Taiwanese actor Tony Yang and Hong Kong actress Tsai Si-yin star in the horror film Clay Doll, which will be released across Malaysia on the 27th. The film tells the story of a married couple, played by Yang and Tsai, who are preparing to welcome their new baby. But when Yang brings home a broken clay doll from a haunted house, Tsai begins to exhibit strange behavior during her pregnancy. As the situation spirals out of control, Yang seeks help from an exorcist (portrayed by Zhang Xuanrui), gradually revealing the chilling taboos and terrifying secrets behind the clay doll. Director Chieh Meng-ju revealed that the film’s “pregnant wife screaming at midnight” scene was inspired by Tony Yang’s real-life experience, jokingly commenting, “He got out all his resentment in the film.”
Inspired by a Taiwanese children’s song, the film brings together stars Tony Yang, Tsai Si-yin, Zhang Xuanrui, and Puff Kuo. Director Chieh Meng-ju, producer Chen Liangcai, and composer Lee Mingjie came to Malaysia on Thursday to share shooting anecdotes, including having a Taoist priest accompany the crew on set, and even going to him for things as trivial as a dead battery—lighthearted moments during production. Clay Doll is Chieh Meng-ju’s directorial debut. The new-generation director, who once won the Golden Horse Award for Best Editing for The Soul, admitted that the movie is actually a “letter of repentance” to his wife, blending all his anxiety, fear, and growth from being with his pregnant wife into the script, giving the horror story an added touch of authenticity and warmth.
Speaking of Tony Yang, who is already a father of three in real life, Chieh Meng-ju said Yang was initially quite resistant to the script due to its heavy ghost and Taoist themes—which made him uneasy as a Christian. But after deeper discussions, Yang was moved by the film’s portrayal of marital relationships and the psychology around pregnancy. Chieh joked: “Most of our talks were about how partners can support each other during pregnancy. As a dad, he really gets it. Coincidentally, after the film wrapped shooting, his wife became pregnant with their third child.” He also revealed that a scene in which the possessed wife screams uncontrollably at midnight was inspired directly by Yang: “He told me his wife once suddenly screamed in the middle of the night as an outburst of pent-up emotions.” He quipped, “Maybe that’s also why he took the role—to vent a little resentment through the movie.”
On casting, Chieh Meng-ju shared that Tsai Si-yin was almost “instantly decided” as the female lead: “Horror movies need a relatively unfamiliar face to the audience. Plus, she’s got a classic beauty that’s perfect for the role of a ‘restorer’ in the film.” He laughed, saying that Tsai, who previously danced ballet, even performed all her own backward-bending possessed scenes without a double or wires. As for the film’s ending hinting at a possible sequel, both Chieh and producer Chen Liangcai said that if the box office is good, a sequel is possible, with Zhang Xuanrui’s and Puff Kuo’s characters set to play key roles.
Additionally, producer Chen Liangcai revealed that the film’s concept was inspired by the shadowy childhood memories he had from the children’s song “Clay Doll.” In the future, sequels may continue to draw from “horror nursery rhymes” as the theme for the series. Chieh Meng-ju also shared that this visit to Malaysia was mainly to scout locations and gather material, adding that his team is open to cross-border collaborations with different genres in the future. When asked if they might work with Malaysian actors down the line, Chen Liangcai first mentioned the familiar Mark Lee and Peter Lee brothers. After a reporter reminded them that Angelica Lee Sinje is also from Malaysia, Chieh replied excitedly, “Angelica Lee would be great!” He added that the team is currently still learning about local cultures, markets, and actors, but if given the chance, they would love to collaborate with Malaysian teams in the future.