From playing good guys to bad guys, Brandon Wong has seen it all. But as a father, the stakes are much higher.
The local actor and his eldest son, 17-year-old Yu Jie, appeared as guests on the YouTube talk show DNA uploaded on April 9, sharing in detail to host Rebecca Lim about their relationship for the first time.
Giving a touching insight, Brandon recalled that when he played the role of a discipline master in the 2012 drama Don’t Stop Believin’, the three or four-year-old Yu Jie did something he and his wife did not expect.
The 54-year-old recounted: “In the show, I was pranked by some troublemakers and I slipped on the staircase and tumbled all the way down… He suddenly hugged me and cried that he didn’t want Daddy to get hurt.
“It made us realise that to a child his age, whatever they saw on TV was real life. So I explained to him that it was acting and my shots were done with camera tricks and padding. But ever since then, he would ask me when I would be on TV – not to watch my shows but to avoid them. He would hide in his room out of fear.”
When Brandon remarked that it made him realise how “sweet” it was that Yu Jie cared for him, Rebecca questioned if this incident prompted him to become more cautious about the roles he took up in his career.
Citing an instance where he played a paedophilic tuition teacher in the 2019 drama Daybreak while his children were in primary school, Brandon explained: “I wish I could, but I don’t have the luxury or standing to pick and choose my roles…
“I was worried about the impact it might have on them when it aired – because if their classmates watched this show, would my kids get ridiculed in school?”
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Brandon also feared being perceived differently by other parents when fetching his children from school, not wanting to be misunderstood for having ill intentions when interacting with their kids and being “so good” with them.
In a press conference after the drama’s conclusion, he told a reporter in an interview that he hoped his next project wouldn’t need him to play another villain like this.
“Little did I know, not long after, I got another such offer in my email,” lamented Brandon in defeat. “Sometimes, we really don’t have a choice.”
When asked if he’d ever dealt with any hardship because of Brandon’s controversial roles, Yu Jie said: “There was never anything negative. In fact, [my friends] are all quite surprised and amazed that my dad is such an amazing and famous actor. No one calls him anything bad.”
‘Are you proud to have such a hands-on father?
A signature trait of showbiz beyond its glitz and glamour is its unpredictable working hours. As a father of three boys, how has Brandon coped?
When asked if he ever worried about missing out on his sons’ childhood, he admitted: “Definitely. Especially for men, we’re always out and about networking and socialising.
“People go, ‘My kids are so grown up now.’ They missed out on their childhood. I don’t want to miss out on that – I want to be there as they grow up. That’s why after I had my sons, I had no social life. Other than work, it’s home.”
He shared that since becoming a parent, he has always been willing to do the “nitty-gritty” essentials of taking care of his children, including changing their diapers.
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Recounting a time she had worked with him on a production, Rebecca said: “When we have call times at 7am, Brandon would tell us, ‘I just came from dropping my sons off at school,’ and during lunchtime he would say, ‘I’m going home to prepare lunch for my kids,’ – and I’m like, ‘Why are you such a devoted dad?’ Are you proud to have such a hands-on father?”
“Of course, it makes my life a lot easier,” Yu Jie quipped, causing the trio to burst into laughter. “I don’t have to worry about what to eat for lunch. I recall coming back home in primary school and there would already be food on the table.
“Like you said, even when he has work, he still makes time to pack takeaway lunch for us.”
As warm as a father he is, there are still strict boundaries Brandon has in place – like disallowing his young sons from watching mature content with himself in it.
Brandon plays Lou Seh in the erotic drama Last Madame (2020), a psychopathic secret society boss who has an intimate scene with the protagonist Fung Lan (Joanne Peh) in one of its episodes.
“I remembered that Last Madame was Toggle’s (now MeWatch) first M18 series. They weren’t 18 years old yet. By right, they shouldn’t be watching it. I was worried they were not mature enough yet,” said Brandon. “Not only will they see intimate physical interactions, but also inappropriate physical gestures.
“I told them that I was filming this series and they were aware of it. After all,. I was nominated in the Asian Television Awards for this role – it’s impossible for them to be unaware of it because of the news about it. I told them about its premise, but said they shouldn’t watch it and I didn’t let them.”
Brandon pointed out that in order to play their roles and foster mutual trust, he and Joanne communicated properly and “took plenty of precautions” in their acting – otherwise, it would be difficult to bring out the nuances of their explicit scenes without misunderstandings between them.
Rebecca attested to his behaviour: “Everyone really knows your character. You are a good man, nobody will misunderstand you.”
All in all, when questioned about the kind of father he hopes to be to his sons, Brandon said: “I hope to be a dad who can be friends with my children. But in reality, I am the bad cop at home. When you have this image at home, it’s hard to have fun around them. I just hope they see me as someone who steps up, has values and is responsible.”
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