They made for the cutest couple and romantic-comedy material in "The Wedding Diary", which is why it is no surprise that director Adrian The has decided to bring Ah Niu and Elanne Kwong back to reprise their roles as husband and wife in "Wedding Diary 2". This time, the couple has to face complications in their newly-wedded life, what with a baby and an unexpected third party. The sequel is sure to put a comedic but touching twist to new issues that only the married men and women would know, but how are the two stars going to cope with it? Find out in this interview!
Cinema Online conducted an interview with Ah Niu and Elanne Kwong about returning to their 'married life' during the production launch of "Wedding Diary 2" at the Grand Copthorne Hotel in Singapore on 30 June 2012.
Q: How do you feel about making a sequel to "The Wedding Diary" in less than a year?
Ah Niu: I feel happy and I want to thank the investors, director and producers because they choose to continue 'abusing' me! [Laughs] No, really, I want to thank them for giving me the chance to be in another movie, and this time I do not only have a wife, but I also have a 'little sister'! Oh god, it actually makes me feel a little unsettled.
Q: We heard that you rejected other job offers just to star in this sequel?
Elanne: Yes, and I really want to thank the producers and the director for inviting me to shoot this sequel because previously I asked them that if "The Wedding Diary" did well in the box office, I hoped that they would ask me to return to make another movie. And in less than a year, here I am.
Q: Is there anything different about Ah Niu, seeing there it has been one year after "The Wedding Diary"?
Elanne: I think his tummy got a little bigger! [Laughs] He is not as shy as he was the first time. When we first met, he was so shy that he needed to take breaks when we were shooting because he was overwhelmed by nervousness!
Q: Are there any expectations for your collaboration with him this time? Your chemistry with him was very good in the previous movie.
Elanne: Well, I just hope that we will seem like an actual married couple in the movie. I'm getting very used to acting with him now. When were taking photos for the posters earlier, it didn't feel like we had to get reacquainted again and we synchronised really well together.
Q: Are the two of you worried about having to take care of the baby on set in this movie?
Elanne: I'm alright but I'm more worried for him [points at Ah Niu]
Ah Niu: I think I'm going to be ok because he is very obedient and we got along quite well since we first met. If it was my daughter, then I think it would be impossible. She hates boys.
Q: Ah Niu, since you got here, the baby in your arms has been sleeping soundly till now...
Ah Niu: [Whispers] I can't speak too loudly or I would wake the baby up. I would say that I'm just the supporting actor in the movie, because this baby actually is the main star. We were going to start shooting two days from now, so I had to get acquainted with the baby. While I was playing with him before the press conference, he suddenly fell asleep.
Q: Okay, we know that you are still single and now you're going to act as a mother. Are you confident in being a mother and handling a child?
Elanne: I think I should be ok because I have played a mother in a previous movie. Back then, it was very difficult because we had to cradle him, feed him and hold his hand, and that makes me more confident now. Like Ah Niu said, the baby is the main star of the movie, because when acting with children, we have to take care of the children's mood so that they won't suddenly cry.
Q: What about you [Ah Niu]? We think you should have more experience with children.
Ah Niu: Yes. My daughter is now 11 years old but when I saw this baby I get bad memories because I think children are scary. When my daughter was small, she was very scary and hard to get along with. This baby is friendlier. He lets us carry him after playing with him for a bit. Like I said earlier, caring for my daughter is harder as she doesn't like boys and will never let other men carry her.
Q: In "Wedding Diary 2", an outsider will barge into your married life. If there was a third party in your own relationship, what would you do?
Elanne: [Jokingly picks up a knife and stabs a plate] If I knew that I had a third party in my relationship, I would have a clean break-off with my boyfriend. I feel that I cannot have any doubts in my relationship. If he has fallen for someone else, and I have to get him back or wait for him to return then I think there is no meaning in the relationship anymore, because his heart does not belong to me anymore.
Q: In the sequel, your character decides to be a stay-home dad. Do you think you can be a full-time father?
Ah Niu: I find that I'm not cut out to be a stay-home father. From my own experience of caring for my child previously, I still feel that I need to work as well. I really admire those who can take care of children full-time.
Q: Thank you and hope that you have a 'happy marriage' for the sequel!
Ah Niu: Thank you.
Elanne: Thanks!
