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| [Interview] Wallace Huo: THINK BIG OF ME 不要小看我 霍建華; Oct 19, 2006 壹週刊 – Next Magazine (English translation) | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 15 2012, 01:26 PM (1,386 Views) | |
| tomatoes | Jul 15 2012, 01:26 PM Post #1 |
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translated by orion![]() It is a whole different story whether one has confidence or not. Unexpected success brings overnight self-confidence, flamboyant and blatant like a rustling firework, whereas confidence accumulated by hard work and self discipline is quiet, calm, and enduring. Wallace Huo used to be a typical poster boy in the past. As most other Taiwanese idol stars, you could not tell what was his thoughts or characteristics under that perfectly handsome, yet empty, face. To our surprise, he felt exactly the same way too. In Wallace’s own inspection, he was no more than an ordinary man: his acting mediocre, his fame ungrounded, his existence as a star brought him nothing but puzzles. So he left behind his achievements in Taiwan and, all by himself and in his own way, restarted the career as an actor in China. Now that he had gone through a broad array of dramas, experienced the many splendors of this business, and was decorated with a bunch of love affairs (including the well known one with Rosamund Kwan), Wallace Huo, once blamed by all the entertainment journalists as an awkward and boring kid, has built up his confidence from scratch. In his confidence there is the glamour of a real actor and, moreover, a solid handsomeness. What a typical story for a Capricorn’s success! Working all the way towards one’s dream and nourishing on challenges and hardship, the Capricorn eventually holds the future firmly in his hands. This reminds me of Jay Chou, another Capricorn, whose success came way too quick and the flooding confidence went well over his head. Overnight fame and late coming accolade, I may like the latter better. It had been quite a while since I saw Wallace last time. On mentioning his name, all my male friends responded in the same way: the guy who was rumored to have affairs with Rosamund Kwan? I am not sure whether this is something to be proud of, but at least for Jay Chou, he may have written a song to celebrate this big achievement. Rosamund Kwan: My Good Friend But Wallace was not like that. He was way too shy. Not only Rosamund Kwan, even the award-winning Shu Qi had to make the first move in their friendship. I teased him by saying that he tried to please these “elder sisters” with his shyness. Wallace was embarrassed and eager to clarify with his waving hands. “In the beginning I was intimidated by these big-name actresses. I did not even dare to speak to them, because they might think I am just trying to flatter. But I am here simply to work, that’s it.” He was a bit awkward and intimidated, and the funnier story had yet to come. “Shu Qi is my idol. When she first stood in front of me, I pretended to be calm and convince myself that this is not a dream! Will she quit tomorrow because I am such a jerk?” “I know it is very important to make friends with your partner actress, but I cannot make the first move. Luckily they are so tolerant and understanding of my awkwardness, and are willing to lead the way for me. Just like my sisters. Maybe they see my diligence, perhaps…. I am not a smart guy, but I work really hard.” Wallace said. Love Affairs: I am OK There are two kinds of people who are easily involved in love rumors with their collaborating partners. People in the first category have overflowing emotions and they never stop flirting. Those in the second category are too indulged in the drama and simply live in it. Wallace definitely belongs to the second one. “You have to bury deeply in the drama. I don’t mind the love rumors. The point is, I really love her in this drama with my heart and soul. I had been working with someone I didn’t have chemistry with, and it was such a pain. The audience can definitely tell. I didn’t like my performance either.” “I am granted brief romances in the dramas and I quite enjoy this kind of privilege! But I pull myself away when the filming is finished. In reality you need to think about whether two people really get along.” He said with serious wrinkles on his forehead. “Most of my fantasy about romance could be fulfilled in the dramas, especially in my recent works in which the romance has been intense and crazy. Now that I had experienced everything in the drama, in reality I would like to stay a little bit away from it. Love is not my everything, and I can put it aside for a while even I really find someone that I like. Career is now my top priority which nothing can interfere with. After a long day’s hard work I only want to rest and prepare for the next day. I have no time for a girlfriend.” Overnight Fame: Driving me to China Let’s put it this way: the sense of accomplishments in his career is so overwhelming that Wallace only wants to focus on his work and doesn’t need anything else in his life, at least for now. After all, it is a career built almost entirely by his perseverance. Without going to China against all other people’s advices, life will be a totally different story for him. Perhaps he would have become another victim drown in the idol drama rush. Three years ago, the year of 2003 was a time when Wallace was best known by the audience in Taiwan. The idol drama At the Dolphin Bay brought him an explosion of fame and popularity. He filled every major TV channels with the six TV dramas he made within that single year, and it was impossible not to know his face. “It all came too sudden and overwhelming, the amount of my dramas and all kinds of news, including paparazzi. Wouldn’t you feel sick of it?” He was very embarrassed. “I never think of myself as a Prince Charming. My acting was lousy and everything looked so weird. I felt so embarrassed every time I saw myself in the TV drama: What a lousy TV lead!” I remind him of the recent replay of At the Dolphin Bay. “I don’t watch it!” He rejected it with an awkward chuckle. “People thought that I was weird: Why giving up my blooming career in Taiwan? But I think the most important thing for me is constant improvement in my performance. Walk out of the idol drama and film something I really like with deeper contents and higher quality. I like to stand firmly on the ground.” Inferiority Complex: Close my heart Now it is a whole different story. Wallace has gained confidence in his acting. He no longer avoids talking about it. In fact, he even wants to send me the DVD of his new drama Emerald on the Roof. In Emerald he fought to stand high and proud in career out of his childhood poverty and inferiority. “I want to prove to others that I can do much better: Don’t you ever look down upon me!” “Among all the characters that I have played, this is the one closest to myself in reality. I had been a quiet kid and used to close myself. My school performance was not good and there were some problems in my family, the money, this and that. I don’t want to go too deep. Anyway, I felt inferior to others.” “My dad wanted me to go to the military school, but I refused. A friend of him happened to work in the entertainment business and suggested that I learn some backstage experience. I actually thought it might be a good idea because I may make more money. In fact, some people suggested me to be a star but I didn’t think my personality was good for that. I am just an ordinary person and I never think of myself as good looking, I swear!” Show Business: Take my time So Wallace first worked as a backstage assistant to the variety show host Kuo-Cheng Tseng. He only had a vague idea about this business when he was summoned to serve the military. “I couldn’t find a job after I finished the military service. I had no money. My friends suggested I go to some audition for TV dramas. I said I knew nothing about acting. I liked music and I would like to be a singer, because I can forget the unhappiness when I sing. Then an offer came, saying that I could make the original soundtrack if I take the male lead in that drama, so I took the offer.” That was Star, his debut in this business. Neither the drama nor the soundtrack did well. Wallace was again out of work for a while, depressed and lost. Then he took the offer of At the Dolphin Bay, and the world changed all of a sudden. This overnight success brought Wallace nothing but apprehension. “Suddenly my life was filled with work. I didn’t have time to study the script in detail, and I couldn’t tell the difference between different characters. But that didn’t make big difference: all the roles wanted me to look cool!” He was a bit agitated. “Now it is much better. I can try a lot of different things. I still believe that one has to listen to his conscience, and tries to offer your true heart to the audience.” His former bosses may not be pleased by his sincere confession, especially it is them who made Wallace a hot star. But Wallace is a man from old school. He could only accumulate a sense of achievements and security by working everything out of scratch, piece by piece, feet standing firmly on the ground. He went to China by himself, and in the end he managed his own business contract. It was not an easy job but it paid off in the end, and I can also feel his joy. Being Hideous: I am a clown “I had gone through a lot of hardships. But I believe good things happen after the challenges. In the past my agency took care of everything, and now I have to take care of myself. It is good that I got to know the reality of this business. Sometimes you got to be tough and sometimes be flexible. I learn fast and I think I have the gift for running this business.” So is his acting. After going to China Wallace had tried a lot of different roles: killer, coward, ordinary person, even a hideous clown. No matter what the role is, he totally immerses in it. “I can enter the role immediately as the camera starts. There is nothing I can’t do for the drama.” Not the Wallace in the past, when he needed alcohol to help him relax in the hot scenes with Rosamund Kwan. “It is no longer a problem now.” He laughed. “But I am still a serious person in the studio. My coworkers dare not make fun of me while I am working. Miriam Yeung and I had collaborated in a comedy Wu Shi Lang. She joked that she never saw someone as serious as me, and she could not deal with me. Miriam is very outgoing and makes fun everywhere she goes, but she doesn’t have any luck in me, Ha!” Senior Sister Better? Not any more “Now I feel quite good. Everything is in good hands, and I gradually fulfill my dreams. I can definitely tell, although other people may not.” Wallace said, contented and pleasant. Then, will he still love to date women senior than him? That’s something he had said before: He liked to learn from senior women by dating them, another perfect example of lacking self-confidence. “Not any more. Now I think young girls are good as well. I have gained some experience and can teach them something. Ha! Will I be a bit arrogant?” Even his joke is so restrained. “I have been thinking recently. In the past I had too little self-confidence and now I have too much of it. Will this become arrogance? I need to hold back a little bit!” To tell you the truth, Wallace, arrogant people don’t have such humble worries. Late Coming Accolade Wallace Huo, born December 26, 1979. Graduated from Nang-Chiang Commercial School. Wallace debuted in 2002 and gained explosive popularity after making At the Dolphin Bay. He made Secret Garden I, Great Teacher, Pretty Girl, Westside Story and 100% Senorita in one year. In 2004 he went to China to make the movie Hands in the Hair (with Rosamund Kwan) and martial art series Tian Xia Di Yi/Hero. Recently he made Romance of Red Dust (with Shu Qi) and Wu Shi Lang (with Miriam Yeung). His new drama Emerald on the Roof is now broadcasted Saturdays 10 pm in GTV (channel 28). Put on the leathers Due to some mistakes in negotiation, Wallace brought a lot of clothes himself – all suits. In fact, we were supposed to take care of the styling. We convinced him to try our items: leather jacket, denim, red shirt and panther sweater. Although hesitated in the beginning, he found them interesting and looked good. “Tell him to stay away from the suits when he is not filming dramas.” Our good-hearted stylist could not stop preaching. “Suits are made to restrain people. If he is the close and introspective type of guy, suits can only make him worse.” I faithfully passed these professional advices to Wallace, and he listened with a smile but did not answer. In addition to a successful career, sometimes a breakthrough in styling can also bring one refreshing confidence, especially for a star. |
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| tobeme | Jul 15 2012, 05:51 PM Post #2 |
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Level 24
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This interview is really goooood - from someone who really knew about him. |
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4:34 PM Jul 11