What about his acting career then, we ask.
Ian reveals that he still has a strong passion for acting, and is waiting for the opportunity to do it again.
Turns out, life was not a bed of roses for him after his departure from Mediacorp, and being a “solo player” came with its fair share of challenges.
“I was not used to it. Everything was a blur and I was confused. Right now, I’m not attached to any agency. I don’t have managers. I do everything myself. I’ve experienced new things. For example, I had a client who wanted me to do a social media post. We emailed back and forth and everything was settled, but they [dropped me] at the last minute due to budget constraints. I was like ‘Oh, I will experience this too’. I’ve learnt a lot, like how to do my own invoice and everything. My life has changed but I am still waiting for the chance to act again. That’s what I really want,” he says.
He then expresses his gratitude towards Zheng Geping.
The veteran actor was the first to contact him after his contract with Mediacorp ended. Geping cast him in a pilot for a production, and it made Ian realise how much he still loves acting.
“I miss the hell out of acting. I want to be someone on TV again,” he opines.
In fact, he’s willing to juggle both teaching and acting if an opportunity to act on screen again arises soon.
“I know how it feels like [being busy]. It’s tiring and exhausting, but it’s a kind of feeling money cannot buy. I had this feeling twice. When I first entered the industry, I was working on a movie, a drama, and still coping with my final year project [in poly]. I barely slept at all but I was super energetic ‘cos everything was new and fresh. After that, in 2017, I opened my restaurant, House of Mu, had a new drama, and directed my own short film. I’ve been through it before, and I want this feeling back again. I’m not here to laze around and wait for things to drop from the sky,” he says.
Ian was met with a new problem — money, or rather, a lack of.
He admits: “Ever since I left [Mediacorp], my income has been really affected. I need to take care of my mum and pay my mortgage, and I can’t just keep eating into my savings. When I see my bank account, I realise I have to hustle and try different things. If die die no choice, I’m okay to be a delivery man, or go into sales, or become an insurance agent.”
Thankfully, Ian has found teaching, which he says allows him to tap on his passion for acting by sharing it with the younger generation.
“Back when I first started teaching, my mind was still 80 per cent on my acting career, and 20 per cent on First Model because I was still waiting for auditions and for producers to call me. But I had to be realistic. Now, I’m 80 per cent focused on First Model, and 20 per cent on acting, but I’m not rushing it. If people think about me and want me to be part of their project, I’ll definitely be there. I’m not afraid people will forget about me. Sometimes it’s good to disappear for a short time. When [I] return, people can see the changes in me and how much I’ve matured.”
“When I’m with the kids, I see their innocent smiles, their real tears, real laughter, and real tantrums and I can forget about all the superficial stuff in society. As an actor, I’m also learning from them,” says Ian.
Photos: Ian Fang
For those interested to find out more about Ian’s classes, stay tuned to his Instagram page for updates.
Watch Ian in On the Fringe — the drama that shot him to fame — here or in the embedded video below: