08 January 2004
JUST how bright are our Singaporean stars shining in Taiwan?
Here’s Mr Suen’s brutally-honest appraisal:
Rui En
‘She’s almost disappeared in Taiwan. Oh, she’s filming dramas in Singapore? Well she should just continue doing that! To be an artiste, you must have audience appeal. She lacks that.’
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in The New Paper.
11 November 2003
LU RUI En is one lucky young woman.
She first brought out the green-eyed monster in us by playing Jay Chou’s girlfriend in his music video, and later, the love interest of Howard Cheung, her hunky Chemistry co-star.
And in the updated version of homegrown candid camera show Gotcha – which premieres on Ch 5 tonight – the Singaporean actress-singer shares hosting duties with Brothers 4 cutie, Soo Kui Jien.
So is Rui En, 22, beside herself at such good fortune?
She protested: ‘I wouldn’t want to get excited about these things!
‘It’s unprofessional to get into that groupie mentality, because I don’t think you can work very well. I think I would have just died with Jay Chou then!’
She said of Kui Jien, 31: ‘Our chemistry is very different from what I had with Howard. I’m more pally and comfortable with Jien, he’s like a big brother.
VIOLENT BABE
‘But he thinks I’m one of the most violent girls in Singapore!’
To that, Kui Jien deadpanned: ‘She likes smacking me, she says it’s a sign of affection.’
Naughty Rui En even tried to pull her own prank on him, by throwing a tantrum and storming off when he was late for work.
She recalled: ‘But the (Gotcha) producers kept putting a wet blanket on it. They probably have something in store for us.’
We think the real surprise would be if the comely couple were indeed an item.
But Rui En scotched such talk, saying: ‘He’s been in this line for a long time, so he knows better than to make things awkward by getting involved.
‘Anyway, he’s quite scared of me, so I don’t think he’d want to!’
But Kui Jien quipped that ‘there is a possibility’.’
We made a pact that when we’re 76, and if we don’t find anybody else, we’re going to hook up.’
Hmm, is that a joke?
He’s a really nice, joker/comedian type of guy. And I like his bright, radiant smile … But he thinks I’m one of the most violent girls in Singapore!
– Actress-singer Lu Rui En on Gotcha co-host Soo Kui Jien
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in Gotcha, The New Paper.
11 October 2003
WATCH IT
IT’S tough playing a joker on TV, trying your darndest to make people laugh.
Succeed and you get lauded with praises such as ‘natural’ and ‘gifted’.
But, just go slightly overboard and you’ll be labelled ‘exaggerated’ or ‘fake’.
It’s a fine line to tread, but seasoned actor Liu Qianyi has shown it is possible.
Good actors, though, are essential – which this dramedy has no lack of.
Other co-stars like newbie Rui En and deejay Dasmond Koh do passably well to generate laughter too.
But still, no one does it better than the veteran Qianyi.
A Toast Of Love is showing on Channel 8 on Saturdays at 9pm.
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in A Toast Of Love åƒåƒé¢åŒ…谈谈情, The New Paper.
Singer-actress Lu Rui En is a ‘big fan’ of Spears, but she’s not a fan of stripping for the camera.
FHM pictorials, bikinis and bra tops are ‘definitely out’.
The spunky 22-year-old said: ‘I’m a person who’s open to trying new things, but I wouldn’t purposely flash skin or go topless thinking I can sell 50,000 copies of my album. I don’t think it works that way, not in Asia at least.’
She wouldn’t mind ‘showing a bit’ in photo spreads or music videos though if ‘the director feels it’s aesthetically pleasing’.
‘Being sexy doesn’t neccessarily mean it has to be in the Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera way. I can do it my way and feel comfortable.’
For complete article: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,37959,00.html
Categorised in The New Paper.
19 September 2003
A SUDDEN rainstorm disrupted Cold Storage’s 100th Anniversary celebrations last Sunday.
The carnival was graced by many stars such as actor Pierre Png, Hype Records’ Artiste Network’s Phyllis Quek, Michelle Saram and Rui En.
According to the Artiste Network minder, everything was fine when the stars arrived.
But they were told that exceptionally strong winds had caused the tent, designated as the holding area for the stars, to collapse.
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in The New Paper.
14 September 2003
High-impact sports like tennis are very good. When you hit the ball hard, you feel damn song (good).
– Actress-singer Rui En
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in The New Paper.
10 July 2003
Byline: Eri Akbar
IN reel life, they are inseparable.
But off screen, Lu Rui En and Howard Cheung, the main actors in Channel 5’s current English drama, Chemistry, lead separate lives in different countries.
Rui En, 22, a Singaporean, is busy with her final year studies in banking and finance at Nanyang Technological University.
Howard, 26, an Eurasian, is occupied with modelling jobs back in his native Hong Kong.
After being out of touch for the past seven months since filming for the series ended last November, the two co-stars were reunited in Singapore last week.
It was to promote the show.
Whether or not they sizzle together on screen, Howard and Rui En showed plenty of chemistry during their photo shoot with The New Paper.
The screen couple did not hesitate to strike lovey-dovey poses, albeit playful ones, such as locking each other in a bear hug and going on a piggyback.
The two, who look more like brother and sister than the romantically-involved characters they play on the show, did start on the wrong foot at first.
GRADUAL EASE
Rui En admitted: ‘Initially, we were not comfortable with each other because we were newcomers and we didn’t know each other.’
However, they have grown more at ease in each other’s company after filming closely for three months last year, Howard said in a separate interview.
In the local fantasy-romance drama, the pair starts off as rivals who magically switch souls and become trapped in each other’s body.
As the plot thickens, their characters end up falling for each other.
To make them more convincing in their roles, they had to go for a ‘psychotherapy’ session arranged by the director.
Rui En and Howard had to, for instance, write their thoughts on love down on paper and exchange their notes.
Both confessed to being physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted playing, well, each other on the small screen.
Rui En said: ‘Howard is more mellow than me.’
I felt conscious of my every move and every thought.
‘Everything I do, I’d think, Is this how Howard would react?’ ‘
As for Howard, he was expected to act as chirpy as Rui En usually is, even when shooting began as early as 6am.
NO PLAY
Because of that, he said that he did not get to explore much of this island and would head straight to bed in his Meyer Road rented apartment.
So don’t expect romance to spill over from reel to real life.
You can forget about regular buddy outings or phone calls because their relationship is strictly professional.
Although the two swinging single actors, in a past interview, did not rule out the possibility of romance between them, they have now changed course.
Howard summed it up:
Chemistry is shown over Channel 5 at 8.30pm on Thursdays.
Initially, we were not comfortable with each other because we were newcomers and we didn’t know each other.
– Rui En
If we don’t hit it off right from the start, chances are, we’re never going to.
– Howard
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in Chemistry, The New Paper.
29 May 2003
WATCH IT!
WATCHING the new local romantic comedy, Chemistry, is akin to sitting in front of a school lab experiment, praying that the results will turn out accurate.
You see, creating a successful TV show is a science in itself.
Complementary elements (script, direction, cast) are blended, but just the exact amount of heat and timing are of utmost importance.
On-screen couples like Tony Leung-Maggie Cheung and Zoe Tay-Li Nanxing have mastered the art of having chemistry ooze from their pores.
Not so with acting newbies Lu Rui En and Howard Cheung.
The abrupt and dull debut episode could have benefited from a full one-hour opener to properly introduce the couple.
Rachel (Rui En) is a cynical radio deejay who rolls her eyes at the concept of love, until she meets CK (Howard), an uptight expat fitness consultant.
By a cliched twist of fate, they switch bodies ala The Hot Chick.
They become joined at the hip, and soon, animosity melts into affection.
Judging from the trailer, the show actually gets a shot of adrenaline when CK (in Rachel’s body) struggles to wear a bra and accidentally walks into a ladies’ loo.
Unfortunately, I don’t see such gender-centric fish-out-of-water gags lasting another 12 episodes.
And I hope Howard won’t overdo his one-note brow-furrowing expression.
On the other hand, Rui En is a natural in front of the camera. She shines while delivering ego-deflating lines like: ‘At least I eat my food! You, on the other hand, can’t even handle a carrot. Call yourself a man.’
Rui En definitely makes the grade, but Chemistry scores a C.
Chemistry is shown over Channel 5 on Thursdays at 9pm.
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in Chemistry, The New Paper.
22 May 2003
Showtime & Lifestyle
COULD life imitate art?
Two people – as different as day and night – meet and fall in love.
But that’s the TV plot.
In the case of actors Lu Rui En and Howard Cheung, the falling in love bit is still a question mark.
Both are lead actors in the new local English series, Chemistry, about free-spirited radio deejay Rachel, who falls for strait-laced fitness consultant CK after overcoming a string of misunderstandings and differences.
And since the two characters were actually modelled on the leads’ real-life personalities, things might just get interesting.
In fact, just as in the plot of the romantic comedy, it took quite a while for Rui En and Hong Kong-born Howard to warm up to each other during the rehearsals.
Rui En, 22, who launched her debut album in January, told The New Paper frankly over lunch on Tuesday: ‘I thought that him being a model, he would be the vain sort.’
And according to her, Howard didn’t help matters by hanging out with the guys and not really bothering with her.
PSYCHOTHERAPY’ SESSION
But after a ‘psychotherapy’ session ordered by the producer so that both can exude more chemistry on the show, the pair started to get along a lot better.
The final-year NTU business undergrad added: ‘I totally got it (my first impression) wrong.
‘Howard’s actually got another side to him. He’s very patient and gentle, and when he gets to know you better, he will actually start telling you jokes.’
Soon after the ice was broken, the couple even started teasing each other.
‘I would tease him about his love for health food, and he would bully me back by making me feel guilty about what I was eating.
He would go, Do you know how much oil that contains?’. He’s just like HNN – Health News Network – I can ask him all sorts of questions about health.’
When The New Paper called Howard in Hong Kong, where he’s based, the first-time actor would only describe his co-star as ‘very pretty’.
The difference between them was painfully obvious.
While Rui En was gregarious and lively, 26-year-old Howard was shy and subdued.
He then claimed that he didn’t spend much time with Rui En off the set because she was ‘always so busy’.
But unlike the Chemistry script, the ‘love’ story of Rui En and Howard may not progress beyond friendship.
When asked whether sparks will spill over from reel to real life, both didn’t sound too keen.
Howard would commit only to a polite ‘anything’s possible’, while Rui En was a bit more adamant.
She said: ‘I don’t believe in opposites attract.’
He’s not really my type, and I’m quite fussy about type.’
Then she added: ‘But I guess you can say that he’s a potential can lor.’
So how well do Rui En and Howard know each other? How much chemistry do they have after working on Chemistry? We put them through the test …
PERSONALITY TEST
*ON HOWARD
What is his favourite phrase?
Rui En: Dude.
Howard: Isn’t life exhilarating?
What is his pet peeve?
R: This one I know! Confirmed! Forgetting to bring his health food and having to eat ‘unhealthy’ food like the rest of us!
Do you know that he comes to the shoot carrying two huge backpacks full of health food?
He eats his cereal in the morning, has fish soup for lunch and he prepares his own afternoon snack of an apple and tuna mixed with olive oil … every day!
H: Smoking I guess, I don’t like smoking. But she’s right about the two backpacks, only thing is I’ve never forgotten (my health food)!
What is his worst habit?
R: Farting. He doesn’t do it all the time, but he’s been known to do it, even in the air-con room! And apparently, it smells very bad, which is very shocking, since he doesn’t really eat red meat. He has never done it in front of me, but he has threatened to.
H: Sleeping in. I’ve been late for filming before, but so have the rest.
(We then told him what Rui En said.) Oh no! But it’s a guy thing, farting in front of one another! I hate the smell of smoking. I have to fart to neutralise the smoke.
What is his secret fantasy?
R: To open a martial arts school and a health food cafe.
H: To become a professional tennis player.
* ON RUI EN
What is her favourite phrase?
Howard: (pauses for a very long while) I can’t recall her having one.
Rui En: Wah lao eh! (As in her favourite phrase, not Howard’s inability to answer the question.)
What is her pet peeve?
H: I don’t know. It’s been a while since we last met, and we spent only three months together … Why don’t you tell me her answer, and I’ll go, ‘oh yah, that’s right’?
R: Having to wait for something.
What is her worst habit?
H: Smoking?
R: Biting my nails and picking at my toe-nails. Especially during exam time when I have to study. I can’t sit still, I have to find something to do. And because of that, I’m very ashamed of my toe-nails, I don’t like people to see them.
What’s her secret fantasy?
H: To meet Takeshi Kaneshiro. She really likes him. When we talk about it, she will go ‘Oh, so gorgeous!’
R: My secret fantasy will be to go sky-diving.
CHEMISTRY TEST
X-Men or The Matrix?
Rui En: X-Men
Howard: X-Men
Dogs or cats?
R: Cats.
H: Dogs. I like cats too, but I’m allergic to them.
Suntan lotion or sunblock?
R: Sunblock
H: Sunblock
Which came first – the chicken or the egg?
R: Egg
H: Egg
Is the glass half empty or half full?
R: Half full
H: Half full
Wow, 4 out of 5 – sizzling hot chemistry!
Source: The New Paper
Categorised in Chemistry, The New Paper.
