We suggested things like hunching his back, parting the hair in such a way that it looks like he's balding, pulling up the pants, and buying ugly clothes and bags from Chinatown.
- Actor Chen Hanwei, on how they put his character's look together

YUCKS! WHO'S THAT DOPEY NERD?

BY CHANG MAY CHOON
May 21, 2001, The Newpaper

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Chen Hanwei and co-star Li Lin (above) have a good laugh about Hanwei's "ugly" looks. But the actor had to trade in his geeky glasses for a sharp suit in his latest production (below). Pictures/ LIANHE ZAOBAO, CHANG MAY CHOON

THOSE ah-pek glasses, hand-me-down stonewashed jeans pulled to his chest, oily balding hair and ugly bah-gei (Hokkien for buck teeth)... can you even tell that's actor Chen Hanwei?

Or rather, it's his new image for the Channel 8 drama Love Me, Love Me Not, in which he plays a kind-hearted geek who falls in love with an angel (played by Triple Nine babe Li Lin).

Some aunties who saw him filming in Chinatown were fooled by his disguise. In fact, they were so disgusted that they started to gossip about him in one corner!

The dashing 31-year-old actor laughed as he recalled: "They said things like, 'Aiyoh, look at him, wear such ugly clothes and still dare to become film extra!' It was so funny."

Even those close to Hanwei failed to recognise him.

Like an ex-colleague whom he ran into while filming at Orchard Road. And his friends got a shock when they saw his nerdy image in I-Weekly magazine.

And when Hanwei got into costume for the first time, co-star Li Lin joked: "Wah, you look so funny, I cannot recognise you at all!"

Bubbly guest star Violet Chen Fenying, who dumps him in the show, was in stitches too: "There's one scene in which I have to look very shocked when I see him, but I just couldn't do it. We ended up doing over 50 re-takes!"

But Hanwei takes it all in his stride.

"I was really excited when I got the role. Finally I can be totally not- me," said the friendly star, who is more likely to be seen in bermudas and T-shirts in real life.

"And I had so much fun playing the ugly role."

Like a pro, the former fashion stylist even came up with ideas to "uglify" his character.

Said Hanwei of his character: "We suggested things like hunching his back, parting the hair in such a way that it looks like he's balding, pulling up the pants, and buying ugly clothes and bags from Chinatown."

But there is just one scene in which Hanwei resumes his usual handsome self - but we're not telling.

UGLY DUCKLING CHILDHOOD

To look like a fashion disaster, Hanwei got ideas from his own ugly duckling childhood days!

"Those were the days when we'd comb our hair so high it looked like a curry pok (he meant curry puff) and pull our pants up to our chests. It was fashionable then, but now when you look back, you feel like throwing up!" he added with a chuckle.

Now that he has succeeded looking ugly on screen, he hopes to try other tougher roles.

"When you're new, you want to look good all the time. But I've been in this line for more than 10 years. I'm not so concerned about image anymore. I just want to try more challenging roles, like someone mentally-deranged or a psychotic killer!"

He's even prepared to shave his head, play homosexual roles, or appear buck-naked on screen "if the script requires it".

What about gaining weight for a role, like what Tom Hanks did for Cast Away? Hanwei's eyes lit up: "Of course! I saw Cast Away twice, and I think it's (Hank's character) a really tough role!"

For the time being, he has to put his dreams aside and don a smart suit for his role of a hotel front desk officer in the upcoming mega production Da Jiu Dian (Mandarin for big hotel).

"I'm not used to wearing suits. It's so restrictive," he said, shrugging as he tugged at his tie and jacket costume.

"How I wish I can put back my fake buck teeth!"