Kang Ren’s character Abang had to use sign language to communicate. Was it very hard for both of you to get into character without verbal cues?
JACK: That was only because [Kang Ren] was very hard to please. He would keep telling our sign language teacher: “Jennifer, come!” and ask to add more stuff (chuckles).
I think the tough part was us trying to act out the real lives of Abang and Adik, and many of the inspiration only came when we were rehearsing so we’d ask the teacher how to express on the spot.
Do you remember any of the sign language you’ve learnt?
JACK: Not at all. It’s why Ge Ge always say it’s easy for actors to get Alzheimer’s.
KANG REN: That’s because every three months we would have to forget what we learnt previously to prepare for a new show. There’s research to prove it too. Now I’m already suffering a little from it. Who did you say you are again? (laughs)
We know that Kang Ren did more than 40 odd jobs before he entered showbiz, which is very much like Abang. Did doing this show remind you of your past and how far you’ve come?
Kang Ren: Yes, it reminded me of some of the similar jobs I did, all those dirty and hard work.
But when I did those jobs I didn’t find them tough. Plus in Taiwan, the construction workers actually don’t earn as little as you think. I remember when I was 17, my salary was about TW$2700 (S$116) a day. My job was half-technical but I had to climb very high.
That was more than 20 years ago, so it was a lot of money. And my mentor would make twice as much as me. It’s quite good money just that it was very tiring and you would always get injured.
I once stepped on a nail which pierced through my shoe and I saw the tip of it emerging from the other side of my foot. I had to yank it out with my barehands and the blood squirted out like a fountain. The blood shot very high and the angle of projection slowly got smaller ‘cos I run out of blood (chuckles).
I still have the scars from back then and they all resurface every time I drink ‘cos I get rashes. I think that’s quite cool ‘cos it makes me feel like an anime character who can transform.
Did you ever imagine you would one day become an acclaimed actor though?
KANG REN: No, because I didn’t know anything about this industry. I never thought that my life would turn out this way.
What about Jack, did you experience such hardship as well?
JACK: Actually I had many jobs too because I started working when I was 12. Back then, I wanted to buy many things, like a Game Boy, or when I started going for movies with my friends, my dad told me: “You have to earn the money you want to spend”.
So I helped to move goods at a drug store, I worked at a restaurant and even a chicken rice stall. I had to learn how to chop chicken feet. I mean I don’t have to actually do it but I still had to know where the joints are ‘cos the people were very particular about their chicken feet (laughs).
How was it like filming in Malaysia for Kang Ren? Did you get to try lots of Malaysian food and what was your favourite?
KANG REN: Nope, I didn’t eat anything at all ‘cos I was dieting the entire time [for the movie]. But when we wrapped I went to eat nasi lemak and I had diarrhoea for three days ‘cos it was too much for my stomach.
When I was filming I didn’t eat chicken at all. But for the nasi lemak I ordered a chicken thigh which was very spicy. I enjoyed myself so much but then I ended up having the runs for three days. During filming I barely ate anything except nuts, fruits and vitamins ‘cos my body needed the nutrients since I wasn’t eating.
Dieting made my skin really good though. Do you want to try cutting down on food? Try to do it for three days and you’d realise: “Eh I got prettier”. (Laughs).
For the prison scene, I didn’t eat for three days and the first thing the assistant director asked me when I reached the set was if I had make-up on. I said: “You think I’m wearing make-up because my skin is so good now. I didn’t put anything on my face.”
But now my skin has turned bad. (Laughs) I already gained back all the weight I lost, and I even have a bit of a tummy now (Guffaws).
Have you guys tried any Singapore delicacies yet?
KANG REN: We wanted to order nasi lemak just now but they told me you were coming. (Laughs) We had bak kut teh just now and it was nice. It’s different from the ones in Malaysia.
There has been an endless comparison between Malaysian and Singaporean food. Which do you guys think is better?
KANG REN: I think they’re both nice. It’s good that there’s a difference, because they all have their unique flavours and you can eat whatever you want whenever you feel like it.
You can’t expect someone to eat from their own cuisine every day right? (Laughs)
JACK: That’s right (laughs).