1. Scene & Heard Page 18
“Rui En’s as warm as fire”
Story: Sarah Chang
As the jocular Fang siblings on The Dream Makers, Dennis Chew and Rui En have become TV’s best non-romantic couple ever. We speak to the actor-DJ about his crackling comedic chemistry with his onscreen sis.
8DAYS: People really love you as Fang Yuanren, the pesky tabloid reporter and elder bro to Rui En, in The Dream Makers.
Dennis Chew: I’m more surprised that I was offered a role so quickly after It’s a Wonderful Life. Fang Yuanren is actually a minor role but he’s quite a character. I think viewers like me because of my chemistry with Rui En.
Yes, you guys are really believable as siblings.
You think so too? I’m going to tell her! I think viewers like how real we are. In reality, you’ll always have a love-hate relationship with your siblings. You love them, but you’ll complain and quarrel with them.
How did that rapport came about?
I felt it during our first imaging session. We were supposed to take ‘family’ portraits that day. She probably knew that I felt awkward, so she cosied up to me and said, ‘You’re my brother!’. So professional! From then on, I called her Mei (Mandarin for ‘little sister’.) On the first day of filming, she easily ‘caught and bounced the ball’ back to me whenever I ad libbed. Such chemistry is very hard to come by.
How much of the lines were ad libbed?
Not much. The producers gave us free rein as long as we didn’t change the meaning of the lines. Rui En had bugged me to tie my hair in the same [Teletubby antenna-way] she does, and she played along when I added this impromptu scene where we ‘connected’ our ‘antennas’. We burst into laughter after the director shouted ‘Cut!’
It seemed as though you guys were already good friends before the show.
Yah, that’s what makes our chemistry even more impressive. I didn’t know her well at all [before this show.] We hardly talked when we saw each other around MediaCorp. I remember hosting the launch of her album when she first started out as a singer, but that was it.
Well, she’s known as an ice queen.
Sorry, no. To me, she’s as warm as fire. She’s misunderstood and I want to protect her because she’s just being professional at work. My elderly brother instinct is coming out. I really love her as a sister.
Do you guys still keep in touch?
Not so much. She’s too busy filming. I recently sent her an SMS to tell her how much I miss her and also to invite her to watch the musical Army Daze, but she couldn’t make it. I hope to meet her for a meal to catch up.
The Dream Makers 志在四方 is now airing on weekdays, 9pm on Channel 8.
Categorised in 8 DAYS, EN, The Dream Makers 志在四方.
