TVB News World - Asian Entertainment News Daily

The 62 year old Ha Yu and 29 year old Lam Fung are both favourites for the TV King award this year. Two “Siu Sangs” from different eras, they were both nominated for their performance in “Moonlight Resonance” in Best Actor and Favourite TV Character.

If Fung wasn’t nominated for Best Actor this year for his role in “Moonlight Resonance”, not many people will know he has been in the entertainment industry for 10 years. 10 years is not a short or long time, but comparing to another favourite for TV king this year, Ha Yu, who has 40 years acting experience, Fung knows it’s incomparable, he’s most afraid of comparisons with Ha Yu.

So is Fung confident facing an opponent who has 30 years more experience than him? He said, “Just let it be, I know everyone can say this, but not actually doing it. Thinking too much will affect my mood, so it’s better not to think about it. If I have to think about whether I will win an award, it’s better to think about what to do when I receive the next script! So it’s best not to think about it!”

Starting from the bottom

Fung graduated from the 13th TVB acting class, in the same year there was Tavia Yeung, Chui Wing and Yeung Ming etc. Coming from a rich family, his family are also old friends with TVB’s biggest shareholder Mrs Li Hao Wo. With such a strong background, that doesn’t mean he can take the shortcut. Fung also had to start from the bottom. Of course he wasn’t the main lead in his first series. He said, “I didn’t become popular right from the start, I started as an extra. My first series was Gordon Lam’s “Plan Love II”, I was a contestant in a tea making contest. And then the first time I had a speaking role was with Li Kwok Luen, I don’t think he’ll remember. I was a masked man but I remember I was very nervous. When I went home I kept on memorising that one line, so I even knew it backwards.”

We must be fair to Lam Fung, since he’s nominated for TV King, he must have some acting skills! Success comes from hard work, Fung knows he grew up under prejudice, so he must work twice as hard as others. He said, “Can say it was good timing, during my acting class year we had more opportunities. After graduation many producers used us because at the time they wanted to use new faces. I’m very lucky, faced many opportunities. The first opportunity was Lawrence Ng and Flora Chan’s “A Taste of Love”. They needed to find a 19, 20 year old guy to be the third lead male. At the time I was very scared but had to face it. I know my acting at the time was full of over actions. Then the second opportunity was “A step into the past”, I faced a lot of pressure, I know what my situation was. I know I can only succeed and cannot fail, cannot disappoint all those people who gave me opportunities.

“Actually I only knew what acting was about in “A step into the past”, at the time I just found out how to read a rundown, plus that was when I started to develop an interest in acting. Before I didn’t know anything, but I know there’re so many things to learn in the industry you can’t learn them all. Plus the rate of improvement cannot slow down, otherwise you’ll be overtaken by others. So even if I’m very lucky, had opportunities, if I didn’t use them wisely I would still be a failure!”

Every year before the TVB awards there’re always many rumours. This year is no exception. Fung was rumoured to stick close to TVB executive Lok Yi Ling, to pave the road for awards. Speaking of using personal relationships, Fung was angry. He suddenly sat up and said with seriousness, “Saying that I’m depending on this and that, depend on what? Because I’m rich? Mrs Li Hao Wo? The things you speak of affects me negatively, plus I’m not that person! Over the years I’ll say to myself I shouldn’t be affected by what others say, I know I have many rumours etc, but I believe those who know me know who I am. Those who work with me, those who has seen me grown up, they know what type of person I am.”

Being autistic three years ago

During his ten years in the industry, he should’ve developed his acting and social skills. The Fung from “A step into the past” was seen as the successor to Louis Koo. From inside out, the build, the skin colour, the personality are 98% the same. Like another Mr Cool.

However, the Fung today is not a shadow of anyone else. He is no longer cool. He said, “In the past I only care about how friends view me, other people I don’t care. So three years ago after filming I would go home, quite autistic. I didn’t like to explain too much, because I don’t have belief in a lot of things. Maybe it’s because this was my first job, I thought I only needed to do my best and that’s enough. Plus at home I’m the eldest son, my family’s thoughts are that I cannot do anything wrong, say anything wrong. Because of this I won’t even speak. Afterwards my friends comforted me and taught me to let go. I have renewed faith in people, I’m more happy, can say I changed from an autistic person to a person who talks a lot.

Source: Apple Daily
Credits: Kat @ RaymondLam.org