The MediaCorp artiste plays Rui En’s love interest in Ch8’s upcoming rom-com ‘A Tale of Two Cities’
Text & Photos: Joelle Chong
Video: Fiona Lin & Tay Yi Xuan
If the trailer presented at the press conference for Ch8 upcoming romantic comedy A Tale of Two Cities was anything to go by, we think Pierre Png might have a good chance being nominated for Best Actor in Star Awards next year.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Pierre plays Hong Kong veteran actress Choo Mimi’s adopted son Lin Wen Tao, who is not only a three-time taekwondo champion, but also a professional wedding photographer at his mother’s bridal shop.
A gentle and simple man by nature, Wen Tao is in cahoots with his mother, to try and change willful heiress Zhang Ya Le (played by Rui En) for the better. The two later fall in love and ultimately get married, but not without an obstacle, which comes in the form of an ex-girlfriend.
During the press conference, Pierre stated that filming A Tale of Two Cities with Rui En was a relaxed affair, although he still felt slightly pressurised because “she’s (Rui En) really good at what she does”.
This would be the second time Pierre and Rui En play onscreen couple; the first being Honour and Passion in 2007.
“Rui En is a lovely actress to work with. I love the way she gets into character because she’s so not like the character that she plays,” Pierre laughed during an interview with xinmsn.
Pierre further complimented his co-star for “bringing substance and life into her character”.
The actor added that working with Choo Mimi was a great learning experience, saying that she had “so much experience [with] the way they tackle the character, the way they prepare for the character”.
“Everything they do is just something to watch, something to learn from,” he said.
Pierre also called Choo Mimi “a joy to work with” as the talkative actress would take away the pressure from any scenes — be it an emotional one or a scene which required quarreling or bantering.
Despite starring in high-profile dramas such as Your Hand in Mine and The Score last year, Pierre has failed to secure a Best Actor nomination in the Star Awards this year.
When asked how he felt about not being nominated, Pierre said that since the beginning of his acting career, he had never actually thought he would make it into the Most Popular Male Artiste or even be nominated for Best Actor.
His last Best Actor nomination was in 2006 for his role as Nameless in The Shining Star, where he starred opposite then-newcomer Dawn Yeoh.
“That one time that I was nominated for Best Actor, they had to put me in the same category as Li Nanxing. So I thought that was a real sick joke,” Pierre guffawed.
While it was a pity he was not nominated this time, the actor said he would be supporting his friends at the event and wished all the nominees best of luck.
“I’m happy just being on the payroll, just having roles to play, different characters to analyse, different shows to be in and acting with different actresses. They keep getting younger,” Pierre smirked.
Catch Pierre Png and Rui En in A Tale of Two Cities, debuting this Valentines’ Day (Feb 14), 9pm on Channel 8.
Source: Xinmsn
Categorised in A Tale of 2 Cities 乐在双城, EN, Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, Star Awards 2011, xinmsn.
27th December 2007
Page 13 – 芮恩最DIY
Page 42 & 43 特报 Feature – 电视行情数字
Source: I Weekly
Categorised in Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, I-Weekly, Metamorphosis 破茧而出, Ratings 节目收视率, Star Awards 2007.
27th September 2007
特报 Feature – 芮恩 宝家卫国
角色篇 – 野蛮女当道
Source: I Weekly
Categorised in Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, I-Weekly.
30th August 2007
Page 99 – 自然
新闻馆 Newsstand – 公主爱美丽
Source: I Weekly
Categorised in Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, I-Weekly.
2nd August 2007
视非街 Tv News – 谁是神枪手?
Source: I Weekly
Categorised in Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, I-Weekly.
26th July 2007
视非街 Tv News – 宝家卫国 冲锋陷阵
Source: I Weekly
Categorised in Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, I-Weekly.
24 July 2007
TView
HONOUR AND PASSION
STARRING: Huang Wenyong, Tay Ping Hui, Bryan Wong, Rui En, Nat Ho, Felicia Chin
SHOWING ON: Channel 8, weekdays, 9pm, starting tonight
RATING: ****
lianyi@sph.com.sg
I DIDN’T quite expect it, but new local series Honour And Passion is a winner.
It’s one of those sponsored shows (by the Singapore Armed Forces this time) and MediaCorp’s record has been pretty hit-and-miss with that.
But it turns out to be a pretty likable drama about National Service.
Plot has never been a strong point with local shows. Plus, it is never easy to judge a story based on the two episodes reviewers get to watch.
So I go with these questions. Is the characterisation good? Is there chemistry between the actors? And do I enjoy the two hours I spend with them?
Yes to all.
Honour And Passion is about a military warrant officer (Huang Wenyong) and his four children (Tay Ping Hui, Bryan Wong, Rui En, Nat Ho).
Ping Hui is a commando officer, Bryan that rare thing, a male with empathy, Rui En a tomboy and Nat an undisciplined runt.
Somehow, for a bunch so good-looking, they are all losers at romance.
There’s also a terrorist subplot in there somewhere.
The most interesting casting choice is Felicia Chin as an artillery instructor. I’ve never seen a female soldier that hot in real life.
Women everywhere should ask what sunblock her character Ouyang Peipei uses, because nobody exposed to that much sun remains that pink-cheeked and snowy white.
A truly ludicrous introduction is when one student whispers to another: “I don’t even know if anybody would want her.”
I know that’s supposed to play on the (unfair) stereotype that military women are butchy, but come on.
Still, I guess her casting works in the sense that the part of the brain that says “that’s unbelievable” is quickly overpowered by the part that says “that’s unbelievably hot”.
It might have something to do with me and uniforms though.
That said, it is the other female lead, Rui En, who steals the show.
Her character – tomboyish yet vulnerable, with a tremendously low tolerance for alcohol – is by far the most interesting.
As an actress, Rui En has always seemed a bit standoffish, but her character gets so much grief in the first two episodes that she is easy to relate to. Even lovable!
I am looking forward to her character’s interactions with Pierre Png’s. They make quite the amusing pair.
CLEVER TWIST
Their meeting is pretty stereotypical (I don’t know how many MediaCorp drama serials has had boy crash into girl, get angry with each other, eventually become lovers) but the twist – she has no idea that Pierre hates her – is clever.
WHAT THOSE TICKS MEAN
***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Mediocre
* Don’t bother
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, The New Paper.
19th July 2007
Page 16 星光 Starbuzz – 狠角色
幕后直击 Tv On Location – 冲! 冲! 冲!
宝家卫国 Honour & Passion Advertisement
Source: I Weekly
Categorised in Honour and Passion 宝家卫国, I-Weekly, Metamorphosis 破茧而出.
19th July 2007
Page 20 Scene + Heard – At Ease, Men!
Page 107 – Honour & Passion Advertisement
Source: 8 Days
Categorised in 8 DAYS, Honour and Passion 宝家卫国.
