Going turtle watching

Having proven her exceptional acting talent, award-winning actress Zhang Ziyi is venturing into hosting a travel show. Focusing entirely on Oman and Inner Mongolia, the two-part Zhang Ziyi Travel Series will premiere on the National Geographic Channel on Nov 14.

It is co-produced by the National Geographic Society and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, for which Zhang is its ambassador.

Zhang, who mesmerised audiences with her performances in Academy Award-winning films such as Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is thrilled to be part of the series.

But it was not all smooth sailing for the beautiful actress as hosting the series in English proved to be challenging. "It was not easy for me," she said in an interview via email.

"Honestly, this project would have been a challenge for me even if it required me to speak in Mandarin. The topics we explored and discussed are totally different from what we talk about in our daily lives. I did a lot of preparations but it was definitely a challenge."

The first part of the series is titled Zhang Ziyi’s Oman and the second, Zhang Ziyi’s Inner Mongolia. Both will be aired back-to-back.

For Zhang, it was all about immersing herself in new cultures, meeting new people and getting bowled over by stunning landscapes. "The greatest experience for me is the connection I felt with nature and all the wonderful, wild animals."

She spent about a year shooting for the series. Whether it was following a herd of wild horses at dawn or dancing with warrior-musicians, Zhang effortlessly embraced the local culture and learnt how the local people nurture their heritage, history, music, art and also preserve nature.

Filmed in high definition, the series presents a variety of stunning visuals and stills of art and historical images of the natural landscapes.

One experience she found unforgettable was learning about the protection of sea turtles and watching thousands of dolphins swimming in the ocean in the Middle East.

"I’ve come to fully appreciate everything that nature gives us. This project has also made me realise the importance of protecting the environment," Zhang said.

So, what is the difference between shooting for a documentary and a film?

Zhang said: "Well, in a documentary you can’t retake your shots because it’ll be unnatural.

"They also didn’t give me a script so I could say anything and ask the locals whatever questions I wanted.

"In films, the scenes are shot one by one while in documentaries, shooting is done in a continuous manner."

To make sure that she knew the subject matter well, Zhang did a lot of research and homework before embarking on the series.

with locals in Inner Mongolia

"I knew that as the host, I would be required to interview people from different backgrounds and cultures. I also had to be well-versed about nature and wild animals."

She admitted that in the past, she did not really have much time to explore such topics as she was immersed in her acting career.

"I learnt so much during my travels in Oman and Mongolia and I’ve become much more in tune with nature."

Zhang is confident that viewers will enjoy this two-part series as it offers different insights into the relationship between nature and humanity.

By the way, in the Inner Mongolia episode, viewers will also get a preview of the latest fashion by emerging couturier Jason Wu, who designed the Inaugural Ball gown for Michelle Obama, the wife of the US president.

Outfits from Gucci, D&G, Hermes, Armani and Prada will also be featured.

Zhang Ziyi Travel Series will premiere on National Geographic Channel (Astro Channel 553) on Nov 14 at 10pm.