When Moses Chan (陳豪) first stepped into the modeling business at 20 years old, he was still studying for an accounting degree at an university in Australia. He was unsure of where his future would take him, and 20 years later, Moses still feels this insecurity for his future. He may be afraid and worried for the inevitable, but he is ready to accept that fear of the unexpected. “I am planning [for the future]… I can’t say what I have in my mind right now, but I am planning.” On His Career Before debuting as an actor, Moses tried modeling, worked in sales, and has even experienced bankruptcy. Acting was a career that Moses never thought he would take up until he was scouted by a Hong Kong modeling agency in the early 1990s. In 1994, Moses debuted in Teddy Chan’s (陳德森) romantic comedy, Twenty Something <晚9朝5>, starring alongside Jordan Chan (陳小春) and Valerie Chow (周嘉玲). After failing to make a name for himself in movies, he decided to join TVB, and Moses made his first television drama appearance on medical drama, Healing Hands II <妙手仁心II>, in 2000. His role as Cao Pi in 2002’s Where the Legend Begins <洛神> won him his first award as an actor – the Most Improved Actor award, which pushed him to early stardom. His role as Hung Mo in 2004’s War and Beauty <金枝慾孽> cemented his leading actor status, and in 2007, Moses finally won the Best Actor award for his performance in Heart of Greed <溏心風暴>. Now a Best Actor, it seems Moses has already achieved everything that he had hoped to achieve twenty years ago. But the 42-year-old actor still feels very apprehensive about his future. “I used to always think about [the future]. I once thought about how I would get married by the time I’m in my thirties and have kids when I’m 35, but none of that ever came true. So I’ve become more pragmatic, especially now. I am afraid for my future, and worried, because I am also growing older. What would I be doing in the remaining days of my life? Would I be still acting or would I be just a dilly-dally loner? What would happen if I was married? How would my life be afterwards? I really need to start planning [for the future] now.” On His Costars Moses cannot guarantee that he will stay in showbiz forever, but acting was a career that he gladly took up. He enjoys the process of working in a large team of colleagues, and some of his favorite female costars, Charmaine Sheh (佘詩曼) and Ada Choi (蔡少芬) immediately popped on the top of his head. “Although Ada has become a mother, she is still the same klutzy and silly girl in my heart. She is silly, happy, and has always been like that. She hasn’t changed at all. [Charmaine’s] acting is improving immensely, and her performances are becoming deeper and more profound. She is – and I’m sure everyone else also agrees – someone who can party to a very late hour but will never be late to work the next day. She is a very professional actress.” On Aimee Chan Moses met his current girlfriend, Aimee Chan (陳茵媺), on the set of Master of Play <心戰> in late 2010. Aimee portrayed Natalie, the younger sister of Moses’ character Ivan, who is a serial killer. Contrary to popular belief, it was not love at first sight for Moses. “It took a while, as if heaven had already arranged for us to meet, and they were just waiting for us to slowly walk towards each other. After that, [we] just naturally came together.” What made Moses fall for the Canadian-born Miss Hong Kong actress? “She is very innocent, and always so happy and sunny. Always. She is romantic and very sweet.” Is Moses a romantic man himself? “I always give [Aimee] flowers. I think girls are really appreciative of them. The first flower [bouquet] I gave her was a genus from France. I chose it myself. It was an embarrassing experience, having to purchase the bouquet myself and then hold it awkwardly on the streets. I really don’t know if anyone recognized me. I just kept a straight face and walked out of [the shopping center] as fast as I could,” Moses laughed. “If you really like that person, it is better to confess your feelings. You will only suffer if you keep these feelings inside you. For me, I did not find it difficult to confess, nor was I worried about what her reaction would be after I say it. I just didn’t know when would be the right moment to confess. I just waited, and waited… and kept on waiting for that moment.” On “Beauty at War” Despite the anticipation for Beauty at War <金枝慾孽貳>, the sequel to War and Beauty, viewership ratings for the palace drama are plummeting, losing an average of 100,000 viewers per week. But that does not constitute poor acting, poor script, and poor production. Critics are rating the series favorably, with the cast also very supportive of the series. “It’s not a conventional palace drama. Producer Jonathan Chik (戚其義) wanted to make something different in this palace drama. It’s not about fighting for power anymore. It’s about love between the characters and for the characters. Elements of kunqu performances are also added to make the show more stylish and interesting.” On His Future “Honestly, I do lack that sense of security for myself. I feel the risks, and it’s getting heavier. My future is uncertain, and I am growing more afraid of it. Many [artists] do not want to stop their hands and mouths from working. How would we be able to survive if we stopped? If I stopped acting, what would I do? If I married, what would I do? That’s why I have always wanted to start my own businesses, like starting my own café, to tell myself that I do have a future.” The Best Actor winner also hinted at a possible early retirement from acting in the near future, reasoning that he did not want acting to consume the rest of his life. “I’ve acted for many years; I really don’t want it to control my life. I still have many dreams and have many others things I want to do. I don’t want to wait until I’m 50 or 60 to achieve them. By then, we would not have the strength to face failure. Now, since I am capable and I have all the resources, I should consider working towards my own dreams.” And with this thought, Moses agreed that marriage will not be in the distant future, but much sooner than we may all realize. Will Moses consider marrying Aimee in the next two years? Moses nodded. Creds: QQ
