Edison Chen: “They All Thought I Would Disappear, But I’m Still Alive”
On March 7, Tencent Video began streaming a new online drama, Blind Spot <探靈檔案>, which stars Edison Chen (陳冠希) as a detective who specializes in using scientific knowledge to explain supernatural phenomena. In a recent interview with Tencent Entertainment, Edison shared about his life in the past five years and asserted that his career will continue to thrive.
Within an hour after its release, Blind Spot’s first episode had already drawn in 1.26 million views – a surprising result, judging from how Edison was maligned by the media after his photos scandal in early 2008. At the time, Edison had no choice but to withdraw from the Hong Kong entertainment industry, since no director dared to use him. His appearance in The Dark Knight was downgraded to a three-second cameo, and the release of his action thriller The Sniper <神槍手> was delayed for a year.
For four long years, Edison’s career appeared to be stuck in a rut. Although he was offered some minor roles in Hollywood, Korean, and Thai movies, none of the parts interested him, and he consented to appear only in the low-budget Asian-American romance film, Almost Perfect <幾近完美>, in 2011.
In 2010, a well-known American publishing company expressed interest in writing a book that would record Edison’s life from birth to age 30. Though he approved of the company’s high-quality documentaries, Edison ultimately refused the offer, explaining, “If you were to put me in those stories, I would not want to watch my own story.
“I don’t need others to know my story,” he went on. “It is enough for me to know.”
Fighting Back Against the Media Backlash
At the end of 2010, Edison released Confusion, his first individual album since the photo scandal. The songs described his dissatisfaction with the world and provided an outlet for him to stand off against the media, which he condemned as “full of rumors and lies.”
Since then, Edison has yet to record another album, though he did contribute to Super Brothers <三角度>, a compilation release with MC Hot Dog last year. “If I have nothing to say, then I won’t record any music,” said Edison. “That’s why I haven’t released any albums these few years – I have nothing to say.”
Even though Edison has been keeping a fairly low profile, he has remained a popular target for the paparazzi, which enjoys publishing photographs of him pulling a long face or flipping off the cameras. In response to such jibes, Edison has adopted the principle of “an eye for an eye,” hoping that this will lead to fair treatment for all.
“If you treat me fairly and with respect, then I won’t do anything. But if you cross that line, I’ll curse you,” warned Edison. “I’m an artiste and a public figure, but I’m also a person.”
Edison also shared that the primary difference between him and other artistes is that he will not pretend to be someone else in front of the cameras. “There are too many fake celebrities right now,” he said. “They continue being fake for three or four years, until they go crazy or until they expose their true colors. This type of problem won’t happen to me, because I hope that I can be myself every day.”
Coming to Terms with His Place in This World
Edison has been in the public eye since 2000, when he shot to fame with the film Gen-Y Cops 2 <特警新人類2>. His record label, Emperor Entertainment Group, was so enamored with him that they arranged for him to release five albums in a single year. He was even touted as the next Andy Lau (劉德華) after his appearance in Infernal Affairs <無間道> in 2002.
When his contract with EEG was approaching its five-year point, the record label allowed Edison free rein on his final album, since it was confirmed that he would not be renewing his contract. The result was Hazy, a hip-hop and rap-infused release that differed wildly from his previous mainstream love ballads.
Hazy ended up selling five times as many copies as his previous albums, which Edison took as confirmation of his own abilities. In 2007, he opened his own multimedia company, Clot Media Division, despite opposition from his father, businessman Edward Chen (陳澤民). Edison now successfully runs his own management and clothing company as well.
Despite the many setbacks in his life, Edison is grateful that he was given the opportunity to discover the importance of believing in himself. “In the past few years, many people thought that I would disappear,” he said. “I’m still here because I believed in myself and didn’t give up. Sometimes saying that can seem unsophisticated, but it is true.”
Not Set on Marriage Plans with Current Girlfriend
In 2012, Edison returned to Hong Kong headlines when he was discovered to be dating ex-employee Ann Hong (洪立安), who is 10 years his junior. Since then, the couple’s relationship seems to have progressed smoothly, and Ann even helped Edison practice his Mandarin line delivery for Blind Spot. However, Edison revealed that they have not discussed the possibility of marriage.
“Marriage is just a piece of paper, an event,” explained Edison, citing Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt as an example of a happily unmarried couple. “If I can live with [Ann] forever and not get married, that would be okay.”
Source: QQ.com
This article is written by Joanna for JayneStars.com.
“There are too many fake celebrities right now,” he said. “They continue being fake for three or four years, until they go crazy or until they expose their true colors. This type of problem won’t happen to me, because I hope that I can be myself every day.”
He still sound like a man-child, a 33 yrs man that act like a spoiled teenager. I don’t think any artist like the paparazzi invading their space but as an adult you deal with in a respectable manners…don’t be in the entertainment industry if you can’t handle it.
There are a lot of fake celebrities out there. I am not saying that Edison has not done some things that I personally find disgusting, because he has done disgusting things.
The problem is, there are a lot of his peers that had a lot to say as far as condemning him is concerned. These same celebrities are protected by the media, the triads and other secret societies, and what they do and have done, Edison’s actions pale in comparison.
So yes, there are a lot of fake celebrities out there.
Not just celebs but even the many people that we know in real life can be fake and scary too…
newsflash, edison: the spotlight is part and parcel for the gig. Go join a monastery if you want to pretend this is all about honour and integrity
Just because you’re alive, it doesn’t mean people have stopped wishing you’d disappear.
Totally agree!!! Please boycott “pervert” Edison Chen.
“Pervert predator” Edison Chen preys on young vulnerable teenage girls.
http://www.jaynestars.com/news/cammi-tse-i-gave-my-virginity-to-edison-chen-and-filmed-an-erotic-video/
Oh, that is so right-on………he still doesn’t know or believe that the mass public don’t really want to see his perverted face…….hahahahaah……..
and what about those – I’m sure you were one of them – who rushed to view those sex photos while condemning Chen as a pervert? Smacks of hypocrisy while being voyeuristic.
What he did was his private business and it’s not our business to judge him. He had multiple sex partners, i’s not a crime. He too photos and the ladies allowed it to happen. They are consenting adults. I won’t judge him for that. If he had a wife and kids and was having affairs then I would think he’s a bad person. They stole his personal property so it wasn’t his fault. If he released them then I would also think he was a jerk. So, again, I wont judge him.
@Nick
I totally agree. Like I said, Edison has done some things I do not condone , but that incident with the photos on his computer being exposed, that was not his fault.
That technician should be rotting in jail as far as I care.
Yeah I understand why people boycotted him, considering it is the Asian celebrity scene… But I’m kind of shocked by how outraged everyone was at his personal character. I mean, no offence but how naive is it to think all celebrities are goody goodies who don’t have sex or date around? I don’t think it was a smart idea to capture it all considering he’s a celebrity but it isn’t surprising since it is common is real life as well, and as you said, all the ladies were willing and consenting adults. I think the entertainment business was scared of the whole controversy blowing the cover of all the fake images constructed around celebrities that make them so mysterious and lucrative.
Nobody is judging Edison unless he wanted to be judge. “He had multiple sex partners, i’s not a crime.” Edison lack the parental guidance while growing up. He has no self respect. Ladies don’t do things like that little girls played with fire and got burned. Edison is telling everyone that he is not like his dad. LOL
Agree! It’s been many years. Wish people would actually move on ’cause it sure seems like he did.
At the end Edison did something that was wrong but he is talented he was heaps popular and had a really good career going
Ehh… He was so cute in infernal affairs with so much potential… Now he’s like a perverted old man.
Oh pls, he is still so disrespectful and he cant take criticism or negative comment. As an entrepreneur you will not go very far if you dont have respect for your customer/potential customer and cannot take criticism.
He was so childish to back lash at ppl’s comment abt that particular piece of his clothes in this clothing line.A STONE will never turn DIAMOND
I don’t understand why we’re labeling him as a pervert just because he loves sex, I mean honestly what kind of grown human being doesn’t? Sure not all of us take intimate photos or had multiple partners but it’s nothing unusual either. Why should we judge him or wish to banish him from the industry for things he did in his own time? Just because we don’t agree with his lifestyle doesn’t mean we have to be so judgemental about him. He didn’t commit a crime last I checked, so what’s the fuss about?
And he’s right there are a lot of fake celebrities out there, at least he doesn’t hide who he is. Seriously there are a lot of celebrities who get their secrets exposed to the public and fans go crazy and blaming them for it which led to a few mental breakdowns and suicides. Edison doesn’t want that and not does he want to pretend to be someone whos not, his personal life is already publicized against his will so why should he need to clarify every single relationship or decision he made?
Absolutely agreed. .
Me too .. 😛 Care to share?? 😉
@Jstorch
@Jennifer Tan
@Lychii4
@nICK
Agree with all your comments, 100 thumbs up. Edison seems to be staying away from the negative news. He has a steady girlfriend and is trying to turn his life around, yet these unforgiving vultures keep holding onto the past and would not ease up on him.
There are celebs who did, and continue to do far worse things than Edison, but these things may never see the light as these people are well protected by the powers that be. Even when the media wants to expose their filthy linen, they are threatened, so nothing comes to light of their actions.
Yes, a lot of these guys do charity work, sit amongst the common folk, hug, profess their love for their fans, put on a public show of sincerity, but that is for their carefully constructed image.
The gullible fans buy into it and think these guys are so noble, pure and righteous, but nothing could be further from the truth.
My young cousin told these two twenty something year old women that their two favorite Taiwanese gods drink, smoke and are in love with each other. We ended up giving them both medical attention, because they started to hyperventilate. They had to be taken to the ER and sedated as they kept thrashing, kicking, punching and screaming it is not true. It was an ugly sight.
It is the image that these gullible fans buy into. So, so sad.
A lot, and I mean a lot of these men and women do a lot of immoral things because they believe they can get away with it because of their money and status. These are the kind of people that the fans worship because they have such a perfect public image and family life. What these blind fans don’t know is it is all for show.
At least we know Edison is flawed, and to be flawed is wonderfully human and real.
Can you drop some clues about these 2 Taiwanese gods?
Support Edison, everyone deserve a second chance with their career.
I also don’t blame Edison. Those scandal photos were taken privately by him and for his OWN use ONLY. He did NOT expose the photos! It was the guy who prepared his computer exposed it trying to make some money from it.
Those girls who take sex photos with him was CONSENSUAL. They all know he was taking their photos, and they don’t mind. Why? Because those girls NEVER thought the photos would leak. This is all an accident, and if you want to blame, blame the dude that fix Edison computer exposed it.
After that dude fix Edison computer exposed the photos. Edison himself did apologize. He said he never have any intention to exposed those photos, and they were private for his own view ONLY. Was he careless? YES. So are those girls that let him take their pics, they are also careless.
Anyone have seen the photos would know that those girls were not drugs, they also were not rape. They are fully awake and know what they doing: give blow jobs, certain sexual positions. Edison didn’t force them to take those pics.
Edison is a pervert? Possibly. But it his sex life, we can’t dictate what he should do. Just like I’m sure you don’t want others to dictate your sex life.
Take it for a lesson Edison, you were stupid! And that computer dude exposed your pics hoping for some frame, he is to blame.
100 Thumbs up @LeilaFan
Are there only a few wise Asians like yourself to see that the photo scandal was in no way Edison’s fault. I am ashamed that so many Chinese can’t muster enough common sense to realise that.
Thank you Trini, I just write what I feel.
You see, those sex photos were just for his private use. Yes, he have a fetish for taking sex pics, but hey, those girls let him do it too.
Edison for sure did not expose it. I can guarantee that, due to he as a celebrity know very well that his career will goes down the drain as soon as these photos surface. He will NOT risk that
Edison computer have problems, he took it to the shop. The dude fix his computer, goes through his comp and find these pics. The dude exposed it inhoping to get some limelight fame. He is wrong, why? Because any PROFESSIONAL Computer Tech dude KNOW that they should NOT expose their customer’s stuff in the computer, this is called PRIVACY. Obviously, this tech dude is NOT professional at all, and Edison just plain out stupid, and have bad luck.
And this is the price of being famous.
Obviously that computer tech guy is NOT professional by exposed Edison’s private photos. But… if those sex photos were just from a non famous person like ME or YOU, then I’m sure nobody would care to exposed it, LOL!
Since it was Edison photos with famous actress/singers/models, this were why it got exposed. Tough luck for you eh Edison,
And Edison was stupid, if he know better to transfer those private photo to a USB before send out his comp to the tech, then this won’t happened.
He did deleted those photos but they were still in his hard drive which he was unaware of and the guy that stole the pics went through his drive and found those pics. Besides even if he didn’t deleted those pics that guy was suppose to repair his computer, not only did he went through deleted files in his hard drive but saved a copy for himself and spread it. Now who’s the perverted one? The repair tech.
Thank you for let me know that fact Jstorch. As you see I am not Edison’s fan, so I don’t follow this news much. But I remember when this news broke out, it was the computer tech guy that spread the photos, NOT Edison.
I am in defending of Edison, due to it obviously not his fault. So what if he have kinky sex, those girls were fully conscious awake to know what they were being photograph.
Why do those girls let him take their pics, due to that fact that those girls KNOW that Edison won’t expose their pics. Because those girls are also in the entertainment industry, they know it work. If Edison was that stupid to exposed it, his career will gone down together with those girls too.
Past already past, I wish Edison smooth future. Learn from this, and next time if your computer ever broke down again. Don’t fix it, buy a new one, LOL!
I know it is that guys fault who stole Edison’s pictures from his laptop. Edison had no fault in this what so ever, it’s just pathetic how some of the guys or a particular one put all the blame on him though. Even if he, you or I had those kind of pictures in that laptop it is nobody’s business but ours. what the guy did was unprofessional, Edison nor the girls ruin their image and careers the guy who stole the photos and released it did, now he’s the real pervert not Edison. It’s common sense and it’s just frustrating and ignorant how some people don’t realize that.
@Jstorch
Wisely said, I particularly like your last sentence.
Edison, please go fly your kite
I could care less what he does in his bedroom, I would wanna be spared from the details tbh. But I don’t like his attitude in general. If he wants his personal life private then take this advice, don’t post anything personal on your damn Instagram! Oh but he has to post it up to keep himself relevant and in the news or else how is he suppose to promote his crap, uh I mean overpriced clothing. Seriously 2800 hkd for a plain white tee that says clot? Not to mention the quality ain’t the best either. Yeah, I think it’s a pretty fair trade to sacrifice a bit of privacy that he so willingly shares on his Instagram. Then he b!tches about paps stalking his Instagram account or them asking him questions regarding his Instagram account? What has he been smoking?
Let us not get petty and childish here. If the Instagram of favorite idols had to be stalked by paps, devoted fans would not like that. The celebs themselves would not like that.
Just because Edison made some mistakes in the past, and an incident happened through no fault of his, am I to believe he has no right to voice his concern over his instagram. Some netizens are downright ignorant, ruthless and cold.
First of all, ignorant describes you perfectly because you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about and you contradict yourself.
Second, I am so sick of you acting on high morals and act as if everyone is just beneath you, give me a break. I’ve seen you talk as if you know all the inside information with your empty bluffing, it’s very lame but rather entertaining to watch someone make an absolute fool out of himself. Or pretending to be Someone and making up all these lies about your own ethnicity and whatnot.
Third, Instagram is a public place, you post pictures on it anyone can judge you. Paps are ruthless and they are disgusting with some of their antics but they have the right to follow and comment on Edison’s Instagram account like everybody else. If Edison does not want his personal life to be stalked/commented/asked about on Instagram don’t put it online. Just like he wouldn’t want those sex related pictures posted, he kept them private. Is that such a difficult logic for you to comprehend?
Fourth, everyone makes mistakes and I will be the first to say I make a lot of mistakes myself. But unlike Edison I am not stupid enough to think my posted pictures on Instagram would not be judged/discussed/talked about by netizens or even paps. That’s why I am smart enough to know that I shouldn’t post anything personal online. It’s a fairly easy to understand concept.
Fifth, since you loveeee to talk about how everyone has a right to their opinion who da fuk are you to call others names and throw insults at me for disagreeing? You contradicting parasite.
But I know how you are, you will just reply with insult after insult and turn the whole thing into how you know the world, you are some doctor, has a few kids blah blah blah and you are simply better and smarter than everyone else.
When I referred to chidish and petty behaviour, and ignorance, it obviously struck a nerve. Well if these adjectives describe you, you will, and did take offence. As the late Bob Marley would sing, ” who the cap fits, let them wear it”. Obviously it fits you, lol, lol, lol.
I know who I am, I know what I am, and I know what I have. You can continue to make me out to be the pretensive liar that you are. I know who and what I know. and you can go to hell and stay there and burn to a crisp, and take your legions of demon aliases with you.
You have it in for me from your Mandy days. Go get a life, stop being so bitter. Then again, you strive on being a fat, ugly loser who is afraid to show your true self. Yes we both know what I am talking about, don’t we?. Yes we do. hahahahaha.
I try not to hate people, but after all the lies you told on me and others here, tried to start others here fighting amongst themselves, threatened Jayne, many others here, even the celebrities themselves, wished horrible, unspeakable things on others, you deserve the centre of hell. I despise you, go lie down and die, the world would be a better place.
I know istagram is a public place but the paps guard Edison’s and a couple more belonging to the HK celebrities like a guard dog pitbulls, which is way too much. You are like the paps, no class, no soul, no conscience, no proper education, no morals or scruples.
I ade a free speech comments and you went after me like am… a pitbull. I never made personal reference to you, so obviously, in your ignorance you started an unnecessary, unprovoked personal attack.
So now I await your next outburtst. Please do not disappoint me, hahaha.