PUBLISHED ONSeptember 23, 2022 9:43 AMByKhoo Yi-HangWe may be what we eat, but for this actor, where he lives has helped define who he is.
In the latest episode of meWATCH's Hear U Out, Mediacorp actor Jeffrey Xu revealed to host Quan Yi Fong that he never really felt like he belonged in Singapore until he met Felicia Chin.
""Felicia was a guiding light who opened my eyes to many things. After I got to know her, I realised I am connected to this land," Jeffrey, 33, said.
"In the past, I'd always felt like a transient guest and believed I would leave (Singapore) one day."
Hosted by 48-year-old Yi Fong, Hear U Out is a talk show where local stars are invited to talk about their personal lives and experiences. Previous guests include Brandon Wong, Mark Lee and Guo Liang.
Jeffrey, the latest guest of the talk show, explained to Yi Fong that he didn't even know what the differences between hawker centres, coffee shops and food courts were and didn't know how to pay his utility bills.
His lack of knowledge was gradually remedied by Felicia, 36, who advised him to move out of his Bukit Timah bungalow.
Recalled Jeffrey: "I told myself that as an actor, I had to experience the local lifestyle. It was time for me to live like a local because I needed inspiration from this environment in case I had to play more local characters in the future."
From flying over from China to laying down roots in Singapore, Jeffrey has come a long way — he didn't even know where Singapore was before coming here to compete in Star Search 2010.
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Jeffrey had been advised by his agent in China to take part in the talent quest, and while he knew it was an acting competition, he knew nothing of Singapore.
"I asked, 'Where is Singapore?'" Jeffrey recounted, and despite his lack of information, he never considered it to be a scam.
Said Jeffrey: "Had it been a scam, I'd really have fallen victim to it. But to the younger me, I felt that I had to go. Wherever I had a chance to make a name for myself, I had to seize the opportunity.
"I went for everything. I took part in the casting calls for all sorts of commercials… I was really hungry for success back then."
While his and Felicia's romance is often under the limelight, he insisted that their relationship is no different from anyone else's.
"Everyone sees us as a loving couple but in fact, we're just like any ordinary couple and do quarrel," admitted Jeffrey.
Who usually wins these arguments?
"To be honest, Felicia gives in to me more," Jeffrey matter-of-factly stated. "Sometimes my stubbornness and my pride as a man get in the way so I refuse to make the first move. I don't think this is good."
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_imElI_zYY[/embed]
Their personalities are completely different as well, Jeffrey added, saying that he's more organised and strict while Felicia is more casual and spontaneous.
These differences have caused some quarrels but Felicia is always undaunted by setbacks she may face.
"She'll always find a silver lining in everything — she's very positive, she always thinks positively. She'll try to show me that things aren't that bad and I'll feel like I have to accept it," Jeffrey said.
"It isn't that what she does is not good, but sometimes, we need to adjust to each other."
khooyihang@asiaone.com
