Taiwanese heartthrob Jay Chou in curse of the Golden Flower

A popstar phenomenon throughout Asia, Taiwan's Jay Chou brings unexpected gravity and depth to his portrayal of Prince Jai in Buena Vista International's "Curse of the Golden Flower," the new epic adventure from director Zhang Yimou ("Hero," "House of Flying Daggers").

The movie attracted a lot of attention not only because it gathered big stars, including premier Chinese actress Gong Li, Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun-fat and Chou, but also because it's the first collaboration between Zhang and Gong after more than 10 years.

Chou says he couldn't look Gong Li in the eye when they started shooting their scenes together. "Initially I was nervous, so my line of sight wasn't directed at her eyes," Chou, 27, says.

"Curse of the Golden Flower" revolves around the power struggle between an ancient Chinese emperor (Chow Yun-Fat), his empress (Gong) and his three sons. Chou plays prince Jai who's loyal to his mother.

"After doing a few scenes with Gong, she helped me relax slowly," Chou says. "She made me feel like she's my elder sister, so I became much more relaxed."

Chou is one of the biggest Chinese pop stars, but he has started to cultivate an acting career. He made his acting debut in 2005 with "Initial D," a movie about street car racers based on a Japanese comic book. The performance won him two new actor awards. "I'm not a proper actor yet. Transforming from a singer to an actor takes time and adequate preparation," he says. "Suddenly taking on a big movie production was a shock to me. I didn't know whether I could do a good job. I doubted myself initially."

Eventually, Chou says he thinks he has improved as an actor. "I think I did a better job in 'Curse' than I did in 'Initial D,' because of the director, and because I worked with these international stars," he notes.

Meanwhile, Chou says he abandoned his trademark slurred vocals when recording the theme song for "Curse of the Golden Flower." He says he improved his articulation in the song, entitled "Chrysanthemum Platform," for director Zhang, because "Zhang said he couldn't quite understand my earlier songs. 'Chrysanthemum Platform' is a movie theme song. I can't be casual about it. A lot of people will watch the movie. The song isn't only for kids. I'm very willing to make these kinds of changes so that the director can clearly hear what I'm singing," Chou explains.

In 2000, Jay Chou's debut album "Jay" quickly propelled him to stardom with numerous hits. His unique musical style is a fresh-sounding fusion of eastern and western traditions featuring strong lyrics and a personal style of storytelling. With his soulful voice and infectious tunes, his second album, "Fantasy," and five subsequent albums, have continued to win legions of fans young and old throughout Asia. He has been the best-selling Mandarin artist in the world for the past five years, with a busy performance schedule touring Asia and North America and numerous music industry awards. - Buena Vista International