Taiwanese actor Wallace Huo (霍建華) has enjoyed much success since his fantasy-wuxia drama, The Journey of Flower <花千骨>, aired last year and catapulted him to his highest level of popularity since his entertainment industry debut. Despite his recent fame, Wallace has not forgotten the many ups and downs that filled his formative years as an actor. After appearing in his first television drama in 2002, Wallace found himself mired in the land of idol dramas, with their formulaic characters and repetitive storylines. “No one cared if you had acting skills or not, as long as you were good-looking,” Wallace shared, “but I wasn’t that good-looking at the time. I was too tired, and my whole person felt very haggard.” The popularity of Meteor Garden <流星花園> and subsequent idol dramas in Taiwan led to an outburst of newcomer idol actors, many of whom were looked down upon by classically trained thespians. This situation led Wallace to look at acting in a new light. “[Their] attitude of negative contempt had a very big impact on me,” said Wallace. “At that time, my heart conceived of a notion, that no matter how many years it took – one, five, ten, or twenty – I would have them admit and believe that I am an actor.” Until now, Wallace had never verbalized this thought to anyone, but it was a notion he has always carried in his heart. “To tell the truth,” he went on, “at the time, even I didn’t know if I could become an actor.” Past Was Full of Valuable Experiences Though Wallace gained much of his fame due to his recent projects, he actually boasts a long history of less-known dramas, as well as a handful of movies. “I went through a long period, from zero to now, where no one paid attention to my work and no one believed in my performances,” shared Wallace. “I didn’t brood over it, nor did I think it was something bad. Looking back, even I think my dramas back then weren’t any good.” Wallace said that despite the difficulties of his early career, he gained many valuable experiences from that time. “When you’re with a bad cast and crew, or using a bad screenplay, or working with a bad director, you can discipline yourself in every aspect,” Wallace explained. “Afterward, when you get a good opportunity, you will cherish it even more.” In addition, Wallace also has fond memories of the simplicity of the industry back then, before promotional events and media hype took over. “We wouldn’t compare who had more fans on their Baidu forum or who was known by more people,” he said. “People didn’t care about those things at the time. When we got together, we discussed how to make a scene better. Back then, we were willing to spend time on something that was not noticed at all. It was very happy, very pure.” Perhaps Wallace’s old-school romanticism is showing; he still prefers handwritten letters to online communication, saying they are “more precious, perhaps more sincere.” He still has yet to open a Sina Weibo account or do much online interaction with fans at all, opting to maintain a simple life. “You have to insist on your own way of thinking,” stated Wallace. “This is the only way to be assured of the direction in which your life is headed.” Creds: chinayes
He's really looking better now. I remember in at the dolphin bay or 100 % senorita His acting really improved so he was right to persist.
