Since "Tiger Woohoo" back in 2010, more and more MY FM DJs have ventured into the acting field led by MY FM DJ and now experienced actor, Jack Lim. Among the more notable stars in Lim's Chinese New Year movies was Royce Tan, who is also one of the better DJs on MY FM. His remarkable portrayal of the sissy character Rain in the record-breaking film "Ah Beng The Movie: Three Wishes" this year marks the third consecutive year that he has played the character which had become beloved by the Chinese film-watching audience. The actor is now preparing to star in "Once Upon A Time", the first ever local Chinese ancient film, which will be released during the festive Chinese New Year season in 2013, although he will not be reprising his role as Rain. Instead, Royce will be playing a much more manly character, something he has never done before. Recently, Cinema Online sat down with Royce to talk about his rising career as an actor and how does it feel to be seen with a face on the big screen as opposed to his voice-only gig for MY FM.
Cinema Online interview with Royce Tan was conducted on 4 August at West Lake Garden in Sunway Resort, Petaling Jaya.
Q: Hi Royce, this is the fourth time that you are involved in a Chinese New Year film. How do you feel about it?
Royce: I'm really excited as I had a great time working in "Tiger Woohoo", "Great Day" and "Ah Beng The Movie: Three Wishes". You know, it's a joy for me and my colleagues to have a change from being DJs to being movie actors to entertain our local fans in the cinemas during such a festive season. I just can't wait to be a part of the new production.
Q: Your performance as the fusspot, Rain, left quite an impression on others. Does that make you worry about being stereotyped into particular characters in your acting career?
Royce: Well, I don't mind people saying, "Royce has always been portraying sissy kind of characters in most of his roles in the movies." To me, this is positive feedback for an actor. At least they remember me!
Q: Have you ever thought of trying out different types of characters?
Royce: I have. In fact, in the new film, I'm going to play a macho guy, a role that I have never attempted before in my previous films. Meanwhile, I'm also looking forward to play bad guys or even mad people, as they are thrilling roles that challenges my acting abilities.
Q: What kind of satisfaction do you get from shooting a Chinese New Year film?
Royce: Watching people laugh and cry because of a film I'm in. I'm very touched whenever I see families gathering to watch our movies as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations and honoured as I get to be a part of their lives for two hours.
Q: In your opinion, what defines a good actor?
Royce: A good actor is someone who knows how to live in his or her role. A role is not just a character; it is a way of life that you have to nurture. For instance, look at Johnny Depp. He fits each and every character he is given so well because he is mad like the Mad Hatter, quirky like Willy Wonka and so on. So when you think about these weird characters, you think about Johnny Depp because they have become his way of life.
Q: How do you balance your time between working as a radio host and an actor?
Royce: When I first got myself into radio broadcasting, I had no idea what the job scope would be like. But I think time management is the key. And now my workload is getting heavier as I have to spend time on acting too, I just have to work a lot faster.
Q: Besides "Once Upon A Time", what are your upcoming projects?
Royce: Nothing much. I will just continue to host events and my radio shows. However, I hope in the future I will have the chance to be behind-the-scenes of stage productions and directing my own show.
Q: Thank you, Royce.
Royce: Thank you, Cinema Online.