Since it’s your first time working with each other, how would you rate your chemistry?
M: During the initial stages of filming, there was a bit of awkwardness, but we were all very focused in creating our characters, so it didn’t take very long for sparks to fly. I would have some opinions on how my character would react and she would accept my suggestions, so there was a very good collaborative effort there and it made filming so much easier.
J: It was a very easy and comfortable working relationship. And I feel that the more you get to know someone, the more familiar the working relationship gets.
After getting to know each other, what do you like most about each other?
M: I like her frank and straightforward nature. She tells you like it is. Plus, she’s always very cheerful and outgoing.
J: For me, I appreciate his sense of humour and his sincerity. He is always very genuine to everyone around him.
Janine, can you elaborate more about his sense of humour?
J: He cracks me up all the time. During filming, there was a shower scene where I was supposed to be fantasising about him and it was supposed to be a comical scene, so Mike added in his own bit by mimicking a producer’s voice in a very perverted way and it turned out to be hilarious. Thankfully, we filmed that bit separately or I would just be bowling over with laughter during the entire scene.
So when you’re looking for a partner, will you look for someone like Mike?
M: She will want a commoner instead. (Laughs)
J: He’s too popular! If I say he’s my type, I wouldn’t be able to walk out of this hotel alive.
M: No way, I’m more afraid that some other male star would beat me up. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t be able to walk around WanHua district (alluding to the district where movie Monga, starring Ethan Ruan and Mark Chao, was set)
How about you Mike, does she fit the criteria of what you’re looking for in a girlfriend?
M: Well, after interacting and working with her, she is definitely a great girl, and any guy would be lucky to be with her. But for me, it is more about getting to know and understand a person over a long period of time to see if we belong together.
As you’ve said in some interviews, Janine seems to have an “abusive” side to her?
M: (Laughs) It’s especially so during filming, as there are a lot of scenes where my character gets hit by her character. There was one scene where she had to tear the suit I was wearing but she ended up ripping the entire pocket out. She can’t seem to control her own strength!
Janine, have you been secretly working out?
J: No, not really. (Laughs)
M: Yeah, I always tease her about how she should stop working out and building her muscles.
Mike, you play a father in the show. What’s the most difficult part about grasping the emotional aspect of the role?
M: I rely very heavily on the plot and the particular scene. For example, there was a scene where I meet my son for the first time. I imagine what it’s like for a father who has never been in his son’s life, the regret and all the other feelings he will experience. I will immerse myself in the character. It’s slightly different from when I first started acting, I couldn’t really emote without relying on my personal experiences, but now with the script, I can imagine what the character is going through.
Janine, you play a maid in this show. You’re usually very glamorous and stylish, so how hard was it for you to get used to the styling in the show, where you have to dress simply?
J: I don’t find it tough at all because I do like to use different stylings to bring a character to life. It was very fun working with the director to get my image right as he was worried I wouldn’t look like a maid at all. We tried all sorts of ways to make me look like a maid and the process was very fun, before we settled on her entire wardrobe and bangs which made me look more innocent.
How about the role itself, was it difficult to portray?
J: I think the toughest parts were the comedic scenes. Those were the most difficult to execute as your timing had to be perfect, no more, no less. But I love the challenge and had so much fun with those scenes.
You guys starred opposite an 8 year-old child actor Zheng Wei, how different was it working with a kid?
M: I think it’s tricky when you’re acting opposite a kid around the age of 3-4 years old. Zheng Wei is very experienced and professional so it was not difficult at all.
J: He always on top of things and knows exactly what is going on during the scenes.