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Mark
this man!
July 3, 2001
The prince of Chinese comedy will be starring
in a new drama serial.
By Hazel Tan hazel@newstoday.com.sg
Story by TODAY
(Click on pictures for larger
image)
Mark
your calendar. The next half of this year belongs to Mark Lee.
The popular comedian of Comedy Night fame has
just landed his first role in an upcoming television drama serial,
Lucky Numbers.
But it's not a comedy. Neither is it a role
meant to tickle your bones.
Well, hopefully not.
Mark's acting skills will be put to the test
when he plays a down-to-earth man who is contented with having an
ordinary life.
He said: "I have waited a few years for
such an opportunity.
"This is a good chance for me to prove
that I can do other types of roles as well.
"It's a break from the Ah Beng and Ah Seng
roles I have been portraying. It will be a challenge."
Mark added: "But if viewers chuckle from
episode one to the last episode (in the new serial), that would
mean I have failed terribly."
Filming for Lucky Numbers will take place next
month. The serial also stars MediaCorp artistes Xie
Shaoguang, Pan
Lingling and Sharon
Au
Also coming up for Mark next month is 2MM,
a new talk show in English.
He will co-host the show with Channel 5's top
man, Gurmit Singh.
Is Mark's English up to the mark?
"A is for apple. B is for boy," he
said.
You bet the current co-host of Mandarin variety
show Top Fun is worried about hosting in English.
Mark is attending classes to polish up his language
skills.
He is also learning on the job.
He said: "The other day, I was introducing
a type of sauce in one scene. I didn't know what it was called in
English, so I asked on the spot, and they told me. I learnt it straight
away."
Nevermind if speaking broken English isn't glam.
Said Mark: "I represent the Ah Bengs in
our society. At least I dare to try. This should be seen as an encouragement
for those who dare not speak the language."
Where language is concerned, Mark is certainly
more comfortable in Mandarin and Hokkien.
His Hokkien song, Young Hero - the theme song
of Liang Popo - went down so well with fans in Malaysia that he
will be cutting a Hokkien album in July.
Mark wrote 3 of the songs, while teacher Jack
Neo penned 2 of the tracks. The album will be available here later
this year.
In November, he will be busy with promotions
for his new movie, One
Leg Kicking, which also stars Gurmit Singh and Sharon Au.
There is talk of a new project for him in December
but Mark declined to give details. With so much action on the workfront,
you wonder if Mrs Mark Lee is complaining?
"I already told her I'll be very busy and
I don't know when I'll have time for her. She understands,"
he said.
Don't miss the rib-tickling 2MM which
debuts July 5, 9pm on Channel 5!
Join the discussion on our message board
Mark
Lee's funny. I like him!
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