Zhang Ziyi in her latest film Sophie’s Revenge. [Global Times]

"I lost too much"

When you look back on your past, do you have to suppress your anger about certain things?

Zhang: I am thirty years old. Over the past ten years, I have had many good and bad experiences. I have become more mature and try to avoid confrontation. I try to deal with everything around me seriously and sincerely.

A journalist once said to me "After talking with you, I get the feeling you are not so difficult to get along with. Why do the media say you are hard to communicate with? " I replied, "I can't explain it. Because so few people talk face to face with me, like you, in other people's eyes, I seem far from their daily lives. They see me at film festivals and the Oscars, wearing beautiful dresses and expensive jewelry and so on. In fact my life is not like that. But they have no direct contact with me. The images they have of me come from TV and the media. There is nothing I can do about it."

Doesn't your media image to some extent reflect your personality?

Zhang: From the very beginning to the present day I have not changed. I am a consistent person. But the reports of the Hong Kong media had a bad effect on me. They "demonized" me in gossip magazines. It was unfair. But I think that after ten years the media and the audience should know what kind of person I am. Whatever, now I don't care that much what they report about me anymore.

Do you think the bad image is the result of some people's belief that your career has been too smooth, too good to be true? Normally it takes years to achieve what you have.

Zhang: Maybe nobody can truly feel and understand the pain and tears I have suffered in my career, although I don't like to mention them, because I truly believe that all successful people experience suffering and setbacks. It is impossible to make everybody understand you. I must say that now I feel more comfortable and I think the hardest days are over, and people seem to be more considerate towards me.

"I want more, like a family and marriage"

Has Zhang Ziyi got everything she wants?

Zhang: No, absolutely not. As a woman what I really want is marriage and a family. Maybe now I am focused on my work and career, but I think getting married is something I will do sooner or later. In my opinion, my sister-in-law is very successful, even though she doesn't have a so-called career, because she has a very happy family, two cute children, and the love of her whole family.

Art, charity and contributions to Chinese cinema

You have given lots of interviews in the past. Is there any question you want to answer but have never been asked?

Zhang: We have lived through a time in which China has experienced fast and unbelievable development. That is good, but more or less I became a victim of the times. For example, I am always asked questions along the lines of "If so and so happened, what would you do?" What I want to say is that there were no ifs and I do not make any assumptions. In my opinion, people should face the facts and act earnestly and sincerely. Maybe one day charity will become the major part of my career and I will give back to society what the public has given to me.

What do you want to stick in people's minds when your career on the big screen is over?

Zhang: Firstly I hope everybody will recognize my artistic achievements. Secondly I hope I could have made a greater than average contribution to Chinese cinema. At lastly, as a public figure, I hope people will recognize the efforts I have made in charitable work.

Would you deliberately change yourself to create this kind of image?

Zhang: No, I never do such things. Just as I said just now, whether I'm facing the media or the audience, I am who I am. I will not deliberately change anything. I don't like to release statements everyday, especially when rumors or defamations appear about me. It is too boring.