Going to Work Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin TVB Weekly & Mingpao Magazine February- 2003

Ekin was interviewed by TVB and Ming Pao magazines. He was asked about how he got his start in the entertainment business and what his plans were for the future.

Ekin said the that the road hasn't always been easy. When he first graduated from the acting school he was asked to host a TV program. He wasn't very good. But when a class graduates there are some who are better than others. Everyone is looking for a chance. Everyone can't be the best One thing that was good about hosting a TV program was that I was in front of the camera everyday. This was good experience for me.

Some of his friends suggested he go to the first floor where the TV series directors had their offices and ask them for a part in a series. Ekin said that the first time he went up there he walked past the door. He couldn't go in he was too shy, scared and unsure of himself.

Eventually he was asked to take over for a person in a series. The part was the bad guy in the series. I thought hard about it and decided that this was a chance and I decided to do it. Later I was offered a part in a period series. The part meant that the character had to know martial arts. I did OK in this role because I had studied martial arts before I studied acting.

Even though I made a lot of TV series still no one knew who I was. I still needed a chance to be well known.

For a while I didn't have much work and this was a low time in my life, also after the movie Women from Mars had poor ticket sales I was sunk to a low point. But now I have learned that life is like that, there are always high parts and low parts, it doesn't worry me anymore.

When someone said to me why not sing and make an album. I thought why not, if they are prepared to pay it is a chance. The first record went very well, but the second was not so good. As a singer you have to work hard to make a record that people will like and the record company has to help you to promote the record. The record labels always promote the new guy and they rise to the top quickly. After a while it isn't so easy, so I move record labels so that I can be the new guy. I don't regret making the move to EEG. I always tell everyone that I am the new guy.

I have a good relationship with my girlfriend. When we can't be together we talk on the phone. If we can be together well that is better. Marriage is for later, neither of us are thinking about that right now. I am always asked about whose career goes better. Each of us looks for a chance, we don't think about who is better than the other. We are both at different places in our career. I have been in the movie business for 15 years. At the moment I am very busy with movies and commercials. I want to do charity work and also pursue my hobbies.

A fortune teller said that the year of the Ram will not be a lucky one, but I think this is not so because it is my birth year. My last movie, My Wife is 18, had good ticket sales. It was a comedy and a big change. Because the movie did so well many directors ask me to make their movies, everyone agrees this is a successful change and makes me feel more confident. The script is always the most important.

I have many projects for this year, another three movies and also some commercials. Right now I am working on a movie and so I will be in Hong Kong for the New Year Holiday. This is different and unusual, most often I will take vacation and travel at the New Year. I will spend time with my family and Gigi, we will gamble playing Mahjong and spend time together at home.

 

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