The last time we spoke to Swiss-Malaysian actor-host-entertainer extraordinaire Max Loong in December 2011, he was in the midst of filming Channel 5’s Perfect Deception and was fully devoted to working on his six packs for a cover shoot on a local men’s magazine.
Fast forward four years and this FLY Entertainment artiste tells us he’s ready to settle down and embark on his next “project” in life i.e., get married. Yes, marriage is on the cards for Max and his US-based film and TV producer girlfriend Sepideh Haftgoli (also a former Miss Iran) and wedding bells will be ringing for them next year, he revealed, during an interview with Toggle.
The 35-year-old shared that they have been dating for the past two years and met at one of their favourite restaurants in Los Angeles, United States, through mutual friends.
“I’ve been really occupied with the grand opening of the resort (Hidden Hills Villas in Uluwatu Bali) but now that it’s over, I think I’ll put more effort into it (wedding preparations),” he chuckled.
Max says he and his mum had their hands full with the setting up of a brand new resort in Bali – an idea conceived five years ago which he only got down to working on in the last two-and-a-half years. Calling it a “family business” that he and his mum built from scratch, everything in the resort from the architecture and interior design to hand picking every stone, material and tile, were done wholly by them.
“We’ve poured all our heart and soul into this,” said Max, who is not new to the hospitality business having opened the original Supper Club in L.A. back in 2010.
“My mum is very hands on with the interior design so it’s not like ‘Here’s the money and the budget, please build me a resort’ like most investors [do]. Unlike many other investors, we’re not making fast money back, at the same time, we’re just trying to create something beautiful here.”
Max declined to reveal the startup capital that went into this resort but admitted that it was “quite an investment” for them. “It’s hopefully worth it,” he added, “For us, while it’s definitely also business, it’s more of a passion project than just a money project.”
After setting up the Supper Club, a production company in Switzerland and a villa resort in Bali, is fatherhood the next project in the pipeline?
Max, who plays a father of two and husband to Hong Kong actress Bernice Liu, in upcoming Channel 5 drama, Lion Moms, chuckled in reply: “I’ve always wanted kids and always wanted to get married, but I was not ready in that sense that I was happy with where I was at. I have a goddaughter and I love kids, but I’m always happy to pass them back.”
However, Max says his mindset and perception towards children have changed - now that he’s “making these big steps in life” as he takes a trip down the aisle with his bride-to-be next year.
“I’m really ready to get married, super excited about it and ready to spend the rest of my life with her. And at the same time – without getting into too many private details – ready to have kids. Now when I see kids, I’m like ‘Aww, I want one of those!’ I guess I’m ready now. I’m growing up,” he grinned.
Lion Moms, starring Bernice Liu, Nurul Aini, Vanessa Vanderstraaten, Max Loong, Russell Ong and Firdaus Rahman, debuts Sep 7 (Mon), 10pm on Channel 5.