Koo Ming Wah and Power Chan Fight for Best Supporting Actor
TVB actors, Koo Ming Wah (古明華) and Power Chan (陳國邦), have both been in the entertainment industry for two decades without recognition. This year, their roles in Divas in Distress <巴不得媽媽> and The Confidant <大太監> were respectively well received by the audience. Both former graduates of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts have a high chance to claim Best Supporting Actor at this year’s TVB Anniversary Awards.
Koo Ming Wah’s Acting Skills Recognized After 22 Years
Cast in small roles for the majority of his acting career, Koo Ming Wah did not have many opportunities to showcase his acting abilities. This year became a turning point in his career, in which his popularity soared after the broadcast of TVB drama, Divas in Distress. Netizens praised his acting skills in portraying the character, So Gei. His successful performance won him My Favorite Popularity King at the 2012 Astro on Demand Awards.
Asked if he has the confidence to receive more awards at the TVB Awards ceremony, Koo Ming Wah replied, “I have confidence in myself, but that doesn’t mean I have the chance for an award. Being in the industry for so many years, I’ve never taken awards so seriously. Why should I start caring so much about it now?” Koo Ming Wah got emotional when it was mentioned that his deceased mother did not get to see him rise in popularity. “If I do get an award, I would visit her grave and say, ‘Mom, I finally got it!’”
To achieve the recognition he has today, Koo Ming Wah recalls overcoming several hardships throughout his career. He admitted that he felt the difference of treatment from others at times when he was not as popular. However, keeping an optimistic mindset, he mentioned that it is a natural response from society.
Power Chan Once Considered Leaving Industry
Just like Koo Ming Wah, Power Chan has been diligently working in the industry for countless years, oftentimes with little merit and financial reward. Recently, his portrayal of Pang Sam Shun in The Confidant earned him the nomination for this year’s Best Supporting Actor. He managed to impress the audience with his role as a palace eunuch who serves within the management bureau.
Power Chan admitted that failing to achieve recognition in the industry after working for so many years disheartened him. In fact, six or seven years earlier, he had thought of leaving. When he was nominated and lost the HKFA Best Supporting Actor award in 1994, he felt dejected. “I regarded failure very seriously in the past, but now I have learned to take things easily. Each time, I would remind myself how much I love acting as a career.”
What would Power do if he receives an award this year? “The first thing for me would be to celebrate with my wife [Mimi Lo 羅敏莊] and daughter! But when the time comes, the cast would surely drag me to celebrate with them first!”
Source: Oriental Daily
This article is written by Shirley for JayneStars.com.
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Tough choice eh!!
Koo Ming Wah certainly shines with his role as So Kei but I’ve loved Power Chan performances for a very long time!!
I prefer Power Chan more, Koo may only shine in his role as So Kei but Power had been in numerous supporting role quite convincing too.
Agree, that’s why I’m rooting for Power Chan.
totally agree! power chan gets my vote.
Personally I think it is harder to act Pang Sam Shun because he was just an ordinary eunuch, but Power Chan was able to impress his audience that he was a stand-out eunuch through his acting. Pan Sam Shun was a young eunuch with silly, honest, and sometimes mean, and loyal personalities. I enjoyed very much watching Pang Sam Shun.
Koo Ming Wah did very well, too, as So Gay, but he got appropriate makeup and packaging to help him in his character. There was no restriction for him to showcase this character, but Chan Kwok Pong had very rigid restrictions in acting Pang Sam Shun. He was just a simple and ordinary eunuch. Moreover, Power Chan had to stand out among the five eunuchs, and one of them was a 2-time TV King, Wayne Lai.
seems everyone enjoy Power Chan acting. Love his opening line “Aiya…Why can’t we peacefully….. So motherly acting.
Agreed! Power made Sam Shun a very realistic character that the audience can relate to. He was feminine enough as a eunuch (but not too overly feminine), cute enough (to match his character’s young age), realistic enough (like many people, we try to act confident and independent, but secretly, we want friends to love and care about), but also very righteous (not siding with his uncle).
Also Power Chan has prove time and time again that he can be good in many different roles, not just Pang Sam Shun.
No matter who wins, I hope TVB would be smart enough to give both of them promotions and better opportunities.
Very good illustration of Pang Sam Shun’s character and Power Chan’s portrayal.
Power Chan.
Koo Ming Wah for best supporting actor plz (:
Pang Sam Shun all the way!!! His famous phrase “hou hou dei mm dak ger” is so damn popular among viewers! 😀
lol and dont forget his Aiyahhhhhh
He was wonderful and funny and a strange character but for me Koo Ming Wah made the biggest impact as So Kei because without So Kei, Divas In Distress would have been just flat. Without Pang Sham Sun, The Confidant can still exist but may not be as light hearted sometimes. So Power Chan can get his award next year (make him do comedy!!) and let Koo Ming Wah win for this year. He deserves that recognition. I can still remember him in many nameless role, one of his best was as that magistrate in Ghetto Justice.
Let’s give Koo chai an award as Power Chan still got opportunity to grab bigger role awards in the future. Appreciated both of their performance too.
Don’t agree unless they both get awards in different categories. Power Chan should get best supporting actor in 2012.
Sorry Power, my hope is Koo Ming Wah wins. Because I know Power will have another chance. So many great performances, but for me the winner should be the one with the biggest impact and breakout performance in a series and Koo Ming Wah is it.
I like them both. Sigh … can there be two awards for one category? It happened in the Singapore awards one year when the judges thought two best supporting actresses were equally outstanding and gave the award to both.
Power Chan will get best supporting in villian/good guy role while Koo Chai best supporting in custume/funny acting role. TVB should split in different type of supporting role on “ngau cheong pai – koo chai” and “sak lek pai – Power”
Koo Ming Wah deserves to get Best supporting Actor.
I wonder if TVB never had such an award thing so that means there is no recognition for TV actors in HK so… does it mean everyone would have retired?
Can someone enlighten me :-
So Gei means SO GAY ? just like Lai Feng Gor means Laughing Brother?
quite obvious, isn’t it?
nah. i was thinking a noodles stall..lol
Such a ‘duh’ question!
Koo Ming Wah for the win!
Supporting Power Chan all the way!!!
man! i wish both of them will win sth this year. me always with the underdogs.
I couldn’t connect to Power Chan’s character. Perhaps the show is quite disappointing although the first few episodes were not bad.
But KMW’s So Gay is very memorable and his breakthrough performance. So he has my vote.
i’m rooting for power chan! i liked so gay a lot, but i think he benefitted more (monetary wise) from his role, and will continue to do so with numerous outside jobs (just like the laughing gor persona which has never quite left us unfortunately). meanwhile, the fuss over the confidant will die off eventually (pretty soon perhaps, just like highs and lows). give him an award while his portrayal still fresh on everyone’s minds.
Vote for Power Chan! Favourite sentences: Aya… (=
Hoe hoe dei erm dek gei XD
i have a feeling tvb will give it to Koo Ming Wah, just because the character shines the most this year.
I voted for Power Chan. He is great.
These 2 are so freaking good this year, it’s gonna be hard for both of them! Though, I’m going with Koo Ming Hua. He was stellar in Divas, outshining everybody!
Power Chan is far better n of coz he was already a sensation for 女人最痛! And I did watch him in the very first few episodes of TC n yea though his role was kinda despising he did well!
I also have a feeling that if Koo doesn’t win this time, it’s hard for him to have another chance later. Power Chan has more opportunities to act in series, so I think he would have some chance to win later.
Power Chan hands down. Solid performances every year. His time is now.
Wow, both of them in a neck to neck race for an award. Both are equally good, so the better or luckier man wins! I do wish both of them luck.
I wanted Koo Ming Wah to win but I also wanted Power Chan to 10xtimes more. Tvb should have give the award to Power Chan many years ago so it’s time for Power to win!! But Dang…don’t forget there is also Ram Tseung competing for the award.
Power Chan of course.
He NEVER fails. He’s consistently GOOD!!!!!!
If only they can get rid of the best actor/actress categories so that more supporting actors can pick up an award. Shame.
Can’t remember the nominees, but is it only leading roles considered for the favourite character award? It’s a bit unfair, as KMW would be a shoo-in for that.
I just looked at the list again (http://www.jaynestars.com/news/tvbs-announces-official-2012-anniversary-awards-nominations/) and the nominees are mostly leading roles. The one exception seems to be Eliza Sam who was nominated for her role in Divas In Distress.