For the past 20 years, Aaron Kwok has been synonymous with Hong Kong superstardom. As he prepares for a mega Christmas concert run, he tells Time Out why he wants to please his many fans, and why he's far more than just a pretty face.

Only the mad, bad and truly cocksure talk about themselves in the third person. It takes a special sort of arrogance to pull it off. But somehow Aaron Kwok manages it. Referring to himself constantly by his Chinese name, Kwok Fu-shing, the 46-year-old actor, dancer, Cantopop singer and Hong Kong superstar comes over with all the super-confidence of a man who’s used to being adored, albeit with an ego to match.

He’s an interesting character to weigh up. One second his eyes seemingly shatter glass and penetrate thoughts; in another, he laughs with the innocence of a baby cub. In the flesh, he looks much thinner and way more petite than on the much-publicised Physical gym adverts. His body is perfectly proportioned, with a face so delicate you could just wrap it up and package it for Christmas. Okay, there’s a few lines on his forehead and, close up, there’s a pair of weathered eyes sandwiching his perfectly straight nose, but his face has an asymmetry that makes him look even more striking than on his many Photoshopped images. Put it this way – at his ripening age, he looks amazing.

The award-winning star talks in short Cantonese bursts, often without a subject or a verb. And he tends to repeat words using lots of synonyms. While he always looks you in the eye, you know he’s talking and thinking aloud. It makes it hard to follow his trail of thought and to understand what’s being said. But we do our best when Kwok meets us in a gym resting area after finishing a press conference for his up and coming concert, De Showy Masquerade World Tour. In front of TV cameras, he looks composed and authoritarian – an attitude he carries right into the interview. But, gradually, as we begin to talk about films, music and his self-perception, he loosens up and throws hands and arms around like he’s talking Italian. His eyebrows dance like caterpillars and he smiles and laughs with genuineness. And then sometimes, suddenly, the atmosphere takes a bizarre turn and we’re not having a conversation any more. It’s more like Time Out asking a question with Kwok thinking aloud. Is he genuinely thinking? Or just acting? Judge Kwok and his third person for yourself…

You’ve been in the industry for 20 years and, it’s safe to say, you grew up in the public eye. In the old music videos and interviews, we see a youthful and almost innocent-looking puppy. And, now at 46, how different do you feel? Is the transformation from boy to man complete?
Yes, of course.

How so?
When you’re in the entertainment business, your life’s journey is all about destiny. It’s faith and many things combined. Life. Fate. Somehow I believe your life and your path in the future have already been decided for you. For me, it’s a very long story. My father owns a gold jewellery business. He wants me to inherit it, but I wanted to train at TVB instead. (What Kwok says here reads exactly the same as the career section on his Wikipedia page…)

So was your father being supportive at all when you accepted a place on TVB’s dancing course?
He didn’t approve in the beginning. I wanted to try regardless. There were 3,000 [people] auditioning and only 30 got through.

Your father organised an internship for you at a jewellery boutique and you didn’t even turn up. You said an accident prevented you from starting the job. Was the story true? Or was it more rebelliousness?
It really was an accident. It literally happened on my first day of work. The night before, I was at my friend’s birthday party. I saw somebody dancing and I thought ‘that’s really cool’. So I kicked my leg in the air like they did and ended up injuring myself. I was 17 at the time. I went to the doctor’s – he gave me a note and told me to take some rest. So I gave the note to the manager and he said ‘OK. Go home and take some rest’. When I returned, I was shocked that he told me never to go back. How I got into the entertainment business was entirely determined by fate. The birthday party’s host was my friend who worked at TVB who had already signed me up to the trainee programme. It was all coincidental, all destiny.

From boy to man, what’s changed inside?
With years comes maturity. Kwok Fu-shing has more sympathy now and begins to understand the world isn’t all about me. I had a huge ego and I lived in my own world. The world is in a constant state of flux. Nothing is permanent. You saw 911, you saw SARS and you saw [your] family leaving [dying]. Many factors culminate in maturity. It probably means Kwok Fu-shing has more care and love for others and is more considerate of the whole situation.

What are the perks of being older?
You have more analytical power. But I think I’m still quite immature. Some people in their 20s are already very mature. For me, it only happened in the past 10 years. That’s why I couldn’t have possibly done great films before. I mean, people can see, the weight I have now as it grows with my presence. And Kwok Fu-shing can only have this presence when he is a man. It’s a flavour of personality.

So, can you tell us some of your core values?
[Long, uncomfortable pause] Dignity. Uh, respect. Self-esteem. [Long pause] They are very important.

What do you mean?
[More hesitation] Dignity. No matter what class you are, what race you are, how poor or rich you are... I mean, different races… different classes… you must respect people’s dignity. Is that too abstract? I mean, to put it simply, everything you do, you do it for yourself. And you work for your own happiness.

You might be a 46-year-old, but god, what a body! If we ran our fingers down your abs they’d go ‘clack, clack, clack’. How do you stay so trim?
My life is very routine.

A scheduled routine?
Due to the nature of my work, I just don’t have a typical nine-to-five routine.

Is there anything you must do?
Run. Sweat…

Where do you run?
I run on my own treadmill. Actually I recently wore out my treadmill. It just… broke.

Wow. How long do you run per day?
I mean, for people to keep a healthy lifestyle, probably 30 minutes a day? Each and every day…

How long did you run on that treadmill before it broke?
Eight years.

At this point, Kwok clearly doesn’t enjoy questions about his physique and goes on the defensive. After so many years of flaunting it (see p20), he now wants to be perceived as a serious actor. Kwok won the Golden Horse Best Actor award twice, back to back in 2005 and 2006. The other actor who has won the same award two years in a row is Jackie Chan, the action movie star turned Hollywood comedy actor.

What was the lightbulb moment which made you turn from singing and dancing to serious acting?
For the past 10 years I was doing the same thing over and over again. You sing every day, dance every day and face the media every day. It’s been 10 years and Kwok Fu-shing’s working mode just hasn’t changed. And I began to feel bored. I wasn’t doing it for myself. What was I doing? As you grow up you just don’t want to sing and dance every day. There was probably a period when I watched many interesting films and I was suddenly reminded that I was trained as an actor too! And it was exactly during that period I realised I needed to slow down and begin the transformation into a serious actor.

So, how differently do you perceive your singing and acting careers?
I think music is very personal. When I am singing, I am literally singing my journey. My emotions, my feelings, the happiness, joy, sadness and anger are all mine. I am presenting, singing and performing myself. But in films, I can always be someone else. I can never be anybody else other than Kwok Fu-shing in real life. But I can be a policeman, I can be a murderer in films. That’s why I love being in films. To satisfy my imagination. Through these characters, who at some point flowed inside my body, it feels like I have read a book about myself and put it on the shelf. And I know I want a full library.

Acting or singing, which makes you happier?
Mmm… you do different things at different stages of your life. When I was 20 to 30 I was a ball of energy. I was very innovative, full of ideas. If I wasn’t that enthusiastic I wouldn’t have enough songs for my gigs. But I also enjoy being on stage. I like the metamorphosis on stage. I have to admit it’s tough to break through after doing big concerts in 94, 96, 98, 00, 04, 07… but I like breakthroughs. For example our revolving 450-degree dance floor that was recognised by the Guinness World Records… anyway, I am definitely happier now. Because I am doing what I really enjoy doing right at this moment.

What kind of acting are you into?
Method acting.

What is your version of method acting?
You have to practice acting, all the time. And you have to really immerse yourself into the film set. You cannot get bullied by the cameras. In Murderer, it talks about a cop who didn’t know he murdered all these people. The virtuous and righteous cop was investigating these horrible homicides, and as he looked at the evidence it emerged he was actually the murderer. When I prepared for the role, I read criminology books, I asked CIDs who investigated murders. I needed research to create this character in my head. It takes a lot of facts and imagination. And when we started shooting I was the murderer. I convinced myself I killed somebody. I remember I dreamed about killing someone. And I woke up thinking ‘where did I hide the body?’

Some actors are squeamish at seeing their own performance. Can you watch yourself on the big screen?
I don’t mind watching [my movies] with friends who I rarely see who have missed the screening in cinema.

Would you like to direct or write in the future?
I believe some day… life is like… as I said, fate. Destiny. One day I would love to film my own movie that belongs to myself only. But what does Kwok Fu-shing want for his film? What is this dream that is very close to my heart? What genre of film will it be? Films are always about dreams… and I’ll need an investor. I need to think about a script, I need inspiration. The timing is not now. At the moment I want to focus on being an actor.

Are you acting now? Are we seeing the real Aaron Kwok?
I am 100 percent Aaron Kwok. When I work on my music… for example today I am working at this press conference. Should I be in character? Am I Kwok Fu-Shing? Or should I be the stage Aaron Kwok?

Ok... have you ever thought of giving it all up to join the circus?
I want to keep exploring new territories. You’ll never know your boundary without being tested. I want to keep creating... I mean, what does ‘successful’ mean? Nobody knows. And if I regard myself as a successful person there are always people better than you. I only compare myself with myself and I never for a minute think I am successful. I enjoy what I’m doing, but it doesn’t mean it’s enough.

With this mentality you will never stop...
[Laughs] Don’t worry about me! I know how to stop. I know how to control my workload.

HOCC told Time Out that the music industry in Hong Kong is dictated by award ceremonies. Do you have any opinion regarding this matter?
Awards are memories and an honour, reminding me of what I’ve done at a certain stage in my career. I see them as recognition but not an achievement. When you evolve as a person and you see these prizes and you know your career has evolved too… but it doesn’t mean everything. I don’t get motivated by awards.

So, lastly, what do you want for Christmas?
I want my concert to be successful, and people will find it entertaining and amusing.

How about a special Christmas present for the people out there?
Well, this is a 16-show concert and, for me, stamina is very important.

Indeed, some in the gay community worship you, and there have been reports stating you might be gay... so, are you?
[Uproarious laughter] No!

[Laughing apologetically] I’m so sorry!
No, no, that’s quite alright!