Shanghai TV Magazine #10A

Wayne Lai feels embarrassed getting the award again

R: Reporter

W: Wayne Lai

Acting makes me more gentle
R: In both Rosy Business and No Regrets, your roles are very manly. Are you that manly in real life?

W: Quite a bit. Every role that an actor plays reflects some part of his own life. However, I am not as hot-tempered as Lau Sing. I am more gentle and don't get so worked up that easily.

R: Are you born gentle?

W: My work has trained me to be more gentle. It is crucial for me to maintain my composure during acting so that I can act well.

R: Having being in TVB for 20 over years and playing many different roles, are there any roles you wish to take on but haven't gotten the chance to?

W: Not really. I have played so many roles in the past 20 years. Besides Chai Gau and Lau Sing, there are other roles which I love as well, including Pigsy, Zhou Botong and Han Xing.

R: You have to come and leave on the same day. From your Weibo, it seems that your schedule is really packed. Do you like this kind of life?

W: No, not really. I am one who likes freedom more, and would like to maintain a balance between relaxation and work. However, it is particularly difficult. This is so especially for when I film for TVB. We have to film our scenes outdoors and in the studio everyday. At times, we only get 2 hours of rest for one day, and this is really tiring.

R: How long do you intend to keep up with this punishing schedule before you give yourself a break?

W: To be frank, I am at a loss as well, because after acting for so many years, I can finally achieve what I have today. It is not an easy thing to give everything up.

R: From your Weibo, it seems that you like to put up photos of yourself drinking tea and relaxing.

W: I am one who enjoys serenity and don't really like to socialise with people. Opening up a Weibo account is for my fans because they worry about me a lot. This is why I put up photos of myself drinking tea and resting for them to see.

Staying put in Hong Kong, for now
R: There are many TVB artistes coming over to Mainland China to film dramas. Have you received such invitations?

W: Yes. However, due to clashes in schedules and the heavy workload in TVB, I have to turn them down. It is only these 2 years that I have started to take on heavier roles. My career in Hong Kong has just started taking flight, so I wish to remain in Hong Kong and film more good things. Moreover, my son is only 13 years old. He still needs his parents' company. So for these 2 years, I will not be filming in the Mainland. People in Hong Kong love us and want to see our dramas as well, so if we go over to the Mainland, they will miss us.

R: The salary offered in Mainland is much higher than those offered in Hong Kong. The market there is bigger as well. Do these not attract you?

W: Artistes cannot just look at money. Each artiste from every country has their own specialities. We may not act well in Mainland dramas. We must be responsible towards the audience. We cannot just film for the sake of money.

R: So the chances of you going over to the Mainland to film dramas aren't high then?

W: I don't mean to say that I will never go there. It all depends on fate. If I feel that the timing is right, I will naturally come over.

Thinks highly of Bosco Wong and Ron Ng
R: This year's competition for the TVB King award is really fierece. Kevin Cheng said that you have the highest chance to win.

W: (Laughs) Kevin Cheng himself is really good as well. He acted really very well in Ghetto Justice. To him, that is really a break-through. However, I think that everybody has an equal chance this year, so if you want me to choose, I can't choose as well. Eh, as for me... The upcoming Forensic Heroes 3 is quite good, and this is the type of drama that always suits the taste of Hong Kongers.

R: Looking at your expression, it seems that you feel embarrassed about competing with them.

W: A little bit. I have already gotten this award two times. I will feel bad if I get it again. The award is a form of encouragement to them. I have already gotten it twice, so there is no point in encouraging me again.

R: You, Kevin Cheng, Michael Tse are all over 40 years old. It seems that those good artistes are all over 40 years of age. Who do you think highly of, among the younger actors?

W: I like Bosco Wong because he can adapt to changes very well. Another one is Ron Ng. He has talent. Other people may not see it, but I have acted with him before, therefore I can feel it. It's just that up till now, he does not have any break-through roles that enable him to fully unleash his potential. He has been acting in too many similar roles, which has limited his ability to unleash his talent. If there is a break-through role for him, not just those 'handsome guy' role, he will definitely shine.

R: Who do you think will be the second Wayne Lai?

W: Both of them (Bosco Wong and Ron Ng) can be. Just give them another 5 years.

10 years ago, he left as well
R: This year, there are many people who have left TVB. When you see your colleagues leave, what is your feeling?

W: I can understand, because I have left before as well. I left 10 years ago. After that, I returned. This is a natural phenomenon. One must gain more experience and take a look at the outside world. This is especially good for an artiste. When you return to TVB after getting more experience, it is also a good thing for TVB. It is not as if the company will prevent you from coming back after you have left.

R: Why did you leave initially?

W: I felt that I was 'stuck' at the same place and have not made any improvement in my acting. I felt really troubled by this. At that time, I felt as if I had lost my sense of direction. After leaving, I did not do anything at first. I went to film a movie after that, and also hosted a TV programme. During that period of time, I gained a lot of valuable experience.

R: Why did you decide to return in the end?

W: I felt that my movie career was going downhill because there was no audience at all. As an artiste, you act for the sake of people watching you. If you only work for the sake of earning money but nobody watches it, the feeling is really very terrible. My wife said that since I loved acting so much, I should go back to filming dramas.

R: The movie industry now is booming. Have you ever thought of going back to the movie industry?

W: I harboured the thought of learning something new when I filmed my first movie. I thought that after filming TV dramas for 10 over years, I would like to know how filming a movie would feel like. At that time, everything seemed very fresh and I had more motivation. The movie set is really much bigger and everything is real, not like the fake backdrops we use for filming TV dramas. However, I don't think that I am suitable for filming movies because I need time to warm up. I am not one who gets into my character quickly. I am also afraid of strangers so I won't warm up to the directors and artistes at one shot. As such, I have filmed many movies, but there is not one which I am satisfied of. However, in TVB, I know everyone, so when I work, it feels as if I am at home.

R: So you won't be filming movies anymore?

W: It depends. If I feel like filming a movie one day, I will film it.

Talent in acting
R: Lee Tim Shing once said that when you first signed up for acting class, you have already reached the level of a seasoned actor?.

W: Yes. I'm not trying to praise myself, but acting requires talent as well. My senior, Anita Mui, did not learn acting before, but she was able to touch the audience with her acting because she had immense talent. I have the talent for acting as well. I did not know it previously, but thinking back now, it was maybe because I loved to observe people's actions when I was young. As a result, when I act, I am able to visualise the character, so I don't need the director to tell me what to do.

R: You were doing well as a clerk, so why did you think of becoming an actor?

W: It was just a funny feeling I had. It's something like our sixth sense. At that time, I just felt like switching jobs and trying out acting. It was just that feeling.

R: Did you have any acting background?

W: When I was in secondary school, I was in the drama club for a year, but I did not perform on stage. I did participate in a singing competition in school, but I was so nervous that I could not continue singing. I did not even pass the preliminary round and I was kicked out. (laughs)

R: Lee Tim Shing also said that your adaptability is very high. Besides not being able to act as the 'handsome guy', you can take on other roles. Do you agree with him?

W: I do. It is not possible for me to change my looks.

R: You have never thought of trying it?

W: No. There are limitations as an artiste. For example, it is not possible for you to act as a 190 cm handsome dude if you are only 172 cm. He will have a hard time convincing himself when he acts. If you put me together with Tony Leung and Andy Lau, people will know at one glance who is the handsome one. It is not something that acting can do.

A book on acting
R: People say that you act well. Is acting an easy feat for you now?

W: No. I still have to consider how I should act each role, because every role is different. When I act, I still have to think about how I should act it out.

R: You came out with a book titled 《戏剧浮生》 recently, which chronicled how one should approach acting and the skills needed. Why did you think of coming out with this book?

W: We all know that Stanislavski came out with a book titled 'An Actor's Work'. I read it a long time back. He mentioned that in the future, people will add on what he had said. This statement stuck with me for a long time. He wrote the book 100 years back, so I was thinking if it was still relevant to artistes of today. Moreover, he concentrated more on dancing. He did not have any books on TV and movie actors. I analysed his book, consolidated all my experience and used my perspective as a TV actor to add on to what he wrote. I have always wanted to chronicle my acting career. It was just so coincidental that two years back, a free newspaper in Hong Kong asked me to write a column for them. When I don't feel like critiquing on my surroundings, I will review movies outside Hong Kong. After writing for about two years, one of the editors from Hong Kong's Joint Publishing contacted me with the intention of helping me publish a book. When I was writing for the newspaper column, I had already thought of coming up with my own book. Hence, the book was quickly published.

Son is talented in art
R: You and your wife are so loving. What is your secret?

W: We try to accommodate each other. I have an advantage, because my wife loves me very much.

R: Ah? (laughs)

W: Really, really. My wife really loves me very much, which is why she is able to put up with my work. You know, as an actor, when you get too involved with your character, you will get slightly cranky. My wife says that I talk to myself sometimes. She loves me very much, which is why she is able to understand what I am going through at work.

R: Your son is 13 years old. You can act so well, so will he inherit your genes?

W: A little bit. He is able to express himself very well and has very coherent thoughts, which are essential for an actor. However, he does not like acting. He has a strong personality and is always full of opinions, which I think is not suitable for acting. An artiste must be able to work together with the director and other artistes. Team-work is important. I have told him before that he is not suitable to become an actor. He does not want to be one either.

R: What do you want him to do next time?

W: He is into fashion design. He is really talented in the area of art and takes very good photos as well. I have bought him a CANON SD and a CANON 50D. He has taken beautiful shots with them. When I bought him the 5D, I was so afraid that I would spoil him because it was really very expensive. When I brought him along to get it, I saw the salesperson and him discussing about it so animatedly. I believed that I had made the right choice, so I heaved a sigh of relief.

Being a person is just like that
Mum has the biggest influence on him
My mum was a very traditional person, so during the festive occasions, her 6 sons and daughters would come back home to eat. I miss my mother's stir-fried spare-ribs and prawn omelette. I am the youngest son in the family, so I would always follow her around. My mother has influenced my career, life and even character. My mum is one who leaves everything to fate as well. She would not hope for something she could not get, and had taught us to be satisfied with what we had. Her teaching had a big influence on me.

Happy that he is a late-bloomer
To be honest, I have gone through a lot. After which, when I acted as Pigsy, people started noticing me. Chai Gau came along afterwards. Everything has culminated to what I have today. The chance definitely did not just come to me like that. I am really happy that I only got famous later. If I was famous earlier, I would have felt lost.

Only two best friends
Up till today, I only have two best friends. One of them is my secondary school friend, the other is Lau Ching Wan. This is enough for me. One does not need to have many friends. It is most important for them to be trustworthy. Ching Wan and I share many similarities in thoughts, and will discuss about acting seriously. We do not really care about getting anything in return as well.

Family first
Many a times, Hong Kongers only know how to busy themselves in work. They say they want to make more money for the family, but have no time to accompany them. One cannot be like this. Family comes first no matter what.

Gives his son a free rein in dating
My son has met his puppy love and will take ID photos with his girlfriend. I have no problems with it. Parents are usually very rigid on this. When one grows old, they forget about what happened in the past, forget about how they were young once.


Sheren Tang is preparing for her book

R: Reporter

S: Sheren Tang

One look at No Regrets and Sheren Tang knew that she would have a hard time
R: After watching No Regrets, many people feel that Gau Gu Leong is difficult to act out. Is she your most difficult role to date?

S: Yes.

R: What is the most difficult part to you?

S: First, the aura and vibe of a gangster head is very difficult to grasp. Second, we live and grow up in Hong Kong, so we do not learn much about history and patriotism. The patriotism spirit shown in the drama is a result of my own research. I had to watch war films like Nanjing! Nanjing! to know how life was like at that time. I was watching and crying, experiencing Gau Gu Leong's pain at the same time. Gau Gu Leong is a very mysterious person. Her actions cannot be truly fathomed by people, but also cannot be totally unfathomable. When I looked at the script, I felt that I was in for a tough time. How was I supposed to act her out? I had to read the script many times and carefully grasp the nuances, which really required a lot of effort.

R: Did you feel stressed acting such a difficult character?

S: I felt really very stressed, especially during the first month of filming. We started with filming all the outdoor scenes first, which meant that there was no way we could see how we performed. I did not know if I acted well or not.

War and Beauty 2 will be nice if Yu Fei is coerced
R: You and Wayne Lai are very popular as a pairing. If given the chance to collaborate again, do you wish to act in Rosy Business 3 or a whole new drama?

S: It's also possible. Our chemistry is very pleasant to watch. Do you know that for today, we did not discuss with each other what to wear, but we both ended up wearing black leather? When we do interviews, we answer separately, but our answers for some questions are exactly the same, which baffles many reporters as well.

R: It is rumoured that you will be filming War and Beauty 2. Is this confirmed?

S: Yes, it's confirmed. When I go back, we will be filming the Sales Presentaion.

R: Is War and Beauty 2 a sequel or a brand new story?

S: The story is not out yet. I only know that I will still be acting as Yu Fei.

R: War and Beauty is such a classic. Do you feel any stress acting as Yu Fei again?

S: The script is not even out yet, so there is no need to be stressed so soon. Of course, it will be really hard to surpass a classic like War and Beauty. However, the stress will be more on the script-writers and the producer. We just need to accept the script and act our parts well.

R: Will the original cast of War and Beauty be involved in this drama?

S: I heard that Moses Chan, Ada Choi and Charmaine Sheh would be participating in this. I'm not sure about the rest.

R: Who else do you wish to work with in War and Beauty 2?

S: I have not worked with Ada Choi, Gallen Lo and Kent Cheng before so I wish to work with them. It is best that they get an actress who has a more commanding presence than me. The show will only be nice if Yu Fei is coerced. Yu Fei cannot be always bullying people. Teresa Mo is not bad as well, but I don't think she will be filming dramas anymore since she is more into movies right now.

R: What are your views on Yu Fei?

S: I hope that Yu Fei will have some romantic scenes. I really hope that Yu Fei's love story will have an ending.

This year's TV Queen should be Myolie Wu
R: You did not film anything for TVB this year, so will you still be attending this year's awards ceremony?

S: I'm not sure if I have the time. I may be already filming by then. It's still too early to say. The awards ceremony is in December.

R: Who do you think will get this year's TV Queen award?

S: I am seldom in Hong Kong this year, so I did not watch any dramas. However, I think Myolie Wu has the best chance. Fala Chen has already gotten the Best Supporting Actress award twice, but Myolie has not been awarded yet. Though I have not collaborated with her before, I know that she is a very hardworking person. The award is actually an encouragement. It is a testimony to your efforts. I think Myolie Wu deserves it.

R: Who do you think will become the second Sheren Tang?

S: There won't be a second me, because everybody is unique. However, it is hard to find somebody who loves acting as much as me, because I am really an acting maniac. They don't have the passion that I have.

R: The competition for this year's TV King award is really fierce. Who do you think stands to win it? Does Wayne Lai has the highest chance?

S: It is better this way, more exciting. Anybody has the chance. However, it is not that easy for Wayne to get it because I'm not around. Good acting also depends on who your fellow artistes are. He does not have me to generate good chemistry with him anymore, so he won't be that outstanding.

R: Wayne Lai has published his book titled 《戏剧浮生》. You are also widely acknowledged as a good actress. Have you ever thought of coming up with a book?

S: He is really good because he can pen down his experiences into words. I am not the type of person who can reason and philosophise well. I don't dare to teach people how to act.

R: Your life is very exciting as well. Have you thought of coming up with an autobiography?

S: Yes, I am trying. I'm in the midst of doing it.

R: When will it be published?

S: I have just only started. I need to put everything together.

Not suitable to be a superstar, refuses to open a Weibo account
R: Many artistes have opened a Weibo account. Wayne Lai has also done the same, but you have not opened it. Why?

S: I am a person who loves freedom. I am very focused when I do something. I do not have enough time on my hands already, so why do I still need to open a Weibo account? I will feel stressed if people start noticing me. I write things based on my gut feelings. If I never update for a certain day, people will start wondering why I am not updating. I am afraid of rumours. I am afraid that if I say something wrong, people will start speculating and criticise me. I have always said that I am an artiste and am not suitable to be a superstar. Besides performing and promoting my dramas, I try to keep a low profile so as not to draw attention to myself.

R: Weibo is also a platform for fans to interact with you.

S: I do look at my fans' Weibo. Tieba has more.

R: Have you looked at the Weibo accounts of other artistes?

S: No time to do so. I am a person who lacks self-discipline. I'm afraid that if I look at it, I would not be able to stop myself. A few hours will just fly past like that. I don't dare to put ice-cream and potato chips in my house because I'm afraid that I would just finish everything up. It is only safe for the house to lack such things.

Difficulty in choosing scripts, accepts only the best
R: Ever since The New My Fair Princess aired, have many people come looking for you with scripts?

S: Yes, I get one every other day. Sometimes, I get one everyday.

R: You filmed another Mainland drama titled The City of Falling Snow while not filming any TVB dramas. Why is this so?

S: I find it more and more difficult to choose my scripts. This is the time period when many people are filming TV dramas, but it is also the most dangerous period. There are just too many production groups and few professionals. The drama can be easily ruined like this. If a drama is good, it means that the whole team is good. People who use their heart to do their work are rare. I would like to preserve my love and passion for acting, so I would rather wait, rest and do other things.

R: The salary being offered in Mainland is sky-high. If given more money, are you sure you don't want to act?

S: Money is important, but I don't need so much. If I do things just for money, there would be no meaning to it. One does not need a lot of money to be healthy and happy. Doing some exercise can also make you healthy. Looking at little children play can also make you happy.

R: Are you one who doesn't have high expectations for material well-being?

S: When I was about 20, 30 years old, I also experienced how it was like chasing after material wants. But when I had all these, I did not feel happy. I felt empty instead. I now know what is the most important to me. The money you earn is not equal to how much you are really worth. I am a very thrifty person. My car is already 9, 10 years old and I have not thought of changing it. The bag which I use today is given to me by my church friend after I attended three sessions there. It is not branded and it costs only 800, 1000 dollars. However, I will still use it. I don't care whether it is branded or not. So long as it is convenient, I will use it.

- Credits to maixy60 of 黎耀祥吧 and 庞小扣 of 邓萃雯吧

*PLEASE CREDIT DREAMLUCKY IF REPOSTED! THANKS! ^^

Comments: I'm so sorry for the later-than-usual post. It's about one day late. The interview is really long and I have been very busy with my school work. >.< 

Nice read on them. I find it funny how Sheren keeps supporting Wayne, but saying that he won't stand much of a chance without her lol. Contradictory much? o.O''' I mentioned sometime before that Sheren has confirmed her participation for War and Beauty 2 here since she mentioned it during her trip to Shanghai. It's nice to see it in words though LOL! xP

Personally, who do you guys support for this year's TVB King and Queen? To be honest, I've watched quite a number of TVB dramas this year. Some people acted really well, but erm, I think it takes more to win the coveted awards. Yes, Myolie Wu has been quite outstanding this year and Kevin Cheng has surprised me as well, but you know (no offence to other fans), I somehow feel that they lack that extra "something" to be crowned King and Queen. They acted very well, but they didn't wow me to be quite honest. I just thought that it was expected of them lol. In fact, I can't think of who will get it in the end. ._. Sherayne and the veterans before them have left quite a big gap to fill. No matter who wins it in the end, it still won't be the same as the last 4 years...

Anyway, I'm really sorry if there are any spelling or grammatical mistakes. It's nearly 2 am here now. I will proof-read the whole interview again when I wake up! ;)