Ben Wong’s Secrets to a Happy Life

After a brief stint in Mainland Chinese dramas and with ATV, Ben Wong (黃智賢) returned to TVB in 2004, appearing as a guest star in the supernatural series, The Zone <奇幻潮>. It was back to square one.

When he returned, TVB Studios moved from Clear Water Bay to Tseung Kwan O. Many of Ben’s old colleagues all moved on from the station. Rather than feeling like he was returning home, Ben felt like he was starting a new life instead.

But for Ben, he was glad to have had the opportunity to try new things. “[I left TVB] because I was young,” he said. “I wanted a change. I wanted to go out and meet the world.”

Now that he’s returned to TVB, Ben’s not sure if he would want to leave again. “I like to stick to longterm plans. My family lives in Hong Kong, and I don’t want to leave them. Staying here, I get to find the time to take days off and go on vacation. Times have changed. It’s now easier to try different things without making a big move.”

Ten Years Will Be Ten Years

The period drama Phoenix Rising <蘭花刼>, currently airing on TVB Jade, was filmed over ten years ago. It was Ben’s second TVB drama after returning to the station. Originally meant for a summer 2007 release, Phoenix Rising was syndicated overseas before finally returning to Hong Kong’s mainstream programming this year. The drama starred Louisa So (蘇玉華), Kristal Tin (田蕊妮), Leila Tong (唐寧), and Sunny Chan (陳錦鴻). It was Kristal’s first TVB drama after moving to TVB from ATV.

It took ten years for Phoenix Rising to finally nab a primetime showing, but rather than feeling disappointed, Ben feels happy. “We are all very happy about it. After all, if this wasn’t a good show, [TVB] wouldn’t have pulled it out for broadcast ten years later. The show received good reviews during its time overseas. If it takes ten years to do that, then it’ll take ten years.”

Phoenix Rising was Ben’s reunion project with Kristal, who he had collaborated with on several ATV dramas. “Most of my scenes were actually with Louisa So,” he said. “I don’t remember much of it, but I do remember filming a wedding scene with her, as well as a bath scene! The two of us were cramped in a really small bath, and our hands were bruised from moving around so much. Though we were uncomfortable we had to look like we were enjoying ourselves. It was actually pretty funny.”

Happiness 101: Do Not Take Anything to Heart

To pursue a career in entertainment, it must come at the price of job security. Acting is a passive job—you are not always guaranteed work, and when you think you’ve got it, it can always slip away from you.

Ben’s close friend Mak Cheung-ching (麥長青) experienced this first-hand. Originally cast to play Yim Ha in Tiger Mom Blues <親親我好媽>, he was booted out after a last-minute casting change, and Ben replaced him instead. Tiger Mom Blues is now TVB’s highest-rated television drama of the year, putting Ben back in the TV spotlight.

Ben didn’t feel good about the replacement. “This is the cruel side of this industry. You can’t avoid it. [Mak] is a really good friend of mine, so it made me feel even worse. But that’s how this industry works. Sometimes you replace people, and sometimes other people replace you.”

The actor recalled a time when a television producer had put him on hold for a long time, but he was still let go in the end. “As an actor, you’re often helpless. You’re like a chess piece. As long as you don’t take anything to heart, you won’t be as unhappy. That is what I do.”

“I’m a Happy Person”

Due to his wife, who Ben has been married to for 12 years, Ben converted to Christianity in 2004. “But we all have our own values,” admitted Ben. “Follow your heart, and you will be much happier.”

Ben describes himself as an optimist, but when asked if his life had been a smooth ride so far, he said, “Not always, but it really depends on how you see it. It’s in my personality. I am not someone who needs to be rich. I’m very satisfied and content with what I have now. I have a job I love, and I’ve had work that people liked. What else is there to complain? Work aside, I still have time to enjoy life with my wife. One of our goals is to explore the world, which is what we’ve been working on. We’re trying to plan a Kenya safari tour. It might not work out in the end, but it’s fun to talk about.”

Source: On.cc

This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.