Elvin Ng jets off to New York, hopes to 'upgrade' his acting

His new hostel might be a downgrade from his usual lifestyle, but local actor Elvin Ng said it's worth the hassle for the "enriching" experience.

In an Instagram post on Thursday (June 30), Elvin bid farewell to fellow Singaporeans as he departed for New York to pursue further studies.

The 41-year-old said that he would be leaving his "comfort zone", adding: "It feels a little scary and intimidating with all the uncertainties, and yet full of excitement and anticipation."

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In response to AsiaOne's queries, Elvin explained that he would be there for five and a half weeks — just over a month — to attend a four-week film course for acting at the New York Film Academy.

Addressing concerns on whether he would stop acting upon his return, Elvin said that he hoped that he would come back to Singapore as "a better and more enriched version of [himself] as an actor and person".

"I've always wanted the chance to be able to experience something like this and to go for a prolonged period of time to immerse myself in a learning and enriching life experience," Elvin told AsiaOne.

"It's a rare opportunity to go for a professional acting course to learn and unlearn new things, hone my skills, gain new acting experiences and upgrade myself as an actor."

Thanking his managers and The Celebrity Agency for their support, Elvin also explained that he had been busy with filming and giving "output" for the past 16 years.

He said: "Given I have a rare longer frame for a break this time round, I feel it's important I take a step further to have input and also internalise my journey as an actor other than constant output all the time."

The opportunity for him to grow as an actor and person doesn't come easy, however.

In Instagram posts made on Friday, Elvin shared photos of his humble living quarters and wrote: "No bedsheet, no pillow, no nothing!"

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Although he will likely get his necessities once the supermarkets reopen, Elvin added that he "really and definitely" knows now what being out of his comfort zone feels like.

While this may be a new experience for him, he isn't afraid of pushing boundaries — even when his dignity as a celebrity is at stake.

When asked about his weirdest quirks during an interview, Elvin gave a decidedly shocking answer. He enjoys sniffing his leather watch strap which he wears for months at a time, reported Lianhe Zaobao in June.

"It makes me feel refreshed and I get hooked!" he admitted.

READ ALSO: Christopher Lee couldn't understand 50% of scripts when he was rookie actor, regrets not studying harder

khooyihang@asiaone.com