Wayne Lai is Thankful for Sheren Tang’s High Expectations
Wayne Lai (黎耀祥) and Sheren Tang (鄧萃雯) left behind a deep impression with their collaborations in Rosy Business <巾幗梟雄> and No Regrets <巾幗梟雄之義海豪情>. Despite establishing his position as a lead actor late in life, Wayne remains grateful to both Sheren and producer Lee Tim Shing (李添勝) for his unexpected success seven years ago.
Sheren is known to have high expectations of herself and of her work. While they were filming Rosy Business, Wayne would tell Sheren that he thought everything was fine when she had special requests. By the time they were filming No Regrets, they had already developed a strong compatibility with one another. “She knew I would respond with ‘I think it is fine’ [when she wanted to request for something different]. Slowly, we developed a very good understanding of each other.”
Wayne is especially grateful to Lee Tim Shing for boosting his career. “These two dramas are very important to me. They can even be considered my life’s turning point. It’s because of Sheren and Lee Tim Shing’s one phrase that made me who I am today, so I am very thankful.”
Despite Wayne’s unsuccessful start in the entertainment industry, he was surrounded by inspiring friends. Wayne had just entered the industry when he met Film King, Sean Lau (劉青雲). “At that time, I was only portraying extra characters, but Sean was already a male lead. Even so, he continued to pay attention to all the characters I portrayed. I remember one time, I was filming a scene for File of Justice <壹號皇庭> in which William So (蘇永康) kicked me. After Sean watched it, he said I filmed it well because I fell really hard on the floor and convincingly made William seem evil.”
Source: On.cc
This article is written by Huynh for JayneStars.com.
It’s a matter of timing. Way too many siu sangs back in the 80s and 90s.
I wonder when was this pic taken? Sheren looks really good in this pic.
@hayden Just not long ago ! its from a new show at TVB airring today in HK at 10:30 on TVB. There will also be an interview with jessica and louis koo!
@hayden This was more than a month ago. They broadcasted their interview live on Big Big Channel.
@linvin8 This one is a little different. This is from Luisa Maria Leitao’s new interview show — it’s the newest season of her Telling Maria program. The first one several years ago she interviewed male leads, then female leads (though both seasons were mostly film industry veterans), now it’s famous onscreen partnerships. I’m actually really excited about this one as there have been so many great onscreen collaborations over the years — can’t wait to see what the rest of her lineup will be!
@llwy12 Yeah I know. Perhaps they didn’t broadcast the whole interview, but they did do some sort of Q&A on Big Big Channel on the day of this interview being recorded. Anyway, I’m just merely pointing out when this picture was taken haha
@linvin8 Sorry, I probably should’ve worded it better. Yes, this picture was taken the same day…the Big Big Channel segment was the same day as well, but a completely different interview. TVB probably seized the rare opportunity they had to get Sheren in their midst and so pushed to get as much done as possible, lol. Good to see TVB being efficient for once, haha…
Watched the interview earlier and loved it! Wayne and Sheren have great chemistry and it was great to see them together again after so long (also helps that both are favorites of mine in terms of actors/actresses). Also had a nice dose of nostalgia wih all the old TVB series clips that they aired plus the interview clips with Sean Lau, Roger Kwok, Lee Tim Sing, Michael Tao, etc. — all old friends sharing their memories of what it was like collaborating with Wayne and Sheren. I loved what Sheren said about why she wanted to collaborate with Wayne and how she came to appreciate non-lead artists after her one experience in a non-lead role. Also loved hearing Wayne describe his unique friendship with Sean Lau (and hearing Sean say the same thing in the video clip put a smile on my face, lol).
As usual, Maria is a great interviewer and obviously does her homework when preparing for these interviews. Looks like this will pretty much be the only TVB show that I will be watching “religiously” this year!
@llwy12 Thanks for sharing!! Love the friendship he has with Sean Lau!
i want to see the interview now.
I actually think all of TVB’s newbies should watch the interview as they can learn alot from it. Wayne and Sheren shared some great insight into how they built their careers over the years and the various experiences they went through, both good and bad, that helped shape who they are today. They also gave some valuable acting advice that I think any actor who wants to be successful at their craft can benefit from. There were also alot of funny moments — the easy banter and chemistry between these two is unique…it’s no surprise that fans want them to collaborate again because there is a certain type of “magic” that the two of them have when they work together (which both talk alot about in the interview as well).
The interview was definitely alot of fun — highly recommended!
@llwy12 Absolutely agree the interview was a joy to wartch. Both seemed very genuine. Honestly, the first Rosy Business was a rare treat because it was one rare series where a female was an actual lead. She changed the male “lead.” Wayne was right, he wasn’t a lead anything. Then the second series took a little focus away from Sheren and more screentimes to Wayne because he was so popular then. It wasn’t perfect script but so much better than 90% of current series.
The interviewer was great too. She’s not in your face and obnoxious or about me me me like Dodo as host.
It really showed how humblr and real Wayne is. Sheren is a headstrong amd serious actress. I questioned her “loyal-ness” when she blamed on script for that unsuccessful second series with Moses. Now a whole new light on here. It was truly crappy script, lol.
I really like Wayne explanation on screen chemistry. Yes, newbies need to take notes! I doubt majority would though. It’s rare to have newbies who really struggle or passionate or really into and serious about acting. Shame. Shame. Wayne IS probably the only actor to date have started from scratch to frame over such long period. His time is true due! Good on him
Ibagree with Sheren that oje needs to go outside to see the world to improve. That’s something TVB manavement should take up on, lol
The one part I dislike is how it ended. It came from nowhere loke jist a bad edit. Sheren was talking then bam, okay done. Is there suppose to be an “extended” version?
@jjwong Wayne has always come across as very real (genuine)and very humble. I loved how he described his reaction to being cast as lead in Rosy Business – hilarious, especially when he keeps a straight face the entire time (while Sheren is cracking up beside him). I agree about the strong woman part – it’s so rare to have a strong female character in a TVB series – both Rosy Business and No Regrets did a great job with this actually. I thought the part about why Sheren told Tim Gor that she wanted to collaborate with Wayne was awesome – I kind of knew it had something to do with her role in The Intangible Truth, but having her describe it firsthand was powerful…to me, it was an homage to supporting actors everywhere!
Yes, Sheren is headstrong, but there’s also a playful side to her, which she only reveals to those she’s most comfortable with. Like that instance with Roger Kwok when they were filming A Vixen’s Tale together back in 1989, how she told him to imitate Leslie Cheung (her idol) for her enjoyment, haha….now that’s a playful side of Sheren that we rarely get to see! Also, I thought it was nice of Sheren to bring up Alex Man (her ex-boyfriend) and how much he shaped her attitude toward acting – she still remembers what he taught her and has kept it with her all these years.
I think another big thing that came through in the interview is Wayne’s work ethic and attitude, which is rare in the industry nowadays…that’s one of the things I love about Wayne! The other thing that I’ve always liked about Wayne is how articulate he is – he has the rare skill to be able to “tell it like it is” but in a way that is rational, logical, and doesn’t offend. Another highlight for me, in addition to the video clip from Sean Lau, was Michael Tao’s insight about Wayne buying that “mansion” on Broadcast Drive because he loved TVB so much, lol….it was also heartwarming to hear how Michael tried to help Wayne by giving up part of his own performance fees. Oftentimes, the entertainment industry gets painted in a bad light and the assumption is that genuine friendships are rare, but that’s really not the case – there are a lot of very genuine, sincere friendships and heartwarming moments between artists, it’s just that the mainstream media usually doesn’t highlight this.
As far as the interview getting cut off, that didn’t happen with the version I watched….but then again, I watched it from TVB USA’s own website (encoreTVB) – full original version, nothing cut. Definitely recommend watching TVB stuff on encoreTVB if you can access – that’s probably one of the few “smart” things that TVB has done in recent years: putting their series and variety shows on their own online platform so audiences in the U.S. can watch for free and legally too (definitely more effective method of combatting those illegal websites than cease and desist letters!).
P.S.: This interview combined with all those clips from older series make me want to re-watch Sheren and Wayne’s older series now, lol!
@llwy12 Me too! I wanna watch Rosy Business again. Now that is a series I admire.
BTW, I watched eps 2 with the hosts partnership. I like them. Nat definitely needs to stick to hosting and not acting. Eric seems so real. Ah “Egg” Gor is such a natural host. Is he still actively teach acting class? Hope so. The clips they showed are still funny and great. Now those are classics!
Srsly though, Maria has a lot of strings to pull! Lol.
@jjwong LOL….yup, though I also want to re-watch older series aside from the 2 that Sheren and Wayne collaborated in. I recently re-watched “The Challenge of Life” (and loved every minute of it) but now feel like watching it yet again due to Sean and Wayne’s little “bromance” moment in that interview, lol. I also haven’t watched “A Vixen’s Tale” in a long time and don’t remember much from it anymore so yea, that series is probably due for a re-watch (though I know I will probably think about Roger entertaining Sheren with Leslie imitation off-screen and bust out laughing, lol).
Yes, episode 2 was pretty good as well. Nat definitely needs to stick to hosting, as that’s where his strength is – he’s an above average “talker” and that’s really what hosting needs. Eric will always have my respect due to his contributions to the industry and yes, he may come off as a joker most of the time but he does have a very real and sensitive side. I love Lawrence Cheng – he’s one of my all-time favorite hosts but he is also a genuinely talented scriptwriter, producer, director, actor, radio personality, etc. Probably because I grew up watching Lawrence but every time I think of JSG, I automatically think of him (since he was JSG’s host for the longest time)…also every time I think of MHK, I think of him, Ivan Ho, and Paul Chung (3 of the best hosts TVB ever had – on the male side that is). I think he’s still teaching the classes off and on, but it’s a side gig for him, since his focus is in movies nowadays.
Btw, did you watch episode 3 yet? If not, I HIGHLY recommend it! Maria invited Michael Tao, Bobby Au Yeung, and William So to talk about their collaboration in Files of Justice, which is currently airing in TVB’s midnight timeslot. The 3 of them have awesome chemistry (especially Michael and Bobby) and are absolutely hilarious!! Some of the stuff they reveal about their female co-stars at the time (Amy Chan, Faye Wong, Sammi Cheng, Eugenia Lau, etc.) was interesting and funny. Oh and for those who may not have seen any of Bobby and Michael’s series prior to the 90s, you’re in for a “treat”, as they include “old” (more like “vintage” at this point, lol) clips featuring very young versions of Bobby (back when he was still using his “real” name rather than his current stage name and he still had a full head of hair and was actually skinny, lol) and Michael…oh and William too, though honestly his looks haven’t really changed much – they had a brief clip from “A Friend in Need” from 1988 and I remember him looking almost exactly the same in that series except for the hairstyle.
@llwy12 I watched eps 3. I enjoyed it too!
So true that William still is very much the same. I never knew he’s a good friend with Michael and Bobby. He was never on my radar honestly. I never thought much of him. Ironic how he mentioned Faye Wong reacted with pulling her hand back and was shocked, when he didn’t tell her in advance that he simply holds her hand in a scene. Then there’s another article on JS blaming Ruby to “overact” with a tongue in her mouth, lol. Times changed.
I’m glad Michael explained how he got “see lai sat sau.” I scratched my head when I first heard that. I was so little then, and I’m like he’s not even that good looking. I wondered how he got in the “idol groupie.” Then I see his young, young, young clips from the interview. I’m like, eh, I see it now lol. It’s cute how he’s really touched that Wayne still kept the tie.
Bobby is definitely a happy fruit! He’s like the male version of Lydia Shum. As Eric said about Lydia when she laughs, everyone else automatically laughs. She bought that happiness air to the room. Bobby has that affect.
It’s interesting that all of them thanked the previous generation and are grateful to be schooled, in positive friendly way and negative scolding, by the older generation. They remembered where the came from and who touched them. They remained humble and counted their blessings.
Can’t wait to see who’s on next eps 🙂
@jjwong Yea, absolutely. Watching all these interviews brought back so many memories for me! Like when Bobby would talk about his days in TVB back in the 80s when their studios were still located on Broadcast Drive, he often would sleep in the bathroom so that he wouldn’t have to go all the way back home and come all the way back to film. Oh and all those clips where Bobby and Michael were playing kelefes next to the likes of Tony Leung, Chow Yun Fat, etc. Their analysis of those clips from the Genghis Khan series was funny too – I remember that series actually and how big of a deal it was back then…those were the days when TVB actually did on location filming for majority of their series, which made their series more authentic of course.
Their memories of FOJ were great too! I think it’s pretty obvious that Gary Tang was a smart producer – it was interesting to know how he deliberately cast all second line actors in FOJ and refused to cast a single first line artist because he didn’t want the focus to be on one person. The strategy proved successful, as look at how great FOJ turned out! Notice that since Gary Tang left TVB, no other producer after him has done what he’s done or have even attempted to “stray” from the traditional formula like he did.
Bobby was so funny when he talked about having to “ad-lib” closing statements for FOJ III and how he “tricked” Gary Tang into letting him have a little stand to put the files on (when in reality he was trying to not have to memorize the script and just read from it, lol). And how Michael had it “easiest” because he wasn’t a lawyer in the series like everyone else so he would come to work in slippers and stuff – hilarious!
Oh and when they started talking about their female co-stars, I busted up laughing – especially when Michael started revealing all of Bobby’s “secrets” and calling saying how he looked like a piece of sushi when he filmed those bed scenes with Amy Chan, lol. The sunglasses story was also hilarious – how Bobby tripped and no one noticed, but then Michael laughed so loudly that everyone looked over and Bobby was like you bastard, lol….and then Bobby getting his “revenge” when he saw Michael trying to change his pants during a location shoot and made fun of his underwear, lol….I was laughing so hard I had to pause the clip to compose myself, haha…
@llwy12 Oh yes, their stories were funny. I like how Jessica Hsuan rolled up her shirt and showed off her full belly. Lol! Also Bobby’s jab (friendly of course) at Michael about being smarter and not get caught goofing off on the back of the line during a scene.
Glad Gary Tang did something different and was successful about it. Taking risks pay off. TVB-now needs to learn from that. Though I can’t remember any series that take all non-1st-line leads, but does the series about the FOUR with Raymond, Kenneth, Ron and Samuel? They were all 1st-line leads around that time I thin… Also, Nat said something similiar. Then, everyone in the industry was humble, hack hack hay hay, and he was like, let me be a smart aleck, smartarse and arrogant. It paid off!
Is this interview available on Youtube?
Could someone tell me the proper name of the Show? When was it aired in Hong Kong please?
Thanks in advance.
@orchid123 Its English name is Starry Starry Talk (Telling Maria Srs 4). Chinese name is 最佳拍檔…it airs in HK every Sunday but not sure what time. If you’re in the U.S., you can watch every episode on TVB USA’s official program portal encoreTVB (the only “legal” way in the U.S. to watch TVB content online at the moment). If you’re in HK, I’m pretty sure it’s on myTV and/or myTV Super as well…
They’ve aired up to episode 3 now….the one with Wayne and Sheren was the first episode, which aired 3 Sundays ago.