Steven Ma and Tavia Yeung at “Property Protector” Costume Fitting
Upcoming period drama Property Protector <守業者> held its costume fitting on today, marking Steven Ma’s (馬浚偉) first official public appearance at TVB since terminating his contract last year. Cast members Tavia Yeung (楊怡), Evergreen Mak (麥長青), Maggie Shiu (邵美琪), and Natalie Tong (唐詩詠) were also present, wearing simple Republic-era attire. The 30-episode series will begin filming next month, with location shooting in Foshan and Guangzhou slated for August.
TVB made a lot of accommodations in order to secure Steven’s return, offering a higher salary and even allowed Steven to offer input on the main cast. While Steven was able to work together with good friend Tavia, Bobby Au Yeung (歐陽震華) was forced to decline the opportunity due to his poor health since February’s hospitalization. To salvage the series, TVB appointed Evergreen Mak to take on Bobby’s role and rewrote the modern story into a period tale.
Steven Denies Rumors with Evergreen
Tabloids reported that Steven was disappointed with this change and implied that Evergreen was not good enough to participate in this series. At the costume fitting, Steven denied the gossip and insisted that he and Evergreen are close friends. Evergreen also described this rumor as “crazy” and defended his friendship with Steven. “We have a really good relationship, always calling each other ‘Second Brother’ and ‘Third Brother’. No one can drive a wedge between us.”
Speaking to reporters, Steven stated that he is thrilled to be working with director Leung Choi Yuen (梁材遠). He shared that he had already promised mentor Catherine Tsang (曾勵珍) last year that he will film this series. Steven also mentioned that Catherine discussed the possibility of filming a new season for his Apprentice Chef <大廚出馬> series, but that may not happen until next year due to his current busy schedule. Steven also revealed that he has yet to officially sign the contract with TVB since his lawyer is currently away from Hong Kong. He is however confident in TVB and has no problems with filming before the paperwork is finalized.
Aside from Property Protector, Steven is busy preparing for his new album, scheduled to be released at the end of June. He also plans to hold a mini concert in July, hoping to donate profits to charities. Steven, who made his debut as a singer, is very excited about the upcoming concert. “I’ve sang for so many years, but this will be my very first concert. I really love singing and will continue to sing for as long as I can.”
Tavia’s Relationship With Him is Still Strong
Tavia was asked about Him Law (羅仲謙) and Eliza Sam’s (岑麗香) romantic rumors on the set of The Hippocratic Crush 2 <On Call 36小時>. Did Tavia and Him’s romance come to a sudden end? Tavia replied, “I only know about the sudden [urge] to go to the bathroom. What does it mean that the romance came to a sudden end? That’s nonsense.” Did Tavia trust Him a lot? Tavia said, “He is a person who deserves to be trusted. I am also good friends with Eliza.”
Source: Ming Pao; Oriental Daily
This article is written by Katrine for JayneStars.com.
Hopefully it’ll be a good drama. Steven and Tavia both do really well in period dramas
I agree with you:D
I also agree with you 😀
I don’t know how changing the series from a modern series to a period series is salvaging it. Period series are not known to get high ratings. I feel like they are hurting it more by doing that.
I agree!!
Just look at their costume made me feel boring @@!
I like them both n to put two great actors together is great!
yay steven back when bowie coming back lol
I have no respect at all for Steven. So last year, he goes on top of the roof and starts huffing and puffing how bad tVB mistreated him. Now a year later, he comes crawling back to the same sh*thole. We all thought that he would of f***** to mainland China or HKTV for work, but no, comes back to TVB. What a cry baby. And then i bet he’s gonna be like “oh i will only sign if you give me best actor or a better time schedule. Low B.
Have you even read any news in the past couple of month? He’s coming back to TVB isn’t because he wants a best actor award or because he does poorly in mainland (which is false cause alot of directors want to work with him.) The reason why he’s coming back to TVB is because it was his maternal home, the one that gave him chance of becoming an actor. Catherine who he consider to be his mentor asked him to come back and if you read anything on him, he’s the type that “飲水思源 -When you drink water, think of its source” he remember who helped him. He remember his origin.
True he did complained about how TVB treated him and all but it shows you that even with the grudges and mistreatment they give him, he still remember who he owes and who helped him and where he his acting roots came from. He’s doing this drama out of favor of Catherine who asked him months back.
I might be wrong, but I think Steven ma said tvb didn’t mistreat him, he wants to leave tvb because he does not get along with a certain manager (620). Even after he left he said he has no problems with tvb, just certain people. He never once complained about best actor award. All these years he just works hard and never bargained for an award. A few years before he signed his new contract he never used it as a chip to bargain.
Get your facts straight he’s actually one of the very few that didn’t talked trash about TVB after he left. He only came back out of loyalty he still treasures TVB even I’d they did treated him like crap if you ask me I say he’s just too nice.
No need to use profanity and throwing insults on someone you don’t even know, that just makes you arrogant. Grow up
Ya,I agree with you
i believe it’s because tvb is losing most of their lead actors/actresses, and catherine tsang asked steven to come back?
you’re just immature. first, you don’t know your facts. second, only babies use swearing to get their rage out.
Wow, everything you said is wrong. I think you’re the one that is low b.
Tavia use to be so pretty in ancient dramas, until her nose ate the rest of her face.
LOL! The truth can be so painful at times. 😛
She does seem a lot older in the pic above…working to hard? But then we all age. 🙂
He’s back he’s back! I hope they don’t give this series the December-January time slot. The plot sounds interesting and I enjoy watching period dramas though I think it wolf be nice if it was based in Shanghai.
Her outfit and look in e above picture looks really similar to her style in Fistful Of Stances.
I just finished watching AGWTC2 and I think she looks great in there it’s probably the hair.
really hoping stevia gets a somewhat happy ending. really need this to happen once! funny how even tavia says that they’ve never been together and if they can’t get together, steven will just have to be tavia’s dad lol
I miss SteVia a lot.. Pls put in more romance line for their love delopment & happy ending!!! And I hope they will improve on the costume as I seriously find their costume in the picture above very boring esp Tavia’s….
Tavia looks so old in the above pic. She looks more like Steve’s older sister.
Anyhow, not really looking forward to this. I like Steve but not in this period drama.
I agree with you. Even though, I really do like Steven Ma as an actor… but… this drama is not appealing to me.
I’m also not very fond of this era but Steven’s mainland pre-modern series “Yuan Yang Pei” is excellent but then its cast wore beautiful costumes unlike the PP’s provincial look.
OH.. Steven is back! THat’s great!! Hopefully, he and Tavia will have a happy ending this time!! Hhmmm… prefer them in ancient period more than pre-modern!!
Just rambling!
I recall I was taken aback when I first read reports of Steven addressing Catherine Tsang as ‘sifu’, instead of his usual ‘mentor/benefactor’. I thought his word must have been misquoted for sure. Time elapsed, and then I heard him on tv actually addressing Catherine as such. At hearing ‘sifu’, my mind immediately associated the master-student relationship in wuxia. Just so happened I was watching at the time for the very first time Jackie Lui’s State of Divinity. (I know I’m slow.)The students’ deep sense of indebtedness towards their sifu is such a big part of their psyche. And I thought was that’s how Steven feels towards Catherine? After all he did write he is not of this era? Per his essay 1874. lol!
Steven’s sense of gratitude has been instilled in him since young from his parents, especially his father, as a male role model to him. 2012 My personality resembles my father’s. He doesn’t talk much, but he is very respectful to others and very responsible. If he made a promise to do something, he will get it done, no matter what.” [..] 2002 When I was young my father always said this: “We Chew Chow people have a saying, rather others wronged us than we wronged them. Likewise by extension, when you owe somebody a gratitude debt you repay it.(my word) When he left TVB Steven made a promise to Catherine that if ever she needed him to shoot a tvb series he would make time to do it, if he is comfortable with the conditional offer. It has taken him sometime to fulfill his promise to her but he is doing it now.
Catherine is not the only person/entity Steven repays his gratitude debt. All this time since his mother’s death Steven has been repaying his gratitude debt to the hospitals for past services rendered to his late mother by his voluntary participation in HK Hospital Authority’s (HA) various drives and in HA public educational short films.
Also as an empathetic gesture, Steven has been (still is ?) an ambassador to “再生會” (HK Regeneration Society) where his staff got their research data for his book on chronic patients and their families.
So for Steven, repaying a debt of gratitude is just part of his character.
Yay! Steven is back! I’ve always admired him since Duke of the Mount Deer 98! Hopefully his comeback is a good one! 🙂
i like both of them but this is not a good photo of them at all. Hope this will be a good drama.