WHILE other actors have taken the 'good guy roles' path to fame, playing the villainous Robert Zhang in the hit 2008 local drama The Little Nyonya has done wonders for Zzen Chong's nine-year showbiz career.
Previously, he played mainly supporting roles.
It has led to the Singapore-based Malaysian actor's big break - playing the lead role for the first time in the drama, Priceless Wonder.
Zzen, 32, rose to overnight infamy after his character in The Little Nyonya raped two Peranakan women (played by MediaCorp actresses Jeanette Aw and Joanne Peh).
Till today, people shout out 'Robert Zhang' when they pass him on the street, he said.
In Priceless Wonder, which is currently showing on Channel 8, Zzen plays a kind-hearted boy who gambles to support his family and falls in love with a nice girl (played by Malaysian actress Tiffany Leong).
But she hates gamblers and Zzen's lovestruck character then lies to her that he is a property agent.
And for the first time, Zzen has a passionate kissing scene in the drama. In the last episode of Priceless Wonder, Zzen and Tiffany lock lips while caught in a tight embrace.
His only other on-screen smooch - a light peck - happened eight years ago with ex-MediaCorp actress Joey Ng in the Channel 8 drama Kopi-O.
Zzen claimed that he was not nervous filming the kissing scene as he and Tiffany knew each other well from having co-starred in two previous dramas.
And they were so caught up in the moment that they continued kissing even after the director had yelled 'cut'. The pair kissed for more than three minutes.
But the scene got him into trouble with his fiancee.
Zzen said: 'My fiancee was very mad at me because I didn't tell her about the scene.
Slipped his mind
'I wanted to the first day we shot it. But because it was an unsuccessful take, it slipped my mind and I forgot to tell her when it eventually happened.'
Zzen met his slim, long-haired, 1.71m-tall bride-to-be eight years ago after being introduced to her by local actress May Phua's husband.
She was a part-time model then. They shared the same love for music and travel, and eventually fell in love.
The first time he had wanted to propose was in a lavender flower farm in Hokkaido last August.
Unfortunately, the big crowd that turned up at the popular tourist spot that day made him abandon his plans and he had to endure the rest of the eight-day trip with the engagement ring safely tucked away.
The proposal finally took place in Bintan, a few weeks after the Hokkaido trip, at the Banyan Tree resort.
Zzen had asked the waiter to put the ring on his fiancee's dessert plate - amidst the strawberries.
The shy guy originally planned to go down on one knee but once again lost his nerve when he saw the two waiters watching him.
The couple will get hitched in December in either a sunset beach wedding or a swanky yacht affair complete with champagne and white wine.
Zzen said he wants two kids, a boy and a girl. 'I am a very romantic person. I'm thinking of hiring the videographer who filmed (Malaysian singer) Fish Leong's beach wedding although it will probably cost US$4,000 ($5,600).
'I also don't think my popularity will waver after I'm married because I think in Singapore, people don't really care about such things. In fact, the biggest local stars are all married.'
Credit:
The New Paper
