I was expecting a difficult interview with a star well known for his bad boy image and rebellious streak. However, the sullen attitude was certainly absent when I walked into the room to interview him. A welcoming smile flashes across his face and this puts me at ease immediately. Lounging in a comfortable looking couch, Nicholas is sitting against a glass window overlooking the panoramic view of the Singapore skyline. And what a sight he is! Sun shades perched lightly on his tousled hair, denim jacket buttoned all the way up, jeans and two loop earrings on his right ear, he looks rugged and oh-so-cool. He looks slightly older than his 19 years, displaying an air of maturity and perhaps just a touch of weariness. After all, he has experienced much more than those of his peers.
Famous Background
Born to famous entertainers Patrick Tse Yin and Deborah Lai, Nicholas lived in Hongkong until the age of seven when he moved to Vancouver with his family, where he was sent to a boarding school for seven years. After completing highschool in Phoenix, Arizona, he returned to Hongkong when his parents split up.
In 1996, the singer/actor was sent to Japan for singing lessons and then to California to take dancing lessons. After that, he signed a contract with Fitto Records, producing his first Cantonese album in the middle of 1997, his second album in 1998 and his third this year.
However, despite having famous parents, Nicholas does not regard himself as extraordinary. "When I was young, I didn't feel that I was growing up in a special family at all. When I was told to smile for photographs, I would smile. When my parents brought me to film commercials, I would go along. That was it."
However, the star seems reluctant to talk about his family life, and in particular about the rumours that his relationship with his father is stormy. But Nicholas denies any problems, saying, "The relationship between my father and me is fine and if anyone is to blame for all this, it is the media for blowing things out of proportion."
Bright Future
Gloomy family affairs aside however, 1999 has been a good year for Nicholas. For starters, he starred in two big budget movies, Gen-X Cops and A Man Called Hero, and he also won several awards, both for his acting and singing. Best of all, his latest album, Believe, had not only sold more than five million copies to date, it has even surpassed sales of Andy Lau's new release. But Nicholas remains modest about his achievements. "The sales figures don't mean anything. Andy Lau's album is in Mandarin while mine is in Cantonese. It's just different."
Looking fresh and energetic despite his heavy movie schedule, Nicholas describes his life as a routine. "I wake up, work, and then go to sleep. That's my day." And it looks like there won't be much let up in his schedule in the near future either, as he will be filming a movie tentatively titled 'The Mirror', which is a horror story about a mirror that brings about disaster and catastrophe wherever it goes. He's also busy brushing up his Mandarin while preparing for his next Mandarin album slated for released this month(September).
Getting Some R&R
When Nicholas does manage to have some free time to himself, he likes to relax by going out with his friends, playing the guitar, listening to music, writing songs and wake boarding once in a while. And of course, looking after his collection of over 30 turtles and, get this, four geckos. "They not only help to reduce stress, they also improve my temperament." Nicholas is so attached to his turtles that he even tells them stuff that's troubling him!
As far as relationships are concerned, Nicholas denies the gossip that singer Sammi Cheng and he are an item. As expected, he claims that they are just good friends. What about your first crush? Looking a little surprised at first, he thinks for a little while before answering: "I was 13 or 14 then. She was a friend's friend. But it didn't work out!"
Before I finished my interview, I asked if he had a message for his adoring fans in Singapore. "Thank you for supporting me. I hope you guys like my movies and the Cantonese albums I've produced. Look out for my Mandarin album in September!"
TEENAGE Magazine