Always out to seek opportunities, Kuching-born actor says life’s too short to just sit back and wait for things to happen
Kheng with Rhys Meyers, who played James Brooke in ‘Edge of the World’.
KUCHING-born Kheng Chon Tan represents a segment of people in society who, upon experiencing failure, would congratulate themselves for having a go at things.
The 46-year-old fully realises that nobody wins all the time.
He sees himself as just an ordinary person, living an ordinary life and doing an ordinary job.
One thing about him, though, is that he is a ‘great dreamer’, and he thinks that he is not the only one.
“To me, life is way too short to just sit back and wait for something to happen.
“That’s why I have this thinking of always trying to make things happen and in this respect, I’m specifically referring to my dream to be in the movie world,” he tells thesundaypost.
It is this stance that makes Kheng stay alert and always out to seek any opportunity for him to enter the realm of movie-making, regardless of how big or small the role may be.
“Well, some of today’s biggest names in movie-land got their start by taking on small roles. Many people have no idea what these famous film stars had to go through before getting their big break.
“It’s tough to imagine them as struggling actors – ever.”
Kheng getting ready for a scene in ‘Edge of the World’.
For Kheng, he has been ‘conditioning his mind to think and dream big, as if he was already a big shot’, yet at the same time, he also reminds himself to always be humble and be willing to start small.
“There is a saying that goes like this: ‘Aim for the moon. Even if you missed it, you would land among the stars’,” he points out.
‘No time wasted’
Kheng had undertaken small roles in several movies and appeared on many shows during his time in Singapore, where he worked an air-conditioning technician. He was there from 1994 to 2004, before coming back to Kuching for good to be closer to his ageing parents.
Kheng all prepped for a scene in a Chinese costume drama.
Nonetheless, he never wasted any of his free time throughout his 10 years in the republic.
Kheng has played many non-speaking roles, including a policeman, throughout his years in Singapore’s screen entertainment industry.
On his days off or during public holidays, he would look out for any part-time stint and this included going for casting, audition or screen-test calls.
Kheng on standby, as the crew members prepare the set-up for a scene of a war-era feature.
He had made non-speaking appearances on many Singapore-made shows and movies between 1997 and 2004, taking on various roles such as a policeman, a security guard, a doctor, a Japanese soldier, an extra in a Chinese costume drama, and a host of other fill-in parts or as stand-ins for actors.
Most of the time, his name never made it to the closing credits.
Kheng says he never wasted any of his free time throughout his 10 years in Singapore, always looking out for casting calls during his days off or public holidays.
Nonetheless, Kheng had met and rubbed shoulders with many Asian celebrities like Choo Hou Ren, Tong Bing Yu, Li Nanxing, Henry Thia, Shaun Chen Hong Yu, Mark Lee, and Christopher Lee.
Kheng with Singapore’s actor, host and comedian Mark Lee.
“To be amongst these screen stars already made me feel like a star; made me feel like I was getting closer and closer to my dream,” he said.
Kheng with Singapore’s screen legend Henry Thia.
“It was a very exciting time – a period full of adventures for me who was, at the time, a budding youth filled with zealousness.
Kheng in a photo-call with Singapore’s veteran actor Zhu Houren.
“There are just too many fond memories and it’s impossible to pick out any particular one to share, but what I cherish the most is having made lots of friends – those who took up minor roles like I did, and also the crew members behind the scenes.
Kheng with Negeri Sembilan-born actor Shaun Chen, who has made it big in Singapore.
“Of course, I treasure all the photos taken of me with the actors and actresses when I was working with them. They were fun and friendly people to mix around with.”
Breakthrough casting
The dream of landing that big break still lived in Kheng’s mind, even after his permanent return to his home city.
This appeared to come true in mid-2019, when he heard about an audition to select extras for a movie about the first ‘White Rajah of Sarawak’, James Brooke.
Kheng taking a selfie during a break. The background in the photo shows Kampung Siniawan, a village in Bau District, near Kuching.
He strongly felt that it would be a grave sin if he just let such opportunity slip by.
Till today, he still remembers his audition’s call-time and venue — 2pm on Aug 10, 2019, at Borneo 744 Complex in Kuching.
“After the audition, I went home feeling ‘sunny’ – even the birds seemed to be chirping cheerily around my house, as if congratulating me for a job well done and asking me to be ready for a piece of good news.”
Indeed, Kheng got a call-back a few weeks later, confirming that he had secured a small, no-dialogue role in ‘Edge of the World’ – an ambitious international project supported by Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), with Signature and Samuel Goldwyn Films on board to release the historical biopic in the UK and the US, respectively, in June 2021.
At the time, Kheng considered it as a significant breakthrough, in view of the feature being a Hollywood production.
After all, it had been years since he was last involved in the movie business before leaving Singapore.
Kheng underwent seven days of shooting for the scenes that had his character.
“I am extraordinarily proud of this assignment, because it felt like I was in an episode of Sarawak history.
Kheng with Hong Kong actress Josie Ho.
“I’m so proud to have met big stars like Jonathan Rhys Meyers who played the lead role (James Brooke), Hong Kong actress Josie Ho, and also Dominic Monaghan who’s already famous for his portrayal of the hobbit ‘Merry’ in the ‘Lord Of The Rings’ trilogy.
“I believe not many people ever had the chance to be on a big movie set and in close proximity with such big celebrities, and even take selfies with them.”
Kheng said the gratitude that he felt for the chance to be in this movie and also for the state government that was fully behind this project, was ‘overwhelming’.
“Some people may see it as just a movie, but it’s actually a window that showcases the beauty of Sarawak, and also its homegrown talents, to the world.”
Apart from the STB, ‘Edge of the World’ was also supported by the Film in Malaysia Incentive’s Rebate on Qualifying Malaysian Production Expenditure, with the Brooke Heritage Trust serving as the film’s technical advisory.
The director was Michael Haussman, an award-winning music director who is known for his work with the likes of Madonna, Justin Timberlake and Selena Gomez.
James Brooke remains a historical icon in Sarawak, and his legacy is kept alive by his descendants through the establishment of the Brooke Gallery in Fort Margherita in Kuching.
Brooke’s adventures had all the right ingredients for a legendary story-telling – it began with him leaving his home country England, then arriving in exotic Borneo where he later fought off the pirates, winning the favour of the Sultan of Brunei before becoming the first ‘White Rajah of Sarawak’.
It is said that Brooke was the real-life role model for Rudyard Kipling’s short story ‘A Man Who Would Be King’, and Joseph Conrad’s ‘Lord Jim’.
There had been previous attempts to make a White Rajah movie, including one by the ‘Golden-Era’ Hollywood actor Errol Flynn in 1936.
Still eyeing opportunities
Since his return to Kuching, Kheng has been self-employed, earning a decent and stable income.
Nevertheless, he is still a ‘big dreamer’ and would never abandon his aspiration of making it big in the movie industry.
The always-energetic man believes that this ‘Land of the Hornbills’ is home to many beautiful and exotic locations that would look superb as the backdrop in any movie.
He feels that more efforts should be taken to attract more film production companies and have them come over to Sarawak, where they can discover and capitalise on these ‘gems’ for their projects.
“And should they come, this dreamer – that’s me – would surely be trying out for an acting role; you’d definitely see me in the queue outside the audition hall,” says Kheng with a laugh.