“I had heard about how people struggle and how hard it is to get into acting. But I did not care because it’s something I love.”

The partner that you have is supposed to make you a better person, and when you’re happy, you’re a better person.

I think I’m open to adventures and surprises. As a performer, I’m really just naturally talented. And those roles may not look as good on paper, but I know how to create them on screen. I like to have fun and interpret my roles in my own way.

You have to be proud of who you are.

Because of the Chinese culture of obedience, you don’t ask questions… You follow and obey.

Wong Kar-wai and Ang Lee are two Asian directors I’m really fond of.

I’m a person that doesn’t have that many goals or plans. I feel like I’m the wind and I blow through life; it’s whatever comes to me. I very much respect nature. Whatever happens to me, I’m happy and I embrace it.

Sex is the best high. It’s better than any drug. I want to die making love because it feels so good.

I think we all have our own mission, duty, fate in life so for me somehow I think I am always walking on the edge of life and take risks.

Boundaries, and countries, if we don’t have that we are all brothers and sisters, we can all have love and joy and compassion for each other: the world would be much more beautiful.

I’m a romantic, and I like guys to bring flowers and buy some gifts – not expensive things, just romantic things.

When you don’t get what you want, it just makes you accept real life.

I went to South Africa on safari and came eye to eye with a beautiful leopard. We were so close; I was staring at him for a long time and I felt a recognition with my own nature.

Well I think always, when you remake films, I always think the first one is most original, authentic.

I was in Asia and people asked me about being considered sex symbol. I don’t know if that’s good or not, because where I come from, sex isn’t something you’re allowed to talk about.

Yeah, well my name is Bai Ling. That means white spirit, and I really feel like sometimes I’m not existing.

What I like about being an actress is that it keeps you feminine. Being a director and producer makes you manly and very masculine and I don’t like that quality in a woman. But I’ll do it when the film is very close to me.

I think the performances that really communicate with me are the ones where I don’t feel like I’m watching someone and thinking: “They’re doing some really good acting.”

Very early on in this process though I studied acting in high school and college, soon after graduation,

My family was very supportive of my acting.

Now, I take my fees in cash, for acting, and keep the distribution thing separate.

Earlier, I used to charge territories instead of my fees as an actor, but I realised it was better to keep the two apart.

I wanted to be more hands on. Otherwise, every time you finish acting in a movie you have to almost go and beg people for the next job.

Modelling is only about the look. In acting, it’s the feel that matters.

Everything about acting drives me and gives me the need to really try it. It’s an evolution – doing the same thing for 12 years is kind of a chunk.