Xin Zhilei Selected by Wong Kar-wai for "Flourish," Portrays Li Li

According to Western Decision Reports, the TV series "Flourish" is currently airing. Xin Zhilei mentioned in an interview that she was selected by Wong Kar-wai to play the role of Li Li, thanks to her performance in "Creation of the Gods II: Battlefield of Asura."

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jin Yucheng and Mao Dun Literary Prize, Wong Kar-wai's directorial debut TV series "Flourish" focuses on early 1990s Shanghai. It tells the story of small characters, led by A Bao (played by Hu Ge), seizing opportunities and becoming trendsetters of the era.

In the series, Xin Zhilei plays Li Li, the enchanting proprietress of the Zhi Zhen Garden restaurant and a mysterious outsider on Huanghe Road. Her relationship with A Bao is like the ocean and the blue sky—seemingly distant but mirror images of each other. Li Li not only wants to stir things up on Huanghe Road but also harbors more ambitious goals.

During the shooting, actors could only see a small part of the script for "Flourish." Xin Zhilei initially didn't understand what the director wanted to convey through the character Li Li, thinking she just needed to quietly portray a beautiful woman. It took her a long time to find the feeling of Li Li, and she went down a long and winding path. It was only after numerous discussions with the director that she learned he had seen her performance in the movie "Creation of the Gods II" and hoped that the character Li Li would exude chivalry and a martial atmosphere. Wong Kar-wai told her that "Flourish" is not a love story or a commercial film; wherever there are people, there is a world of rivers and lakes. Xin Zhilei believes it's more like a martial arts film.