HK actor cut from Chinese film after support for democracy movement

[ScarTissue]

HK actor cut from Chinese film after support for democracy movement

2015/01/31 19:43:19

Chapman To (right)

Taipei, Jan. 31 (CNA) Scenes featuring Hong Kong actor Chapman To (杜汶澤) in a new mainland Chinese film were left on the cutting room floor before the movie hit cinemas, replacing the actor who gave vocal support to pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong with a Chinese actor.

"Various reasons" were cited for the last-minute replacement in the movie "Impossible" (不可思異) in a statement posted on the film's official blog Friday.

Filming for the movie began in September 2013 which starred Chinese actor Shen He (小瀋陽) and others.

After production wrapped last year, the movie was scheduled to hit cinemas around China in early 2015, but the release was later pushed back to mid-year.

In high-profile exchanges on the Internet, To had engaged in a war of words with Chinese Web users over his support for the Occupy Central movement last year in Hong Kong to demanded universal suffrage for the semi-autonomous region.

Prior to the news that To's scenes would be refilmed with another actor, some Chinese moviegoers had said they would boycott any film with the Hong Kong actor in it because of his politics.

In response to criticism by Chinese netizens, To said in a Jan. 23 post on his Facebook page that if Hong Kong movies were going on the decline, "I hope I have a part in the last one made."

(By Charles Kang and Elaine Hou)