A couple of days ago I went to a studio in Hebei in order to try one more time the costume I’ll be wearing for the film “人鱼帝国” which we’ll start shooting any moment now…

Well, as I’m not going to play a human, they had to put a lot of make up on me (from head to toes) and I have to say that it took them quite a long time to make me look so (I mean “not human”)… Let me describe it to you: I’m wearing my underwear (nothing more) in a freezing-cold room with 4 people sticking stuff on my body and painting it… I’m also surrounded by beautiful half-naked girls who’ll play the mermaids (which helps bearing the cold actually) and I’m trying very hard not to think of how long I’ll be in the room (because it’s gonna take a F!@:?#ing long time!!! Excuse my French). Indeed, the first make-up session took roughly 8 hours last week and the second one (which was supposed to be shorter) took 9 hours!!! Can you imagine?

Anyway, the thing is that I’m supposed to act and fight (I have quite a few fight scenes apparently) after all this preparation time and I have to confess that I’m not sure if I’ll be able to take it every day for a whole one month period…

Having to put all that make-up on is definitely not the worst part though… Nah! It’s to take it off!!! That really hurts… Let me describe it again: I’m still standing in that freezing-cold room surrounded by the 4 make-up people (only the half-naked girls are gone already) and they are trying to rip me off my skin (literally!!! That’s what it feels like!). They take off the “fake monster parts” of my body and the only thing remaining on it is blood, paint and glue… AND NO HAIR!!! It takes weeks to get rid of it all… Well... I hope I’ll get used to it!

Despite the pain and the fatigue, there are yet quite a few nice things that I’ll remember from that day (the half-naked mermaids are definitely one of them!!!)… I get to work with 熊欣欣 again for he’s going to be our choreographer and our first session was quite interesting… I also met with the two American main actors who are really nice guys… Sounds like we are going to have fun!

I can’t show you pictures yet, but here are a few images (artwork from the game “God of War”) that look a bit like what they are trying to make me look like… Enjoy…