Sheren Tang: “It’s a Tragedy if a Woman Needs to Be Strong”

Beauty at War <金枝慾孽貳> has been a critical and ratings disappointment compared to its highly successful predecessor, War and Beauty. Despite ratings plunging to 19 ratings points, Sheren Tang (邓萃雯) does not regret reprising her role in the sequel. In a recent interview with Tencent QQ, Sheren urged viewers to assess the overall quality of Beauty at War, and spoke about future aspirations in her acting career and personal life.

“War and Beauty” Redefined Career

In 2004, the popularity of War and Beauty propelled Sheren Tang, Gigi Lai (黎姿), Charmaine Sheh (佘詩曼), and Maggie Cheung (張可頤) to greater stardom across China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Before the drama aired, Sheren had not considered that her role as Consort Yu Fei would bring her such high popularity.

“I regarded my performance in [War and Beauty] to be only worth 50 points. However, a series’ success is based on the timing of many elements. From that drama onward, I realized that modern viewers prefer female characters to be strong and do not like weak women. They like women who have a strong and clear personality, even with ruthless traits,” Sheren said.

Though producer Jonathan Chik (戚其義) and scriptwriter Chow Yuk Ming’s (周旭明) recent series have failed to win ratings, Sheren never regretted joining the cast of Beauty at War and considered the drama to be a team effort. She said, “Once I got on [the boat], I never thought of getting out. I only hope to do my best until we reach the shore.” Sheren further added, “It does not matter whether we have succeeded or failed. What we need to do is to look at the problems and think of how to make Hong Kong series more ideal.”

Due to long work hours and stressful lifestyles, Hong Kong viewers often prefer lighter entertainment fare such as Come Home Love <愛．回家> instead of thought-provoking dramas like Beauty at War. Sheren agrees that a good series should appeal to a wide audience, but she also encouraged viewers to look at the quality of a drama as well.

Sheren also believes that series should explore the problems of society more deeply, and reflect the stories of the common people. “For example, in Rosy Business <巾帼枭雄>, look at Chai Kau [Wayne Lai’s 黎耀祥 character], there are many fans that like such an underdog character. He slowly climbs from the bottom as he encounters a supportive boss. This is reflective of the aspiration of every commoner, and gives them support. When the viewers watched the drama, they felt especially gratified and sweet.”

Future Roles

Joining TVB in 1985, Sheren enjoyed portraying different characters over the years. Despite competition from more youthful actresses, Sheren maintained a strong foothold in the television industry. Sheren’s current fame has only grown over the years, and her popularity remains at a career high. Asked about the reason behind her success over the decades, Sheren said, “I will not give up [acting] till my last breath. My passion for acting has never lessened.” Sheren’s passion drives her to work hard and not be complacent, no matter how many awards she has won.

Growing up in a single-parent family, Sheren developed an independent personality and often portrays strong characters onscreen. Sheren does not like to portray overtly strong career women onscreen. “It’s a tragedy if a woman needs to be strong. I hope to play a well-fleshed woman; her strength may not necessarily come from work, but from her heart instead.”

Sheren craves to play the role of a social misfit, such as an autistic person, a single mother, or someone suffering from cerebral palsy. Sheren hopes to be able to educate the public about the plights of these people, making her work as an actress more meaningful.

Suddenly reminded of her good friend, the late Jacqueline Law (羅慧娟) who died of pancreatic cancer, Sheren added sadly, “I also want to play a person who is at her deathbed. A woman who uses her positive energy to influence others even at the brink of death.”

Empty Love Life

At 47 years old, Sheren has received numerous accolades for her work, but her love life still draws a blank. Understanding that “love does not need a reason”, Sheren hopes to find a man with a gentle nature who is able to understand her and accept her shortcomings.  At the end of the day, Sheren yearns to lead a less exciting life. Sheren said, “At times, I wish to go to a place where no one knows me and live a quiet life.”

Source: QQ.com

This article is written by Karen for JayneStars.com.