Pax picks pix back in China
Thesp returns home for 'Emperor,' 'Fish'
In "The Secrets of the Emperor Qin Shihuang," Pax plays the titular hero, China's first emperor, whose fierce rule unified the Chinese nation more than 2,000 years ago. The TV movie is a co-production between the U.K.'s Channel 4 and U.S.-based Discovery Channel, with local production support from Phoenix TV.
Qin Shihuang, also known as Ying Zheng, is a staple of local film and TV and recently was played by veteran actor Chen Daoming in Zhang Yimou's "Hero."
Brit director Nick Young's production -- which wrapped in late July -- differs in that it is for international audiences and shot entirely in English, with multilingual Pax and local actress Wang Ji as his mother.
For Pax, the film symbolizes the start of better things for Sino-foreign co-productions in China. "I really see this as the first wave of foreign films coming to China. Many of the great stories are here, and China is becoming politically so big that it is hard to ignore."
"Secrets of the Emperor" will screen in the U.S. and U.K. next spring.
After a career that has spanned kung fu roles in a dozen or so U.S. movies and TV series (including John Carpenter's "Big Trouble in Little China"), and modeling in Milan, Pax first came back to his homeland in 2000.
As well as starring in local TV series (most recently "The Shanghai Solution" for China Central Television), he has established a production company, Art Spot Prods.
Pax debuts as helmer later this year, directing "A Bowl of Fish," based on his novel of the same name.
A satirical look at China's movie industry, the film will shoot in Shanghai.
A second film, intriguingly entitled "Last Tango in Shanghai" -- a contemporary love story set in Shanghai, Paris and Barcelona -- is in the cards for early next year.
Pax's homeward move is not unusual these days, with Asian roles in Hollywood still limited and China's homegrown industry picking up steam.
Helmer Ann Hu ("Beauty Remains") and actress Vivian Wu ("The Pillow Book") -- who have lived Stateside for many years -- both recently relocated to China to pursue local projects.
"Everyone's heading back to China," Pax laughs. "I am guessing we'll be here at least for another five to 10 years."
