Updated 4th segment with transcript: Steven's interview

Scroll down to 4th segment for transcript.

3th segment clip 馬浚偉白滑到曾經被抽水？
Steven Ma so fair and smooth (skin) he was being  'cao sui' ? (taken advantage of?) lol!
Interviewer: 陳小芝  Chan Siu Ji
credit video: SomethingGoodWor@ youtube

I: Among your series, I've 3 most favorite roles. The 1st one is Chow Yong Gong from A Watchdog's Tale. (3rd favorite not mentioned in the video).  Don't know if the character has your traits in him  - coarse and crude, permed hair, (Steven: foul mouth) and also stubbles.

S: Yeah, I purposely did not shave during that period.

I: Did you like the role?

S: Very much.

I: Does he (Gong) have your traits? And what? Are you that way at home?

S: His legs gestures are like mine when I'm at home. (1:10) Also I always wear shorts and t-shirt at home. And also clip my toe nails at home even when friends are there. But I don't talk as crudely as Chow Yong Gong.  As for temper, maybe a little. Even though I look mild outwardly but when I'm angry I can look quite scary.

I: My 2nd most favorite role will be unexpected. Steps! Sing Ka Chun

S: Ha? Ching Ka Tsun?

I: And also his co-star is Liu Bi Bi (rhyme with big)

S: and many hot Latin dancing

I: Among all your series, you look the most small size in here.

S: This Ching Ka-Tsun, I'd trepidation portraying this role. Learning to dance - that part I wasn't concern cos' I didn't know how to dance at all.  So had Teacher Chow teach dancing.  (2:16) He said to me that he had never met anybody like me whose limbs in the beginning were so uncoordinated and stiff but that in 2 weeks' time could move my hips so sensuously, and could do such soft and flexible movements. You know he said that in Latin dance, like Rhumba, the hips are very important. I thought to myself, what hips? I didn't even know at first where my hips were?

 I: Actually what so good (about his character) is the tight legs hugging black pants.

S: Also that transparent netted top.  

I: It was great.

S: When I first put on that pants, I was a little scared. Because I personally am not a very hip person.

I: You are hip (note: having awesome hips), but not that kind of hip.

S: But they look ok (pants) when I wore them.

I: And unexpectedly when attired in them (pants) you (body) were not straight down but actually had a fu..fu (hour-glass shape) figure.  haha! Had a waist.  And the female audiences could see the shape. Happy?  Didn't expect that?

S: Also had a bit of flesh too.  Attired in the outfit can actually slightly associate with the word 'sexy'.

I: Bone and flesh matching.

S: Thank you.

I: I'm so happy to be able to express this secret of mine.

S: Very few people told me they like Ching Ka-Tsun

I: Use this view point to appreciate that role of yours.

S: xxxx ??  (tn: wish Steven would not keep his hand off his mouth when talking)

I: Also the character expresses your sexiness.

S:Yeah, constantly exposure..

I: No, no exposure

S: Yes, there's the netted fabric (lace), what's the difference between wearing a lacy outfit with not any clothes?

I: (to viewers) Remember when re-watch, watch it in HD.

S: And that V open all the way down here. (4:04) Dai lo wah!

I: No, it looks good. Everybody, go watch it now.

S: What's more, I was so fair skin (white) and the outfit (exposing) Those women approached me and said to me (I: sai lo. You're so agitated) "Can you not be so fair skin and so smooth, too?"  I said there's nothing I can do about it.

I: See, the people here look so happy.

S: And some guys even constantly came over to poke at me when I was so attired.

LOL!




4th segment 馬浚偉點保養？花膠煲湯包你好樣
How does Steven maintain himself?
-- he has naturally good, fair skin from his late mother
-- Fa gao (fish maw) soup
-- regular, vigorous exercise (badminton for him)
-- no special skin care regimen just regular washing.

I: Chat with Stars, I'm Chan Siu Ji, Today sitting beside me is 'liang jai' (handsome) Steven Ma, who made the women irate. (tn: with his fair and smooth complexion. Look at Steven's face (wah!) at hearing that exaggerated intro. haha!) . Here I am at close contact scrutinizing his face- no blemish, beautiful fair and smooth skin, no spots. heehee! “让所有女人气死的靓仔马浚伟，零瑕疵，美肌白滑，没有斑。”(0:25 Steven - awkward laugh)How come? You're constantly exposed to all kinds of weather shooting ancient drama.  Even your bald head get expose to the sun. (Steven: yeah) So did your blemishes (pigmentation) all go to your scalp?

S: No. I'm very careful at protecting my scalp.

I: (scrutinizing) So how come your complexion is so good?

S: Actually, lots of people have asked me that (question) Not only women but also men.  And my response is always this - I truly did not purposefully maintain my skin. Because first of all, this is hereditary. Look at the skin on my arms.  (I: wow! So fair) I was born this way.  Inherited from my mom, because my mom had good skin.  For myself, because of make-up (series), I usually use - can I say it here? (brand name)  (I: doesn't matter)  Anyway, I use some common kind of cleanser, (I: any special brand?) none. (just stuff from Watson-general store) After that, just wash face clean, and that's it.  I don't apply any cream or anything else. 

I: Because the make-up for series can take a toll on the skin. Is there any effect? (on the skin)

S: None.  As to applying a mask on my face, I can say even less than once a month.  Truly, less than once a month.  As to why (skin) until now - (1:54) I'm no longer a young child (I: True, you're at least 28-29 years old already) wah! heehee! (I: You're not young anymore) Right, not young anymore. haha! I play badminton often.  Besides badminton, always do physical fitness (gym) (I: sweat profusely) I sweat tremendously,  even when filming sweat profusely, what's more playing badminton.  After badminton, I shower -  a regular showering, just drying the body your skin is all clean already. 

I: (2:24) Ok, acting like a "niu se mo" (men crazy) let me sniff you.  Not only does not have sweaty  odor but has a natural good smell.   (S: no bad odor ga!) haha! (lol!)

S: Also, drink soup. I truly believe in our Cantonese soups.  I like to make 'fa gao' (tn: fish maw is very expensive) soup.

I: Oh, fa gao. No wonder.

S: But I don't drink it everyday.  Drink it daily has no use.

I: True -- may even be too much for the body.  Now, for this upcoming months, you must drink more soup.  Next month, oh it is actually this month - it is May already.  You'll go back to TVB to shoot a series.  (S: mid-month) And you have to promo "心照" (new album). In mid-July, confirmed? (S: yes) you'll hold a concert.

S: Yes, a mini concert

I: So you've work piled up like a mountain. So you need to take out your fa gao? (S: yes)

S: Actually during shooting a series period, really need to drink fa-gao.

I: Can you do this? In the concert (S: make soup in the concert?) through lucky draws a person is picked from the audience to be so fortunate (play on song title: Fortunate to have met you) as to drink Steven's own homemade fa gao soup.

S: Oh, that's no problem at all.

I: Something worth thinking about.

S: (awkward) yeah, worth thinking over. But truly need to drink it. 

I: I know. I'll drink fa gao soup as I listen to you singing in the concert.  (S: ok) Your concert has your new songs?  Those songs you composed while drinking fa gao soup.

S: I'll sing all the songs from the new album in this upcoming min concert. Meanwhile, I plan to have a mini tour to different places besides HK

I: Tough work so you must drink more fa gao soup.

S: Right. Don't forget to make some. (reminding audience)

I: So everybody, go now to buy fa gao to make soup.  HK$500 for a big bag.  In Macao. 

S: A bargain.

A May interview by FoneTV娛樂台《星星友偈傾》hostess: 陳小芝 aired separately in segments. videos credit: SomethingGoodWor@ youtube upload 6-14-2013

news: Steven Ma's Hectic Schedules.

馬浚偉有至愛無懼危險
Steven Ma has a most loved, has no fear for danger 
2013 June 13

Steven Ma has returned to TVB on a one-series-per-year contract to shoot a pre-modern series, Property Protector. He is presently swarmed with work as he juggles his hectic schedules. When not shooting series, Steven is busy finalizing the the upcoming promotions for the release of his music album this month as well as squeezing in time to train his voice and to rehearse with musicians for his upcoming mini concert at KITEC July 13 -14.  So busy, he does not even have time for his favorite pastime – playing badminton, which he said honestly make him unhappy.

Steven says: “Yeah, I’ve not been playing my most beloved badminton these days because I use my breaks to get some rest and also to do homework for Property Protector. But talking about badminton now makes me want to play it."

As to Steven's upcoming July mini concert, he is doing it as charity to raise funds for a non-profit HK Christian music youth ministry (The Bridge Music) - the total net proceeds from the ticket sales will be all donated to TBM.  Steven says: “During the show, I’ll sing my old songs, tv themesongs, my new songs and classic songs. Besides sharing music with the audience I’ll also share my life experiences. I hope you all will show support.”

As to his return to TVB, Steven says he has this warm feeling like returning to his alma mater meeting up with old classmates. Steven says: “My character this time is an army medic. He has a tough personality. He has PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) hence suffers wide mood swings. He is not only very intelligent but also very agile, hence, the numerous actions scenes. My character deviates from past roles. Can be said a breakthrough. Like a few days ago, I just finished shooting a scene having to both  fight and ride a bicycle simultaneously.  For better effect, I chose not to use a stunt body and did the whole scene by myself. Maybe because the actions weren't all that difficult so the shooting process went smoothly. Good thing I exercise frequently and play badminton so I’m still pretty agile. Coming up will be the battle scenes with numerous dangerous shoots. The producer reassured me that if the shoot is too dangerous he will arrange for a stunt double to do it. But my attitude is that if I can do it I’ll do it myself. "

“These days I’ve one other thing to do, which is to tan myself to look the part of my soldier character. But because it’s been a long time since I last used a tanning bed, the tanning makes my whole body itched and ached but what to do, can only apply aloe vera to protect the skin.”

Steven says suffering some minor physical pain just so his character would be more convincing to the audience is all part of being an actor.

source:  link weibo 史丹利澳門
news 6-14-2013 macaodaily

HKticketing website

To view enlarged pix scroll down to post# 102 in sm baidu

ET news: Steven Ma wants to get tan fast for his new series

ETA: transcript @1:10 - Steven's on tanning his skin.
Steven: Because I portray a soldier so he'll be under the sun but I'd not been out in the sun for quite a while and the recent days were overcast so I used the tanning bed. (showing his arms) See the skin's peeling here (I: Did you not apply ..) I did but because I did not get a tan (tanning bed) for so long, actually this (peel) is not too bad, the peeling is worse on my back and whole body like a snake shedding its skin.  (I: Is it (tanning effect) always been like this?)  Well, I was being too 'greedy' so tanned myself twice in one day.  In the past I did some tanning before (for his series characters) but not recently for a long time. So now I'll wait for the body to heal, and in 2 days' time I'll do some more tanning because my character is a soldier, I can't accept myself to be so fair skin.

Steven needs to get a tan for his character in his new series, but his over zealous and excessive tanning (2x a day - did that on the day before the interview) caused his skin to peel. 


Take care, Steven.  Not worth to abuse and damage your natural good skin for a role.

So, is Steven too fair for his character as a rural army doctor, like he think so?

Steven Ma：Grateful to life's experiences for fortifying me.

感谢磨练让我强大
source: pclady.com;   star.pclady
2013-03-21 15:54

March 8th 2013  Besides sharing skin care secrets at  Guangzhou SK-II promo counter  Steven Ma also shares his success journey with this reporter.  Despite his arduous journey he is, however, thankful for this tough road of tribulation, and that famous or not, he will continue this journey with his feet well-grounded.

~~ON CAREER~~
Q: Now that you are no longer in TVB, we would like to know how's your development in mainland?
S: Actually mainland and Hong Kong are of the same country, but because I grew up in Hong Kong and gained fame through TVB, people are therefore more familiar with me. Now that I film tv series in the mainland, it'll be that way too. Presently, I'm not shooting any tv series. My focus for now is the production of my music album. It will be officially released in June.

Q: From an actor back to a singer, what kind of a music album?
S: Of the songs in the album, five of them are composed and written by me - themes including friendship and love, mainly gospel songs on the Christian view of life.  In the past, I'd published some books so this songwriting is not all that difficult. Actually, in my early career before I gained fame I had already written some songs that were recorded in one of Warners Music album, just that not many people knew about it.

Q: Your career has seen ups and downs, when faced with life's low, how did you get through it?
S: Actually I don't think it was all that hard; it's a necessary maturation process.  Moreover, when compare my hardship to others' in this world, mine pales in comparison. Though at the time I did complain but when thought of kids unable to attend schools or eat to their fill, I'm truly very blessed already. My attitude is very positive.

Steven plugs new song on RTHK

Radio TV HK (RTHK) 2nd channel -- "Made in Hong Kong" segment starting @ 6:20 (past all that weather news etc) Steven as special guest to plug his new song “心照”. sm baidu link; tudou link 
Can't dl audio with realplayer

hosts: Alex Lee (李志剛), 區文詩Angela 洪崎峻超B

Salient points:

News Report on Steven Ma as SK-II

link lady max
News report on Steven as guest in  the SK-II promotion in the departmental store,  Grand Buy, (广百百货)  in Guangzhou Mall.

click to enlarge pix

credit sm baidu bar
related news reports - huge crowd surrounded Steven at the even

UPDATED Mar 9th: Guangzhou SK-II skin care promo

Updated March 9: link to more photos

Baidu album link2:

Steven is a head above the crowd.





March 8th 2013 4 pm - 5pm
The Skin is the Proof promo - 5 contestants deemed having best skin would be awarded with SK-II prizes. At this day of Women's Day (Mar 8th), SK-II especially invited Steven Ma to participate in their skin care promo in the Guangzhou departmental store, Grand Buy  (广百天河中怡店). Not sure if he is the SK-II spokesperson or not.

Some weiboans said they waited 2 hours ahead but there was already a big crowd.  As evinced by the photos and words of those who attended, the turnout and response were huge. Happy for Steven - very gratifying to see such a warm and enthusiastic welcome.  He has reposted many of the pictures uploaded on weibo.

Nice suit but don't understand why Steven likes to button up his shirt collar, looks so old-fashioned.credit last pix 阿健-Like_Manchi fullscreen link

As usual, weiboans praised Steven's good looks and his good skin. All said he is so much, much more handsome in person than on screen or in print.  They said crowd was so packed they could hardly move to get close to Steven. "So unbelievable len jai (handsome)" (靓仔到无得顶吖)

17:08 +18:29 weibo: So crowded. Real person so len jai (handsome), skin is so fair and flawless and fine pored. So gentlemanly and stylish. How come real person is so much, much more handsome than on tv? Look even better in my video recording. So close, I could reach out and touch his face. There was this one moment I had this impulse to touch his face.  So worth waiting 2 hours or more. I'm still so excited.(condensed paraphrase)

Below are just some of the clearer pix posted on weibo. Lots more on weibo.

Steven Sighting in Nanjing

Nanjing, makes me happy!











enlarged pix link



Earlier, Steven was sighted inside a Nanjing mall but these people could not be sure if it was him so they kept checking him.  And later more people sighted him on 3rd floor inside a restaurant but they were too timid to ask for signature and to take pictures.  

罗马时差EASTERN: Today in HK flight (tn: to Nanjing) encountered Steven.Handsome and friendly. Even took pictures with us. Hope you get over your cold quickly.

罗马时差EASTERN: 回复@欣苒: Handsomer than on screen, cos' of his skin complexion. Very polite.

micky_s: Real person much more handsome

Tsui Yong Yong's Ending Essay: SM Inborn Disposition & Willfulness

Steven Ma:  Natural Disposition and Willfulness (生性 與 任性)
My fate with Steven Ma is extremely strong. I recall my first encounter with him was in the mid 90s inside a hotel coffee house. An unexpected encounter, a patch of white before my very eyes …it was his fair complexion against which his lips looked even redder.

A young sapling, once viewed, hard to forget.

The second encounter was inside TVB makeup room. He was standing next to Leon Lai. People said he resembled Leon Lai but I did not see the resemblance. Steven Ma, he is himself.

7/28/2012 -

click to enlarge pix to check out Steven's flawless skin!!

above two pix credit: Torrie_恩 weibo
Pix got to be ps before uploaded.
But what about the below pix, which Steven  himself uploaded on his own weibo?
Skin still unnaturally flawless. ps, too?

Steven helped out Director Tsui Siu Ming in World Hepatitis Day to promote awareness of healthy liver to prevent hepatitis.  That's a really good pix of Steven.

Steven looking young and well-rested in the picture. Very fresh looking color shirt.  He says he'll be home cheering on China Badminton team as well as the Hong Kong team in the Olympics.

 credit to Steven ma weibo

updated with video: Hengdian exclusive interview:

vid credit: hengdian website

Steven speaking almost verbatim what was reported in this article.  Steven's Mandarin has improved a lot.  So proud of him. But still not used to that hairy mop covering his head.

New Series, New Knowledge, New Challenge
4th Brother Exclusive Interview: Steven Ma 

2003 Afternoon Tea Radio Interview

2003 Radio Interview. (Mandarin)
Steven promoting his 2003 Mandarin album, A Romantic Holiday, in China.  

《浪漫假期》 album specially cut for Mainland market

For those who understand mandarin. This is a 2003 30-minute China Zhengzhou radio station interview with Steven. Steven was promoting his 1st Mainland, China music album entitled《浪漫假期》Romantic Holidays.  Of all his Mandarin interviews, this was the most fluent I heard from him.  During the interview, the station played several of his new songs.

baidu link to music album covers: here
Transcript on speaking Mandarin and on dubbing @ 18:51

H =Host
S= Steven

H: Actually, Steven, your Mandarin is so much more better than I expected.
S: Actually making this Mandarin album I ...
H: Have you done it before?
S: Actually, way back I did release a Mandarin album in Taiwan, around 1995. Did some promotion there and learned some Mandarin. Later when I returned to Hong Kong I liked to speak Mandarin. Also even back then around 1995 I watched quite a lot of Mandarin tv programs, and often read the newspaper aloud in Mandarin. To me, this is important.

H: Like how we practice broadcasting.
S: Right, I think this is very important. But luckily in Hong Kong I have many friends who can speak Mandarin well so I had them speak Mandarin with me.

H: In your past tv series aired in Mainland they are all dubbed by others in Mandarin?
S: Yes, all dubbed by others.

H: Next time no need to have others dubbed, appreciate both Steven's voice and his series simultaneously, to get a complete Steven.

S: What I'd like to say is this: regardless tv series or movie, if it is in Mandarin I really hope to dub it myself. It maybe that some of my pronunciation is still not of standard precision but I think if I had the script beforehand I would have time to do some homework preparation and during filming I would exert my very best to precisely pronounce the lines because I believe during the acting process, line delivery is a great help, to help you project the emotion and actions.

H: Very true, voice is also part of the within acting. Steven, keep working on it.

Steven shooting film in China;Women envied Steven Ma's smooth skin

《建元风云》热拍 马浚伟承认收到不少内地剧本
 馬浚偉皮膚滑溜，令不少女士羨慕又妒忌
Women envied Steven Ma's dewy skin
 2011年12月08日07:33 

Steven Ma has stayed in Hengdian shooting Director Tsui Siu Ming's Legend of Yuan Empire Founder for a month or so now.  Because he only needs to shoot just one set of scenes, and finish work at around 9 pm, his natural good skin has become even more dewy despite the cold weather, making the makeup artists jealous and envious.  Steven says: Every time they see me they want to pinch my face and say so like "Tang Seng." (tn:monk in monkey king)

During this period, fans from different places came to visit him.  No wonder Steven jests that his presents have filled up his room. He also points out the benefits of shooting "LOYEF" : "Many mainland producers have handed me lots of good scripts. Truly book knowledge can beat personal experiences.  I now truly comprehend to fully "understand" one must first "see"

ent qq link
credit: steven-ma.org
newspaper cuttings -- more--

random weibo posts

Non Steven Ma weibo entries

欢欢WHH ：@马浚伟  Real person is more handsome than on screen. Very low-profile; excellent complexion! Very happy to have you in our  to Hangzhou～

tn: She is a flight attendant of the airline that Steven took from HK to Hangzhou enroute to Hengdian. She said when she first talked to Steven, she didn't recognize him at all.  And that he was very low profile.  She didn't want to intrude so didn't have pictures taken with Steven."I  like him, too, but today first class was quite full so didn't ask for autograph." "Didn't take photos, just meeting him is good enough. Don't want to intrude."

******************************

賈偉南HK 11/26 08:02  The year TVB relocated from Causeway Bay to Tseung Kwan O, I concurrently did both tv and movie. I was the last one at Causeway Bay（「伴我驕陽」）and the first one at Tseung Kwan O （「懸案追兇」） to 'sell' my scripted ideas  to Zhan Jie (Catherine Tsang) . After （「伴我驕陽」） I didn't have the chance to work with Flora Chan anymore.  The Dark Shadow 2003（「懸案追兇」）watch online was the first time collaborating with Steven, followed by "Land of Wealth", "Brink of Law", "Steps", "A Journey called Life".  Wonder if our collaboration will continue after these?

candid photos - 1st fans' Hengdian visit

November 12 2011
credit: steven-ma.org

Fans weibo messages:
Visiting SM fans 'skyped' (similar to China's yy(?)) online fans so that they could have a conference call with each other, and the online fans could listen to Steven's real voice. Anyway, apparently the line got disconnected after a few minutes of conversation, and a fan (qian qian)  called a visiting fan on her phone, telling her that she couldn't hear them. Then she heard a man's voice saying he could hear them. (She didn't grasp that he was Steven, thought was a male fan. lol)  And she insisted that the line had dropped but Steven insisted he could still hear them.

And then Steven said: Qian Qian, I can hear voices.
And then, it struck Qian Qian that the man's voice sounded a lot like Steven. Is it Steven himself speaking? How come so clear?

Qian Qian:aiyo, 4th Brother. I'm so excited.  The cellphone did not have signal so couldn't  hear. (She still didn't get it that the fan had earlier handed over her phone to Steven. Qian Qian had all along thought that Steven was just interjecting in their conversation. Instead belatedly, Qian realized that they were in fact having an one on one phone conversation. Now she really got excited.Ah...ah..ah!  No wonder Steven's voice sounded so close and clear. haha!)

Steven: Qian Qian, you didn't come, what a pity! We have good food to eat, you missed it.

Qian Qian: 4th Brother, you must wait for me. I'm going to visit you in December. 
And after the phone call, Qian Qian berated herself for being tongue tied and not saying all that she had planned to say...


Baidu weibo: They finally saw 4th Brother. He sent a van to pick all 13 of them up. Aiyo, such front door service

fan1: Real like 4th Brother's skin is very soft and delicate oh. Can squeeze out water (tn: so tender is his skin) And also very young looking. I'm so hc ya!
 
-----more fans' messages and candid pix below--

Close Encounter with Steven Ma

My Steven Ma Pursuit 8/19/2010 3-6 pm
Posted 21 August 2010 - 04:03 PM

asianfanatics.net 680
No, my heart was not beating like a runaway train, only very, very happy, very contented, and feeling very surreal that I was really in Steven's presence. And I was also very much aware that I was wearing this very silly smile on my face, but then looking around me, noticed that other people were wearing similar silly smiles on their faces, too except for those bodyguards and that woman standing by Steven with her booming voice yelling at everybody to move it up, go,go, go. Gah!

I felt the buzz of anticipation as soon as I stepped inside the store. The excitement and energy inside the cramped room were really high and palpable and very contagious. There was this humming of voices and noises but it didn’t strike my dazed mind that one of the voices belonged to Steven until someone said, “That’s Steven’s voice.” Only then did I tune in to the voices and sure enough picked out Steven’s masculine voice, but I couldn’t make out what he said, just that it sounded happy and animated. He’s probably working the crowd with his smiles and words.

I caught my first glimpse of Steven through a lucky crack between bodies that stood ahead like a high wall before us poor non-VIP people. My first thought at seeing Steven was indeed like a spiraling out of control runaway train: “OMG! Steven is really cute, so handsome; Omg! He’s attired in suit and tie! (so unexpected considering how he dressed in his previous Toronto meet and greet event, but then again, all the male staff members were attired in suit and tie, too) Omg! His skin is really smooth and flawless without blemishes as reputed. He looks so alive, so animated, so youthful looking,” and then my dull-witted mind reverted back to (contented sigh) “so cute, so handsome”. Steven looked exactly how I imagined him to look, only better. Never thought I would be so star struck! Never thought I would engage in a star pursuit venture. I could stare at him the whole day working his adoring fans, writing thus – I could now totally understand why the group of employees were like fixtures standing before him so inconsiderately blocking us commoners from feasting on him – they could not within their own willpower remove themselves from Steven’s presence (and Louis’ too, of course), so entranced were they as they feasted to their eyes’ content on him and soaked in his star presence. (What? Louis Yuen was there too, never saw him. Haha!)

Steven Ma, What’s The Time Over There?

你那邊幾點 馬浚偉
2008 East Week – Issue 92
Posted 12 June 2008 

The appointment was for 3 pm but Steven was already here by 2:45 pm.
He is often one step ahead of other people.
At age sixteen and a half he worked as a clerk in a publishing house.
At age 27 he moved his whole family from Sham Sui Po to a luxury home at Ho Man Tin.
Born in poverty, his way out & outlooks should have been gloomy, instead he shines brightly.
His mother battled cancer for 22 years; he had to beat time.
He toiled to get on stage, to stand under the limelight.
He founded a publishing company and owned a laundry shop.
Whatever he could do, he would do.
He shouldered everything himself, until like an oil lamp, the flame burned out.
He crashed and turned to drinking for solace, and suffered panic attacks.

“I thought I was strong, that I could take care of everything.”

Turn out, people should not only know to move forward,
but also to pace themselves for a long journey.
The road is winding and the nights, long.
But know this: the nights on this side of the earth are dawns on the other.

Steven moves fast, talks fast too. Within a few minutes, he is done with wardrobe, make-up, and now sits patiently for the interview to begin. He comes prepared, frequently earlier than his colleagues, which inevitably gives them pressure. Like earlier on when filming a Qing production, Sweetness in the Salt,  he was accused of being the male version of Wang Ah Jie (Liza Wang) with his multiple requests.  Actually, that wasn’t the first time it happened. A few years back, while filming the Change of Destiny with Benny Chan 陳浩民, he was rumored to have come up with a rule for fining latecomers for unpunctuality. Was he being too stringent?

“To shove the problem onto someone else is an easy way to shirk responsibility. Did I chastise someone for being late? Yes! But it’s not like I’ll scold you if you’re late for once. I feel everyone is allowed 3 strikes. But at the 4th strike, I will approach you, and face to face will ask you if you would please not be late anymore?

“I know people think I’m weird. Like what does other people’s work discipline got to with you? Time may change, but my set of principles will not change: be punctual, be responsible, and be grateful; and if these become old-fashioned, then let me be old-fashioned. I’ve been in this industry for 15 years. Even though, it’s tough to be a good person, and even though I’m like a bullseye target jabbed all over, but still those 15 years have come and passed, and I survive. Because ultimately, the entertainment industry is abundant with hardworking fellow colleagues.

“You think I didn’t know that some colleagues use the media to attack me? I know and I understand, but I’ll not do the same."

A man with high principles is a lonely man. But Steven is used to loneliness. “I’m a Chow Chew traditional man. When faced with problem, I will grit my teeth and bear it. When Steven was six years old, his mother was diagnosed with nose cancer. Only when he was a middle school student did he truly realize the scope of his mother’s pains. However, the more he empathized, the more helpless he felt. When sadness overwhelmed him, he would hide himself at a corner in his school, and cried. After which he would dry off his tears, and went home with a happy face. He did not want to add to his mother’s worries with his sadness.

Through the years, his mother’s cancer relapsed 3 times, destroying her senses of hearing, smelling and tasting.   “But she had never complained, and never gave up.”  His mother was a thin and fragile woman, but to Steven, she seemed like a giant. This wounded giant became his role model.

“During those years, I saw my father wholeheartedly taking care of my mother. I observed what an affectionate relationship was like. Recalling them, I believe there is such thing as everlasting, true love. I believe that happy and fulfilling marriages do exist.”

Steven’s father was a driver for No: 9 bus. He was the sole breadwinner for the whole family of seven. To lessen his father’s burden, Steven turned down his school offer to study designing in the science and engineering dept, upon his high school graduation.  “I was 16 and a half when I joined Long Man (朗文) publishing house as an office assistant. “

When his mother’s cancer relapsed, Steven had started his singing career. He vowed to give his mother a better life. He bought a luxury home at Ho Man Tin (何文田), and had his parents moved from a public housing single unit to a 1000 over square feet luxury home. He purchased the new home in July1999, but in the same month on the 21st, his mother passed away.

During the last month of her life, the cancer demon even took away her right eye’s vision and her ability to eat. So a tubing was surgically inserted into her stomach to feed her. Although the surgery was successful, his mother never woke up from it.

“I’ve always been strong. And thought that I could handle my emotions. But actually, I couldn’t.”

During his grieving period, his career took a sluggish turn, and then, there was the pressure of mortgage payments. He crashed.

“I’m never one to pour out my troubles to people, but I didn’t know how to take care of things then. I drank to drown my sorrows and to get high, and then I would sleep it off. But I suffered for it the very next day: hangover, ulcer, and intensified pressure.”

He depended on alcohol to relax himself, and pride himself on his ability to hold his liquor well. And that he has no cases of inebriation.

“When I was young, I felt very grown-up. And liked to act grown-up. Sometimes would drink with schoolmates. The only time I got drunk was when I was in middle school. Went to the park to guzzle beer with schoolmates. Only remembered drinking nonstop and woke up drunk on a street. Around 5 in the morning when I heard the traffic noise and people, only then did I collect my wits enough to go home. I used to work in a chemical company as a sales executive, which involved frequent trips to China. Those business entertainments required drinking, thus further boosting my liquor tolerance."

Thus, according to Steven, the peace he has now did not come easy. He likes to take risks, set up companies, operated a laundry shop, and founded a publishing company. He's not one for idling.

Years ago, his company, while undertaking the preparation of the concert, 輝黃演唱會, faced a liquidity crisis. It was cash strapped for an estimated HK$3 million. “Where can I come up with that much money in such a short time? I lay on bed, pondering. And finally came up with an “uncle” in Taiwan. When approached, he agreed unhesitatingly. I’m forever indebted to him. And the loan plus interest have since been paid off.”

His grief over his mom’s death, his anxiety over work; all these, he blithely brushed aside and affected a nonchalant front. Unwittingly, the more he put into his career, the more harm he piled onto himself. Until one day, his heartbeats sped up abnormally to about 150 beats per minute. He had to seek emergency care in the hospital. The diagnosis was an onslaught of a panic attacks. (TN: Recently, Steven was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition that causes abnormal heart palpitations. A surgery is required to permanently fix the problem. As such, his previously diagnosed “panic attacks” might have been due to his heart problem?) His doctor said his malady was due to his persistent suppression of his emotions. Once in Shanghai, he suffered an anxiety episode, so bad so that he requested a sick leave from the movie company; he was replaced by another actor.

“They were brought on by stress. Now, I know how to relax myself. I’m fine now. The spells have not recurred for a long time.”

He has been in the entertainment industry for 15 years; what he learned is that the life journey is long, to treasure the fleeting time, and to seize opportunities when available. His beginning was humble, but through hard work, he was able to surmount the social stratum. Since his formal schooling is limited; he has, for the past years, enrolled in a university taking up Chinese culture & history courses as independent study. However, what is more important is that he wishes to re-learn the arts of acting, starting afresh all the way back from square one.

“During my collaboration with Ken gor in AJCL, he pointed out that I lacked eye expressions, and so I practiced hard on expressing through my eyes. He said I was too self-conscious of being on stage as if under a spotlight, therefore, not absorbed enough in the character. Wayne Lai said my voice sound hollow / thin (錫聲), that real life voice would not sound that way, and that I should put more substance in my voice.

"15 years in this industry; this year is my start anew year.”

Male artistes do indeed have an advantage. Steven’s co-stars ranged from year past, such as Maggie Cheung to the present day, Linda Chung and Fala Chen. The fadans have changed a generation, but he remains a male-lead. The strength of a horse is said to be tested by the distance traveled, guess it applies here.

Time slips by stealthily. Come October this year, Steven will be 37 years old. Besides his rumored “Brokeback” relationship with his former manager, the only rumors he engendered were with Ada Choi, Sonija Kwok, and his wine business girlfriend, Hui Wai Ling.  His love life seems incredibly nonexistent, way too empty. A thirty something year old man – too virtuous or too unreal?

Nowadays, his contact with Sonija is limited to work only.
Steven has admired Ada but only as an artiste. He denies ever having a crush on her.
His rumors with red wine business woman, Hui Wai Ling, are at best, ambiguous.

I asked him if he admires Ada Choi.

“I’m not going to talk about this. But when you love somebody, you will be considerate of her/him. I’ve experienced having someone not pleased at seeing me; in this kind of situation, I think it’s best to remove myself from her sight.”

“Who is she?”

“Oh, I’m just giving an example.”

“But you said you’ve experienced it.”

“Hmm... Let’s not talk about it.”

A brick wall, summarily erected to block.

I used to think that Steven’s life puzzle lacks a corner piece, love.
But, is his love life truly lacking a page?
Or is it a page concealed?

Steven stayed in the hotel for half a day. At dusk came out with girlfriend Vivian (Hui Wai Ling 許慧玲). On the high alert, he and girlfriend came out one after the other.

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more pix in the source
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The make-up artist for this pix here praised Steven's good skin

link to makeup artist's comment: Steven has excellent skin, so only a dusting of powder and concealer were applied, that's it.  

前陣子幫東周做既人物專訪化妝!!

馬浚偉本身自己皮膚都好好,我只幫佢用了小小遮瑕膏同碎粉就可以了!!

仲有佢好nice0家!!

steven warm house
sina source
asianfanatics post 527

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related material:
book - anxiety attacks
VV@asianfanatics Retrospection

Towards illness, Steven has deep thoughts. He was a victim of an illness "Panic Attack" four years ago. The symptoms of such an illness are sudden tightening of nerves, giddiness, freezing of limbs, trembling hands, breathing problems, abnormal heart palpitations. "The main cause comes from stress. If I cannot calm myself down or relax myself, and if I am always on the Get-Ready mode, the illness will relapse. These few months, I suffered relapses and once, I even had to stay home for 10 days. There was another time when I was posing for a magazine photoshot, my hand trembled nonstop suddenly and had to be rushed to the hospital."

2003 SM filmed a skin care commercial

April 25,2003

Mainland China is a hazardous area infected with SARS. However, Steven recently went to Guangzhou to film a commercial without fear. Although it was only a two-day trip, the filming process was tormenting, Steven had to keep washing his face and had to film the commerical in the (artificial) rain. But, this commercial had proved Steven's skin in good condition.

This commerical's production undergoes a serious procedure. The organiser specially invited a Taiwanese commercial director who comes all the way from Japan. The first day of filming took place at the entrance of an exhibition centre in Guangzhou --- a place which was yet to be opened to the public. Two fire engines were also used to create the artificial rain in order to have a romantic ambience. Steven also followed the director's instructions, showing professionalism throughout the filming process.

Steven had to exercise various facial expression. Whenever it's rest time in between filming, the thoughtful filming crew will prepare distilled water for Steven to clean his face.

credit goes to VV in StevenMaDotCom

2009 Steven's good skin

AF#1188 Posted 18 March 2009 - 10:15 AM
credit sm baidu
source qq zone 2009 Jan 11 h

Today went passed Mongkok fire department on my way to a colleague's place for hotpot. Unexpectedly, happened upon Steven Ma shooting a scene there! But when I got there, filming was wrapping up already. Saw Steven doing a scene with an actress. An arguing scene... and then, that's it, done.. Later, a female voice hollered from inside a building: "Mazai, ni hou leng zai ya!" (Mazai, you're very good looking!) At that moment, Steven was at break, eating. When he heard that, he almost spurted out his food from his mouth, so hilarious. Meanwhile I waited nearby for my colleague to pick me up. And the crew and cast were packing up. Steven even walked by me several times. Truly, the real life person is more l'eng' (good looking) than onscreen. That his skin is so 'leng' (good) So envious!! And I thought to myself how often does he do masks weekly to maintain it. Later, colleague told me that Yeung Yi was there too, pity I did not get to see her.

A comment to above post:
唉 ai,(sigh) That a man's skin can be that good..conversely, look at us women...can it be that actually men are made of water instead. (of women)
blogger: I'm just truly envious of his skin.

Akazukin: I assume this is during the filming of Stars of Love? I can't stop laughing when I read about the moment Steven spurted out his food from his mouth when he heard someone shouting about how handsome he is... sounds totally like a scene from a comedy series, but that kinda shows how humble he is. 

Chinese below

2008 Steven Ma And Sonija Kwok and Vivian Yeo in New Zealand

From New Zealand 2008 April 19 when he, and Sonija and Vivian yeo (?) went there as guest stars for a NZ Chinese singing contest last year.

An excerpt from qq zone photos posted in her blog.

Today, I finally got to see him (Steven) in real life. He's very amiable, smiling the whole time. Greeting and chatting with all those who request his autographs. The two actresses were overshadowed by him. I guess that's the so-called charisma. had good affinity with the audience 非常的有观众缘. I observed that most people flocked to him. And all had much to say to him, even talking nonstop when the security hurried them away......(paraphrasing) And the next day, the guests got to perform on stage. When singing his last song, Steven walked down the stage to the floor, singing, and shaking hands with the audience. I finally got to see first hand what I often see on tv - the scene of audience vying to shake hands with celebrities; furthermore, I personally experienced it for I too wrangled to be the first and fear to lag behind. 争先恐后 hehe!

 From blogger's site

低头很认真的签名. Autographing attentively

有影迷叫他的名字,他扭头去呼应.笑得很可爱! A fan calls out his name, he turns around towards that voice. His smile is adorable!

正在和影迷说话的马浚伟. talking to his fan
photos proof of his good skin. 

而今天!
我真的亲眼见到他了!
他非常的平易近人!
一直微笑着,
和每个找他签名的人打招呼,说话.
而和他同去的两个女演员远不及他.
我想或许这就是所谓的魅力吧.
非常的有观众缘.
我观察过,
在场的人多数是冲着他去的,
因为每个人见了他都有说不完的话,
被保安请开了都还在说.

马浚伟唱得自然是最好的.因为他本身就是歌手出生.他唱歌真的很好听.声音非常好. 唱最后一首歌的时候他走下舞台绕着整个场子走了一圈,边走边唱. 我于是终于亲眼见到了经常在电视里看到的观众争先恐后的跑去跟表演的歌手握手的情形.
并且, 还亲身体验了. 额...对, 我也去争先恐后的俗了一把. 见笑了,