Tian Kaiwen Clarifies: Li Lichi Not Two-Faced, Just Versatile
SingTao · 2 SOURCES1 day ago6 MIN
Summary
Tian Kaiwen (田啟文), longtime associate of Stephen Chow (周星馳), has firmly denied reports that he exposed director-actor Li Lichi (李力持) as a "two-faced person" during a recent interview. Speaking at the Hong Kong Film and Television Industry Celebration of the PRC 77th Anniversary Reception on September 28, Tian clarified that Li is not two-faced but rather "versatile" (八面玲瓏), stating that describing him with only eight facets would be unfair to his many talents .
Key Points
- Tian attended the PRC 77th Anniversary Reception on September 28, where he addressed controversy from his interview on the online program "Yip Pat Ching" (一Pair傾) about his early days at Stephen Chow's company Starbright Pictures
- In the original interview, Tian recounted how Li Lichi initially dismissed him as "some handyman" when he arrived at the company, only to dramatically change attitude and exclaim he was "deeply grateful to have found such talent" when Stephen Chow personally confirmed Tian was invited to join
- Tian emphasized that Li's expression was humorous rather than malicious, explaining that those unfamiliar with Li would misunderstand his communication style as sharp, but he has always spoken this way
- The two maintain regular contact despite their different career paths, with Li primarily working in mainland China and Tian helping filter contracts for aging Shaolin Soccer co-star Huang Yifei
- Regarding future collaboration with Li, Tian noted "he's quite expensive now" but clarified the concern is suitability rather than cost
Why It Matters
This clarification comes amid ongoing interest in the legendary Shaolin Soccer crew, as fans continue to track the relationships and careers of its members decades after the film's release . The incident highlights how veteran Hong Kong film industry figures navigate professional relationships built on decades of collaboration, with Tian's decision to publicly defend Li demonstrating the enduring camaraderie among Stephen Chow's former team . Additionally, Tian's involvement in producing a documentary on Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage shows how these industry veterans are diversifying beyond commercial filmmaking to preserve local cultural memory .
This clarification comes amid ongoing interest in the legendary Shaolin Soccer crew, as fans continue to track the relationships and careers of its members decades after the film's release . The incident highlights how veteran Hong Kong film industry figures navigate professional relationships built on decades of collaboration, with Tian's decision to publicly defend Li demonstrating the enduring camaraderie among Stephen Chow's former team . Additionally, Tian's involvement in producing a documentary on Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage shows how these industry veterans are diversifying beyond commercial filmmaking to preserve local cultural memory .