[2014.05.26] CHAPMAN TO DENIES SHOW BUSINESS RETIREMENT RUMOR

courtesy of mingpao.com

Chapman To Man Chak earlier faced boycott after an online war of words with Mainlanders, many of his films were affected at the box office; some even claimed that his films had to be postponed indefinitely. Other films would replace him with other actors. In this sensitive period, yesterday he suddenly had to bid a "farewell for now" to his newspaper column. Due to personal reasons he had to be overseas for awhile, he also said, "even if I make more money, I cannot buy myself". Thus speculations of him temporary leaving Hong Kong show business arose. Ah Jat explained that only because he took a month off he could not write the column. He was not retreating from show business due to negative news.

Ah Jat stressed that rumors have not affected his on screen development. He joked, "I have been in this business for several decades, if I don't act what else can I do? I of course have to entertain viewers, why would I retreat from show business due to negative news. Do you think I am DaDa (Chan Jing)?" His hiatus from his newspaper column was due to his vacation in the U.S. with his wife. Ah Jat said, "Every June I would take a holiday in the U.S. for a month. My mentor has a Buddhism school in the U.S. so I would go and meditate, listen to lectures, this year is already the 6th year I am doing this. It has nothing to do with rumors." Did he reduce Mainland film contract due to the gossips? He said, "Thank you everyone for your concern, I rarely go to the Mainland to make movies so I am not too affected." He said that he will star in two Chan Hing Ka produced Hong Kong comedy films and will finish producing the Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin starred film CHOR GEI (CHILD PROSTITUTE) after the holiday.

His Emperor manager Mani Fok Man Hei denied the rumor that boss Albert Yeung Sau Sing would remove Ah Jat from the producer credit to keep him from affecting CHOR GEI's Mainland release.

While Ah Jat faced a Mainland online boycott, Mainland actors he was familiar with and has worked with like Cecilia Liu Shishi and Wen Zhang were affected as well as they reportedly would be boycotted. Many online supported them as innocent and should not be swept into the storm.