Apr 22 2009
To Sir, with love
Salutations, fellow stargazers! This is May Seah, your Showbiz Sista, bringing you the scoop on the upcoming MediaCorp TV Channel 8 drama, My School Daze. This new show starts next Wednesday on April 29 and, as you can divine astutely from the title, it’s about that lazy stupor that settles over you when you’re faced with teachers, textbooks and tests.
It’s a Clash of the Teachers between Rui En and Chen Hanwei, who both play pedagogues, but with vastly opposing styles.
“She’s less conservative. And she believes there shouldn’t be any distance between the students and the teachers. She believes that she should treat the students like her friends and that way, she’ll win them over,” Rui En said of her role as the hip, new-age, sports car-driving Miss Zhang.
Did the lovely Rui En ever want to be a teacher when she was a child? “Honestly, I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to be in space. Doesn’t every kid dream of that? Every little boy, lah.”
“So,” Showbiz Sista asked, “You were more like a little boy than a little girl?” “I was, I was,” Rui En said emphatically. “I grew up like a boy. I hung out with my cousin, who was one year younger than me, but was a guy. So I was into cycling, playgrounds, WWF.” No Barbies or My Little Ponies for this tomboy!
“The emphasis of the show is on the difference between me and Hanwei in terms of our ideals and values,” Rui En added. That’s right — Hanwei, who’s seen his fair share of dorky roles lately, plays the schoolmarm.
“I don’t think students will like the kind of teacher I play,” Hanwei told Showbiz Sista. “He’s very straightforward and old-fashioned, with an emphasis on rote learning. Very boring.”
Did Hanwei have teachers like himself when he was young? “Yes! A lot!” the actor exclaimed. ““Even my father, who was a teacher. Once, when I was nine or 10, we had a small test and I tried to cheat. My classmate wouldn’t let me to copy off him, so I hit him. So my father, who was also my teacher, caned me in front of the whole school. I didn’t speak to him for two years. But after I grew up, I appreciated my father because I think he did a good job. If, during that period, he had tried to protect me, I think I would still feel the shame today. After that incident, my father apologized to me, but I think I have to say sorry to him.” Aww.
Hanwei also thinks there was great chemistry between him and Rui En. “At first, I didn’t think she could act,” he said solemnly. “I thought she was a young girl who could only sing. But after working with her on By My Side recently, I think this young girl has really improved a lot. You can really feel her emotions when she’s acting. That’s why I’m very happy to work with her, and would like to work with her more. I think she can make it. Sooner or later, she will win a Best Actress award.”
With the Star Awards coming up this Sunday, Showbiz Sista will be crossing her fingers, too!
Also look out for Ann Kok as Hanwei’s wife, Terence Cao as Rui En’s love interest, and Cynthia Koh and Darren Lim paired up once again as that loudmouthed couple who gets under your skin.
Showbiz Sista, signing out. Live long and pop corn!
Catch My School Daze starting Wednesday (April 29), weekdays at 9pm on MediaCorp TV Channel 8.
