"A touchstone for the modern man who is used to being an ancient man"

[Interview with Yawong Neiwen]

For every artist in the entertainment industry, there are many factors that contribute to their success, including their own qualifications, hard work and luck. In the case of Ms. Yung Mei Ling she has the right conditions, she is willing to work hard, and she has the luck to be chosen as Wong Yung out of 3,000 applicants. Although she did not succeed in the Pageant of Hong Kong competition, she has used the event to break into the entertainment industry and launch her second career.

After studying textile design in the UK, she worked in this field until she returned to Hong Kong to take part in beauty pageants and was then recruited by TVB, which made it necessary for her to say goodbye to textile design for a while in order to develop her silver life. First, she was the host of the women's show "Women's New Look" with Chan Chi Chung and Samson, then she was cast in the martial arts drama "Thirteen Sisters", and was chosen to audition for the role of "Huang Rong".

"I think I'm quite lucky that the company gave me a lot of opportunities," she says, stressing that she is "not a greedy girl".

"How does it feel to have been chosen to play Huang Rong?"

"Of course I'm happy!" She smiles subtlety, her emotions not at all moved by the subject. "But I wouldn't have been disappointed if I wasn't selected to play her!"

Although she was so calm and unconcerned, I knew she had bought a set of "The Eagle" and studied it hard before it was revealed.

And then she told me, "It's only right to take one step at a time. I'm just starting to learn how to act, so I hope I can do it well first."

" She plays the role of the "Double Princess" in "The Thirteen Sisters". I believe she will be very easy to please.

"I'm quite petite, so I'm perfect for this role."

"The 13 Sisters is a martial arts-based drama, and while Yang Pan Pan and Huang Xing Xiu are all accomplished players, Yung Mei Ling is a newcomer. How can they cope with the newcomer?

"I've only been shooting for two weeks and there are no scenes where I have to fight. I can't tell you if I can handle it, but I'm sure I'll have a martial arts instructor to teach me when the need arises. I'm sure I'll be good at it." She is very confident.

The most enlightening thing for her was the opportunity to do a costume drama right from the start, which she had only dreamed of!
"After 20 years of being a modern person, it's refreshing to try being an ancient person," she says. "The most interesting thing about this drama is that I have to wear my hair and the clogs in Qing costume."

Another unforgettable experience was when she had her first all-nighter on the set of 13 sisters.

"One night when we were shooting a night scene, it kept raining and we waited until it was light before we finished the scene. But I had a 7.30am deadline and had to continue shooting, so I couldn't go home and I didn't know where to rest."

For performers who are used to filming, working through the night may be a common occurrence, but it was the first time for the first-time actress, so she said it was very memorable. However, she will be staying out all night more often than not, as her lifestyle will change once she enters the world.

"What do you expect of yourself?" I asked her. Everyone who enters this world has expectations. Or are they attracted by how colourful it is?

"I just go with the flow. If I am given this opportunity, why don't I try it? I don't have any particular expectations. I just want to do my job, I'm dedicated! I know what I can do. If I find I can't do it, I'll back off."

What is she referring to? Fame? What does she mean?

"Some people spend most of their lives and still don't achieve anything, but I certainly don't. I'm willing to take some time to try my best, and if I can do well, I'll continue, otherwise I'll take my hands of it and I can go back to my old job or work in another industry," she says.

With her education, she is certainly not worried about a career in this field. It seems that she really has the determination to make it or break it, and would rather give up than sink and float in the sea of stars. It's good to see the light. Perhaps those who have studied have a wiser mind after all.

"I don't think I would have chosen this profession if I was 16 or 17 years old and hadn't studied well, because it's more complicated and there are many opportunities for naive people to make mistakes."

"Do you find this world complicated?"

"Yes, it's easy to get lost if you don't have enough determination." She said frankly.

"Is your family comfortable with you being here alone?" Her family is in England, and she is currently living with her aunt, her godmother.

"At first they weren't sure, and my mother was worried about me being in this circle! But they trust me and I won't do anything wrong." Then she said, "My mum calls every week. I tell her what's going on, and I write her a letter every week."

When she smiles, the shape of her mouth is sweet and her eyes shine brightly. When it comes to her family, she's a little more coy: "I'm the only daughter in the family, so of course I'm missed. I do the same for them, but you have to be independent. I can't help it! My mum always reminds me to be careful before she puts down the phone. I have to be careful."

Of course my aunt was unsure about her beautiful only daughter, who was a one-woman showbiz operation in Hong Kong.

"There is a saying. If you're not cut out for it, don't do it! I've said I'll leave as soon as I find out I'm not the right type!" She said again.

This led me to speculate: would she be a rising star in the Milky Way, or a comet that flashed by? It all depends on her performance as Wong Yung and the audience's reaction. While "Double Gege" is a test, "Huang Rong" is a litmus test for her future.

 

source: http://www.barbarayung.net/ Hong Kong New Art Weekly written by Lee Monk 

 

「雙格格」是試金石 做慣現代人要學做古人

【訪談亞翁內文】
對娛樂圈每一位藝人來說,成功的因素很多,本身條件固然重要,後天努力也重要,運氣更加是佔一大比重。對翁美玲來說,條件她有了,努力她也願意付出,運氣也有了,因為在三千應徵者中,選中她做黃蓉。她雖然未曾在港姐競選中成功,但她已憑著這項活動闖進了娛樂圈,展開了她第二種性質的事業。

翁美玲在英國攻讀紡織設計,畢業後從事這方面的工作,直至回港參加選美,之後為無線電視羅致,為了發展她的銀色生命,唯有暫時向紡織設計說拜拜。首先,她在婦女節目「婦女新姿」中和陳齊頌、森森一起任主持人,接著她被派在武俠劇「十三妹」中演出,又被選中試鏡演「黃蓉」,而且被選中了,這一連串際遇到底算不算是幸運呢?

●努力研究射鵰

「我想我是頗幸運的,公司給了我很多機會!」
她自己這樣說,並且強調她「不是貪心女孩」。

「被選中飾演黃蓉,心情如何!」
「當然是開心啦!」
她含蓄地笑,情緒絲毫不為這個話題波動。
「不過,如果不是由我演,我亦不會失望!」

雖然她表現的淡淡然,一派得不喜,失不憂的神情,但我知道她早已在未揭曉前,買了一套「射鵰」,努力研究。

然後她再告訴我:「一步一步來是應該的,
現在演『十三妹』是我初初學演戲,希望先
做好這個!」她在「十三妹」中演「雙格格」
一角,是個刁蠻公主,以她嬌俏的樣貌,
相信演來會很易討好。

「我的身材比較嬌小,演這個角色很適合。」
 「十三妹」是以武打為主的劇集,
 楊盼盼、黃杏秀等都是有底之人,
 翁美玲卻是新丁,她可應付得來?

「才拍了兩個星期的戲,還未有要我打的場面,
 所以我不能告訴你我能不能應付,不過,到有需要時一定有武術指導教我的,而我也相
 信自己會學得好。」她表現得信心十足。

最令她開心得,是一開始便拍古裝劇,這正是她夢寐以求的機會!
「做了廿多年現代人,試做古代人的滋味很新鮮。」她說:「這個劇是清裝的,最有趣是梳旗頭和著那些清裝的屐,初時很不習慣,仆倒好幾次呢!」

●不慣捱更抵夜

拍「十三妹」還有另一個難忘經驗,就是翁美玲捱過了她的第一個通宵。

「有一晚拍夜景,誰知道天一直在下雨,我們一直在等,結果捱到天光才拍完那一場戲!但我在早上七點半還有通告,要接著拍下去,既不能回家,又不知道甚麼地方休息好,不休息是不行嘛,結果還是"秀姑(黃杏秀)"好心收留我,讓我到她家裡睡了一會兒!」

對於拍慣戲的表演藝人來說,捱通宵也許是家常便飯,但對初入圈內的翁美玲來說卻是第一次,所以她說這次很有紀念價值。不過往後她徹夜不歸的機會可多著了,一入江湖身不由主,生活習慣也會因此而改變。射鵰製作--王天林

「你對自己有甚麼期望?」我問她。
每個進入這個圈子的人都有所期望,
或者是被它的繽紛所吸引,翁美玲呢?

「我只是順其自然。既然有這個機會給我,
 我為甚麼不試?我沒有甚麼特別期望,
 只是希望做好自己的工作,我有的是敬業精神!」

「我很自量,知道自己可以做到甚麼地步,
 倘若發覺自己不行的話,我會知難而退。」

她是指甚麼?名?利?

●報告寄給母親射鵰製作--王天林

「從事娛樂工作,有人成功有人失敗,有的人花大半輩子時間仍然做不出甚麼成就,我肯定不會。」

她說:「我願意放一些時間去嘗試努力一下,有表現的話會繼續做下去,否則便及早洗手不幹,我還可以回到老本行,或從事別的行業發展。」以她的學歷,這方面當然是不愁出路的。

看來,她真的具有這份決心,不成功便成仁,寧願放棄,也不會甘於在星海裏載浮載沉。能看得通是好的,也許唸過書的人畢竟有較為明智的思想。

翁美玲亦同意這點,她說:「若果在以前十六、七歲,又沒唸好書時,我不贊成選擇這行,因為畢竟較為複雜,對天真無知的人來說有很多行差踏錯機會,但現在不同,我有這個年紀,思想較為穩重,有較佳判斷力,不怕被花花世界所迷惑。」

「你覺得這個圈子複雜?」
「是,定力不夠會很容易迷失。」她坦然道。
「你的家人放心你獨個兒在這兒嗎?」按她的家人都在英國,目前她是住在契娘的家裏。
「起先他們是不放心的,契娘也很擔心我入這個圈子!
 但他們都信得過我,我不會做錯事!」接著她又說:「我媽咪每星期都打長途電話來,
 我就詳細稟告近況給她知,而且還每星期寫報告(信)回去呢!」

翁美玲笑起來的時候,嘴巴的形狀很甜,眼睛亮亮的,這就是人們覺得她嬌俏,喜歡她的原因。

談到家人的時候,她更流露出一點嗲勁:「家裏只有我一個女兒,當然很掛念我,
 我對他們也一樣呀,但人總是要獨立,
 要發展事業,沒法啦!我媽咪每次電話
 收線前都不忘叮嚀我,叫我萬事小心,
 要帶眼識人呀!」

●明星?彗星?
伯母對這個漂亮的獨生女當然是不放心的,因為她單人匹馬在光怪陸離的香港娛樂圈闖。

「有一句話。不是這塊料便不去裁!
 我說過我自量,一旦發現不是這塊料
 的話,便會立即離去!」她再一次說。

這令我不禁暗自推測:她會是銀河一顆升起的明星,抑或是一閃而過的彗星呢?這,就得看她的黃蓉角色表現和觀眾的反應了。

「雙格格」是一個考驗,「黃蓉」更是一次對前途重要的試金石。

本文資料來源:香港新藝周刊  
    文:李畸 

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