Interview by Paul Salfen
In the neon-lit labyrinth of Macau’s gambling district, where fortunes are won and lost in a heartbeat, Ballad of a Small Player unfolds like a fever dream. Directed by the visionary Edward Berger, the film follows Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell), a man on the run from his past, drowning his sorrows in whiskey and high-stakes bets. Opposite him is Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a cryptic casino employee whose own secrets mirror Doyle’s unraveling life. With Tilda Swinton’s relentless private investigator, Cynthia Blithe, closing in, the story weaves a tale of desperation, redemption, and the blurred edges of reality. In a candid interview, stars Colin Farrell and Fala Chen pull back the curtain on their immersive experience bringing this chaotic world to life.
Stepping into Macau for the shoot was like entering another dimension, Farrell recalls. “I’m so white and Irish,” he laughs, his voice warm with self-awareness. “I felt like I was stepping into the pages of Paul Bailey’s The Sheltering Skyor some Silk Road tale.” For Farrell, Macau’s duality was intoxicating—the garish, sensory overload of the casino strip, with its flashing lights and siren calls of empty promises, juxtaposed against the centuries-old streets that whispered history. “It’s so loud, so bright,” he says, echoing Chen’s description of the gambling district as a “monster” that breathes down your throat, beckoning with false hopes of wealth and status.
Chen, who joined Farrell in this whirlwind production, describes the experience as pure chaos—but the productive kind. “It was an extraordinary bunch of locals and international crew coming together,” she says, her tone brimming with admiration for the collaborative spirit. For her, Macau wasn’t just a backdrop but a character in itself, its vibrant energy seeping into every frame. “I don’t think life would’ve ever taken me to Macau if it hadn’t been for this film,” Farrell adds, his voice tinged with gratitude. The shoot, spanning eight or nine weeks, culminated in two transformative weeks in Hong Kong, where Farrell found himself “bewitched” by Victoria Harbor and the city’s pulsating rhythm.
Under Berger’s meticulous direction, both actors found themselves anchored by his clear vision. “Edward keeps us on the same tone, pace-wise,” Chen explains. “He’s so visionary, so clear about what he wants to take home in the editing room.” Farrell nods in agreement, describing their process as one of surrender. “I just gave him a little bit of everything,” he says, trusting Berger to sculpt their performances into his cinematic tapestry. “It’s his art. We’re just there providing service.”
For two actors at the peak of their craft, the question of how to inhabit complex characters like Doyle and Dao Ming is less about technique and more about instinct. “Just play,” Chen advises aspiring actors, her words simple yet profound. “Don’t put too much constriction on yourself. Enjoy it.” Farrell echoes her sentiment, emphasizing the collaborative joy of the craft. “It’s always a journey of exploration,” he says. “You use the text, your own experience, your fellow actors, and you create something together. It’s never alone.”
Yet, stepping into Doyle’s shoes—a man teetering on the edge of ruin—was no small feat. Farrell admits there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. “It’s job to job,” he says, dismissing any notion of a rigid process. Instead, he leans into moments of synchronicity—a song on the radio, a poem, or a fleeting memory that binds him to the story. “If you can’t find something that connects you to it, either love or abject disdain, something that binds you to the experience of the story coming alive, that’s where it starts,” he explains. For Chen, it’s about staying open to the chaos, letting the story guide her as much as she shapes it.
As the interview wraps, Farrell and Chen’s passion for Ballad of a Small Player is palpable. The film, they say, is a testament to the magic that happens when a talented crew, a visionary director, and a vivid setting collide. “It was an extraordinary time,” Farrell says, his voice carrying the weight of a journey that took him far beyond the casino floors of Macau. For Chen, it’s a reminder of why she loves this craft: the chance to play, to explore, and to tell stories that resonate long after the cameras stop rolling.
Ballad of a Small Player promises to be a gripping dive into a world of risk and redemption, and with Farrell and Chen at its heart, it’s a journey audiences won’t soon forget.
