Chelsia: This is an unusually late interview. When do you usually hit the sheets?
Nicholas: (Plucking his electric guitar) Three in the morning.
But that's fine 'cos I'm a night owl. I usually sleep late. Like when I was filming the upcoming Gen-X Cops, I had to wake up at 5:30am.
There's a price for everything, I guess.
Chelsia: Tell us about yourself.
Nicholas: I'm 18. I was born in Hong Kong and left for Canada when I was twelve.
Stayed there until I was like...15. Then I spent six months in Phoenix, Arizona,
and another six months in Japan studying music before heading back for Hong Kong.
I love music and I joined the entertainment business not to be a star. I'm just doing something I like a making a living from it.
Chelsia: Your parents are showbiz veterans Patrick Tse and Deborah Li.
Do you feel pressured when people compare you with them?
Nicholas: (Slightly annoyed) Yeah. Every now and then, I get remarks like, 'You are not as good or as tall as your dad'.
It's not that I want to wipe out these comparisons or the fact that I'm in their shadow following their footsteps,
but I hope people will take me for who I am.
Chelsia: What's your stand on friendship and love?
Nicholas: I take friendship very seriously. It's one of life necessities. I must have friends.
I don't think I can live without them! As for love, I can live without romantic love.
Chelsia: Are you dating anyone currently?
Nicholas: Yes, I am.
Chelsia: Care to tell us who she is?
Nicholas: (Nonchalantly) I met her two years ago. She's not in showbiz.
Chelsia: Was it fun voicing the ant character Flik in the Cantonese version of A Bug's Life?
Nicholas: It was hard. The facial expressions have been set and you have to bring out the feelings in your voice.
I took original US samples and practically copied it! C'mon, they're ants!
Chelsia: You're starring in a string of upcoming flicks like Gen-X Cops, Chinese Hero and a local(Singapore) production Street Angels.
Describe your roles in each movie.
Nicholas: Gen-X Cops is about three bad guys who are expelled from the police academy but somehow end up in an elite force to fight the bad guys.
I play the leader of the cops. In Chinese Hero, I play Ekin Cheng's son and it was pretty weird calling him 'lo dao' (Cantonese for dad) 'cos he's a good friend of mine and we hang out after work! And Street Angels is about girl gangs and I play myself which is interesting 'cos you usually play other characters.
Chelsia: Which do you rather be known as: Nicholas The Actor, or Nicholas The Singer?
Nicholas: The singer! But somehow I've been involved with movies this year (Nicholas has agreed to star in the US flick The Lady in the Garden).
I'm working on my upcoming Chinese debut album containing different varieties of music.
I got lots of my friends like rock band Anodize to help me with the album. I'm trying to avoid Canto pop 'cos I like rock but it isn't taken seriously in Hong Kong yet.
Chelsia: Is it a compliment to be hailed as one of the young Heavenly Kings alongside fellow pop princes Stephen Fung, Daniel Chan, and Leo Ku?
Nicholas: Huh? What's that? Oh really? People call me that? (Unaffectedly)On well,
I guess that's just a name. It isn't gonna make me a better singer or a better guitar player.
Chelsia: How do you feel about the media reports slagging you off?
Nicholas: (Matter-of-factly) I laugh and let it pass. I do my best and believe in what I'm doing.
I don't do it for anyone else other than myself and the audience. You can't get mad anymore with those reports 'cos you reach a point where you're immune to being accused.
There are rumours I've had 16 girlfriends! C'mon get real!
Chelsia: Are you a star with loads of money?
Nicholas: Nah. I wish I was loaded. (Chuckles) I still have to pay my own rent, you know!
Chelsia: What's your fashion taste like?
Nicholas: I'm totally not into fashion. I'm dressed like that today 'cos I just finished a night shoot for Street Angels.
I'm normlly in what I'm most comfortable with---slippers, shorts, and tees.
Chelsia: If we raided your CD collection, what would we find?
Nicholas: (Perks up a little) Ah... Aerosmith, Led Zepplin and... some classical stuff!
Chelsia: If you could interview a celeb, dead or alive, who would you pick?
Nicholas: Hmm... River Phoenix 'cos he's really talented. And Danny Chan (popular '80s singer) 'cos he's a legend.
Chelsia: Complete this sentence: Nicholas Tse is gonna be...
Nicholas: ...a big boy? (Decidedly) Yeah. I wanna be a big boy.