Kevin Lee is a British actor based in China, best known for playing antagonists in films directed by Jackie Chan, Zhang Yimou, and Wu Jing. If you’ve seen a Chinese action blockbuster in the past decade, his face will likely be familiar.

It’s been ten years since his breakout role in Wolf Warrior (2015) by Wu Jing, and his latest film Dongji Island – based on the same true story behind The Sinking of Lisbon Maru, is set to hit Chinese cinemas on August 8.

After spending 14 years living in Beijing, and more recently, one year in Foshan, Guangdong, surprisingly, Kevin’s on-screen identity has shifted a bit too: Lieutenant Colonel H.W.M. (Monkey) Stewart, his role in Dongji Island, marks his first hero-like character.

A few days ago during the Shanghai International Film Festival, I sat down with him to talk about his experience with this film and his journey as an actor in China. He joined me from his daughter’s place in Beijing, coming directly from a casting.

What was meant to be a thirty-minute interview turned into more than a full hour. From his early love of martial arts and action films to leaving a finance career to pursue acting in China, Kevin spoke with constant passion, ambition, and a clear commitment to challenging himself. “Challenge” and “grateful” are two words that I heard most during our conversation. From his deep empathy for his latest role to his courageous life choices, I came away with a deeper understanding of this multifaceted actor.

I truly appreciated the trust Kevin offered during this conversation, and the connection built from the trust made the interview open and sincere. Here is my conversation with this humble, driven English actor.

Image provided by Kevin Lee (c)

 

Zoe: How did you first get involved in this film?

Kevin: Well, I was shooting my first vertical drama in the north of China, and it was a very long day. An agent I know messaged me: “Hi Kevin, there’s a casting the director would like you to do.”

To be honest, I was so tired from the shoot, I really didn’t want to do it. But I’ve learned: never refuse a casting. You just don’t know what the movie is, how successful it could be, or what it might do for your career. So I pushed myself — and I’m so glad I did.

Obviously, unbeknown to me, it’s probably the biggest movie of this year. And it has the biggest movie stars Ni Ni, Zhu Yilong, and Wu Lei. I did the casting, then flew into Beijing to meet the team, and we signed a three-month contract. Yesterday was actually the first time I got to see my scenes.

Zoe: So you didn’t know much about the story before casting.

Kevin: No. Like many people, I had no idea about the true event. But at that time, the documentary The Sinking of Lisbon Maru was on the cinemas of China. I watched this touching and poignant documentary when I was already on location in my hotel, and I was deeply moved by it. So for me, as an actor, to be part of such a  powerful story and to bring it to life, I’m very grateful for that.

Zoe: Yeah, the documentary film is still in some of the UK cinemas at the moment.

Kevin: That’s good. I believe anyone who watches the documentary will certainly have a deeper understanding of the prisoners of war.  And obviously, it was a set and we were actors, but you really had to have a sense of how that must have felt. It was a very  eerie and creepy feeling. I could only imagine how it must have felt being a soldier. Fortunately, I’m an actor and I don’t have to really experience those events. Sometimes, some of my roles could be a soldier on the ground fighting, and normally when you’re on the ground and you’re in environment that you’re comfortable with, you don’t really appreciate how lucky you are. There were certain moments during shooting, where I felt very lucky to live the life that I do, and of course, to reiterate, just to be an actor.

Zoe: So how’s the shooting process of Dongji Island?

Kevin: It was really special. Apart from the island scenes, all the sets we shot on felt incredibly authentic. As an actor, it makes a huge difference when you shoot on real locations versus studios. With studio shoots, there’s often a lot of blue screen or green screen, and you need to rely on your imagination, to see the director’s vision or, to have to use your own vision. But what really helped was the ship itself was so authentic, so real, and actually felt like you were on a ship and often you would forget about your surroundings.

Zoe: What is your character like? Are you one of the Prisoners of War?

Kevin: Yes, I play Lieutenant Colonel H.W.M. (Monkey) Stewart. He’s a hero – which was a nice change for me, since I usually play the bad guy in Chinese films, the stereotypical foreign villain. This was my first time playing a heroic character, and I hope the Chinese audience sees me differently in this role. My last scene is the last scene of the film, so I’m hoping that more people can remember me, for the last scene in the movie as well, which is really good. I heard some family members of the British POWs watched a preview of this film and appreciated it. So as a British actor portraying one of the characters in the film, who was a nonfictional character, I always tried to make sure I did that character justice, to make sure that any of his family who are still alive would be proud of my performance.

Zoe: So you did quite a lot of research before playing this character.

Kevin: I did, and a lot of training too – mainly to prepare for the unexpected. I would like to share more, but unfortunately, I can’t share too much with you. But there were certain things that we had prepared and it completely changed on set.

And that’s always a challenge for an actor, especially the swimming scenes. We spent days in the same studio, and as the season shifted to winter, the water started getting colder and colder, which also helps the character. Because you can imagine how cold those soldiers were, especially they just escaped the hull, they were malnourished and have lost a lot of weight, and in all of a sudden they’re fighting for their lives in strong currents and strong waves and cold water. So it helped me especially as one of the main actors to embrace that environment.

Zoe: Sounds intense. The film has a lot of water-based scenes.

Kevin: Yes, it was intense but I’m always looking for a challenge. If you always play the same role, it’s not really a challenge. I’ve always wanted a part that challenged me both physically and mentally – and this role did just that.

It was exhausting. Sometimes they’d turn on the wave machine, and you’d have to swim against the current for multiple takes. The AD had to coordinate all the extras and the main actors. I had some scenes with Zhu Yilong, and you never want to be the ones to make a mistake, because you have to reset and it takes 20 minutes for the wave machine to reset. There was a lot of pressure to make sure you are constantly focused. Also it was very difficult to hear the directions from the director and the AD because it was such a big studio. So often I’d have to swim closer to the AD to hear the directions and then swim back in my position, which could have been like, 60 feet. That was tough, but it made our performances feel real.

Zoe: How’s the collaboration and dynamic with these two directors, Guan Hu and Fei Zhenxiang?

Kevin: I had a great time with Guan Hu. Actually, there were three directors on the film and I spent a lot of time with another one – Rico Zhang, an Australian born Chinese director. I remember filming one challenging scene, which was unfortunately cut from the film, and Guan Hu, the producer, Liang Jing, and Fei Zhenxiang, they came out clapping me. It was just a reminder to myself that my hard work is being recognised and my hard work is paying off in this movie.

Guan is a tall guy. You know, there is always a good conversation when you share a similar height. He is very friendly, very professional, and it was a great opportunity to work with another Chinese director.

Zoe: What is like being a British actor working in Chinese-language film environment? I know that’s not new to you, because you’ve played so many characters in Chinese feature films, but still how do you feel?

Kevin: Grateful. There’s a pretty well-known story about how I getting into acting in China. I actually studied acting in London for three years, but I never pursued my acting career because I had no one to guide me. I lived in China in 2004 in North of China and studied martial arts and I used to go back to China every year to see my teacher, but it wasn’t until 2010 when I actually moved to China to pursue my career in finance even though finance was never my thing.

One day I was renewing my visa, and Wu Jing was coming up the escalator. I was a fan of him but at the time he wasn’t famous. I’d just watched one of his movies the night before, so I recognised him. I said in Chinese, “Nihao, are you Wu Jing?” He was surprised a foreigner recognised him. We talked for a bit, and he asked me three questions I’ll never forget: “Can you act? Can you fight? Do you have any experience with shooting a gun?” And I kinda had a feeling that he was gonna ask me to be part of a movie, so I had a choice to make: Should I lie to him, or should I be honest? Then I decided to be honest. He told me he was preparing a film called Wolf Warrior, added me on WeChat, and invited me to audition. It was my first casting, and I was terrible! But he said this to me, “okay, sit down, Kevin, I really like you. I want to give you an opportunity”, and he would always repeat to me. Three months later, I got the role of Crazy Bull in Wolf Warrior. I quit my job the next day, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.

As for your question, since then, I’ve gone from strength to strength. In the early years, it wasn’t about money – it was about experience. Over time, my confidence grew. Now I get called in for big roles because people believe in me and my reputation. I wouldn’t say there’s language barrier issues, but there’s definitely a difference in the culture. The communication on Chinese sets can be confusing sometimes.

Generally speaking, my experience in China has been incredible, to be honest. I don’t think I’m really in a position ever to complain because I’m doing something that so many people around the world would love to do. When I listened to my friends in LA struggling and having seldom casting, I’m very grateful for the opportunities I had, you know, but I would also say I had to work hard to to get to where I am today. I’m from a small town near Cambridge called Huntingdon – I never imagined this life was possible. It’s kind of like a cliché that if you believe in yourself and you tell yourself it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen.

Image provided by Kevin Lee (c)


Zoe: You’ve played a lot of villains in Chinese cinema. This time you played a hero—has it changed how you think about your career?

Kevin: It was beautiful to play the protagonist. Of course I would love to have more roles like that. But I don’t think it’s really changed my mindset.  I’m grateful for any opportunity. If I get cast as another bad guy, I’ll take it. Again, like I said, you never know what that role can do for you. Like Wolf Warrior and The Battle at Lake Changjin, they’ve boosted my value tremendously. So would I like to play more good guys, of course I would. But I think villains are more kick-ass than the good guys to be honest.

Certainly, I would like to have the main role, but I also know realistically, it’s a big challenge. As an actor, I set my bars high. I’m not intent just being an actor in China for the rest of my life. I take acting very seriously, so I want to push myself to Hollywood, and to England.

Zoe: So you’re aiming to develop your career internationally?

Kevin: Absolutely. China has been instrumental in my growth, and I’ll always be thankful. But, we only have one life, so I have to push my limits. I’m always finding ways to improve my acting ability, and for a lot of actors here, it is just a job. Very few actors here take it very seriously. But I want to keep growing and be surrounded by more professionals in this industry.

Zoe: Last question, when the film comes out, when I go to cinema to watch it, what do you hope me to take away from this film?

Kevin: Obviously I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I can’t really answer that question. But when I was watching the documentary, I cried a lot  knowing how those prisoners were treated. It was very painful to know that people could do that to people. And it wasn’t because I’m British – it was about people, human beings. It made me respect the history a lot more, it even made me understand why Chinese feel that way against Japanese. And we actually had Japanese actors on set as well, and to be honest, I felt very bad for them, haha. But yeah, this movie really helped me to appreciate life more, and be grateful for what you have and what you don’t have in your life. That’s one thing I take away from this movie.

The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru is now available for film societies and communities booking ahead of VJ 80 memorial activities.

Disclaimer: This interview is not in a position to promote Dongji Island, the action/fiction, but as an attempt to give an exposure to a British actor who works abroad on proejcts that are related to the themes we observe.