Actress on the go – Mandy Chen

MANDY CHEN'S PHILOSOPHY: Nothing is permanent but as long as one has led a good life, then the soul will have eternal happiness.

HERE is a story of how Mandy Chen, a Taiwanese actress who came to Malaysia in 2007, hopped from a 250cc Suzuki motorbike to a 1994 Honda Accord.

Chen, in her late 20s, professes that she has always been a biker girl. While studying in Zhen Li University, Taiwan, where she majored in religion and philosophy, it was not uncommon for Chen to be seen zipping round campus with wind in her hair.

“Taiwan traffic is very polite. At night, drivers actually lower their headlights when they see an oncoming car. Motorcyclists also have their own lanes and they are kept safe away from the rest of the heavier vehicles,” says Chen.

Unfortunately, the speed devil got the better of Chen one day and she crashed into a ravine. She still has the scars but they are barely visible. But this accident forced Chen to end her relationship with her Suzuki.

“My father decided that it was no longer safe for me,” says Chen.

As to what had been Chen’s state of mind as she was hurtling down the ravine, the actress reveals that from a very young age, she had always wondered about life and death, admitting that it is the unknown that scared her the most. But by the time of her crash, her outlook had already changed. Her exposure to religious knowledge of all faiths had assured her that there was nothing to fear. True that nothing is permanent but as long as one has led a good life, then the soul will have eternal happiness.

“When I completed my course, I walked away with the indelible impression that people must not be divided by race, gender, culture and religion. Instead we should find a common ground. Only then will there be peace,” says Chen.

Upon recovery, Chen would find herself paired with a Peugeot 206. At this time, she had already made inroads into the entertainment industry. One of her earliest roles in 2004 was as a gangster’s moll.

“She was a glamourous character, always perfectly made up and never a hair out of place. This was my very first role,” she says.

Ever the restless actress, Chen began to yearn for depth in her roles. One of her favourite studies was Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung and her role as a 30s silent movie actress in Center Stage, directed by Stanley Kwan.

“To pull off a performance like Cheung’s, an actress needs to be very sensitive. Without any form of exaggeration to her facial expressions, she is able to evoke sorrow, joy and even trepidation. This is what we call ‘inner’ trueness, to be in the character’s skin and to make the audience feel what the character is feeling,” says Chen.

It was dedication to her art that made Chen sell off her Peugeot 206 and move to Malaysia in 2007. For her iron horse, a Kelisa soon found its way into her driveway.

She soon found herself cast in Chinese dramas like The Iron Lady, where she plays the protagonist’s daughter, and The Adjuster over 8TV. Currently, Chen’s face is a famous one in Singapore for her kung fu drama, Code of Honour, which appears daily from Mondays to Fridays over Channel 8.

“I have been asked many times why I had chosen to leave Taiwan’s more established entertainment industry for Malaysia. I will give you three reasons: The people, the weather and the food,” she laughs.

Seriously, it was the prospect of tapping into an infant market that had appealed to Chen.

“Here, I find that I am given more opportunities to do more and the stability helps. There are no earthquakes here to disrupt shooting,” she jokes.

Naturally, Chen is set to go far. Her decision to switch to the 1994 Honda Accord last year was to accommodate all the extra travelling she has to do.

“I’ve driven the car from north to south for shooting locations and it has been very reliable so far,” says Chen of the Accord’s 2.0 fuel injection engine.

Her single grumble is the leaky air cond which is giving the interiors a damp smell but Chen insists she is thankful for what she has.

“For now, as long as I can get from A to Z, I am happy. Later, who knows, I will realise my dream of driving a Mini Cooper,” she concludes.

To chat with Mandy, catch her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mandychenshihing

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