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| Lay Zhang Calls Kung Fu Soccer a Dream Come True as He Opens Up About Stephen Chow. (Photo: Weibo) |
Working with Stephen Chow is a career milestone many actors dream about, and for Lay Zhang, also known as Zhang Yixing, that dream became reality with Kung Fu Soccer (功夫女足). The Chinese singer and actor has been opening up about what the film meant to him, revealing that the experience went far beyond landing a major role. From learning the finer points of comedy to understanding the importance of discipline on set, Lay says the production became one of the most valuable chapters of his acting career. It also pushed him well outside the polished idol image fans have known for years, proving that sometimes looking completely different is exactly the point.
In Kung Fu Soccer, Lay Zhang plays Xu Feng, a coach determined to guide the Emei Women's Football Team with one simple philosophy: never give up and never leave anyone behind. While those words are spoken in the film, Lay explained during interviews that the character represents something much bigger.
According to him, Xu Feng reflects the ideas of self-reliance, perseverance and collective strength that have long been celebrated in Chinese culture. Rather than focusing only on football, the story uses sport as a way to highlight teamwork, resilience and shared determination.
Speaking about the production, Lay Zhang described joining a Stephen Chow film as a dream he never expected would come true so quickly. The actor admitted he had admired the legendary filmmaker for years, making every day on set feel like both an opportunity and a masterclass.
While many fans know Chow for creating wildly entertaining films, Lay revealed there was another side to the director behind the camera. According to Lay, Stephen Chow was warm and approachable away from filming but became remarkably focused once work began.
Every movement, expression and line mattered, with Chow paying close attention to the smallest details of each performance. Lay said the director constantly guided actors with precision, showing exactly how each moment could become stronger. It sounds exhausting on paper, but when the results speak for themselves, nobody seems too eager to complain.
The experience also introduced Lay Zhang to a completely different side of acting. Although audiences know him for dramatic performances and his music career, Kung Fu Soccer challenged him to embrace comedy in a way he had never attempted before.
Rather than protecting his carefully crafted celebrity image, Lay willingly transformed himself for the role. His appearance as Xu Feng was so different that some viewers admitted they barely recognised him at first glance. Sometimes the best compliment an actor can receive is hearing, "Wait... that was actually you?"
As the story unfolds, Xu Feng initially appears as a mentor helping train the women's football team by combining martial arts techniques with football. However, the character undergoes a dramatic shift as conflicting beliefs gradually place him on the opposite side of the team's journey.
That evolution gave Lay the chance to explore multiple emotional layers within a single performance instead of remaining a straightforward inspirational coach throughout the film.
For Lay Zhang, Kung Fu Soccer is also about presenting Chinese culture through an accessible and entertaining story. He believes football serves as more than just the backdrop for the action, acting as a bridge that introduces cultural values, determination and teamwork to audiences from different backgrounds.
Rather than delivering heavy-handed messages, the film wraps those ideas inside energetic comedy and sport, making them easier to connect with. One memory continues to stand out for the actor.
Lay recalled meeting Stephen Chow for the very first time during the Cannes Film Festival, describing himself as both nervous and excited. What began as a brief conversation lasted only a few minutes before the unexpected happened.
According to Lay, Chow invited him to join Kung Fu Soccer almost immediately. Some actors spend years chasing auditions. Lay apparently needed one conversation. Timing really is everything.
Lay also shared that he would greet Stephen Chow with respect every time they met during production, viewing it as a small gesture towards someone whose work had inspired him for years.
The admiration clearly went both ways, with Chow trusting Lay to take on a role that demanded humour, transformation and emotional range rather than relying on familiar star appeal alone.
Fans have had mixed but largely positive reactions to Lay's comments. Many praised his willingness to leave behind his polished idol image for the sake of the character, saying it demonstrated genuine commitment to acting rather than simply maintaining a glamorous appearance.
Others were particularly interested in his stories about Stephen Chow's directing style, arguing that his meticulous attention to detail explains why his films continue to attract global audiences.
Some viewers also said they were pleasantly surprised by Lay's comedic performance, while others admitted they initially failed to recognise him because of the dramatic transformation. That may have been the biggest plot twist before the film even started.
As anticipation around Kung Fu Soccer continues, Lay's reflections have given audiences a clearer picture of what happened behind the scenes and why the project means so much to him.
Next: All Kung Fu Soccer Shooting Locations.
His journey from excited admirer to Kung Fu Soccer leading actor under Stephen Chow's direction has become a story in its own right. Did Lay Zhang completely win you over with his transformation as Xu Feng, or are you most curious about finally seeing how his comedy debut plays out on screen?