Eshin Direct

Stefanie Sun on Film

No, no, no. Our darling lovely Stefanie Sun Yanzi has expressed an interest in acting. Since being in Asia, celebrities are better described as entertainers rather than actors, actresses, or singers. This work called entertaining seems to happen in everything they do from on-screen to off-screen antics. I seem to recall the Sammi vs. Sammi concert being more of a show rather than a concert.

Since Western film and musical talent diverged a long time ago, I find it hard to take any singer who acts, or actor that sings, seriously. My limited Western mind believes it dilutes the professional integrity of the artists in question. The brief forays into acting that the hip-hop world has done in recent years come to mind, along with Gwen Stefani’s bit-piece next to di Craprio, aren’t really qualifying examples as successful crossovers in Western entertainment. We’re definitely not talking Frank Sinatra or Julie Andrews success here. Kidman and McGregor’s efforts in Moulin Rouge are best forgetten.

Of course, it’s fine for the multitude of Cantopop stars that I genuinely would consider “entertainers”. Mentioning no names, some of them would be hard-pressed to be considered “good” singers without an acting background to back them up, and vice versa. You’re buying into the whole entertainment package and who really cares if some of it doesn’t quite add up. Although, much that I love Athena Chu Yan, after accidentally putting one of her songs on in karaoke, I believe her roots should stay firmly in the acting camp.

Of course, serious talent also seems to need the Jekyll and Hyde life of singing and acting. Wong Faye, Anita Mui, Jackie Cheung all seem to have dipped their proverbial talent sticks into both pies. Other talent… such as Maggie Cheung and Chow Yun Fat I’m not so sure about. And some efforts are best forgotten like Jackie Chan’s attempt to sing. So if anything, this duality in Chinese performers seems to to be the de rigeur business model for celebrity success.

But I, for one, hopes that our dear Stefanie Sun doesn’t attempt the cross-over into acting lightheartedly. She’s a great singer without the need to overexpose herself as a potentially mediocre actor. Of course, who the hell am I to give advice on it? And judging from her frequent appearances on crap Taiwanese game shows, I fear that we’ll soon be seeing Sun Yanzi films being farmed out.