样表演弧度之大的角色，由目前仍在北京电影学院就读的阚清子饰演，阚清子因一个相当罕见的姓氏，反而更容易引起众人的好奇和注意，尤其秀丽的面容又和她「清子」的名字相得益彰。阚清子初次参加新版「还珠格格」试镜，因其眉宇之间有着一股清冷桀傲的气质，于是由琼瑶阿姨选定为「欣荣格格」一角。巧合的是，阚清子与饰演柳青的王今铎是同班同学，放眼望去，新还珠格格剧组演员似乎聚集了同学、学长学弟、学姊学妹等同窗同校之谊的关系，如果哪天在剧组办起「同学会」应该也不足为奇。期许阚清子诠释的「欣荣格格」能在大众的心目中留下深刻的精采。

(贴心小注：「阚」音同看见的看)

Birthdate/生日: 04/15

Astrological Sign/星座: Aries 牡羊座

Education/学历: Beijing Film Academy 北京电影学院

Princess Xin Rong is a new character of great significance in the New Huan Zhu Ge Ge. She was born into nobility and is from one of the great Manchurian clans. She commands respect because of her status. Her appearance will lead to a string of events and ripples of excitement and shock in the palace.

The difficulty of portraying this character is very high as Princess Xin Rong must not only overcome the struggles in her heart to accept what fate has arranged for her, but she also needs to maintain her dignity and pride in times of loss. The portrayal of such a lonely and proud character is being handled by Beijing Film Academy student Kan QingZi.

Firstly, Kan QingZi often attracts attention because of her unique last name, ‘Kan’. On top of her uncommon last name, her pure, sweet face is almost synonymous with her name (TN)‘QingZi’. Auntie Qiong Yao chose Kan QingZi for the role of Princess Xin Rong during her first audition because there lay between her brows a sense of aloofness and pride.

Coincidentally, Kan QingZi is classmates with the actor who plays Liu Qing, Wang JinDuo. Come to think of it, it seems the cast of the New Huan Zhu Ge Ge is comprised of classmates, schoolmates, senior students and junior students from the same academies. It would not be surprising at all if they held a class reunion of sorts on the set. Let's hope that Kan QingZi's portrayal of Princess Xin Rong leaves a sense of excitement and long-lasting memories of her character in the viewers' hearts and minds.

Writer's note: The pronunciation of 阚 (kàn) has the exact same pronunciation as 看.

Translator's note: ‘清’(qīng) , the first character in her first name, 清子 (qīng zí) means clear, clean and pure. Therefore, her name matches her looks.

张丹峰 饰 麦尔丹

Zhang DanFeng as Mardan

「你是风儿我是沙，缠缠绵绵绕天涯」……含香与麦尔丹凄美的爱情故事，一直是人们在心中、脑海停格的经典画面。新版「还珠格格」中，谁能誓死守护风沙的依恋？又有谁能追着含香跨过天山无崖只为最终的厮守？「那个谁」便是张丹峰。也许大众会觉得意外，为何甄选麦尔丹一角时，我们没有找一位回族面孔的粗矿美男，但我们更想真诚的告诉大家，张丹峰也是琼瑶阿姨遇见的惊喜之一。不知道张丹峰和他的老同学高梓淇是不是串通好的，都在定装之后让我们特别感到「惊艳」(谁说 “惊艳”两字只能用于女性？哈！我偏要用！)，原本担心没有异族味道的脸孔，但都在定装以及近两个月的拍摄中，我们看到张丹峰越发成熟的演技与那很「男性」的深情，和「丝丝心动」中魔鬼教头般的冷酷导演，是完全两极的魅力呈现，也许大众近期仍然回味咀嚼着张丹峰化身的「林安迪导演」，但我们知道，不管偶像剧或时代剧，宜古宜今的张丹峰，演技正在飞跃，未来将会有更多元的角色等待他的光和热，新版「还珠格格」中的麦尔丹，必定会带给大家更大的感动！

Birthdate/生日: 4/1

Astrological Sign/星座: Aries 牡羊座

Education/学历: Shanghai Theatre Academy 上海戏剧学院

You are the wind and I am the sand; we are entangled in the skies and throughout the lands...

Han Xiang and Mardan's beautifully heart-rending love story has always lived on in people's hearts as a timeless sight resting in one's mind. Who is able to keep the vow of a love like that of the wind and the sand? Who is able to chase Han Xiang over the mountains and through the valleys to protect their love? The answer to those questions is Zhang DanFeng.

We had envisioned a tanned, hulking Ughyurian as our Mardan but Zhang DanFeng who looks every inch a gentleman is another one of Auntie Qiong Yao's precious finds from her [treasure hunt]. [I have] no idea whether Zhang DanFeng actually cooked up a