| Lovable
baddie
July 27, 2001
So why is Shaoguang playing good-guy roles
these days?
By
Hazel Tan
Story by TODAY
(Click on pictures for larger image)
HE shot to fame playing the limping villain
Sai Wei in the drama serial Golden Pillow in 1995. While we hated
Sai Wei to the core, we could not help but fall in love with Xie
Shaoguang, the actor.
  He
became MediaCorp TV's best-loved bad egg.
The public couldn't get enough of his baddie
roles. A psychotic killer, sexual pervert or ruthless underworld
figure - he has played them all. And excelled.
He has been so good at being bad that it's almost
an expectation he would be the villain of the piece whenever he
appeared on TV.
 But
of late, Shaoguang has been playing the good guy.
Even Shaoguang himself is baffled as to why
he is no more the baddie.
He told TODAY: "People ask me why they don't
see me playing villainous roles anymore. Viewers like to see me
play the bad guy. But such roles are scarce these days. I don't
know why."
"When I was constantly in the spotlight, I had
the chance to play both the bad egg and good man roles, one after
another. There was variety," Shaoguang said.
These days, he seems to be stuck with just the
good guy roles.
"There seem to be fewer scripts written for
bad guys these days. There are more scripts for comedies."
Just like his last role in the drama serial
Love Me, Love Me Not, where he played a handsome man.
 Shrugging
his shoulders, he added: "I don't think I can be marketed as a handsome
matinee idol."
"I am comfortable with it. But the question
is whether it achieves the desired result. Is it a little too much
to take? To others, they see it as a challenge. To me, I just try
my best," said the actor, who has been acting for more than a decade.
 Housewife
Madam Tan Geok Lin, 45, shares his view: ""I loved his bad guy roles.
It's been a long time since I saw him as one. Shaoguang is one of
the best actors in MediaCorp. They should tap his talent."
Student Sharon Loh, 17, agrees: "I prefer to
see Xie Shaoguang as a villain than a gorgeous guy. It's just not
convincing enough."
The good news is that Shaoguang has just landed
a role that could return him to his glory days.
In the upcoming MediaCorp drama serial Lucky
Numbers, he will play a heartlander who goes from rags to riches.
"I hope it will strike a chord in the hearts
of viewers. This character is more approachable.
I hope this reminds viewers of who I am, a
character actor." "I have shown my range throughout the years, and
I think I know what viewers like. I know my forte."
We know, too. And we're looking forward to seeing
Shaoguang do what he does best.
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Xie
Shaoguang`s a great actor!
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