[2024.08.08] MICHAEL TAO AND MARK CHENG TRY TO OUT VICIOUS EACH OTHER

Michael Tao and Mark Cheng work together again after 30 years, both playing mob bosses in their new film
courtesy of singtao.com

In the movie THE UNWAVERING BROTHERHOOD (JAT JIK 3), Mark Cheng Ho Nam and Michael Tao Tai Yu both played the role of mob bosses. The two have collaborated in two TV series more than 30 years ago, and now they reunited for the first time in the movie. Cheng Ho Nam burst out that Tao Tai Yu entered the industry in 1983 and debuted a year earlier, so he was a senior. The two were very happy to reunite after being separated for more than 30 years. It turned out that they both lived in Tsim Sha Tsui and were neighbors in the same district. This collaboration always brought back a lot of memories. The two laughed and said that they were going to meet up at some old restaurants to reminisce about old times. Tai Yu laughed and said that after filming the film, he went to eat hotpot mutton one night and unexpectedly met Cheng Ho Nam, who invited him to drink a bottle of Maotai.

Tao Tai Yu admitted that the filming of THE UNWAVERNG BROTHERHOOD was quite stressful this time because he has rarely been in movies. In addition, he and Cheng Ho Nam did not join until the third installment. However, as soon as the filming started, he met old friend and three new fr4iends who had never worked with before: Louis Cheung Kai Chung, Carlos Chan Ka Lok and Bosco Wong Chung Chak. They all had a great time making the movie. Tai Yu's character in the film was fierce, cruel, and had no mercy for anyone. Cheng Ho Nam praised Tai Yu for his ability to play this role. Cheng Ho Nam has made many gangster movies, and the last time he played a mob boss was in YOUNG AND DANGEROUS (GOO WAT JAI). Speaking of not playing a "big brother" in 20 years, Cheng Ho Nam joked, "I did in private, in front of my son I would act like a big boss! Haha!" Tao Dai Yu immediately said with a smile, "The one nex to me has had so many classic roles. How much pressure do you think I have?"

Tai Yu said that he has rarely played villain roles. The "Ting Yik Hai" he played in the TV series THE GREED OF MAN was very filial and not as bad as this time. He enjoyed the performance very much, but the atmosphere during the shoot was quite serious. In one scene he had a life-and-death fight with Cheung Kai Chung, Chan Ka Lok and Wong Chung Chak inside a vehicle. "Due to the limited space, I was very comfortable with moves action director (German) Cheung Man Kit came up with, and the results were exciting and spectacular. I wasn't injured either. All in all, I was able to handle it very cautiously." Cheng Ho Nam was used to shooting action movies, and the ambush scene he was in felt very good; he was able to handle it with ease. However Tai Yu revealed that Cheng Ho Nam had a "staff" scene that had him rolling on the floor laughing. "At first I saw him hitting Ka Lok's back very delicately. Then when it was Ah Chung's turn, he hit very hard. When the cameras stopped, the whole team laughed wildly!" Cheng Ho Nam laughed and pointed out that Ah Chung's position was relatively darker at that time. "I am presbyopic, it is difficult to gauge distances."

As for three actors Cheung Kai Chung, Chan Ka Lok, and Wong Chung CHak, the elders Cheng Ho Nam and Tao Tai Yu regarded them as new friends. They felt that they were very professional and hard-working, unlike them when all they cared about was fun. They would not let any opportunity to perform go. Tai Yu said, "If they didn't meet the challenge they wouldn't have reached the third installment. So they definitely achieved the effect and result. Anyway, I will give them a thumbs up. They all are very hard working."

Cheng Ho Nam mentioned that working on action scenes was not difficult, now he would be only worried that his body would not be able to bear the load. "I am turning 60 soon. I have been drinking while I was in Malaysia for 20 years. The local drinking culture meant that if you were late to a party, you would drink three penalty drinks. All of them were "hard stuff", downing one glass of brandy after another. Recently two of my friends passed away because of liver problems."

Cheng Ho Nam said that he has arrhythmia problem in his heart. "When I'm talking to you, my heart might stop for 5 to 7 seconds at any time. I'm fine, as you get older you have to pay more attention to your diet and exercise more." Originally, he needed to undergo surgery to seal one of the four heart valves: "But it's pointless! I am fine so why should I be opened up? I can only be careful and drink less, but when I drink I would. Normally at a meal I would drink a botle of strong liquor. In the past, I would drink two or three bottles!" Tai Yu also said that he drinks alcohol every night, but only one glass of red wine to help him fall asleep easier.

When ask if he would like to find a girlfriend to take care of him, Cheng Ho Nam went "What" and said, "There are responsibilities!" Did he not want to take on such a big responsibility after what happened with his ex-wife? He said, "There are responsibilities, whatever would happen I just let fate decide. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't it doesn't. At this age I don't get to say I am chasing girls!" Speaking of girls nowadays being very proactive, he joked that he was very shy and has not even noticed that any girl was actively approaching him. "I am better of focusing on work. Something just happened at home, the matter has settled. What needed to be dealt with has been dealt with. My daughter is back with me again!" He revealed that his daughter had just completed her first year of university in Malaysia and he would fly to Canada with her this month to enter her second year of university. As for whether his son will also live with him, Cheng Ho Nam was a little hesitant and said, "Let's not talk about it. What's mine will always be mine. I don't want to talk about things that I shouldn't be talked about. I don't want to talk about that person (ex-wife) anymore." Will he miss his son? He said, "I am a human being, I have humanity, of course I will!" Cheng Ho Nam will stay in Hong Kong more in the future, but he will work wherever there will be work to be done. Recently he preferred Chengdu, maybe because he liked spicy food. Anyway, he would go whatever the jobs would take him.