Joe Cheng: Most beautiful when she is serious

Translated by Kassy@asianfanatics.net
Taking the role of a newbie whose dream was being destroyed
“I have been through this journey before”
From 12th – 14th December, [Design for Living] will have performances in Oriental Art Center. From ‘deciding’ until ‘confirming’, Zheng Yuan Chang said that able to take part in this stage play is totally because of fate.

When Edward Lam contacted him, that time he still has a tv series that hasn’t started to film yet, he has been requesting for it vigorously to his manager before getting the “deciding” chance. Luckily the tv series has finished filming way earlier than expected and have allowed him to have a rather long empty time slot, so he signed the contract immediately.

In the series, Zheng Yuan Chang’s character is called “Li Xiang”, to signify the dreams and hope that a newbie will have when he just joined the work field. [He is a young man who just steps into the society, having lots of fantasy about his work and love, only after experiencing so many crucial incidents, and then only he realized that there are many things which are totally different from what he has dreamed. Lastly, his dream was being sacrificed. Earlier on, I didn’t know that this will be a serious stage play, while I was talking with Edward Lam, we did talk about some dark inner thoughts but never would have known that he will give me such a sunny character.]

This character has reminds him of himself when he just joined the entertainment industry: [I have been through this journey before, only after 1 or 2 years that I have slowly started to get used to it. Previously, I thought being an artist is something that is very refreshing, interesting and a happy kind of job but my thoughts have changed since then, and I have already decided to let this become my future career and life.] And after 6 years have passed, Zheng Yuan Chang still has unfulfilled dreams, there were some compromising and the contend against this big entertainment industry: [Big environment will depend strongly on ratings while the role that I am interested in playing will be those roles that will touch people’s hearts.]

Having older woman younger man relationship with Sylvia Chang on the stage
“She is very attractive when she is focusing on her work”
The performance days are approaching, about his debut stage play performance, Zheng Yuan Chang who was being describe by Edward Lam as [A child who is in jail] said he doesn’t seem to have much confidence yet: [Everyone has an invisible lock. I am afraid that everyone will put too much high hope on me, afraid that I am too slow, afraid that I am not improving…… after all no improvement means that you are lagging behind. Stage play performance is very hard to act out, luckily my lines are typical daily conversations, and I only need to perform using my own language.]

Sharing the same stage with Sylvia Chang and also has to have an older woman and younger man relationship, how do you feel about that?
Zheng Yuan Chang said: [The director wants to explore about this game of love through the story. Zhang Jie (Sylvia Chang) is a very intelligent woman, the scripts has been changed for 5 times already, 80% - 90% was being changed by her, even my lines were done by her help. She looked very attractive when she is totally focused on her work.] In real life he is not against older woman and younger man relationship: [Everyone has their own choices. Women who are serious are the most beautiful, in the entertainment industry I have come across quite a lot of women who have this quality.]

About office working group, Zheng Yuan Chang said it is hard to even imagine himself wearing a tie and working from 9 to 5: [I didn’t choose to work in the office when I just graduated last time because I feel that I am not suitable ---- stamped my card when I get to work and off work, facing the computer, that's scary.]