"Ugly" character for Hong Kong heart-throb Andy Lau
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-11-05 11:40

Hong Kong heart-throb Andy Lau admitted that one of his toughest acting jobs was transforming himself from a hunk who makes girls swoon to an "ugly" character in his new film.

Hong Kong actor Andy Lau pose during a press conference for his latest movie "A World Without Thieves" in Hong Kong. [AFP]

Lau was speaking at a press briefing on "A World Without Thieves" in which he plays a Hong Kong conman and master pickpocket who wears shoulder-length tresses with a fringe.

The Mandarin-language film was directed by mainland Chinese director Feng Xiaogang, who also made "Cell Phone" -- the biggest local film in China last year.

"I've never seen myself so ugly in my life ... we've tried many different ways to make me look bad, we've tried big dark glasses and curly hair and we finally decided to use the wig," Lau told reporters.

"(Feng) thought that was the worst-looking we could get. At the beginning I quite disliked it but I had to accept it," he said.

"A World Without Thieves" tells the story of a Bonnie and Clyde-like couple who swindle their way across the country until they are confronted by a train-full of crooks bigger than themselves.

Lau is a star in the world of Canto-pop, the Cantonese language hybrid of Chinese ballads and Western pop, and also an award-winning actor. He has starred in some of Hong Kong's most critically acclaimed films including cop thriller Infernal Affairs III.

The 43-year-old has been nominated for Best Actor at this year's prestigious Golden Horse Awards for his role in "Infernal Affairs III".

Lau, who has never won a Golden Horse award, said he had "total confidence" he could beat rival Tong Leung who was nominated for his role in Wong Kar-wai's sci-fi flick "2046".

The film won eight nominations but Wong was left out of them.

The Golden Horse Awards will be held in Taipei on December 4.

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