Triumph in the Skies 2 <衝上雲霄> has won ratings and viewer praise since airing last week. Francis Ng’s (吳鎮宇) return as pilot Sam Tong helped the drama win over 2 million viewers. As the soul of the series, Francis anchors the character relationships and commands presence among the younger cast. Serious Actor, Loving Father Known for his relatively cool demeanor which may sometimes come off as arrogance, Francis scares away many coworkers. On the contrary, he is a loving and caring father figure to his 4-year old son, who was ecstatic to hear that his father decided to take on role of a pilot again in Triumph in the Skies 2. Francis became highly emotional when he spoke about his son. “I think it’s cute and funny when my son tells everyone that his dad is a pilot at TVB Airlines! I brought him into the studios one time and coincidentally I had to film a romantic scene; he jokingly said that his daddy has girlfriends at TVB!” Since Francis is very serious in front of his fellow actors, it is surprising when he admitted that he loved to play pranks on his son. Francis taught his son to have a balance between playing and being respectful to his friends. Francis also proudly revealed how his son took initiative to learn to play Go, the strategic board game. “Often times I would come home tired and would jokingly ask when he would be old enough to earn money. He then gives me two dollars. It’s very heart-warming and funny,” Francis said as he continued to talk about his son. The renowned actor also mentions that his wife is very supportive and watches his shows while giving constructive criticism when needed. Essential for “Triumph in the Skies 2’s Success The producer of Triumph in the Skies 2 had mentioned that if Francis did not return for this sequel, the drama would not even use the same title, overtly stating Francis’ importance in the drama. With executive Tommy Leung (梁家樹) and the public’s eagerness to see him star in the drama, Francis resumed his role as Sam again. Francis said, “I feel bad when I get discounts while shopping and when the store clerks ask why I’m no longer filming series!” The fact that the general public still calls him Sam indicates how much his role still affects the viewers. Francis stated that Chilam Cheung (張智霖) was a great work partner on and off screen. Both frequently treated the cast and crew to meals. Francis said, “Chilam will really be able to help. The ages of his fans are different. At least the screen will look great.” Had the sequel been filmed in 2005, Francis’ partner may have been Anthony Wong (黄秋生) instead. When asked if there were any differences in filming the sequel, Francis mentioned that coordinating the usage of the airports were difficult and the crew members had to often work during midnight to accommodate the airport’s needs. On Fala Chen’s Acting Francis paired with Myolie Wu (胡杏兒) in the first series and Fala Chen (陳法拉) in the sequel. Asked about his thoughts on working with both actresses, Francis said, “Myolie was still a newcomer when we filmed the first installment. If we said okay, then she would leave work. This time pairing with Fala, she has already acted in many dramas. She was very serious, but learning is a race against time. As an experienced actor, I would spend time on understanding my role first before attempting to go in front of the camera. This will be handy while acting. For example, a chef will prepare well first and then stir [the wok] a few times and be done; you can’t stir it a few times and say you want to do it again when the wok is not washed. I remember one day Fala was unable to act a scene the way she wanted to and cried afterward. I stood by the side and said, ‘If you did that before, that would have been good. Now you’re crying; the chance is gone!’ I left then. Sometimes when you are stuck, you have to think of another compromise to handle it.” Creds: ihktv
