How Owen Cheung Prepared for His Otaku Role in “The Offliners”

Owen Cheung’s (張振朗) breakout year was definitely in 2020, in which five of his dramas were broadcast in Hong Kong. At his highest level of exposure rate, Owen also showcased his versatility by playing five very different characters.

“There’s the triad member, airport security unit officer, and the otaku. Even though all five dramas were broadcast one after another, I haven’t heard any criticism yet, so I feel comforted by that,” the 33-year-old said.

Even The Offliners <堅離地愛堅離地>, which was filmed in 2017, was released in December. The drama was placed on hold due to Jacqueline Wong (黃心穎) cheating scandal with Andy Hui (許志安). Though it has been three years since filming the drama, Owen remembers the experience very clearly, as it was his first time as a lead actor.

Portraying a nerdy IT genius and otaku in The Offliners, Owen thoroughly researched his role. “I put a lot of effort and time into it. Two months before filming, I did a lot of research about what an otaku is like. I went to anime and computer conventions to observe their speech mannerisms, way of dress, and how they style their hair. I even researched what type of backpack, mouse, or keyboard they like to use. After filming Legal Mavericks <踩過界>, I was inspired by Vincent Wong (王浩信). So with The Offliners, I utilized all the things that I had learned through the years into my performance. Even when I watch it now, I feel that my performance is not bad.”

On the day of the interview, Owen had just pulled an all nighter and had just finished work at 7 a.m. When he is not at TVB Studios filming Boxing King<拳王>, Owen is at the gym training hard to earn a sculpted physique for his boxer role. Though the intense workouts are exhausting, Owen always wants to look his best in front of cameras. “I had to stop drinking water for a few days before my scenes to lose the water weight. I’ve also been having a bland diet.”

Running between the filming set, press interviews, and promotional events, Owen is busy all day and sleeping five hours each day is already considered a luxury! As he drinks his coffee and widens his eyes to look more alert, he stated that he still enjoys what he does. “In this field, it is a good thing to be busy! The less sleep you get, the better! Of course, there are times when you get really tired.” He added, “I’m doing what I like, so I will persevere!”

Source: East Week

This article is written by Kiki for JayneStars.com.

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