[Part One] Exclusive Interview Of Myolie - "Tough on the outside; But innermost feelings filled with fear"
Sunday September 7, 2008 Hong Kong
Credits: to
http://www.myoliewu.co.cc/[08/09/07 访问] 胡杏儿:我是鳄鱼头老衬底,外表很劲其实内心很惊惶
Myolie Wu: "I'm an alligator head but having an old substrate. My looks may be tough, but actually my innermost feelings are filled with fear"
Interview of Myolie Wu: HK's TVB actress. When she was in her first year of university, she accompanied a friend to take part in Miss HK, but in the end, she became the second runner-up and won the 'Most Energetic' award. Now, she's one of TVB's top fadan. In 2002, because of her successful portrayal of the mentally-challenged 'Ding Sin Yan' role in Golden Faith, she won the TVB's anniversary award "Most Improved Actress". In 2005, TVB aired 5 of her dramas in a row, and she jumped up to join the A-listed fadans.
After getting the second runner-up in Miss HK, Myolie Wu joined TVB, and became one of the actresses. Her drama, When Dogs Love Cats, had just completed airing. Last week at HK's Four Seasons hotel, there was a fashion show on winter apparel by a European designer which lasted for a week. There were 4 shows in a day, and for the first show, I was seated beside Myolie Wu, so I asked her to do an interview for "Southern City Times" (not sure if I got the English name correct). Coincidentally, her TVB manager and assistant were around too, so everything was settled for the interview. She was very cooperative. Because something cropped up and I had to postpone it a day later, on the following night, I saw her sitting at the cafe of Four Seasons Hotel waiting for me. She waited till 9pm in the night. (She) Is a very good-tempered lady.
渐渐长大了,我认为我有权见自己的生母,再见那一回我有点麻木感,她倒像有点儿感动似的,我自己也渐有揪心的感觉。
As I gradually grew up, I feel that I've the right to meet my birth mother. But when I saw her again, I felt a little numb, but she seemed more touched. Slowly, I started to have the heart-wrenching feeling too.
"The name, Hang Yee, was given by my father. My two elder sisters are called Ho Yee and Mei Yee." She kept talking on about her father, and never mentioned about her mother. So I asked her, "How about your mother?" Myolie replied, "My parents divorced when I was eight. My father was older than her by 10 over years. When she gave birth to us, she was only 26, and is a big child herself too. When I was young, I wasn't allowed to talk about my mother. Anyone who did would have committed a huge crime."
"Did you meet up with your mother again?" I asked. "As I gradually grew up, I feel that I've the right to meet my birth mother. But when I saw her again, I felt a little numb, but she seemed more touched. Slowly, I started to have the heart-wrenching feeling too. Now, I communicate with my mother better. Sometimes she'll cook some food for me. But I'm still unable to address her as 'Mummy' yet. I only called her 'Ah Ling Jeh'. Her name's Wong Kit Ling. Actually I've been hoping to have the feeling of my mother holding my hand while we shop together. (I hope) To have the heartwarming feeling of having a mother." Her step-mother doesn't share a close relationship with her. Myolie still feels that she doesn't have a mother. Myolie's birth mother doesn't have any children for her second marriage, and her step-father already has children from the previous marriage. "When Dai-Jeh (Eldest Sister) held her wedding banquet, as my father didn't want to see my mother, so she held two separate banquets."
在北爱尔兰读书时,我的零用钱很少,每个月大约三百元港币。我常常为了省几块钱几角钱而从学校步行半小时到市中心,不坐公车。
When studying in Ireland, I had very little allowance, only around 300HKD per month. I often had to travel by foot from my school to the city area, and not by public bus, just to save a few dollars.
Remember that Myolie once studied for a number of years overseas, but she always said that her family was poor. I asked her: "Where did you go?" She replied, "Methodist College Belfast. Studied from Secondary 2 to 'O' (Ordinary) Levels, I got 5 As, and also went to take the 'A' (Advanced) Levels (the exams to qualify for university). When studying in primary school in HK, I still can pass without studying much, rely on talent. Didn't expect that when I went up to Secondary 1, I was placed last (the student with the worst results). So I went to North Ireland to continue my education." I asked out of curiosity, "You said that your family was poor, so how did you have the money to go overseas?" "My father is a civil servant, he's a policeman." During the colonial period, the education for the children of the civil servants were being subsidized by the government to England or places belonging to the English, right up until 18 years of age. "I went overseas to study, hoping to have a brand new start."
"Why not go to England, but North Ireland?" This choice was even more bizarre. "Because my father had some colleagues whose children are over there, so I managed to pick up the North Irish accent, but now I've changed it already. My father had little education, but I admired him a lot. He held onto an English dictionary and studied hard, and finally he was able to use fluent English to communicate with his superior." During the colonial period, there were many English among the police force. "But we were very poor. When studying in Ireland, I had very little allowance, only around 300HKD per month." That means 10HKD a day. "I often had to travel by foot from my school to the city area, and not by public bus, just to save a few dollars. The winter season over there is very cold, and I only brought over a very thin jacket. It's not warm enough, but I had no money to buy a woolen coat. During my summer holidays, I had to return to HK to earn money. That summer holiday when I was 13, I was working in a tea cafe as a waitress. Very embarrassing. When I met with my ex-classmates, I had to cook and serve in front of them. After working for a week and earned 1000 bucks, I quitted, because I couldn't stand the gas smell. Fell ill and had a fever." People returned to HK for a holiday, but she came back to work. After working, she had to return to study again. "You're very tough" (Said by the interviewer) Looking at the slim Myolie Wu, it's unexpected to know that this beautiful lady was able to withstand hardship when she was young.
Coming from Ireland back to HK, she had to pass by London first. "Sitting a taxi to airport needs around 20 over pounds (around 280HKD). I wanted to save money, so I took a public bus as I only need to pay 5 pounds (around 70HKD). I had 5 luggage cases altogether. I first took a taxi from my school to the bus-stand heading for the airport. I had to carry one luggage case at a time to the bus-stand, and then returned for the second case. To and fro, I made 5 trips, yet no one helped me and also no one looked over the rest of the cases for me. When I was at the airport, I was thinking my luggage cases were definitely over the limit. But they didn't collect excess baggage money from me. When I was back in HK, I weighed the cases, and discovered they were around 100kg!"
回想念书时真惨,见到美丽的东西没钱买,父亲又快要退休了,不想父亲的负担太大,那便选香港小姐去。
Thinking back on my miserable schooling days, when I saw pretty stuff, I had no money to buy. My father was retiring soon, and I didn't want to increase his burden, so I chose to take part in Miss HK.
She always feel that she comes from a poor family, and doesn't have a mother, thus lacking the sense of security: "Perhaps it's because of the shadow of my parent's divorce. There are many things that I need to decide for myself. Now I can earn my own keep, and help to support the family. So I'm happy. I'm willing to take hardship."
"Why take part in Miss HK?" I asked her. "I want to be part of those major events. Joining TVB to be an artiste, my father did object initially, but now he's used to it. He even keeps track of my news." Myolie now lives with her unmarried second elder sister:"If I've problems, I'll talk to my elder sisters. All of us live together, so we've a tacit understanding already."
Originally, Myolie wanted to be a doctor, "But I'm not smart enough, and can't get into the medical school, so I went to University of Science and Technology to study biochemistry. When the paegeant was held, TVB was still at Clearwater Bay. It was just opposite the university. That year, I was 19. I wasn't silly. I had big ambitions. Thinking back on my miserable schooling days, when I saw pretty stuff, I had no money to buy. My father was retiring soon, and I didn't want to increase his burden, so I chose to take part in Miss HK. I didn't want my father to be a security guard or drive a taxi just to support me through the university education."
"Since young, I've always wanted to take part in Miss HK. In my university, I joined the Drama Club. I'm not shy, and sometimes, I'll take part in modelling events. I received the notification letter from TVB while I was attending chemistry lesson, but I didn't want to waste my one year of university qualification, so I pleaded with the teacher to allow me to take the exams first. Coincidentally, that teacher was a Caucasian, and he agreed, but he reminded me not to divulge the exam questions. I manged to complete the first year of university, and after that, I entered TVB!"
我最希望得到“最佳女主角奖”。我在等待一个好角色,一个大家没见过我演的角色。
My greatest wish to get 'Best Actress' award. I'm waiting for a good role to come - a role that everyone hasn't seen me acting before.
"My father is a traditional Chinese man. I'm like him. I like to keep to myself. I seldom do this kind of interviews. 'Southern City Times? We artistes have heard before." That's great - this shows that our interviews have always enjoyed good reputation, and the artistes trust us.
"Taking part in Miss HK, it's really an intense training period. The audience sees our poses and cat-walk being so elegant, and had no idea that our training was so tough and difficult. Even so, I've never thought of winning anything. I only wanted to be part of this kind of major show. After passing through the initial rounds, I was finally into the final stage. After getting the second runner-up, my father was the first person I called:"Dad, I got it!"
Unconsciously, Myolie had been an artiste for 9 years. She has fame now. Other than her job, she earns quite a lot of money outside too, just like turning up at a fashion show to sit for a while, she gets to collect opening fees (counting by ten thousands). Being the spokesperson for a slimming company, she gets another amount of fees. Filming dramas, she always get it.
"What award have you gotten from TVB?" I asked. She laughed and answered:"Most Improved Actress Award". Very long right (referring to the name of the award in Chinese)? My greatest wish to get 'Best Actress' award. I'm waiting for a good role to come - a role that everyone hasn't seen me acting before. All these years, I've been acting too many goodie-two-shoes roles - so good that it seems unreal. In the audience's eyes, I'm a big girl, the kind who isn't shrewd or scheming. That actually has quite a difference from the real me. I know how to protect myself. I will come up with the worst scenario. A little pessimistic. Afraid to interact with strangers. Afraid that they might hurt me. I'm an alligator head but having an old substrate. My looks may be tough, but actually my innermost feelings are filled with fear and worry."
"When with good friends, I'll talk about my inner feelings. I'm the kind whom must say out. I'll also talk to my family members. When with my father, I always can't seem to talk smoothly, there's a barrier. Eldest Sis and Bro-in-law will ask me: Did you care about Second Sis? I thought, when I was young, my two elder sisters had a little dislike towards me, because my appearance meant that their share of allowance got lesser. Elder Sis planned to have 4 children. Me too. If there's anything, we'll discuss it at home." But then, Myolie has not thought of marriage yet.