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About five years ago, Nnadia was a special guest for Chow Wah Kin's United States/Canada concert tour. That time was her first time in Vancouver. At that time, she didn't like it because that time was near Christmas and Vancouver was really cold. And it was raining… Last year, in July, Nnadia went to Vancouver again to take part in the Christian movie Life is a Miracle. Because it was July, Vancouver's weather was wonderful and was able to change Nnadia's image of the place. This time is Nnadia's third trip to Vancouver. Her purpose is to hold a charity concert for Chung Qui Wu Chor Wui. Are you afraid that when you're old, you'll be lonely? "Yes! I am scared! Because in the old age, our health will be very bad… as it's said, "Gou beng chong cheen mo hoa chi"… at the time when I'm sick and hurting all over, if there's no family by my side to take care of me, that would be very very sad." You're young and beautiful now, but deep inside, do you feel lonely? "Ha ha…no! I feel that I am a lucky person. At each hour of each day, there is someone to take care of me. My friends and family really care for me and love me." Are you like other artists in that after completing your work, you can't help but feel a bit depressed? "Of course I won't! After shooting wraps up, we can still keep in touch. I usually use the Internet to stay connected with people or I will share with them some funny stories through e-mail…I am definitely a person who after leaving the stage or away from the camera, can return to being Chan Chung Ling. Work and my life can be separated. Whenever I have free time, I will meet up with my friends and family, and also my three dogs!" We got this long-distance phone call interview with Nnadia through her assistant Bobo who we got in touch with through Chung Qui Wu Chor Wui. During the time of the interview, Nnadia had just finished putting on a mini concert in Singapore for her fans. "I never expected that I can have such affectionate fans in Singapore. It's purely a destined coincidence. A lot of my old TVB series were released there and four years ago, I starred in my first musical Snow Wolf Lake in Singapore. Because of this, I left a huge impression on Singaporeans. It's really the result of much work overtime." Was there a lot of pressure when you starred in Snow Wolf Lake? "There really was a lot! In a musical, a lot has to be done. There's acting, singing, and dancing - it really isn't simple at all…but the most pressure came from the Hong Kong media…but actually I have to thank them. Without their reports about me, I don't think I would've achieved that much success during the performance." I know that then, the Hong Kong media compared you with the Hong Kong female lead of Snow Wolf Lake, Sandy Lam Yik Lin. Is that true? "Yes. It's not that I'm afraid of being compared. It's just that these reports appeared before my performance in Snow even started…then I would think is this arrangement really right for me, am I really that useless. I even thought of quitting! But it's a good thing that my family and friends gave me a lot of support. Even my godfather encouraged me to never give up…This explains why my English name Nnadia has an extra n. It means 'Never give up'." As Nnadia said, she is this type of person: the more people think she can't do it, the harder she will work to tell others that she can and can do it beautifully. That time, her performance in the musical won the audience's applause and enthusiastic support and love, touching Nnadia. "I really do not blame the Hong Kong media and rather I thank them for giving me the chance to learn more about myself. Those reports did make me feel bad a time. But looking at it from another angle, they also gave me huge motivation. Afterwards, when I think about it, I discovered that I had never worked so hard or given so much energy and time on my work before. Fortunately, I did not disappoint those that support and love me." Nnadia really started at an early age. She says that when she was 14, she was attracted by the $1000 grand prize of a singer impersonation contest. She impersonated Sally Yeh and won the grand prize. After that, TVB wanted to sign her on as an actor and when she was 15, she took part in a movie Porky's Meatballs". After that, she half-worked and half-studied in the entertainment business. "I was really attracted by that $1000 grand prize because then $1000 could pay for a lot of meals of buffet! Ha ha…!!" Nnadia has always met the standards of entertainment work. She had the voice, the looks, and the acting down pat and she was liked by a lot of the audience. She was everyone's beautiful, cheerful, healthy, cute Chung Chung Jie Jie. When did you start putting all your time into acting? "Hmm…it's like this! When I entered university, I didn't do what everyone else did and choose the popular subjects like public relations, law, or medicine. I studied what I liked, theology, because then I already had a contract with a record company and with TVB. So I didn't feel that after graduation, I would have to stress over what to do…but at the end, I didn't finish my uni studies, and I decided to concentrate entirely on singing and acting…" Before, your movie Life is a Miracle was mentioned. You played a dying cancer patient…; if one day you are met with death, do you think you can be as brave to face it? "I think that the old me wouldn't be able to because I was a coward who was afraid of death; but after my experience with Snow Wolf Lake, I had a completely new way of seeing myself. I discovered that when met with challenges, I can face them. Sometimes in life, challenges are a good thing…because a lot of things can be forced out of a person." Besides the places where you've been, are there any more you want to visit? "I want to go to Europe. When I went to Europe to shoot a travel special, I didn't get a chance to go to Greece and France. I really want to go there and feel the romance…" But, after this Vancouver charity concert, Nnadia has to return to Hong Kong where she will be shooting a TVB ancient series in August. And she has to finish Summer Assassins. In this movie, she has a lot of scenes with Sammo Hung. Shooting in Thailand has already finished and she will have to finish shooting the movie in Hong Kong. Later on, she will be taking part in another Christian movie. It turns out that Nnadia's wish is that her work can one day expand to China because she likes that feeling of being close and having the same thoughts and ideas [because we're all Chinese, there shouldn't be any separation between us]. Before the interview ended, Nnadia asked us to wish all readers happiness everyday because she feels that happiness is something we can all find from within ourselves. Nnadia Quotes "I'm not clumsy, and I'm not graceful either. When I walk, I take big steps. I don't have restriction…" "When I attend cocktails, I will dress very elegant. But as soon as I see the food on the table, my face will change and I will completely enjoy eating…" "When I talk with friends, I will forget myself. I make a lot of hand gestures…I can only be elegant for 3 seconds!" "Modern women have their own character. We can make ourselves look beautiful. We know about the economy and about culture. We can talk about anything. This is what a funny woman is." "In the morning, I really can't look sexy because it's too early. When night comes, the feeling is sexy because the cool breeze can relax you. The mood coming from within you can be sexy…" "Wearing less clothes is necessarily sexy. Women who wear decent clothes can through their actions attract people. Sexy comes from their own natural appearance…" "Friends are very important to me. In the past, I could be by myself. But now, I really cherish the time I spend with my friends. I don't need that much time by myself…" "No matter acting or singing, I feel that careers can last as long as Be Yourself is practiced." "Just because you know the trends doesn't mean you have to follow them…to keep your appearance simple is so that you won't become a fashion victim!" "Someone who is always simple can be beautiful as well. When their real self is out in the open is their most beautiful moment." "I wish that I am water. In different containers, I will take a different appearance and size." "There was a time when I felt that I had no real image. But actors really shouldn't have an image. I remember an entertainer once said to me: an actor's image should center on their roles and be able to undergo many different changes; if you have a fixed image, then you will be type-casted. Singers are different. On the stage, their image has to be clear and easily visible. Only then, will their image leave an impression on the audience." (Canada Popular Lifestyle & Entertainment: August 2001) |
