Tay Ping Hui Acting In His First Malay Drama; Says Someone Told Him He Speaks Like He’s From Sarawak
TPH, who will play a chef in an upcoming Suria drama where most of his lines are in Malay, wonders if that's a compliment.
TPH, who will play a chef in an upcoming Suria drama where most of his lines are in Malay, wonders if that's a compliment.
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Fans of Tay Ping Hui will be glad to know that the actor is appearing in another drama this year. The 50-year-old actor was last seen in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Ghost, where he made a special guest appearance in two episodes.
However, there’s a little something different about his upcoming role. Instead of showing off his thespian chops in an English or Chinese production, TPH will be acting in upcoming Suria drama, Korban. The drama stars actor Khairudin Samsudin and newcomer Rae.
Ping Hui, who will play a Michelin-starred chef in the drama, announced the news in a post on his Instagram earlier this week (July 11), revealing that this will be his “first time acting [in a] Malay drama and speaking Malay”.
“I have always been saying half jokingly that I wanted to challenge myself by doing Malay and Indian dramas,” he explained.
“It's definitely challenging with the language, but that’s also the most enjoyable part. I guess I am a sucker for challenges and pain,” he wrote.
And while he has no experience speaking Malay, the actor quickly rose up to the challenge, even expanding his vocabulary with a few new Malay words that he tries to use every once in a while.
However, there is one thing that hasn’t changed — his favourite Malay word to use.
“MAKAN”, he enthused, in all caps, when we asked if there’s a word that he uses frequently. “I love to eat!” he added.
Guess it’s super fitting that Ping Hui’s playing a chef then.
Food aside, Ping Hui also shared that his character is a key supporting role, which means that there will be plenty of lines and “rather long monologues” for him.
“It’s hard to act in a language that you do not understand. It’s not just about knowing the translation, it’s also about having to memorise the words, speaking in a believable accent and acting at the same time,” he wrote, when we asked if he was worried about his upcoming role.
Most of the actor’s lines will be in Malay, with only some English lines peppered in. However, he’s managed to make the best of it.
“Someone did say I speak like a Sarawakian, I just hope it’s a compliment…” he wrote.
Photos: Tay Ping Hui/Instagram
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