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Abstract
Using Corner's (2003) theory of the mediated persona, this article analyses the image construction of Hong Kong stars Jackie Chan and Andy Lau. It will ask how these Hong Kong stars have negotiated Mainland Chinese stardom, particularly since the time of the handover in 1997 and in what ways the personae of these stars seek to appeal to Mainland fans and markets. The article will argue that Chan's Mainland persona has been constructed through a nationalist approach: he is seen wearing traditional Chinese clothing, confronting the perceived Western power of Hollywood and has made statements in support of Mainland Chinese policies. In contrast, while Lau's Mainland persona also foregrounds ‘Chineseness’, it shies away from the explicitly political. Rather, Lau's Mainland persona reinforces his Asian (as opposed to global) star image, since it appeals to Chinese consumer dreams and moral ideals.
Notes
1. In today's Chinese society, famous stars are often rejected for even a hint of anti-Chinese national sentiment. Both actress Zhao Wei and actor/director Jiang Wen were criticised for lesser actions.
2. By ‘celebrity,’ I refer to a person in the public sphere who is widely recognised, though not necessarily for being an entertainer. A celebrity may be well known for a variety of reasons and can essentially be anyone who is famous – an actor, a reality television performer, a politician and so on. By ‘star,’ I refer to an entertainer in the public sphere whose extensive manufactured fame is usually integral to the marketing of their products (films, television shows, concerts and so on) and whose fame has a certain amount of longevity and uniqueness associated with it. A ‘star’ is usually an actor, singer or other kind of performing artist.
3. Almost all Hong Kong, Japanese and Korean stars are actor/singers. Brian Hu (Citation2006, p. 410) argues that the actor star system is ‘linked symbiotically with the recording industry’. Bertha Chin (Citation2007, p. 216) also notes, ‘[M]ost stars in Asia are required to sing and act for both film and TV’.
4. For example, in 1984, Hong Kong singer Zhang Mingmin extolled the virtues of Chineseness with ‘My Chinese Heart,’ a song that was broadcast repeatedly to resounding success in the Mainland.
5. Jackie Chan is an example. He is an actor/singer, he devotes time to numerous charitable causes, his fame is based on his ability to perform dangerous stunts, and he appeals to Chineseness through Chinese clothes and Confucian benevolence.
6. Chan seldom does romantic films, with the exception of Gorgeous (1999). He is more readily accepted as a romantic/dramatic lead throughout the Chinese diaspora – though is not necessarily popular as such.
7. By ‘political’, I refer to publicly discussing the public affairs/current events of the Chinese nation. This concept of ‘political’ includes discussing government policies, territorial issues, national treasures, China's relationship with other countries and the future of China as a nation.
8. According to Yue and Cheung, ‘[I]t may be argued that the adolescent idol worship culture in Hong Kong is primarily a “three-stars worship” culture (worshipping pop stars, movie stars, and sports stars), essential to which is a genuine admiration for the glamour, youthfulness, wealth, and uniqueness that the “three stars” typically represent in their private or public lives’ (Yue and Cheung Citation2000, p. 97). Trendiness may be one way for Andy Lau to access youthfulness.
9. These are a series of concerts with Jackie Chan as the centrepiece and host. His famous Chinese guest singers comprise the ‘Friends’ of the title.
10. Chan's mediated persona is replete with tales of suffering and success: torturous training at a Chinese Opera school, family strife, initial failure in the US and painstaking effort to make his dream of international success come true. Mary Farquhar (Citation2010, p. 180) argues that the formation of Jackie Chan's star image is framed by ‘pain and triumph, such as his childhood operatic training… [and] the high-risk on-screen stunts that he performs himself’. She also notes that Chan's on- and off-screen persona relies on the disparity between pain and comedy, humiliation and high-flying stunts (p. 181).
11. As mentioned previously, this may be the result of both Lau's ‘idol’ persona and the Hong Kong market's demand for youthful stars.
