Former Channel 8 actress Chen Xiuhuan might win the title of World’s Coolest Mum if there ever was such a competition. The Star Maiden lead actress has no qualms about her 17- and 18-year-old daughters falling in love when they head to the UK together for further studies next year.
“After my daughters go to university, the first thing I want them to do is to get boyfriends,” she said. “In fact, I’m concerned that if they don’t start dating while at university, they might never get the chance again!”
Xiuhuan would even stay supportive should her two older daughters choose Caucasian partners, she added.
The actress was speaking on October 5 at the lensing ceremony for Lucky Boy, a comedy directed by Jack Neo’s protégé, Boris Boo, and co-starring Chew Chor Meng, Wang Weiliang, Jeremy Chan and Hong Kong’s Venus Wong.
The plot revolves around Weiliang’s character, a bloke who doesn’t have the best fortune in life and always misses success by just a little bit.
Chor Meng plays Weiliang’s father and Xiuhuan’s husband, making this the first time they’re an on-screen couple since their collaboration on 1993’s The Witty Advisor.
In real life, the two actors have five daughters between them: Chor Meng’s are in primary 5 and secondary 1, while Xiuhuan’s youngest is entering primary 6 next year.
Unlike Xiuhuan, Chor Meng is stricter when it comes to his daughters’ personal lives. “(I’ll only let them start dating) when they turn 21, so they’re more mature then,” he said.
The Lobang King actor even said he’ll be vetting his daughters’ future beaus. “I’m a man too, so I know how to tell the boyfriends from the potential husbands,” he said.
Lucky on set
Little Lobang King Wang Weiliang might not be blessed in the looks department, but the singer and actor does have good fortune when it comes to his female co-stars.
He was cast in Jack Neo’s movie The Lion Men opposite Chinese actress Eva Chen, and played a senior to Malaysian actress Joey Leong in Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen. In Lucky Boy, Weiliang gets to work with Venus Wong from Hong Kong.
“Directors all take such good care of me,” he said. “With such beautiful co-stars, what do I care about the paycheck?”
Venus, 23, is no newcomer to the local movie scene. She last appeared in King of Mahjong, the Singaporean–Malaysian Lunar New Year comedy, and she’s working with Clover Films again on Lucky Boy.
Venus praised her co-star Weiliang, calling him considerate and caring. Asked about what she thought of Weiliang’s looks, she said, “He’s unique, and I think the personality matters more when it comes to guys.”
The sporting Weiliang added, “I’m an acquired taste, and she’s too polite to say I’m not good-looking.”
But unfortunately for Weiliang, Venus is taken. The young actress has been seeing Derek Tsang, the son of Hong Kong actor and comedian Eric Tsang, for well over a year.
On whether her famous beau will be stopping by on the set of Lucky Boy to visit her, Venus said, “No, he won’t, he’s busy with his own matters. And I feel work and personal lives should be kept separate so we can have better focus.”
Lucky Boy is scheduled to open in theatres in 2016.