UrbanWire

Phyllis Quek is a lady of few words. But is that a sign of poise, independence, contentment or something else altogether? UrbanWire tries to get behind the reserved façade of this 1.7m tall beauty.

Phyllis got her big break as second runner-up in Star Search 1995. Since then, she has been on the rocky route of stardom, juggling assignments in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. The Mediacorp artiste has played diverse roles ranging from a fairy in Legends of the 8 Immortals (1997) to a compassionate social worker in A Child's Hope(2003), to a witty cop in True Heroes (2003) and an ugly duckling turned swan in What A Beauty(2003), a Taiwanese drama serial.

Aside from the acting for television, Phyllis has also ventured onto the big screen, starring opposite Hong Kong's heartthrobs Daniel Wu and Aaron Kwok in the movie AD 2000. While not acknowledged for her acting skill, the plum roles, the endorsements and popularity have made her the envy of many of her colleagues. She is also the people's choice, having made the exalted Top 10 Female Artistes list consecutively for the past 8 years. Her latest show casts her as an enthusiastic reporter in When the Time Comes a 4-part miniseries that begins airing Feb 16 on Channel 8 at 8.30pm.

UW: Let's start with your character in When the Time Comes; how is it different from the previous roles you've had?

Phyllis(speaking in mandarin): Actually the coverage of the character is not very deep as the show is very short. In the show, I play a very modern woman who does not believe in giving in when it comes to love. Whereas in the previous shows, the characters I play tend to sacrifice in the name of love.

UW: You appear to be a lady of few words, are you like this most of the time? How would you describe yourself?

Phyllis: Well, when I'm with people whom I'm familiar with, I'll warm up more easily and I'll have more things to say. But, when it comes to a grand event and I'm surrounded by people I'm not familiar with, I'll take more time to warm up. Other than that, I think I'm still okay.

UW: You have been in the Top 10 Female Artistes list and have won a number of awards over the past years. How do you feel?

Phyllis: Very happy, really very happy! I believe the most important factor of success for a celebrity is the support given by the fans, because without them, it will be useless. Even if we have acted in numerous productions, without their support and acknowledgement, it is insignificant. I'm very grateful for those who have supported me throughout my career. They are also constantly in contact with my manager, for my latest updates, and I feel very honoured that they are so enthusiastic and concerned.

Phyllis: Actually, I feel the most challenging roles are those that "jump out" at you! I was in Taiwan, filming What A Beauty, and I acted as this very fat and ugly girl who was not only pessimistic, but gossipy as well, so it's different from the usual goody-two-shoes roles I play.

Recently, in this new show, Pao Ba Nan Ren, my character Tian Tian is a very materialistic girl and is only good to those who treat her well and [she] looks down on those who are of no value to her. Her goal is to find a rich boyfriend... instead, she falls in love with a guy whom she thought was rich but he turns out to be a pauper. It was a lot of fun portraying this character too.

UW: Is there a particular role or character that you would like to play in future?

Phyllis: I would like to be someone psychotic or a villain as I feel that the roles that I play or the impression I give is always someone who is very kind. I'm always playing the good guy and I think that if I were to act as the antagonist, there'll be a different effect.

UW: You are the first local celebrity to endorse Marie France Bodyline. Are there any other products you would love to endorse too?

Phyllis: I don't mind as long as it has got something to do with beauty, like cosmetics or anything along that line. I'll be interested to endorse such products because it will make me look very attractive!

UW: Are you able to tell us more about this show, and the character you are playing?

Phyllis: Basically, I play a makeup artist who falls in love with a married celebrity. As such, the relationship is complicated enough but it is further complicated when the media and paparazzi finds out about their relationship.

Phyllis: I will only know who the male lead is when I get there, as there are still a number of things to be confirmed.

Phyllis: A lot of people have been asking me this question but there are no plans to produce another album at the moment. Now, my priority is still acting.

Phyllis: I'm not all that experienced in singing even though I had made an album previously. I may have learnt singing, but it was just an attempt to try something new. I still have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to singing.

With acting, I'm more familiar and definitely more in touch with it and to me, acting is totally different from singing. When singing, you can only express your emotions through your voice but as for acting, you can express yourself through body language, expressions and dialogue.

UW: You went to Taiwan to film What a Beauty, and now you'll be going back there again for another show. How do you cope with living overseas?

Phyllis: It's not so bad now because I have already stayed there for quite some time, and previously, I have also been to China for some time to do some filming too. Because of those reasons, I have no problems adapting to my surroundings. So, it isn't too much of a problem. Besides, Taiwanese people are generally very warm and welcoming.

UW: Having been to China, and acted in AD 2000 in Hong Kong, how is it like working with the directors there? How are they different from the directors in Singapore?

Phyllis: Besides culture, there isn't much difference. A lot depends on the director's character; some are very motivational and hence will pull the whole team together. The Hong Kong directors I've worked with are more upbeat and prefer to work fast so that they can get everything over and done with.

However, the directors travel a lot around Southeast Asia, so even if I'm working in China, I might even meet directors or the crew from Taiwan or Hong Kong. So, other than cultural differences, they are all pretty much the same.

Phyllis: There will be another show "Pao Ba Nan Ren" which will most probably be airing in May.

Phyllis: No! Not at all. As a matter a fact, I've been around quite a lot last year. You seldom see an artiste throughout the entire year, and it's considered average for an artistes to have 2 shows per year.

UW: Having been in the media industry for some time, you must have met with your share of problems?

Phyllis: Of course… Issues among the cast and fellow colleagues are bound to arise but it's all over, so I don't really take them personally. I just learn to let go.

Phyllis: Not at all! The thought has not crossed my mind! Otherwise, I won't be here anymore. I would like to take a break, though. I think I'm quite a workaholic and I get satisfaction in what I do. So, I have not thought of giving up at the moment.

UW: Let's talk about the mole on your forehead. It has been said that it is your "good luck mole". Have you thought of having it removed before you got in this line or because you don't like it?

Phyllis: Oh! I'm very comfortable with it and it is not very obvious and it doesn't affect me at all.

Phyllis: Before I became an actress or even before I became a model, I was a junior secretary. At the same time, I was also studying courses related to that and if I hadn't entered in any competition, I'll most probably still be in this line.

And so, with a smile, Phyllis ended the interview. Rather unexpectedly, the big-time star has such down-to-earth aspirations of being a secretary. The permanent resident of Singapore may have a big future ahead, but she remains an easygoing, traditional girl at heart, saying she would want to have a family to call her own someday.