Andie Chen: It’s challenging to play lovers with Kate Pang

Text & Photos: Joanna Goh
Videos: Fiona Lin
This is our first time seeing Andie Chen react adversely towards the idea of working with an actress. And the lady -- or buddy -- in question is none other than Taiwanese starlet Kate Pang, whom he last starred with in period drama "Joys of Life" as a pair of siblings.

Playing Xu Hao Long in the upcoming drama "Break Free", Andie will be working with Tay Ping Hui, Terence Cao and Zhang Zhen Huan to play four ex-convicts who formed a brotherhood from their time in jail. The drama aims to chronicle the hardships and stigmatized lives they lead in society upon completing their prison sentence.




Eager to be part of this male-centric series, Andie quipped that it's good to see "a man's show" from the bulk of "female-orientated" programmes done these days as such shows better portray "the struggles a man has to go through in his life".

He further explained, "There is dealing with expectations of yourself; you have to protect your dignity as a man but yet bow down and find a balance. The pain you have to swallow and the things you have to do. These are the detailed stuff that you can find in a show based on guys, rather than girls."

 Set to romance Kate in the drama, Andie had a case of the heebie-jeebies during the imaging session when he had to put his hand around Kate's waist and pull her in for an intimate shot. To prove his point, he belched, gagged and went all cross-eyed for the cameras as he dramatically hollered in mock protest at their romantic pairing, "It's almost like two guys. With Zhen Huan [as my lover] it might be much easier!"

Yes, in Andie's words: "She IS one of the guys!"


(Continued): What makes Kate pang "one of the guys"?

 

In light of their budding bromance, the duo share work and personal problems like it's a 'brother-brother thing' and Kate even played tour guide to Andie and his family when they were recently in her hometown for a short vacation.

'Fingers crossed that we don't have any kiss scenes (guffaws). I'm gonna die and I'm sure we're both gonna start laughing. I'm gonna be very, very uncomfortable,' said Andie, who fidgeted and squirmed uncontrollably at the thought of it.

During our short visit to the studio for the imaging session, Kate and Andie openly snubbed one another as they passed almost-lewd jokes and bickered back and forth like two aunties haggling over a discount at the wet market.

So what makes Kate 'one of the guys'?

'It's the way she's constructed lah. She's very straightforward, doesn't talk like most girls, doesn't pay much attention to details in fact, she's more careless than most guys.

'She's easygoing, easy to get along and a very good friend to have - now, that's the first good thing I've said about her,' he chuckled in reply.

Stay tuned to xinmsn for more updates on 'Break Free'.