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Li Nanxing on De-LEE-vering the Laughs in ‘The Fortune Handbook’!

By Flora / 23 Jan 2017 (Monday)

Photo Courtesy of: MM2 Entertainment

Gathering the best of three Lees in Singapore - Li Nanxing, Christopher Lee and Mark Lee - the trio collaborates for the first time in ‘The Fortune Handbook’, an upcoming Chinese New Year comedy!

You’ve seen Ah ge Li Nanxing in various dramatic roles in MediaCorp Channel 8 drama series- as the king of gamblers, the righteous police officer and countless of anti-hero roles in his nearly three-decade long career, but it’s not every day you get to see Li in a comedic role.

Call this his next challenge, in The Fortune Handbook, Li plays the older brother of Vivian Lai’s character who detests his lazy brother-in-law Soh Hock, played by Christopher Lee. He aims to keep the family’s recipe away from Soh Hock who has been plotting to sell his secret recipe to pay off gambling debts. The movie also stars Xavier Ong and Jazliyana Lee, with guest appearances from Marcus Chin, Hossan Leong and Nathan Hartono.

Despite this being his first full-fledged comedy role, Li proves to be one of Singapore’s best - excelling in the role of the overprotective brother Soh Hock.

Photo Courtesy of: MM2 Entertainment

Even co-star Mark Lee was surprised with Li’s comedic flair. “To be very honest, you seldom see Nan Xing doing comedy on TV, so when we first started, I was a little worried about him. But after the first scene together, I felt that he can go into comedy (in the future)!” Adding that comedy is all about the tempo. “One doesn’t have to be very funny or hilarious to do comedy. As a co-star, he knows how to give and react, and we are all in tandem with the tone. What’s important in comedy is the timing and tempo, which he doesn’t lack in.”

“If you want to act in a comedy, you have to have pretty humorous. When I learned that my co-stars are the two of them (Christopher Lee and Mark Lee), it boosted more confidence. If you asked me to front a comedy movie, I won’t have the guts to do it,” quipped Li Nan Xing, when asked about his decision to finally try for a comedy role.

(Watch the official trailer for 'The Fortune Handbook' here!)

Photo Courtesy of: MM2 Entertainment

Not only is this the first time we get to see the three male leads working together in a movie, they have taken on additional roles to this project - investors and executive producers.

“Simply because of the three ‘Lees’,” explained Mark Lee. “I feel that an opportunity like this is hard to come by.”

Christopher Lee added: “As executive producers, we want to fine-tune the script and add more fun elements in it, but yet not steering too far from the original story. From styling to script to filming, we will give our own opinions and thoughts about it… To film a good movie, it’s not about personal decisions or selfish gains. You can’t be angry at an opinion from someone, it’s in the best interests for the movie.”

Directed by Kelvin Sng shared that he is open to opinions and inputs from his actors so that they ‘take ownership of their roles’. “Sometimes, there are certain things that we may disagree on, but we will film it nonetheless, to give a variety of different takes to see which is best for the movie,” the ‘Taxi! Taxi!’ director said.

Fans of Singapore’s current heartthrob Nathan Hartono, you will be able to enjoy a short cameo from the singing sensation who plays one of the disciples of the Fortune God.

“It’s a Chinese New Year movie, so as with most Chinese New Year movies, it’s the more the merrier. Nathan Hartono was always on the list and working with him was great. He is very game and open, and he is actually very funny,” shared Sng.

Photo Courtesy of: MM2 Entertainment

The Fortune Handbook opens InCinemas 26 January 2017!

The Fortune Handbook Li Nanxing Christopher Lee Mark Lee Local

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Li Nanxing on De-LEE-vering the Laughs in ‘The Fortune Handbook’!