Benny Chan Waited on TVB for a Comeback?
Despite once being a prominent TVB star, Benny Chan (陳浩民) was best known for his role in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils <天龍八部> and Journey to the West 2 <西遊記2>. After taking a long hiatus from Hong Kong’s entertainment for 16 years, Benny surprised netizens by making an appearance in upcoming historical drama Justice Sung Begins <狀王之王>.
Developed Career in China
Benny has been developing his career in China ever since he completed filming for 2008’s drama Legend of Demi-Gods <搜神傳>. Sixteen years later, Benny agreed to film with TVB again only because he received a call from Lam Chi Chung (林子聰), a good friend and producer of Justice Sung Begins.
Benny shared, “Lam Chi Chung had the opportunity to invite Cheung Tat Ming (張達明) and I previously worked closely with Lam Chi Chung in the past 10 years for many TVB series. This time he is coming back for TVB so I have to support it.”
In Justice Sung Begins, Benny will be playing the role of Chan Mung Kat, a character that has been played by many A-listed actors such as Jordan Chan (陳小春)and Stephen Chow (周星馳). When asked if Benny is worried about being compared by others, he responded, “First, if people want to compare you with other, you can’t control it. Second, it is just a name. I don’t appear too many times in the drama and it’s mainly cameo. There is no way to compare. I think that difference eras have different Chan Chung Kat and the audience will change accordingly. We can’t shake the classic characters, but I think we look for some new way among the classics and give them a new life.”
Didn’t Refuse to Return Back to TVB
Since returning to TVB, Benny revealed that he was very happy to see his good friends and working with the junior actors. Praising fellow co-star Vincent Wong (王浩信), “Of course, he is very good. First he won TVB King twice. Second, I already admired him after watching Legal Mavericks <踩過界>. This time while filming together, I benefited a lot from him.”
When asked if he had an opportunity to film with TVB earlier and if he had any conditions, he responded, “Of course there is. I have been waiting for TVB’s call. No, I didn’t know what conditions to give. The most important thing is whether they have time and if I am suitable for filming and the role. How could I give TVB conditions?” Benny emphasized that as long as TVB asks him to film, he would agree.
Not Scared of Netizens’ Criticism
Many netizens recall that Benny’s alleged drunken sexual harassment scandal with Rose Chan in 2011. When asked if Benny is afraid of netizens would bring up the scandal, Benny responded, “I have to face it. Even if I am worried, people will remember it and they will say what they want. In this line of work, you have to face both the good and bad news.”
Earlier, Benny responded attracted criticism when he responded to a meme on Weibo as many netizens called him a scumbag on and off the screen. Benny did not shy away from the criticism either, “I don’t care. People who like me will like me. You don’t understand me. No matter what I say, you won’t like me and I don’t care. I have a group of people who like me and I cater to them. Why should I cater to others when there are people who like me? Why should I be cheap and cater to those who don’t like me? If you don’t like me, you will continue to not like me.”
On Making Mistakes
Since entertainment industry is full of temptations, Benny was asked if he was tempted while working in China, “I don’t think there is temptations. People look at things differently but for me, it’s a trap.”
When asked if Benny’s wife asked him to have less contact with female artistes, Benny answered, “Needless to say, I have made a lot of mistakes and if I do it again, I really didn’t grow up. I am more than 50-year-old and I have leaned a lot. In short, accumulate your experiences and continue to walk the rest of your path.”
When filming emotional scenes, Benny revealed that he doesn’t need to report to his wife, “Because she knows that my body does not belong to me when I am filming. My soul belongs to my wife. When I am filming, I loan my body for the role. While I am serving the role, I also know that I wouldn’t have the problem of mental and physical cheating. Actors are meant to serve the role.”
Keeping Marriage Alive
Despite his busy schedule, Benny and his wife Lisa Jiang (蒋丽莎) continue to have a loving relationship after getting married 13 years ago. When Benny is filming, Lisa would follow Benny to help him out and record the moment of his work. Still, the couple have experienced difficulties in their marriage and when asked how they keep their marriage fresh, Benny responded, “Listen to your wife. Don’t quarrel with your wife. Your wife is always right.”
Source: HK01
This article is written by Sammi for JayneStars.com.
