Not everyone can say that they love what they do, but Singaporean actress Fann Wong can.
She describes acting a career she has had for over 25 years as something she truly loves and enjoys.
Its something I really love and I think its acting that chose me.
And Fanns acting career is why she is a household name that doesnt need any introduction.
Despite leading what we imagine would be a hectic life, Fann answered our lengthy list of questions on her life, family, and career.
Loyal fans would remember the 49-year-olds debut in 1994 on Mediacorp Channel 8 television series, Dreams Come True.
She was one of the three lead actresses alongside Chen Li Ping and Cassandra See.
While Fann is as popular as Chen and See now, she still finds herself lucky to have shared screen time with the two actresses.
I felt really lucky to have had the chance to act together with Chen Li Ping and Cassandra See then because I was just a newbie without any acting experience and they were already very established.
More than 25 years later, she has acted in over 40 television series and 20 movies.
This includes international productions like Chinese film The Blue Cornflower and who could forget her Hollywood debut alongside Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson in Shanghai Knights?
But no matter where she acts, she said that work remains pretty much the same.
Acting-wise, no matter whether Im acting in Singapore, Taiwan, China or overseas, theres not much difference. When the director shouts Action!, no matter which country youre acting in, you have to be immersed in your character.
The only culture shock she has is the difference in working hours around the world.
She said: In China, Taiwan and now (in Singapore), I am only allowed to work 12 hours a day. The most outrageous experience I had was when I was filming in Italy, I realised that they only work for eight hours a day!
Working between eight to 12 hours a day may seem like a regular weekday for a lot of us.
However, Wong explained that things used to be different back in the day, where she used to spend between 20 to 24 hours on set at one stretch.
She also shared that productions in Singapore used to have up to four directors in a show.
In those days, filming for 20 to 24 hours a day was a common situation. During those times, the actors would have it really hard. After a morning shoot with the first director, he would take his leave and the next director would take charge. Sometimes we may even have to film overnight. Then the third director comes and tells you to go home to wash up and come back later for the morning and afternoon shifts.
Thankfully for actors in Singapore, times have changed for the better.
Apart from having a decorated career as an actress, Wong is also a mother to five-year-old Zed, who she had with fellow actor Christopher Lee.
Fondly calling her only child ZedZed, she told us that her transition to become a mother was really drastic.
The transformation was so extreme, she felt that she almost couldnt recognise herself.
In the past I was very passionate about my work. I still do love my work, but now my priorities are not the same. I never thought that I would lose so much sleep, gain so much patience and sacrifice so much to be with my son.
As her son is the most important thing in her life right now, she has made some changes to her life and career.
Saying that her whole life revolves around her child, she now spends less time with her friends and also visits the aesthetician less.
I feel that this is the only time Ill be able to see him grow up and I definitely cant miss that window. These collective moments spent with my son will definitely be a beautiful memory for me.
Even dates with her husband, Lee, arent spared.
In a 2019 interview with 8 Days, Wong said that bringing Zed everywhere to their dates an unspoken rule.
To be fair, that rule is something that the couple have unanimously agreed on:
Previously, Chris used to say that we should have our alone time, but once we go out, we miss Zed. Halfway through our date, I will be like, Ah, I miss my son! and Chris would role his eyes and say, Yes, I miss him too. Lets go home! From then on, its an unspoken rule that we take Zed everywhere with us, be it our anniversary, or to some romantic dinner. It has to be a family affair.
For Valentines Day this year, Lee wrote Fann a note that revealed a little of their family dynamics:
The message reads,
Baby, Happy Valentines Day! Although you love your son a little more than you love me, Ill still love you forever <3 Ha ha ha!
Aww.
So who plays the good cop and bad cop to Zed?
Even though she does liken herself to be the kind, loving mother while Lee can be quite stern at times, she said that he still dotes on their son a lot.
And their parenting styles complement one another, according to Fann.
Sometimes Ill be at a loss on how to handle my son, but my husband would be able to deal with him. When he cant, I can handle it. When hes the good cop, Im the bad cop. We dont fix the roles.
Growing up with actors as parents, many people would wonder if Zed would follow in their footsteps.
However, Zed hasnt expressed any interest in acting yet.
He also dislikes seeing his mother on screen for a really sweet reason, as Fann told us:
I think that in his world, his mother should always be by his side. She shouldnt appear anywhere else. So when he sees me on the screen, he becomes really sad and unhappy.
On the other hand, he is apparently very ok with seeing his father on television. We dont know what this means. And were not about to ask further.
Like a lot of children his age, he has only shown interest in lion dance, drums, insects and marine creatures.
And it seems like his mother would prefer for him to be a little boy a little longer.
When asked when he would be allowed to have his own Instagram or TikTok account, she said, Oh heavens, thats really hard to control. Definitely the later, the better.
But Fann doesnt have to worry much about that for now, as screen time isnt his first choice of play thanks to the hands-on activities and playtime he has at home.
Take, for example, the time when he insisted on feeding the caterpillars at home:
In an interview withYoung Parents, she shared that Zed even declined to watch cartoons or movies during a five-hour flight to Perth.
For five hours, my son was reading and was bored. On the way back to Singapore, he still didnt want (screen time). I felt a bit sad for him and tried to show him how the inflight entertainment works. Luckily in the end, we found a video game he liked.
If youre wondering what Wong has been up to lately, her latest role is on Mediacorp Channel 5s Titoudao: Inspired By A True Wayang Star.
On the drama series, she plays the role of Ah Bu, the mother of the titular character.
This series is her first English language drama after more than 25 years in the industry.
Even though I only appear in the first episode, shes still an important character in the story. I think this role really attracts people, it attracted me. She gives you strength, confidence and recognises you. Her existence, no matter what she does, changes you as a person or supports you. So I really love this character.
Wongs dedication to her craft is what makes her the well-loved actress she is today.
As her character in the drama has bound feet, she observed the posture of women with bound feet through the internet.
Then, she would try to encapsulate the character from the way she would walk, down to her sitting posture.
She has even injured herself while trying to perfect her acting.
Because Ah Bus legs are technically disabled, sitting on grass patches wouldnt be easy. When I walk with a hobble, sometimes I really injure my legs in the process. But overall, the filming held within the kampungwas quite smooth. I think Titoudaos mother is blessed!
So what can you expect from Wong after her English drama debut?
She said that we can look forward to seeing her in a movie that she will begin shooting very soon.
After that, I think Ill just be at home with my son.
Almost Famous is a series of feature interviews where we bring you in-depth conversations with people who are probably a bit too famous to be spending time with Mothership. In these, we uncover the authentic stories and opinions behind their remarkable lives and work.
Top image from @fannaiaiwong on Instagram and Mediacorp Channel 5
Read the original post:
Fann Wong's son doesn't like seeing her on screen, & it's for the sweetest reason ever - Mothership.sg
- Christopher Lee Was Furious About This 'Lord of the Rings' Moment - Collider - April 2nd, 2024
- Airdate: The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee - TV Tonight - April 2nd, 2024
- Christopher Lee's casual shorts and slippers outfit in Taiwan made heads turn - TODAY - March 16th, 2024
- Christopher Lee Dead: Horror Icon and Legendary Movie Villain Was 93 ... - February 19th, 2024
- "Chris wasn't hearing a bar of it": Christopher Lee Forcefully Auditioned For Another Lord of the Rings Character Before ... - FandomWire - February 11th, 2024
- 'Cancel everything': How Christopher Lee disciplines his son with this one phrase - Yahoo Singapore News - February 3rd, 2024
- Actress Fann Wong surprised by husband Christopher Lee on birthday - The Straits Times - February 3rd, 2024
- Fann Wong surprised by husband Christopher Lee on birthday - The New Paper - February 3rd, 2024
- Christopher Lee: The actor and hunter of Nazi war criminals - Far Out Magazine - January 9th, 2024
- Sir Christopher Lee's Favorite Performance is in a Film You've Never Heard Of - MovieWeb - December 12th, 2023
- Christopher Lee dies at the age of 93 - The Guardian - April 27th, 2023
- Christopher Lee - Tolkien Gateway - March 31st, 2023
- Christopher Lee filmography - Wikipedia - February 10th, 2023
- Where to Start with Christopher Lee - The Film Magazine - October 19th, 2022
- 'Were you desperate to get proposed to?' Christopher Lee crashes Rebecca Lim's new show and roasts her while dishing out relationship advice - AsiaOne - October 19th, 2022
- The Wicker Man TV Series In Development With Andy Serkis The Imaginarium And Studiocanal-Backed Urban Myth - Deadline - October 19th, 2022
- Tim Burton names his five favourite horror movies of all time - Far Out Magazine - October 19th, 2022
- Ten celebrities who served in the military, from Adam Driver to Prince Harry - The National - October 19th, 2022
- These 13 Actors Have Earned the Right to be Called Scream Kings - Dread Central - October 19th, 2022
- David W. Smith | Obituaries | thedailynewsonline.com - The Daily News Online - October 19th, 2022
- Jennifer Hudson Recounts "Fanning Out" Over Duet With Sheryl Lee Ralph: "I Wanted to Make Her Proud" - POPSUGAR - October 19th, 2022
- Tangipahoa Parish Jail - October 11th, 2022
- A monster calls: why the horror universe is an idea whose time has come - The Guardian - October 11th, 2022
- Oblong Box, The (Blu-ray Review) - The Digital Bits - October 11th, 2022
- Was that the balrog that killed Gandalf in the Rings of Power? - Polygon - October 11th, 2022
- Every James Bond movie ranked by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes - Insider - October 11th, 2022
- Overwatch 2: All Voice Actors And Cast - eXputer - October 11th, 2022
- She got Covid-19 four times this year alone - The Star Online - October 11th, 2022
- Nursing School Collaborates with Nursing School in The Philippines - Boston College - October 2nd, 2022
- The Terrifying, Terrific Horror Movies of 1972 - Nerdist - October 2nd, 2022
- Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: A beautiful conclusion to the iconic trilogy - The Shield - October 2nd, 2022
- Tyson Fury through the years: Photo gallery - MMA Junkie - October 2nd, 2022
- Duncan man jailed, accused of madness on meth - The Lawton Constitution - September 24th, 2022
- Conor McGregor "can't believe" he's being paid to film Hollywood movie - The Mirror - September 24th, 2022
- The Government of Malaysia Launches the National Energy Policy 2022 - 2040: What it Means for the Renewables Landscape - Lexology - September 24th, 2022
- New Brockton native Brandon Lee part of team cherishing NASCAR win at Bristol - Dothan Eagle - September 24th, 2022
- Cape Cod theater reviewers' thoughts on 2 scary plays and a comedy - Cape Cod Times - September 24th, 2022
- 'His presence is going to be there': Lee Roy Selmon will attend in spirit as trio of OU brothers honored with statue - The Oklahoma Daily - September 24th, 2022
- Nicolas Cage inspired by Christopher Lee for vampire movie Renfield - The Digital Fix - September 16th, 2022
- Reece Shearsmith Tells Richard Herring About Christopher Lee - Beyond The Joke - September 16th, 2022
- 8 Horror Movies So Awful They Were Pulled From The Cinema - WhatCulture - September 16th, 2022
- Man-Thing Makes his MCU Debut in Werewolf by Night - Here's what we know about Man-Thing - Attack of the Fanboy - September 16th, 2022
- Summer of Blood (Blu-ray Review) - The Digital Bits - September 16th, 2022
- Get it over with: Suspect in Kokomo child exploitation case tells police to arrest him on the spot - FOX 59 Indianapolis - September 16th, 2022
- Alabama says it won't be ready to use nitrogen hypoxia method at Sept. 22 execution - USA TODAY - September 16th, 2022
- Christopher Lee, The Real-Life "Most Interesting Man In The World" - August 31st, 2022
- Inside The Fact And Fiction Of Christopher Lee's World War II Service - August 31st, 2022
- How to watch The Lord of the Rings movies and the series in chronological order - Lifestyle Asia India - August 31st, 2022
- Court and arrest reports for Martinsville and Henry County - Martinsville Bulletin - August 31st, 2022
- Every Tim Burton Movie Ranked from Worst to Best - Consequence - August 31st, 2022
- Court lists defendants to appear in Criminal Division on Thursday - Magnoliareporter - August 31st, 2022
- Lee County School Board makes minor revision to Parents' Bill of Rights - Wink News - August 31st, 2022
- A Cardiologist Breaks Down the AHA's New Report on the Most Common Heart Disease Symptoms Best Life - Best Life - August 31st, 2022
- Exclusive Interview: Director Philippe Mora On His Films With Christopher Lee - FANGORIA - August 14th, 2022
- 10 films turning 10 in 2022 - NewsNation Now - August 14th, 2022
- Persephone and the Poultry of the Night | Thumper Forge - Patheos - August 14th, 2022
- Unexpected Demands Made By Lord Of The Rings Actors - Looper - August 14th, 2022
- Rings of Power: Everything you need to know about Amazon's 1bn Lord of the Rings prequel - The Mirror - August 14th, 2022
- Slash Tells Us Why There Will Never Be a Guns N Roses Movie - MovieMaker Magazine - August 6th, 2022
- On the record for Aug. 4 - Seymour Tribune - August 6th, 2022
- Judge Talley will hear criminal docket on Thursday - Magnoliareporter - August 6th, 2022
- Dr. Christopher Reber Receives ACCT 2022 Northeast Regional Chief Executive Officer Award - The Hudson Reporter - August 6th, 2022
- Theatre Review: This 101 Dalmatians is barking up the wrong tree - The New European - August 6th, 2022
- Christopher Lee Euro Films, Dennis Hopper's 'Out of the Blue' Among Titles Due on Disc From Severin and MVD July 26 Media Play News - Media Play News - July 28th, 2022
- 25 Scariest Movies of All Time (2022 Edition) - Cultured Vultures - July 28th, 2022
- Fans Wonder Why a Fantasy Epic Too Big to Fail Did Just That - We Got This Covered - July 28th, 2022
- The Best Witch Movies of all Time, Ranked - The Mary Sue - July 28th, 2022
- NASCAR Driver Christopher Bell and CRAFTSMAN Raise Awareness for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals; No. 20 Special Edition Paint Scheme to be... - July 28th, 2022
- Singer Stefanie Sun turns 44 with cakes and loved ones - The Straits Times - July 28th, 2022
- Tony Dow dead: Wally Cleaver 'Leave It to Beaver' actor was 77 - USA TODAY - July 28th, 2022
- Roane Co. authorities looking for man convicted of neglecting and murdering an elderly relative - WBIR.com - July 20th, 2022
- 22 Incredible Facts About The Life and Career Of Sir Christopher Lee - July 20th, 2022
- Police and Fire Report - Winchester Sun - Winchester Sun - July 20th, 2022
- What We Do in the Shadows cast shares their favorite vampire movies, books, and more - Polygon - July 20th, 2022
- Courteney Cox Set To Make Horror Movie History With 'Scream 6' - We Got This Covered - July 20th, 2022
- Every James Bond Movie, Ranked: The Best of Bond - CNET - July 20th, 2022
- Grandparents of Dean Kerrie say he was just defending his mother and should not be jailed - Sunday World - July 20th, 2022
- Ray Wise Has Always Been More Than "That Guy" - Defector - July 20th, 2022
- Angela Ledgerwood on the Psychic Relief of Reading - Literary Hub - July 20th, 2022
- Athens man charged with manslaughter in fatal hit and run - News Courier - July 12th, 2022
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero