HKCinemagic : You also participated in Star Runner but I'm not sure to have found you in the movie. Were you cut from the final release? |
Brandon Rhea : No, no, I'm there. It's actually quite a nice scene. |
Mike Leeder : He's the one molesting the Korean actress in the bar, with very blond hair. |
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HKCinemagic :
I see! I thought you were one of those kickboxer at the end who appear only a few seconds.
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Mike Leeder : That's quite funny because indeed there are a lot of people in the tournament who are credited but never made it in the final cut. |
Brandon trying to seduce Kim Hyun Joo. Vanness Wu won't like it.
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HKCinemagic :
Like Billy Chow or Ricardo Mamood.
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Brandon Rhea :
That was a funny scene and Vanness Wu was a great guy. He was so down to earth and funny. We were shooting in a remote island but of course, there was girls for Vanness (Brandon imitates girls fans). And they didn't like me because I was the one hitting Vanness (laughs). |
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HKCinemagic : It was Chin Kar Lok in charge of the scene, right? |
Brandon Rhea : Yes, but in this scene, we kind of improvised. It was basically “you're trying to get along with this girl, and Vanness is coming and knocking you down, then your buddy comes. ” But the best scene, they cut it. Because I'm on Vanness and pounding him, and then 2 cops come in and tear me away. And I didn't realise and started fighting with them (laughs). Too bad they cut that one, it was a big laugh. |
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HKCinemagic :
In Infernal Affairs 2, you were alongside Ricardo Mamood?
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Brandon Rhea : Right. A small part. But it was fun, again because I was working with many great names. |
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HKCinemagic : Did you shoot more scenes which didn't make it in the final cut? |
Brandon Rhea :
There was another one when they arrested me, in the police station. Later on, when the main bad guy takes all the tapes, prior that there's a scene where they investigate me and Ricardo. But this scene doesn't do anything for the story, when you look at the plot at the end, you don't really need it. |
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HKCinemagic : Those 3 movies are big scale productions for HK cinema. Did you start to receive some feedbacks from appearing in such big names movies? |
Brandon Rhea : Actually, yes. I was supposed to work on Ultraviolet. But 4 weeks prior to that, I broke my collar bone on a demonstration in Wan Chai. It was with Great Grand Master Professor Leung Ting, he asked me: “look, there is this anti crime promotion in Wan Chai and they want us to do a demonstration.” I said, “yes, of course.” And, obviously, I'm the bad guy. I slipped and my partner could not really support me and fell on my shoulder. And when you break your collar bone, you immediately know, especially as it happened for the second time to me anyway. So, I stood up, greeted the audience and left the stage to my girlfriend. She was: “weren't you supposed to do another one?” “Look, I just broke my collar bone; let's find a medic because I'll be in shock in 90 seconds.” (Laughs). It's not a big deal but it's very uncomfortable. And she didn't believe me until she saw the X rays.
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HKCinemagic :
Do you know what part you missed in Ultraviolet?
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Brandon Rhea : No, but frankly, I don't think I missed anything big (laughs). |
Mike Leeder : It was probably a part in the church. For Ultraviolet, they shot so much stuff… |
Brandon Rhea :
I think every single foreigner working in Hong Kong got involved with Ultraviolet. |
Mike Leeder : Except for us! |
Brandon Rhea : (laughs) It makes us special in a way! |
Mike Leeder : I was asked if I wanted to play a role in the film, but it was a little political to say the least. I was working on some other projects and thought that it might be better to stay on them and not get involved with the film. There was a lot of good talent involved, and some great ideas, and visuals etc but sadly the film didn't come out anywhere near as strong as anybody hoped. |