TVB News World - Asian Entertainment News Daily

To successfully breakthrough in the entertainment industry, besides one’s own hard work, luck and circumstances are also key. Been in the industry for almost ten years, today Fung has good results in singing and acting. He admits he’s a lucky person. It didn’t take very long for him to become a lead actor, he also won newcomer awards at the music award ceremonies. The latest is his award for “Favourite Male Character” at the TVB awards. Looking back at his biggest returns in his work for past few years, he thinks fame and fortune are secondary. Actually during the process, he understood more about himself, learnt how to be more open and optimistic, this was the most valuable.

Being filial as priority

Not long ago the series “Moonlight Resonance” caused Fung’s popularity to soar. He also received the “Most favourite male character” and “TVB.com most popular blog” awards. “Goon Ga Jai” is filial, faithful in love which made him the perfect boyfriend in many girl’s hearts. Goon Ga Jai is really a good person in the series, but in reality, it’s hard to be that perfect.

“I am the eldest son at home. Since I was young my parents had certain expectations of me. For example, even if it was the fault of my younger siblings, my parents would also punish me. It is because they feel I have the duty to set a good example. Because of this, I have a strong feeling of being the “eldest son” since I was young, I also care a lot about my family.

Since I entered the entertainment industry, my work has been getting busier. I don’t have a lot of time to spend with them, let alone setting a good example. One time, they went overseas for a holiday. Their destination was also the place where I was going for work. When my brother was fishing, he suddenly decided to call me, and asked me to join them. But because of work I could not go. At that moment I felt really bad.”

Even though his family might be very close, they seem like many miles away. This unfortunate feeling is Fung’s biggest “loss” since he entered the industry. This is also a common problem among many popular artists. Luckily, Fung’s family understands, so this “eldest son” can concentrate on his work. Recently he doesn’t have to film any series, so he can spend more time with his family, letting him be the Goon Ga Jai filial son in real life.

“I am really thankful of my family’s understanding, they always say to me, as long as our children look after themselves, they’re already very filial.”

Not willing to withdraw from character

An older generation actor has said, Fung is an actor with great potential. With his looks he can portray good or evil character, and his acting skills is quite outstanding among his peers. About these praises, Fung immediately shakes his head, he also said humbly that he has many areas to improve.

“Comparing with many older generation actors, my acting skills is at an acceptable level. I can only say I really like and enjoy filming. So every time after I receive a script, I will spend a lot of time examining the character, hoping to find more space to display the best of the character, finding more possibilities. Maybe for this reason my acting skills has improved.”

To make a character come alive, you have to immerse into it, to feel what the character feels, and even act out the character’s circumstances. Actually, to immerse in character is not easy, to withdraw from it is even harder. So someone has said this is the difficult part of being an actor that most people don’t see. But Fung views this as the best part of being an actor.

“I’m a person who’s afraid of being bored, always hoping there’re new challenges in life. As an actor I have the chance to portray different characters. After work, I won’t deliberately withdraw from character. I would rather keep the same mood, so it’s easy to immerse back to it. My friends would always try to guess what character I’m portraying by looking at my behaviour and mood at the time. When I speak a lot, they’ll guess I’m acting as a “talkative guy”. When I’m quiet, they’ll guess I’m portraying a moody character.”

Opening up his heart

Today Fung’s character changes often, he can be active or passive, but when he first entered the industry, he was actually a quieter person. Normally he doesn’t say a lot. But through acting, through portraying different characters he learnt more about himself, giving him many more characteristics.

“As I mentioned previously, since I’m the eldest son I need to set an example at home. So I’m very careful of everything I do. After working in the entertainment industry, I am especially careful. Need to think through a lot of things before I say something. When people ask me something, I will only answer back with yes or no. So at the time, many people said I’m arrogant. But I was only afraid of saying the wrong things. Later when I started to portray different characters, I had time to think about life, to really understand myself, my character had also started to change.”

Fung expressed that he had portrayed many happy and optimistic characters in the past, those who act on impulse and take life as it is. At the time he thought, why can he be so relaxed and happy in the series? But in real life he had to think over so many things? So he started to examine himself.

“I discovered I can easily get fixed onto something, often worrying whether I did well or not, whether I will displease others. So I motivated myself to be more open, letting go of unnecessary barriers, learning how to share my feelings with others. I became more relaxed as a result. Now I have friends in the entertainment industry who are at different ages, some are actors and some are singers. They’re all very important people in my life, I’m really thankful for their advice and care.” After he finished, Fung had his hand on his chin and thought for a while, and then displayed a satisfying smile.

Reacting as the situation arises

It’s nothing new for an actor to enter the music industry, there’re many successful examples. Fung entered the music industry last year and also won newcomer awards. But for him this is only a motivator, not an achievement.

“I really like singing, but my technique has lots of room for improvement. I’m really thankful for the recognition from the public. But I won’t become proud, I would work harder and hope to achieve more results.”

Now, Fung will listen to different types of music in his spare time to improve his music knowledge. Additionally, he will also exchange tips with other newcomers who debuted at the same time as him.

“I’m really happy to meet a group of newcomers, they’re all very nice. Last month at a big concert we all met again. We were so happy we were hugging each other, a really heart warming scene.”

After becoming an actor/singer, Fung’s next goal is to enter the movie industry. But as he goes further in life, he understands opportunities do not come often, and cannot be forced. So he will wait patiently for his opportunity.

“In my heart I have a plan, but it’s very flexible. It can change at any time. I won’t force myself to move onto the next step, or set a time of when I will achieve a goal, just let it be.”

20, 30, 40

Next year Fung will be thirty years old. Is he prepared for this new phrase? He smiled and said for a man, the difference between twenty and thirty may only be having an extra wrinkle at the corner of his eyes, or being more knowledgeable of the world. It’s less common for a man to fear turning thirty (as opposed to women), he also said proudly, “today I still have the energy of a twenty year old, but without the naivety. This period when youth meets maturity might actually be quiet charming.”

Fung views a forty year old man as the period when he has the most charisma. “They have a lot of life experience, view things another way, this experience and confidence makes them very charming.”

Fung says when he’s forty he hopes he’ll portray different types of characters, like a father or a teacher. Actually, Fung wants to play the character of a “crazy/mad man” the most, because this gives him a lot of opportunities to display his skills.

Scans by: Sharon @ RaymondForest.com
Credits: RaymondLam.org