Let me cut to the chase, from entertainment news standpoint, Steven Ma is actually quite boring: he has no special dragon & phoenix access to a prominent family, has negligible entanglements with hot women, also has no bizarre leak of bedroom photos; and appearance wise: ten years elapsed like a day, nose did not become higher or longer, eyes still single lidded; awards competition: often seemingly outside the fray; as for romantic rumors: in all those years they are a flash in the pan, and hardly scintillating enough as juicy gossips for the neighborhood housewives. But the funny thing is, you would not oppose to watching his Nip Dor Bo in The Life and Times of a Sentinel, nor would you switch channel because he was demonstrating how to cook fried rice in Apprentice Chef.
I am not sure whether this could be called “audience affinity”, just that whenever I see Steven on screen, my mind will automatically pop out these four words, “silently cultivating the field”, more vulgarly or bluntly put: a draft ox or a work horse keeping his nose to the grindstone unceasingly slogging away.
"Actually, I’m a person who just wants to quietly do my work, and not want to think about other stuff or be bothered by it.” He says: “A work horse? Unceasingly slogging away? Hahahaha! Actually, I’ve my own ideals; it’s not that I don’t know about the shortcuts, or don’t know about the scheming but that I just couldn’t get past myself, couldn’t do it! I don’t feel that the path I’m taking now will not take me to what I want, just that it may take a longer time, that’s all. Because my philosophy is to firmly believe that people in the end still need to take the right path!”
Suddenly, I see behind Steven, who faces me, a ray of dazzling light --------
It is the after rain sunbeam shining through the floor-to-ceiling glass window.
BIOLOGICAL SONRecall Wong Hei once said the method TVB uses to heavily promote an artiste is the “quicksilver ubiquity”, which I interpret to mean if you are tvb obedient biological son you will be duly promoted by the company, subsequently, your mark will be seen in all big and small programs and events. Verily, Steven has continually appeared on screen, but not to the degree of permeating every nook and cranny, thus giving the impression to people that he is not a tvb biological son.
“On this matter, many people had said the same to me. They thought that maybe I was a stray picked up by TVB or maybe I was an adoptee. Hahaha! Never mind! Actually, since 2004 (TN: all news has it as 2005) TVB was already my manager. If tallying back even more, when I first came out as singer in 1993, I had already signed a singing contract with TVB, which means to this day I have signed up with TVB for 18 years. Honestly, I truly love this organization! From Clearwater Bay TV City to the present location Tseung Kwan O TV City, I have gone through several dynasties: Chiu Chung Man, Chan Goon-Ming, Ho Ting Kwan …those who saw me grow up in TVB all have now retired!”
Earlier on, wasn’t there news reporting that veteran journalist, Tsui Yong Yong, after ten years of being his manager has recently resigned her post because of his provocation?
"I personally own a publishing company. All along, Tsui jie had been the manager in my company. She managed the publishing operation and read the books. When she occasionally received a job she would relay the news to my tvb manager. Basically, Tsui jie only worked for my own company, but I freehand her to do some freelancing.”
Ok, so now the manager issue has been clarified, but, how come all these years, it seems like all he does is slogs unceasingly away at TVB unlike other tvb biological sons who get myriad preferential treatments from the company?
Steven says this is a two-way issue.
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENTHe analyzes that one of the key issues maybe that he seldom sets foot on the 8th floor management department where TVB dictates the workloads for the artistes.
“All these years, the number of times I visited 8th floor can be numerically counted. When up there, I just couldn’t get engrossed. I didn’t even know some of the colleagues’ names! It maybe my fault, not knowing how to communicate with them, so over time, people may have felt that I have isolated myself from TVB, or that I seem like a stranger to them. But as artist, I feel that management will make the appropriate arrangements for me. No need for me to especially or deliberately do anything else!
“Conversely, the TVB department that I’ve the most feeling for is the series production on the 7th floor. Could even say I grew up in this department. I have a good relationship with all the directors, the producers, the scriptwriters, the PAs, the crew, the martial arts troupe! All these years in TVB, only one thing has not changed, which is this production department of Zan Jie’s (Catherine Tsang). From singer turning to actor, it was Zan Jie and Tim Gor who asked me to shoot DOMD 1998. In 2004 (sic 2005) when I signed the management contract with TVB, it was also Zan Jie who asked me to. When I entered the industry, Zan jie was there, and today, she is still here!”
As to Virginia Lok and Stephen Chan, how is his relationship with them?
“That year when I was shooting “Ghost Writer”, my contract had actually ended. Miss Lok had looked me but we had too many disagreements so could not come to a consensus. Later, Mr. Chan and Zan Jie looked me up for another talk. That was my first time officially meeting Mr. Chan. Even he thought it was funny. We both have been in the same company for so many years yet it seems like we did not even know each other! Actually, I’m grateful to him for this renewed contract because they have given me many promises and most of them have been slowly fulfilled, especially Mr. Chan, who is a pragmatic person.”
NO BURDENS
The other key issue --- let me analyze, is that all these years he only cares to fulfil his own obligations. Steven exclaims: “I will never use underhanded tactics to accomplish a goal or an ideal! I joined the workforce at an early age. Was 17 when I worked in Longmans selling text books; was 19 when I joined Tin Chemistry Ltd. At 21 years old I already helped the company generate a 20 million dollars business. How can I not know the dark side of the commerce industry? You want me to be devious, it’s not that I don’t know how; you think I’m still a naïve romantic 16 year old boy? I don’t do the under the table stuff because I couldn’t bring myself to do it! Incidentally, I’m quite proud of that fact!
“I’m almost 40 years old. I don’t want at this age to do things that I may regret some day, feeling guilty to have done things that had hurt someone else. I dare to say that I’ve never done anybody wrong. I can lift my head high anytime. Is there anybody wanting me to bow down my head, feeling scared? Sorry, none to this day! But are there people who see me and feel that they did me wrong? I think there are some! So to this day, I carry no burdens towards anybody. I feel comfortable these days so that’s good enough!”
Having roll with the punches for so long in the show business, should be able to have found some journalist friends to help with some promotion, to at least increase his name exposure!
“Even till now, every time I attend big scale press conferences, I am not quite at ease! Unless I happened to encounter familiar friends or people I get along with, if not, then I'll become quite tongue tied! Journalist friends often told me not to be so reticent but that's just me. Furthermore, I don’t know how to ingratiate myself to a clique, don't know how to socialize. I admit I’m quite conventional!”
BOTTLENECK POSITION
But the fact of the matter is, that you are in showbiz, don't you wish to become a TV king?
"Award, there's nobody who wouldn't want it. If you say that TVB gives me an award to reward me, I'll be dizzy with happiness! But after coming up empty handed so often I've become indifferent to it. Euphemistically put, it's possessing a calm equanimity. There are many extraneous factors involved in getting an award. I once said to myself if I can't be a TV king I won't leave TVB. Luckily I only said this to myself else my whole lifetime will belong to TVB! Hahaha!
But, even if I don't get award, I'll still continue doing my work! It's not that I don't have ambition! But that I feel most comfortable with my current lifestyle. I don't feel that this way will not help me achieve my objectives! Next year my tvb management contract will again terminate, what's best is that I can continue to work for the company at the same time shoot some mainland series. Because these days, mainland series have considerable high standard. Also lately I have been reading many scripts! I wish from the acting aspect there is a difference and a breakthrough in the roles. Best is portraying an extreme villain and a post modern series. It's fun acting a villain role! If the character is born a bad seed and a born killer, what can you do to me? As for post modern era, that's because I love the history in this era. Let me portray Sun Yat Sen or maybe Zan Sai character from 京華春夢. Truly not bad! If I could command these two roles, what character role could constraint.me? Of course, for these characters, I first need to wait for a good script to enable me to flex my imagination! I'm all ready, I truly need this stimulation!"
An actor with such a upright image portraying an extreme villain, I believe the outcome will be quite chilling.
October 26th this year Steven will be officially forty years old.
At forty, I have no doubts. (tn: Chinese's saying)
Steven says at this age, he feels that his present body and mind are at their fittest and most stable.
"I don't mind at all people knowing my age. I'm a boar, almost 40, so what? My generation in TVB are all siu sang, all are over 40 years old. On the contrary, I feel that the present me is most mature and stable! My contemplation and thought process are all very crystal clear now! Also, I feel that this age is men's most golden time period, and most able to masterfully handle all kinds of character roles!
"Since entering the industry till now, my personal details are all clearly accounted for, no hidden secret;, so that makes me feel very confident; no matter when you question me, my answers will always be the same. I've been in the industry for 18 years, what history of mine can't see the light? If want to expose, someone would have exposed that long ago! Sooner or later, people have to acknowledge their past, if can't then it will be hard for them in the future."
The thing is, not every artist's past or personal details can be so blithely and openly show all.
Source: Eastweek ed 417 Aug 2011
Translated by: Tamaya @ steven ma fanblog
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