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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Vivian Hsu only recognized her ‘ex-husband’ after filming ended, 15 years after Seediq Bale

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Vivian Hsu said the Indigenous comedy “How Could My Ancestor Be Your Family’s Ghost?” combines family, romance, friendship and Indigenous culture.
  • She and director-star Suda had played a fictional married couple in “Seediq Bale” 15 years earlier but did not meet on set, and she recognized him only after the new film wrapped.
  • Suda said he had prayed for the film’s box-office success for six years, while Hsu praised his commitment to his faith, exercise and the project.

Vivian Hsu did not recognize her former on-screen husband until after filming ended. She and Suda had a “marital connection” 15 years ago in Seediq Bale, where he played Hanoka Jiro, the husband of her character. The two never met during that production, and Hsu said she only recognized him after the new film wrapped because he had become slimmer.

The entire movie feels like a reflection of the director himself, sincere and humorous.

— Vivian HsuHsu described the tone and personal character of the Indigenous comedy.

The reunion became a joke at the Taipei premiere of How Could My Ancestor Be Your Family’s Ghost?, an Indigenous comedy directed by and starring Suda. Hsu described the film as unlike anything she had previously done, blending family, romance, friendship and Indigenous culture. She said the entire movie felt like a reflection of Suda himself, sincere and humorous.

Suda said he was extremely nervous as the film approached release. He also revealed that he had prayed to ancestral spirits for the film to become a box-office success for six years, silently making the request each day as he passed a cemetery on his way home.

Please let the film become a big hit.

— SudaHe said he had silently prayed to ancestral spirits for the film’s box-office success over six years.

Hsu said what moved her most was Suda’s persistence in his faith and his work. She praised his discipline after he ran for 242 consecutive days, including in the rain, sometimes covering 10 kilometers a day. Even after attending five post-screening events in Taichung and Kaohsiung, she said, he would still get up at 6 a.m. to run. Suda, who confirmed he is single, joked that he hoped becoming fitter would improve his romantic prospects. The film opens in Taiwan on Sept. 10.

I really admire him.

— Vivian HsuHsu praised Suda’s commitment to exercise and his faith in the project.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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