Buckle Up: Mark Lee hates Jack Neo's ever-changing scripts

Mark Lee and Jack Neo may be thick as thieves after knowing each other for more than 30 years.

But the former isn't pulling punches when he candidly revealed what he hates most about the 59-year-old director-actor.

When asked the question, he replied with mock irritation: "He keeps changing! He keeps changing the scripts! Changing plans during the shoot!"

Mark, 50, is used to it because of his 10-year run on the 1996 comedy variety show, Comedy Nite, and therefore, has learnt not to bring his script when filming under Jack.

However, he said that other actors who weren't familiar with Jack's directing style were surprised.

When filming the 2004 comedy film The Best Bet, Christopher Lee asked Mark why hadn't he brought along his script.

Mark told Christopher that when filming with Jack, there's "no need for a script" as long as you've read it. In response, Christopher called him "unprofessional".

Mark said with a laugh: "In the end, he (Christopher) was as 'unprofessional' as me."

Coincidentally, Christopher's wife, Fann Wong, had a similar experience when she filmed the 2008 action comedy film Ah Long Pte Ltd with Mark.

Mark will be playing an opposition politician in Jack's upcoming film Not So Long Time Ago, the sequel to the latter's two-part series — Long Long Time Ago.

The duo will also be part of the star-studded line-up for the upcoming concert Yesterday Once More. The concert is to celebrate the songs of our yesteryears and features local entertainers like Henry Thia and Marcus Chin, and getai stars like Wang Lei.

PERFECTING, NOT CHANGING

Well, it's not that Jack (or 'Director Neo' as Mark calls him) is trying to be difficult. He just wants to "perfect" the script; and that's not an excuse, he stated.

After listening to Mark's rant, he explained calmly: "Actually, the reason I do that is because I have a habit of perfecting it (the script). I won't say 'change', I would say 'perfecting'."

He added: "When the scripts are written, we don't know who will be playing the character. When the actor is cast, they may not be able to perform it as intended."

Perhaps it was the tone, or the body language, or the sagely vibe that emanated from Jack, but in contrast with Mark's brash personality, the former was serving us sage-in-the-mountain realness. Like the kind of person who sees the forest for the trees and has a reason for his actions, though it may not be immediately apparent.

With a personality like that, it's not hard to see how Jack has managed to earn the trust and respect of the numerous actors he has directed over the course of his decades-long career.

"WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN TOO MUCH"

It also seems that Jack applies that patience and wisdom when it comes to raising his children.

Jack has been married to wife Irene Kng since 1988.

He is a father of four and a grandfather of one. His eldest daughter, 28-year-old Ethel Neo, gave birth to a son last November.

When asked who was the stricter parent, both Mark and Jack confessed that they're not strict at all.

Jack said: "We love our children too much. The way our generation thinks is very different because we were brought up in tough times where our parents would punish you unreasonably.

"That's why we will never continue with that kind of discipline. I've never continued (with it). We're the opposite of that, we will love them more instead."

Mark agreed and expressed his desire for his children to be happy. Mark is married to wife Catherine Ng and the couple has three children — his eldest daughter Calista, Marksonn, and Calynn.

Recounting an incident in which his daughter was disappointed that she only scored 82 marks for a Science exam, he spoke of how proud he actually was but couldn't say so openly and instead encouraged her to have a good attitude towards studying.

He said: "I was really happy then but I couldn't express my feelings because I couldn't tell her, 'Eh, not bad already. Better than your father.' Getting 80 marks has never happened in my entire life as a student. That's true."

But ultimately, Jack felt that it all came down to different generations having different ways of raising their children.

"It doesn't matter because in the end, we all grow up like everyone else," he said.

ALSO READ: Buckle Up: Nick Teo says marriage is on the cards but Hong Ling 'proposes' instead

Buckle Up is an AsiaOne Original entertainment series where pairs of celebrities "take the backseat" on a car ride and get candid about their lives in a heart-to-heart interview. If that's not enough, we get them to spill some fun facts about themselves in a game of Two Truths, One Lie. What will these famous people reveal? You'll just have to watch to find out.

bryanlim@asiaone.com