Adrian Pang Yeow Soon (born 8 January 1966) is a Singaporean actor, host, and contracted artiste under FLY Entertainment. A full-time Mediacorp artiste from 1990 to 2010, Pang first came to prominence in the Singapore television scene with his performances in both English-language and Chinese-language television dramas produced by MediaCorp and SPH MediaWorks in the 1990s. Since then, he has taken roles in hosting and theatre production. More recently, he had a small role in the Hollywood cybercrime movie Blackhat (2015), starring Chris Hemsworth and Wang Leehom.
Adrian Pang | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 January 1966 Malacca, Malaysia |
| Nationality | Singaporean |
| Education | |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1990s-present |
| Agent | FLY Entertainment |
| Spouse |
Tracie Howitt (m. 1995) |
| Children | 2 |
| Chinese name | |
| Traditional Chinese | 彭耀順 |
| Simplified Chinese | 彭耀顺 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Péng Yàoshùn |
Early life
editPang was born in Malacca, Malaysia, but emigrated to Singapore shortly after with his family. He was educated at Anglo-Chinese School and Anglo-Chinese Junior College.[1] Although he graduated with a law degree from Keele University in Britain, he did not practice, he trained at the ARTTS International in Bubwith instead. He worked for a number of years in British theatre and television before returning to Singapore. While he was based in Britain, he would occasionally return to Singapore for stage work where he first caught the eye of Singaporeans when he starred in the Singaporean comedy film Forever Fever (1998).
Career
editHomecoming
editUpon returning home, Pang joined Mediacorp. Pang later switched to SPH MediaWorks as a producer-presenter when the new company was established in 2001. It was around this time in 2001 that he moved back permanently to Singapore with his family. He quickly established himself as a household name through his work on SPH MediaWorks Channel i. A versatile talent, he excelled in hosting as well as acting, such as in the comedy Durian King and the main actor in the channel's final production, Six Weeks, before its impending merger with Mediacorp in 2005. An original idea of his, Pang co-wrote Six Weeks and was part of the creative process from start to finish.
Recognition
editRe-employed by Mediacorp after the merger, he went on to appear in Chinese dramas on Mediacorp Channel 8, such as the blockbuster drama Portrait of Home (同心圆) in 2005. His portrayal of the eccentric Dadi earned him a Best Actor nomination in Star Awards 2005. He achieved this accolade despite the fact that he is much more comfortable speaking in English than in Mandarin (something many English-speaking Singaporeans can relate to). Indeed, he admitted he had much difficulty acting in the show. He even describes himself as a 'kentang', a Malay term, to describe someone who is very Westernised.
He also starred in Jack Neo's romantic comedy I Do I Do (2005) with Sharon Au. He also appeared on Makan King on Channel U, Nine Lives on Arts Central and Maggi & Me on Mediacorp Channel 5. In March 2007, he clinched the coveted Best Actor award at the national Life! Theater Awards for 2006.
He has also appeared in various theatrical performances such as Forbidden City: Portrait of An Empress (2002), A Twist of Fate (2005), The Dresser, The Odd Couple and many others.
Pang's humour makes him one of the more sought-after hosts in Singaporean media. He was the host for The Arena and Deal or No Deal aired on Mediacorp Channel 5. He has also helped to host the National Day Parade Celebrations in Singapore as well as Miss Singapore Universe.
He also played the male lead in the series Parental Guidance opposite Hong Kong actress, Jessica Hsuen. That was also the first time Pang played a legal professional on television.
In 2008, he filmed a Chinese drama serial, Nanny Daddy, which was telecast on Channel 8 in September that year.
In 2009, he snared a leading role as a "blind" lawyer named Alex Sung bent on revenge in the Channel 5 blockbuster drama Red Thread and clinched the "Best Actor" award at the 14th Asian Television Awards (ATA).[2]
In January 2010, Pang announced that after his current artiste contract with Mediacorp expires in March, he will "experimentally" leave the entertainment industry, and establish a drama company with his wife, to be called "PANGDEMONiUM!".[3] According to Pang, the "experimental" leave was made possible via a prior arrangement with Mediacorp executives, and that he is open to returning to Mediacorp, or act in Mediacorp projects, in the future. At this time he did not appear for the last few episodes in New City Beat and acted in Channel 8 drama series With You.[3]
PANGDEMONiUM!'s inaugural production was The Full Monty held in June 2010, based on The Full Monty. Their next production, Closer showed from February to March 2011. Their third play, Dealer's Choice was played from 29 September to 12 October 2011. They went on to produce Spring Awakening in February 2012[4] and Swimming with Sharks in September 2012.[5]
In 2012, Pang starred in the Mediacorp Raintree Pictures movie Dance Dance Dragon (龙众舞) alongside Kym Ng and Dennis Chew. The movie was aired in all local cinemas during the Lunar New Year period.
In late 2012, Pang starred in the Singapore Repertory Theatre's production of God of Carnage.[6] The next year, he went on to star in a stage adaptation of Rabbit Hole opposite popular actress Janice Koh.[7]
In 2014, Pang wrote his first book for children, Hansel and Girl Girl. The children's picture book, illustrated by Cultural Medallion winner Milenko Prvacki, transplants the traditional Hansel and Gretel fairy tale to a Singapore setting. Published by Epigram Books, part of the proceeds went to charity.[8]
Recent years
editIn recent years, Pang is best known to play the fictional role of a senior lawyer, Dennis Tang, in MediaCorp's The Pupil and Code of Law television drama series. Ironically, in real life, Pang actually graduated with a law degree from University of Keele (UK) in his younger years, though he did not go into a legal job.
Pang was the creative director for the Singapore National Day Parade in 2022.[9]
Personal life
editPang married Tracie Howitt in 1995. They have two sons.[10]
Filmography
editTelevision series
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Arabian Nights | Gulnare | ||
| 2005 | Portrait of Home | Zhou Dadi | [11] | |
| Portrait of Home II (同心圆2) | ||||
| 2006–2008 | Maggi & Me | Johnny Tan | ||
| 2007–2008 | Parental Guidance | James Seto | ||
| 2007 | Do Not Disturb : Lunch Hour | |||
| 2008 | Nanny Daddy | Liu Zhuolun | ||
| 2009 | Polo Boys | Gregory Koh | ||
| Red Thread | Alex Sung | |||
| 2010 | With You | Zhou Wen-an | ||
| 2010 - 2011 | The Pupil | Dennis Tang Teng Soon | ||
| 2011 | Code of Law | Dennis Tang Teng Soon | Season 1 | |
| 2012 | The Kitchen Musical | Bryan S | ||
| 2017 | SeNT | Zacheus Lee | ||
| 2018−2020 | The Bridge | Commander Lim Boon Teck | ||
| 2019 | Lion Mums | Ho Kang Peng | Season 3 | |
| 2019 | I See You (看见看不见的你) | Zhong Zhiwen | ||
| 2020 | Code of Law | Dennis Tang Teng Soon | Season 5 | |
| 2021−2022 | Lion Mums | Ho Kang Peng | Season 4 | |
| 2022 | Little Women | Calvin Ng / Hotel Manager | Cameo | [12] |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Night Watch | Korean technician | ||
| 1998 | Forever Fever | Hock | ||
| 1999 | Everybody Loves Sunshine | [10] | ||
| 2000 | Second Generation | Jimmy | ||
| Night Swimmer | Kenneth | |||
| 2001 | Spy Game | Jiang | [10] | |
| 2005 | I Do, I Do | Lee Ah Peng | ||
| 2007 | Gone Shopping | Valentine Tan | ||
| Men in White | ||||
| 2008 | The Carrot Cake Conversations | Matthew | ||
| Pulua Hantu | Damian Lee | |||
| 2009 | The Blue Mansion | Wee Teck Meng | ||
| 2012 | Dance Dance Dragon | Eric Tan | ||
| Bait | Jessup | |||
| The Bouncer | Short film | [13] | ||
| 2013 | Sex.Violence.FamilyValues | The director | ||
| Judgement Day | Prime Minister | |||
| 2014 | Unlucky Plaza | Sky / Terence Chia | ||
| 2015 | Blackhat | Keith Yan | ||
| The Faith of Anna Waters | Father Matthew Tan | |||
| 2018 | Boi | Gordon | ||
| Republic of Food | Chia Kau Peng | |||
| 2020 | The Pitch | Himself | Short film | |
| 2022 | #LookAtMe | Pastor Josiah Long | ||
| Before Life After Death | Raymond Kwan | |||
| 2023 | Sunday | Mr Lee |
Shows hosted
edit| Year | Title | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–2004 | Yummy King | ||
| 2002 | Chingay Parade | ||
| Singapore Film Festival | |||
| Singapore National Day Parade (pre-parade) | |||
| 2003 | Chingay Parade | ||
| 2004 | Top 10 十不相瞒 | ||
| 2005 | Singapore National Day Parade | ||
| 2005–2006 | Makan King 好吃王 | ||
| 2006 | Chingay Parade | ||
| Miss Singapore Universe finals | |||
| 2007 | The Arena I | ||
| Code Red 爱上小红点 | |||
| Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd Wrap Party | End of series wrap-up | ||
| Miss Singapore Universe finals | |||
| 2007–2008 | Deal or No Deal | ||
| 2009 | Don't Forget the Lyrics! | English edition, Comic Mayhem episode | |
| New City Beat 城人新杂志 | Co-hosted with Gurmit Singh, Bryan Wong and Kym Ng | ||
| 2012–2013 | Chasing Happiness | Channel NewsAsia programme |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Magic Fundoshi | The Servant, The Wife, The Acolyte | Mu-Lan Theatre Company, London |
| 1993 | Hair | Tribe | The Old Vic, UK |
| 1994 | Into the Woods | Jack | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 1995 | Privates on Parade | Ming | Greenwich Theatre, UK |
| 1995 | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 1996 | The Glass Menagerie | Tom Wingfield | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 1996 | The Magic Fundoshi | The Servant, The Wife, The Acolyte | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 1997 | Hamlet | Prince Hamlet | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 1997 | New Territories | Wong, Monkey | Yellow Earth Theatre, London |
| 1998 | Take Away | Damien | Mu-Lan Theatre Company, London |
| 1999, 2000 | They're Playing Our Song | Vernon | Singapore Repertory Theater, Manila, Philippines |
| 2001 | Barefoot in the Park | Paul | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 2004 | The Odd Couple | Felix Ungar, Oscar Madison | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 2005 | A Twist of Fate | Uncle Albert | VizPro Entertainment / Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 2006 | The Dresser | Norman | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 2007, 2008 | The Pillowman | Tupolski | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 2009 | Much Ado About Nothing | Benedick | Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 2010 | The Full Monty | Jerry | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2011 | Into the Woods | The Baker | Singapore |
| 2011 | Dealer's Choice | Stephen | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2011 | Closer | Larry | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2012 | God of Carnage | Michael | Atlantis Production / Singapore Repertory Theater, Singapore |
| 2012 | Swimming with Sharks | Buddy Ackerman | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2012 | Spring Awakening | Headmaster Knochenbruch | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2013 | Rabbit Hole | Howie Corbett | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2013 | Next to Normal | Dan | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2014 | The Rise and Fall of Little Voice | Raysay | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2014 | Frozen | Ralph | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2015 | Circle Mirror Transformation | Shultz | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2015 | Tribes | Dad | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2015 | Chinglish | Minister Cai Guoliang | Pangdemonium, Singapore |
| 2019 | Late Company | Bill | Victoria Theatre, Singapore |
| 2024 | Salesman in China | Ying Ruocheng | Stratford Festival, Canada |
Bibliography
edit- Pang, Adrian (2013). Hansel and Girl Girl. Milenko Prvacki. Singapore. ISBN 978-981-07-3182-3. OCLC 1007705718.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Awards and nominations
editStar Awards
edit| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Star Awards | Best Actor | Portrait of Home | Nominated | |
| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Top 20 | |||
| 2006 | Star Awards | Best Actor | Portrait of Home II | Nominated | |
| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Top 20 | |||
| 2007 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Top 20 | |
| 2009 | Star Awards | Best Actor | Nanny Daddy | Nominated | |
| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Top 20 |
Asian Television Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Asian Television Awards | Best Comedy Actor | Ah Girl II | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Asian Television Awards | Best Comedy Actor | Maggi & Me | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Asian Television Awards | Best Actor | Red Thread | Won |
References
edit- ^ "Adrian pang flunked A-Level Chinese". AsiaOne. 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Asian Television Awards 2009 Winners". Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
- ^ a b 彭耀顺不续约 要和太太开设剧团 [Adrian Pang not renewing his contract, and will open a drama company with his wife] (in Chinese). Shin Min Daily News (published on omy.sg). 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
- ^ "Spring Awakening By PANGDEMONiUM!". Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ "Swimming with Sharks – Pangdemonium".
- ^ "Theatre Review (Singapore): God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza". Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
- ^ "Rabbit Hole". The UrbanWire. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
- ^ "Hansel and Girl Girl". Epigram Books. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Gratitude and optimism: Lessons from battling depression that Adrian Pang wants to share with NDP 2022 audiences". CNA. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ a b c Auto, Hermes (14 November 2021). "'I was running on empty': Actor Adrian Pang on his battle with depression | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- ^ "ADRIAN PANG ASIAN ENGLISH". voiceovers.asia. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ cue (27 September 2022). "Adrian Pang and other local actors appear in K-drama Little Women's Singapore scenes | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
- ^ "Ghost in the machine: Singapore films in 2012". www.fareastfilm.com (in Italian). Retrieved 14 October 2022.
External links
edit- Adrian Pang at IMDb
- Profile on xin.msn.com
- Bio
- MDA Bio
- PANGDEMONiUM