Bai Ling is All About Expression Talking about Crank 2
We got a chance to catch up with Bai Ling, who will be seen in the upcoming Lionsgate sequel, Crank: High Voltage as the streetwise, Ria, in the high adrenaline action film. In the film, Ria, accompanies the main character Chev Chelios, as he hunts down a Chinese Gang who has stolen his heart and replaced it with a battery operated artificial heart that has to continuously have electricity running through it to keep pumping thus keeping Chelios alive long enough to get his heart back from the ruthless Chinese mafia.
Bai Ling is an international star appearing in many films in America and China including Anna and the King, Red Corner, The Crow and many more. Ling has also posed nude in Playboy. She gained lots of fame after her stint on the reality show But Can They Sing? a VH1 show that experimented with celebrities and if they could sing or not. She has performed in many fanboy shows such as a role in the Joss Whedon series, Angel back in 2000 as Jhiera and even more recently on the Season 3 episode of Lost titled, “Stranger in a Strange Land” as the Tai tattoo artist, Achara. Lastly, she played a hot sexy love interest for Vinny Chase, in an episode of my favorite show, Entourage.
Bai Ling has accomplished her goal of expressing herself in many different ways through acting, music and writing. She is truly someone who embodies expressionism to the fullest and I am sure we will see that in Crank: High Voltage and the other projects she has to come.
Q: Tell us About Crank: High Voltage and your character Ria?
Bai Ling: “Well Crank 2 is a massive roller coaster ride of a film. So much fun and exciting! The movie is like an hour and a half but it feels like 20 minutes with all the crazy things going on. My character of Ria, is like a free spirit, she is crazy and exciting. She isn’t someone who would push you off a cliff she is someone who would hold your hand and jump with you. She is adventurous and fiery just like me.”
Q: What drew you to the film and what made Crank 2 different than other movies you have done?
Bai Ling:“I think the directors really made it different. Directors, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, gave me a lot of freedom to make the character my own and improvise a lot of situations as well as the script. This movie is a lot different than any movie I have done because of the style but also just the fast ‘paceness’ of the movie. But like I said, the directors let me do stuff I would want to do and bring myself into the character. There was a funny situation where I said something to Jason [Statham], I think it was something like ‘my shiny diaper’ and he just busted out laughing and we had to do another take. But that is the kind of stuff that I was able to do, laugh and stuff.”
Q: Why should we see Crank 2?
Bai Ling: “Well it is fun and thrilling and it has Jason Statham (haha). Buts it’s a cool movie a real rollercoaster ride of a film.”
Q: Outside of Crank 2, What other things are you working on?
Bai Ling: “Well I have a blog, Naked Seduction, and that allows me to capture my thoughts and who I am as a person. I have about six new projects in post-production one in particular is Love Ranch, where I get to play an elegant callgirl of sorts. The movie stars Joe Pesci and Hellen Mirren with a bunch of other actors. The film is based on a true story that revolves around a couple who open the first legal brothel in Nevada. Unlike my character in Crank 2, who is a more street-wise, hooker, type of character, this character is more elegant and sensual.”
“I am also writing a book called “Nipples” (We both laughed at this point and she explained the title). People think nipples are funny and I have had mine laughed at but I think nipples are just part of our expression and that is what my book is about, expression of me and how I see the world, its my perspective on life and the magic of the world we live in.”
Q: Tell us about your music, will you be singing in this movie at all?
Bai Ling: “No I will not be singing but I will be” dancing” in the movie.”
Q: We heard you were working on an album what’s that about?
Bai Ling: “Yeah it’s in the works and its still in production but it’s just another thing I love to do to show my expression of myself. My father was a musician and a composer for the People’s Liberation Army and I have sang and played music since I was a child. I even played in the People’s Liberation Army as well.”
Q: What was it like working with Jason Statham?
Bai Ling: “It was awesome he so talented and fun to work with but most of all he is a really cool and calm guy. He has a lot of heart in his work and a lot of determination in what he does.”
We hope you enjoyed this interview and we certainly hope to have many more interviews come our way with intriguing actors, directors and other people in the film world. Bai Ling was a very interesting person and we invited her back to the website anytime to tell us what she has been up to. Crank: High Voltage opens in Theaters April 17, 2009 and stars Jason Statham, Amy Smart and Bai Ling.
