Chenhaosen: The Lion of the Sun 2

The interview in Femin (translation)

(https://thefemin.com/2023/12/interview-with-edward-chen/)

“The down is the process, not the result, and then you should enjoy it,” said Edward Chen

It was when I was watching the movie “Your Name Engraved Herein” that I first learned about Edward Chen. He had a camera face, which really impressed me, and as I knew, he always tried all his best to shape every character he played. 

Since I saw him at first sight, he has appeared easy-going and open-minded with shining smiles on his face. However, I realize this young man of 20 something, sentimental and sensitive, never stops talking to his soul when tons of problems in this world overwhelm him.

If it is common sense that a person of 20 something has to experience what is confusing him, then he has to face it, understand it, and then accept it. Edward, at this moment, is on the journey of looking for the answers. 

“Living at ease means not needing to prove how good I am.”

In Nov., he published his first album, which widens his show business scale. In the past, people realized him through the camera lens and his roles on the screen while as a singer, he expected to convey the deeper part of his inner world through music and songs. The title song of the album “Aloof” was chosen to expose his true color without anything left. He said what he wanted to say directly.

Compared with what he was at the earlier stage as an actor, he divulged he was depressed, suppressing how he felt in life in the interviews these days. When I was talking to him, I discovered he became more conserved and emotionally stable. Speaking of his change, he said after being silent for a while: “In the past I usually tended to need answers to my problems in a hurry; therefore, I couldn’t help sharing how I felt with others, expecting to find the answers in the conversations. But, now I think it is better to slow down and digest my problems on my own, and gradually as time goes by I can calm down and solve the problems, achieving peace in my mind.”

It’s been a year since the release of the movie “The Post Truth,” where he co-starred with his senior colleague, the famous actor, Hsiao-chuan Chang. Then he told me he expected to become a man like him, who made people feel stable, responsible, and mature. I remember what he was like when he was sharing his thoughts with me. Now, he said with laughter that he was close to this goal, and felt grateful to those seniors who worked with him when he was in his 20s. 

To Edward, the picture the seniors portrayed was something he was fascinated with: working and living at his own pace in his field without the load of anxiety in mind. That kind of ease to Edward originated from the mindset that he knew what he wanted, not in the desire of proving what he had achieved. 

“If you regard the low ebb as the process instead of the result, you would enjoy it.”

However, even though he clearly knows what he wants and moves toward his goal, he often feels frustrated during the journey. Similarly, when he was enjoying the applause, he had to take people’s trolls. 

In 2017 he starred in the online drama Red Balloon, which made him known to the public, and the role he played in the movie “Your Name Engraved Herein” pushed him to the bigger stage. He had a real sense of being a “star.” Edward showed his potential in acting though he was still new in this circle. People fell into the charm of his eyes, getting the message of his talent and sincerity in them.

Well, fame is a coin with two sides. As a celebrity, sometimes he has to hide something from the public, or sometimes he needs to clarify some rumors. All in all, Edward learned to stay calm and wait with patience until he had the chance to tell the truth. 

As a young man in his 20s, who still confronts with lots of anxiety and restlessness, Edward gave us a very positive answer when speaking of the low ebb: if you regard it as the process instead of the result, you would enjoy it; otherwise, you would fall into the vault of endless pessimism.” 

During this interview, I was impressed with his way of meditating on his own low ebb. He told me firmly that at the moment he still could enjoy himself and feel down-to-earth. Under the star sign Leo, this young man showed his tenderness and delicacy, and at the same time he believed with confidence that he was strong enough to deal with any confrontation, trusting himself that he could find light and hope ahead of him. 

The definition of Edward Chen is to give all he has with nothing left.

In the movies he played some roles and tried to show some types of love. I was wondering if he felt the same with the roles he played in private. His answer, somehow, surprised me. He said, “ I’m more like the character I played in the movie “The Post Truth”, Chuan-yi Chang.” He explained further: No matter how crazy the character is, he is still a human being. He used to be living as the young man Chang before the camera started to roll. To him, Chang is not only a framed-up victim with regret, a broken heart, and reluctance, driven to become crazy, but also a boy who wants to cover his fragility and wound. 

As for the type of love, Edward gave me his answers after meditating for a longer time. He said slowly, “ Like Chang, he tends to suppress his love inside, but when he collapses, his emotion and affection will flood without anything left.” “Once I decide to show my fragility to someone, I would want to rely on her with all my heart.” 

Edward wants to love someone with nothing left, giving all he has.

“I am not an extroverted person, and then I feel at ease with my introversion.”

Though Edward usually acts like an extrovert person, in fact, he is introverted–he showed that before. He fears to mingle with people, and he would feel uneasy and insecure when hanging out with new friends. His album “Almost Human” was meant to expose more of his privacy. As he explained why he chose this title, those introverted people, therefore, grabbed deeper feelings about themselves. 

“I think I want to become invisible sometime when getting along with people.”

Because of his detached attitude, some people took him for being aloof, arrogant, immature. When he was in the process of completing this album, he kept reminding himself that if people took him in this way, he just accepted it without any excuse. 

“If you are not an extroverted person, then feel at ease with your introversion.”

As a matter of fact, an introverted person usually has an abundant inner world, but he cannot open his mind so quickly. He said with laughter when he met someone new to him, he might have generated a thousand starters in his mind, but finally he dared not to say anything, or missed the chance of breaking the ice. 

In addition, “almost” meant “nearly.” It meant something else to him. He thought everyone wanted to make things perfect and he spent three years recording this album. From time to time, he demanded himself to reach his ultimate goal “perfection.” However, that was motivation. After he realized he could not reach the goal, he came to the conclusion that any achievement was “almost”, not “perfect.” So, he wanted to remind himself that perfection was the goal, and the more important thing was he had tried all his best. 

“All I need to do is to find why I love myself.”

Different from the characters in the movies who are covered with the lens, the singer Edward has to express his strange part to people by his voice and his affection. To him, this album is like a diary of his three years. Each song and each lyric tell his story in his heart like a documentary. 

This interview and photographying was scheduled as the next day of his press for the album. With a tight schedule, he never showed fatigue on site, always smiling and humming his new songs. Every shot was finished quickly and satisfyingly. We even finished the job ahead of schedule. When talking to me, he tried and thought again and again about his answers, which showed his respect and concerns for this event. This reminded me of his interaction with his fans. He considers his fans to be his friends, which becomes a wonderful story in people’s mouths.

We want to investigate how he made it, becoming so connected with his fans. Speaking of his fans, he had sparks in his eyes, nodding and saying, “I cherish every chance and occasion that I can see my fans in either the after talks of the movies or mini concerts with autographs.”

“In this era things happen in a very short time and everyone moves on at rapid paces. People would like you today while leaving  you behind tomorrow. So, I have to find the reason I like myself; otherwise, I cannot convince people to stay by my side for long.” 

The ideal lifestyle is nothing but living with your feet on the ground and feelings of peace. 

Sometime in the past he thought he could not fit into show business. But after all the experience of being an actor, he realized he loved acting more than he had imagined. “Loving” was the only way for him to stay passionate. Though sometimes he was exhausted due to long working hours, he never thought he began to hate or like the job. He always stayed true to his choice, which initiated him all the time. 

He mentioned how he went in and out of the character after work. “My best ‘weapon’ is that I have no idea of “in and out” of the character. My first thought is I want to make each cut and scene as good as possible. All I want and need to do is to live the life of the character once. That’s my way of preparing for acting.”

After we finished the topic of acting and singing, Edward described his ideal life in private with his experience as an actor for several years. 

Under the star sign Leo, Edward is thought to be affectionate, tending to be in ecstasy or deep depression only. Sometimes he wants to make fun of himself among people, but likes to be immersed in sorrows alone; however, he still feels happy with his job as an actor. As an actor, he can become someone else and live in the way of the character just like seeing things through another soul. He can have  a different perspective of inspecting the world. And even sometimes he can be rebellious. As a singer, he can sing what he cannot divulge what he cannot say by words in the disguise of a celebrity. Then he relieves all his negative feelings and emotions. As for his own expectations of his future, all he wants is to live with his family with his feet on the ground and feelings of peace. 

“The ideal lifestyle is playing music and writing songs at home, and acting in two dramas a year. I also want to be a backpacker who sees, feels, and learns about the world. The ultimate goal is to make this world better with my own power.”

Edward, this young man in his 20s, seems to set up a goal for a long time, which cannot be accomplished within three or five years. This answer reflects, more or less, his true desire in heart. In fact, for people in their 30s or 40s, they are also looking for a very similar essence in life–the peace. When they can be free of the fetters and out of the box that the society limits them, listening to the inner voice and refusing to cater to the way the society confines wem ; then they and Edward can have their ideal life—living at ease and in peace.