Quotes from Zhang Ziyi

I've discovered that I value simplicity above all in dressing. I don't like anything I wear to be too complicated or fussy.

There's nothing in Chinese culture that is an equivalent of the geisha. It's so different, so special to Japan.

The atmosphere at my school was very competitive. Young girls were competing with each other every day for status, for leadership, for the affection of the teachers. I hated it.

I really want to do something in Europe. With a small movie, it can be an interesting challenge. But I have to get the right project. I don't think it's so important to go to Hollywood. All that trash that comes out of there! I don't want to do that.

Obviously I'd love to work with any of these great directors because every time I've worked with them I've gained a tremendous amount as an actor. Each director has his own way of pushing you towards improving yourself.

Today's China is not in the least shut out from the rest of the world. Trends come to us from all over the world. And the Internet is really developed in China. We get news from all over the world.

Actually I ran away from school when I was 13. No one could find me, and the police were called. I was just hiding in a little thicket of grass at my school, and went to sleep.

Wanting to be in a Western film won't get me very far. Unless the opportunity arose, it doesn't matter how much I want to be in one. But if an opportunity did arise, no actor would pass it up.

It's not that I wanted to be an actor; it's that I didn't want to be a dancer! I was trained in traditional Chinese dance, and after working so hard it seemed unfair to just disappear into a group.

I'm not really interested in politics, because I think it's just too removed from my own life. If there's a war, though, or a disaster, I want to know what's happening.

I wanted to escape so badly. But of course I knew I couldn't just give up and leave school. It was only when I heard my mom's voice that I came out of my hiding place.

We're still working out the details, but I'd be delighted to do the film. The problem at the moment is my busy schedule. Shooting on this film has been extended by a month, but I need to be in the U.S. by Dec. 20.

When I watch a movie for the first few times I'm usually thinking about where I was in a given scene, who was next to me, what we were doing etc. But after I've gotten through all of this, when I'm really watching the film itself, then I get moved.

In China, we don't consider someone truly beautiful until we have known them for a long time, and we know what's underneath the skin.

I want, through my roles, to express the parts in the hearts of Chinese women that they feel unable to let out.

Chinese women are much more modest than American women when it comes to clothes. We tend to show less flesh.

From beginning to end I worried that Ang Lee wouldn't be satisfied with my work. So I worked as hard as I could to earn his trust, because you only get a chance like this once.

Absolutely not, because in acting I've found a domain that suits me perfectly. And that is so utterly rare.

Most people spend their whole lives looking for the right job. There are others who never get an opportunity to do work that fulfils them.

I was really interested in geishas' work, and wanted to meet real geishas.

After I learn more English, I'll work hard and make more films.

I knew nothing about martial arts. And I don't really like it! But in the film, I not only had to pretend that I knew all about it, I had to be the best at it. That was very difficult.

From my opinion, 'geisha' means a woman skilled in the arts. Like dancing, singing and playing musical instruments.

Even though I've done Hollywood films, I still don't think of myself as a Hollywood actress.