Zhang Ziyi might not have acted in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon if not for Zhang Yimou

Without Zhang Yimou recommending Zhang Ziyi to Ang Lee, she might not have played the female lead in the iconic Chinese wuxia film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000.

For that, the 40-year-old actress is forever grateful for his help.

She revealed this at a masterclass held at the Cannes Film Festival where the film had a re-screening on May 22.

"Ang Lee (director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) didn't have to choose me."

"He initially placed my audition photos aside after receiving them. It was Zhang Yimou who called him. That phone call was priceless," Ziyi said.

At the masterclass, Ang Lee recorded a video to congratulate Ziyi on the 20th anniversary of her acting career.

"It was difficult to make this film in China then, but you were a natural talent," he said.

Ziyi recalled that she was only 19 years old when she was cast in the movie which took six months to film.

"I remember being suspended on a wire most of the time when I was on set. It was very tiring and I was under immense pressure."

The actress, a graduate of the prestigious Central Academy of Drama, got her first major role in Yimou's romance film The Road Home (2000), and went on to star in movies such as Rush Hour 2 (2001), Hero (2002), and House of Flying Daggers (2004).

Her acting prowess was recognised in films like Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and The Grandmaster (2013) where she received and won multiple Best Actress nominations.

editor@asiaone.com