The Educational Posse

Many Chinese actors on the mainland are dreaming of Hollywood.

Becoming big in China isn't enough. They want to follow in the footsteps of Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi.

At first Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang was reluctant to learn English, perhaps thinking her acting skills were enough to get her into Tinseltown.

But she quickly realized directors weren't interested in her arrogance. However, director Rob Marshall took her under his wing for Memoirs of a Geisha and apparently now she's spending half a year in New York studying English.

Her interest in the language probably increased significantly when she started seeing Aviv Nevo, reportedly one of the richest men in the Big Apple.

Today there was a story in China Daily profiling actor and singer Huang Xiaoming, a cute-looking guy who has ambitions of Hollywood according to his official website.

And to help him learn English without having to go to class, he hired aspiring American actor Zachary Overline.

The 23-year-old claims as soon as Huang met him, he offered Overline a job on the spot.

Overline gives the impression he lives the glamorous life, following Huang on movie sets, whether they be in Shanghai one day, and Hong Kong the next.

And he prides himself on his methodology, constantly getting Huang to talk in English and often repeatedly throwing in the same concepts and vocabulary so that he will remember them.

"I ask him questions that make him think or keep him talking," Overline explains. "The next hour I find a way to bring the same topic back into conversation, to refresh his memory. We do this a couple of times. When you speak aloud, apply it to what is going on in your life, you will have good results."

So if you've always wanted to rub shoulders with Chinese stars, now's your chance by tutoring them in English. No textbooks needed.