Thomas Ong returns to acting after five years
Having not stayed in shape for the last five years, local actor Thomas Ong was initially reluctant to make his television comeback as he felt insecure over his looks.
This was why he spent two months preparing to put his best face and body forward – by exercising, taking Chinese herbal medicine and going for laser treatments.
The 55-year-old, whose last acting role was in the Channel 8 drama Super Dad (2020), will be starring in the upcoming drama I Believe I Can Fly.
It premieres in February 2025 on Channel 8 and mewatch.
The show also stars Chen Hanwei, 55; Brandon Wong, 53; Cavin Soh, 53; and Yao Wenlong, 53. The actors will be playing middle-aged men facing ups and downs in their careers and relationships.
“I didn’t want to act (before this) because the age of the characters I had to play was usually younger than my actual age,” Ong told Shin Min Daily News. “It was difficult for me because I had to be young in mindset and in spirit.”
That was why the youthful-looking veteran artiste was not keen to take up this role at first when approached by producer Molby Low.
Ong, who joined show business in 1994, said: “He told me that the ‘fun’ thing this time was that I would be playing a character in the same age group as myself.
“Then Hanwei came along and convinced me to take part, telling me not to worry so much and that he would take care of me if anything happened.”
Ong joked: “That’s how they tricked me into coming back for the series.”
He was concerned that he would be “rusty”, but he did not expect himself to get into the swing of things after just a few days of filming.
“Maybe it was due to the story and the character matching my age, so I was more comfortable playing the role,” he said.
“Due to his illness, the character has to go through the process of denial, anger and finally acceptance. There are many crying scenes, and I rarely cry (in real life). However, once I immersed myself in the role, it wasn’t too difficult for me to understand his situation.”
The crew went to Hat Yai, Thailand, for a 10-day shoot – his first time filming in the country.
“I had to film in the sun and I kept asking myself, ‘Why did you take up this drama? Why did you come here?’” he said. “However, I felt that it was all worth it after everyone got together for dinner in the evening and watched the clips the crew edited.”
Ong told Shin Min he has no regrets joining I Believe I Can Fly, but he will not be acting in another drama for now. He plans to travel to countries with cooler weather such as Japan, and will be leading a tour group to Harbin in China.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now