‘Decoding’: James Wen’s Premiere Controversy – Zhou Xueli: Communication Breakdown

Directed and written by Datin Zhou Xueli, the romantic suspense crime film ‘Decoding’, starring Malaysian actor James Wen (Xie Jia Jian), Huang Shiqi, and Ge Zhao’en (Pao Di), premiered in Taiwan on November 21 and will have its nationwide release in Malaysia on December 4. However, before the Malaysian premiere, a controversy has erupted: James Wen recently posted on social media claiming that, as the leading man, he was not invited back to Malaysia for the premiere, sparking heated online discussion. In response, director Zhou Xueli openly addressed the issue at a press conference on the 1st, stating: “This is a huge misunderstanding and wrongful accusation.”

Zhou Xueli explained that she had been busy handling film affairs in Taiwan and only found out about James Wen’s post claiming he wasn't invited after she returned to Malaysia and woke up from a nap. “Why did I choose him? Of course it’s because I love his acting. I would never do anything to harm him. This really was just a communication problem.” She also revealed that during earlier communication with James Wen, he mentioned wanting to return to Sarawak after the event. She told him she could help book him a later flight.

Speaking about James Wen’s return to Malaysian cinema after 13 years, Zhou Xueli admitted she highly values their collaboration and is very grateful for his involvement. She said candidly: “Although there were investors who wanted to replace the male lead midway through, I insisted on keeping him, because he’s an excellent Malaysian actor, and he knows that.”

Regarding this incident, she earnestly remarked: “We shouldn’t let such a minor matter overshadow the hard work put into this film. We’re both older now—I’m 60, and he’s in his forties—posting emotional rants online is a bit childish.” Asked whether she was upset, she laughed and said: “I can't get angry! Just let it go. The most important thing is the box office.”

When asked whether she would formally reconcile with James Wen, Zhou Xueli shook her head: “There’s no enmity between us, and there’s no need to stir up publicity this way. We’re not a big production, our promotional budget is limited, so I hope people focus on the actors’ efforts rather than these controversies.” Will there still be arrangements for James Wen to return to Malaysia for promotion? “It’s too late now, we only have this week to promote for the box office boost; next week will be too late.”

The Ge siblings sing theme song

At the press conference, the film’s three young actors—“Pao Di” Ge Zhao’en, Ye Zhouquan, and Lan Xinyao—all appeared to promote the December release in Malaysia. In the film, Pao Di plays a rich kid, a stark contrast to his naturally cheerful and lively personality. He admitted that it took a lot of effort to portray the character’s competitiveness and rebelliousness, especially the emotional scenes in conflict with his father. “In real life, my dad, Gao Lingfeng, and I have a great relationship. To get into character, I watched many videos about the generational clashes between parents and children.”

Zhou Xueli laughed, reminiscing how she’s watched Pao Di grow up; his bond with his father was so strong that Gao Lingfeng used to hold him to sleep when he was in junior high. This time, Pao Di also wrote and performed the theme song ‘1, to, 10’, handling both lyrics and composition, and invited his sister, Ge Chenyu (‘Abao’), to join in. It’s the siblings’ first musical collaboration, adding even more emotional warmth to the film.

Ye Zhouquan plays a rookie flight attendant in the film. Despite being a Taekwondo black belt, he wasn’t allowed to fight in the film. There’s a scene where he sees Ge Chenyu and Pao Di injured; he became so emotionally involved that he broke down in tears while hugging them. “After the shoot, I couldn’t snap out of the role for a long time.” As for Lan Xinyao, he appears as a bodyguard, his scholarly looks contrasting with his fierce action scenes. He is a Malaysian martial arts athlete and even shaved his eyebrows for the role—his crisp, clean moves are a highlight of the film’s action sequences.