UNCANNY EDDIE

ONCE ONE OF ASIA'S MOST PROLIFIC PERFORMERS, EDDIE PENG HAS BEEN LEADING THE QUIET LIFE, BUT AS AUGUSTMAN FINDS OUT, HE'S POISED FOR A RESURGENCE AS ANDY LAU'S CO-LEAD IN THEIR LATEST FILM

- CEZAR GREIF

IN HOLLYWOOD, some actors like Christian Bale are known for completely transforming their body for a role, either losing or gaining weight rapidly. That’s nothing new for Eddie Peng. The 41-year-old actor, who was born in Penghu (a small island off the coast of Taiwan) and partially raised in Canada, has been known to dedicate months to prepare for a role. Whether an MMA fighter in Unbeatable, a gymnast in Jump Ashin! or a cyclist in To the Fore, he not only acquires new skills for each role but also transforms his body in such a way you swear he’s been doing it all his life. In 2011, Peng was nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Horse Awards. He also appeared with Matt Damon in Zhang Yimou’s The Great Wall. For Peng, acting is a craft requiring dedication, hard work and focus, and only relying on his good looks is never an option. Fans have noticed – he now has millions of followers both on Instagram and Weibo.

Outside of work, Peng leads a quiet life, content with walking his dog and spending time outdoors while rarely going out at night. How could someone be so intense onscreen, but so calm and down-to-earth in his daily life? We flew to Taipei to find out. Peng was eager to talk and shed some light on his transformations past, present and future.

How central was Jump Ashin! to the launch of your film career?