‘80s Heartthrob Fei Xiang, 62, Doesn’t Mind If Fans Ask For A Kiss, But He’ll Only Give A Peck On The Forehead Like A Grandpa
8days.sg met up with the actor, who was in town to promote his new movie Creation Of The Gods I: Kingdom Of Storms. He shares his thoughts on aging and going shirtless for the movie.
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On Sunday (Oct 2), Taiwanese-American singer-actor Fei Xiang flew into Singapore to promote new Chinese fantasy blockbuster, Creation Of The Gods I: Kingdom Of Storms.
Yes, that ‘80s heartthrob who mesmerized an entire generation with his piercing grey-green eyes, striking good looks, and hits such as ‘Liu Lian’ and ‘Fire of Winter’.
It might have been years since his debut but the veteran actor also known as Kris Phillips is still a big deal.
Just ask this writer’s mum.
“He is very handsome! Where and when do you say you are meeting him again?” she questioned before sharing everything she knew about him.
8days.sg is meeting the star for a sit-down interview in a suite at the Marina Bay Sands hotel.
At first glance, Fei Xiang cuts quite the commanding presence.
Towering at 1.9m and sporting a thick beard, which he shares with us he is keeping for the promotion of the movie, he stands out.
“I am not a morning person… and do better at night. I will usually be up till eight or nine in the morning,” says Fei Xiang after we introduced ourselves, making us question if the interview was already over before it even began?
However, Fei Xiang assures us that he is just quieter by nature. “At night, I get the feeling that everyone in the world is mine,” he laughs.
We’re sure his fans would love that.
8DAYS.SG: You said you are quite the introvert. How was showbiz appealing to you then?
FEI XIANG: I know right! My classmates from high school would have never expected it from me. When my first album came out in 1982, they were like “What??” as it was not in my nature. Even today, when I am not performing, I actually have a very quiet and placid life.
It is usually just me running my daily errands while I take in my surroundings. When I am in London, a portion of the time is spending time with my two adopted moggies (mixed-breed cats).
Your current look is quite different from what most people are used to. Have your fans shared with you what they think about it?
(Sheepishly) To be honest, many were quite split on it, judging from the comments on my Weibo. However, with the film out, it has somewhat changed. Now, everyone seems to like it.
You convinced them with your role!
I did! I am so happy they think it suits my role in the movie and I deliberately kept the look while as I wanted to send a clear message that this is what we are promoting now. There is no Fei Xiang but only King Zhou (laughs).
How do you feel about people focusing on your looks first?
I don’t have a problem with it and I think you have to accept that your first impression of anybody is going to be based on that.
Though I can’t control that, what I can control is my work. I just focus on what is going to extend my career and make my value as a performer more than just my looks.
It was reported you weren’t keen to go topless for Creation of the Gods I – Kingdom of Storm, but you acceded to the director’s request. What made you change your mind?
I actually knew that there would be those scenes as it was such a critical part of the story. In fact, the scene where I was in the tent with Na Ran was where I questioned if it was necessary for me to be topless.
To prepare for that scene, my first request was that we don’t go and make me look all “Marvel comic book”-like but instead realistic muscle-building for within our movie’s reality.
The second was of the filming to be done towards the end of the shooting schedule before I agreed as I wanted to be comfortable with my physical result.
What mindset did you need to have to bare-it-all at 60?
As someone who has not done anything like this throughout my career, I saw it more as a challenge. I feel that it is how the role was written and every scene served and added to the story.
Personally, I think whether it is nudity in film or sex scenes, I always mentally question if it was necessary. If it is, I wouldn’t mind even if it was very graphic.
What are your thoughts on aging, especially in this industry?
You must age, and I am very aware that most of my audience who have been with me for the last 40-odd years are aging with me. I think where people run into a problem is when they try to reach and relate to a younger fanbase and it never works.
I am constantly reminding myself, “What does my audience want to see?” and with this movie, I knew that my fans would be thrilled to see it.
You have been known to have quite an aggressive fanbase over the years. How do you feel when you see people going crazy over K-pop idols?
For the performer, if it doesn’t affect the work, I think it is alright. Performers must realise that a lot of it is just a tribal instinct and not necessarily just about you.
Let’s face it, if it wasn’t you, it would be someone else because everyone wants to belong to a tribe and have an interesting interaction, whether it is K-pop or even a football team.
Do your fans still ask you for a peck on the cheek?
(Laughs!) It has happened a few times and I will usually oblige if it’s appropriate and usually just on the forehead the way a grandpa will do.
You must be careful with boundaries, and I honestly much rather give someone a hug should they ask me for a peck the next time.
What are some of the outrageous requests your fans have asked you over the years?
Honestly, everyone is so polite to me, and I think it might have to do with my age and them treating me as an elder. If I was in my 20s or even 30s today it would probably be a different story.
They might be thinking of asking something outrageous, but I don’t think they dare to say it.
What is the craziest rumour you have heard about yourself?
A couple of days ago, I heard that I was dead! It turned out that the Hong Kong actor who played King Zhou in other films and television had passed on and the media ran with it for clicks.
Photos: Aik Chen
Creation of the Gods I – Kingdom of Storm is in cinemas now
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