Maleficent: Ang Lee remarks make Angelina an 'evil witch' in China

• Staff Reporter
 
• 2014-06-09

Angelina Jolie in Shanghai on June 3, 2014. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chinese netizens have called for a boycott of Angelina Jolie's new film Maleficent after the Hollywood superstar labeled Oscar-winning director Ang Lee as Taiwanese.

While in Shanghai last week promoting Maleficent, a live-action re-imagining of Walt Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, Jolie was asked by reporters whether she had any intentions to work with Chinese directors or actors.

"I'm not sure if you consider Ang Lee Chinese; he's Taiwanese, but he does many Chinese-language films with many Chinese artists and actors," Jolie responded. "I think his work and the actors in his films are the ones I'm most familiar with and are very fond of."

Jolie's comments struck a nerve with Chinese netizens, who called her "brainless" and predicted that Maleficent would bomb in China.

Taiwanese netizens, however, praised Jolie for having "guts," while Taiwanese producers said Jolie's comments are unlikely to affect Maleficent's performance in China as the main factors of box office success are usually production value and marketing.

Made on a US$180 million budget, Maleficient has been a worldwide success, grossing more than US$127 million in the United States and more than US$208 million in overseas markets since its release on May 30.

Jolie made the trip to Shanghai with her partner Brad Pitt, who made his first trip to China since his 2007 film Seven Years in Tibet, which was condemned by Beijing upon its release for being perceived as pro-Tibetan independence.

Ang Lee's nationality has always been a sensitive issue for China. Lee's parents were originally from mainland China but he was born in Taiwan and has repeatedly identified himself as Taiwanese. Lee's Life of Pi, for which he won his second best director Oscar, was filmed largely in central Taiwan's Taichung city with a local crew which he thanked in his acceptance speech.

While Lee is currently based in the United States, he still sees Taiwan as home. In an interview with the Guardian last year, he said: "It was very emotional for me filming Life of Pi in Taiwan. Everybody wanted to help and make it happen. There was a lot of spiritual encouragement and financial help, and they invested a lot of love in me. It was like coming full circle, going back there. It was a visit and a homecoming."

Last May, Lee penned some touching words about Taiwan which were presented during a concert by Taiwanese diva Chiang Hwei. In the surprising tribute, Lee said it was hard for him to explain what is so good about Taiwan, but that he felt a "longing and nostalgia" towards it, as well as a "restrained, deep and dense sense of attachment."

"I cherish being a Taiwanese," Lee added.