'Hope' Jo In-sung: "I Did Everything Possible, Including Real Horseback Riding and Gunfight Action" [Cannes★Interview] ②

*This content was translated by AI.

• Invited for the Competition Section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival... Interview with Jo In-sung on the film 'Hope'

Actor Jo In-sung spoke about the intense action performance he delivered in the film.

On the 18th (local time), Jo In-sung held an interview for the film 'Hope' (directed by Na Hong-jin) at the Majestic Hotel in Cannes, France, where the 79th Cannes International Film Festival is being held, and shared stories related to the work. 'Hope' is a story that begins when 'Beom-seok', the head of the Pohang outpost located in the Demilitarized Zone, hears from local youths that a tiger has appeared, causing the entire village to go on high alert, and he encounters an unbelievable reality.

Directed by Na Hong-jin, 'Hope' is his first film in 10 years since 'The Wailing'. It premiered worldwide at the Lumière Grand Theatre on the 17th and received approximately seven minutes of standing ovation after the screening. 'Hope' captivated audiences worldwide as both a thriller and a science fiction film featuring aliens.

Jo In-sung, who plays 'Seong-gi', a local youth in Pohang who takes on various jobs to make money, presents a new image different from his existing persona. Through the character 'Seong-gi', who possesses an extraordinary survival instinct, Jo In-sung displayed raw, wild charm and performed intense action scenes without holding back.

When asked about his first collaboration with director Na Hong-jin, Jo In-sung said, "Director Na is persistent. The film is set to be released in two months, and post-production was already complete, but he recently called me again to record new lines. I have been an actor for 28 years, and this was the first time something like this happened." He added, "It's not that I found it strange; I just want to say that he is such a perfectionist. For the scenes he wants, he will wait days, wait for the weather, and wait for the light."

Jo In-sung captivates audiences with his intense action scenes alongside the alien in the film. In particular, the action of riding a horse and shooting a gun is so spectacular that it draws admiration. When asked if he must have suffered a lot while filming the action scenes, Jo In-sung replied, "If viewers felt that way after watching the film, then it is probably true. I don't know how you saw it, but I wanted to show something new and raw. For example, we decided to try everything we could until the end. I rode the horse without using a stunt double. To achieve close-ups, I actually rode a horse and performed the action myself." He continued, "If you felt a sense of vitality, that feeling comes from that. Although audiences may hardly distinguish between riding a stunt double and riding a real horse, there will be some difference. I actually did everything, including that. I did it all," revealing his pride in the action.

Jo In-sung stated, "You can write the script, but how to realize it is a different matter. Director Na realizes it. To do something new, courage is required." He added, "We did all the chase action scenes. Except for the parts where I was injured, I started and finished everything. The director is someone who worries about the actors' safety, so he even created special equipment to ensure a safe environment so that the actors would not get hurt. Because he set up such a safe environment, we had to perform even more realistically."

Meanwhile, the Cannes International Film Festival will announce the winners among this year's competition entries at the closing ceremony on the 23rd. It is expected to see whether director Na Hong-jin's new science fiction film 'Hope' will be honored with an award at the closing ceremony of this year's Cannes International Film Festival.

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*This content was translated by AI.