Golden Bell 61: Yu Tzu-yu's Double Nomination and the 8–10-Hour Scene She Joked Made Her an 'Adult Star for a Day'

Taiwanese actress Yu Tzu-yu (于子育), nearly 30 years into her career, has two nominations at the 61st Golden Bell Awards: Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for *The World Between Us II* (《我們與惡的距離II》), and Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Film for *親密之海*. She previously won a Golden Bell for playing a mother in *The Making of an Ordinary Woman* (《俗女養成記》); neither of this year's roles is a mother, and she said she hopes viewers see she can play many kinds of women.

## An 8–10-hour shoot, and a joke

According to interviews published by SETN, Mirror Daily and UDN, Yu's intimate scene with co-star Christopher Lee (李銘順) in *親密之海* took 8 to 10 hours to film in a single day, even though it runs only a few minutes on screen. She joked: "I really was an adult-film actress for a day."

She said the scene was the biggest hurdle before accepting the role. Mirror Daily quoted her saying that in dramas she had done before, such moments were handled with cutaways like "a train passing by, or flowers wilting," and she had never actually performed one. She felt uncomfortable at first and considered turning the part down.

## An intimacy coordinator on set

Yu said an intimacy coordinator helped plan the movements, which eased the pressure. She compared the process to performing choreographed dance steps, and said the most important thing was filming in a safe environment. She praised Lee as professional and easygoing, chatting and joking to keep the mood relaxed.

## A call to Wu Kang-jen

Unsure, she phoned actor Wu Kang-jen (吳慷仁) for advice. Mirror Daily reported they talked for about an hour; UDN quoted her saying he walked through the script, the role and the production team and told her that if she could break through with this role, it might be a pleasant surprise. That, she said, was what convinced her.

## A public-health nurse in *The World Between Us II*

In the sequel she plays a public-health nurse. She said she researched the job and spoke with real public-health nurses, learned how heavy the workload is, and hopes the role gives them a voice.

## Paiwan attire for the red carpet

Yu said she will walk the red carpet in traditional Paiwan dress that took about half a year to make; SETN put the cost at roughly NT$250,000–300,000. Reports differ on its weight (Mirror Daily said close to 10 kg, SETN said over 10 kg). She said the outfit carries her family's story and fulfils a wish of her mother's.

*This article only summarises the interviews reported by the outlets listed in the sources.*