24 November 1999 | The New Paper

These sequence shots capture a glimpse of the drama unfolding at Boat Quay during the shooting of the $8.5 million movie, 2000 AD. EDWIN YEO is your guide.

YOU won't mistake Aaron Kwok for anything less than a Heavenly King.

Because he behaves like one, at least, he does in front of the press.

Take the answer to an innocent question I asked the Hongkong singer-actor, who is in town for the filming of his new movie, 2000 AD.

I asked whether he would be acting in the sequel to his highly successful gongfu movie, The Storm Riders.

He replied in Cantonese: "When I finished the first one, I already said I wasn't going to do the sequel.

"I've told the Hongkong media that and I don't like to repeat myself. Since you're Singaporean, I'll answer it again, but I won't repeat myself again."

That's attitude for you. Star attitude.

Few Hollywood stars behave like him. Ask them a question you're not supposed to and they usually make an effort to answer it.

His star attitude was on show again at a location shoot on Sunday at Raffles Place.

When The New Paper photographer tried to take a picture of him, he shook his finger and warned her to keep away.

During the interview, he explained how he liked to do different and new characters. Aaron said all this in a polite tone, but there was no mistaking the star attitude.

Thrice in his conversation he referred to himself in the third person. Perhaps, he really isn't to blame.

After all, despite the presence of some of Singapore's top stars such as James Lye and Phyllis Quek in 2000 AD, it was Aaron who received the star treatment. Like when the MC was introducing the cast, Aaron was the only one they dimmed the house lights for, just to "create an atmosphere to welcome our star".

A different King on set
ON the set of 2000 AD, however, it was an Aaron Kwok different from the one with the attitude at the press conference.

On Sunday and Monday, when The New Paper visited the set at Boat Quay, he was seen joking and chatting with the crew and stuntmen.

During a rehearsal for a car-chase scene, a crew member used a chair and pretended to be a car smashing through tables and chairs at Boat Quay.

And Aaron quipped: "Wah, you're even faster than a car." And although his minder stopped fans from taking pictures with him, Aaron obliged with autographs.

A crew member, who didn't wish to be named, said: "Aaron is real friendly. He doesn't talk to us like he is a big star."

His co-stars, too, will testify that Aaron has no attitude on the set. "He's very approachable, very fun," James Lye said at the press conference earlier.

"He's never given me any superstar attitude. "He's so cheerful. He reminds me of a junior college student. "He must take happy pills."

Newcomer Gigi Choi, who plays Aaron's girlfriend in the movie, said he was supportive of her lack of acting experience.

In return, Aaron had nothing but praise for our local stars. "Phyllis and James are talented actors. They are professionals," he said. "If anything, they make mistakes only because they have to speak in Cantonese.

"That's the language barrier because you speak Mandarin in Singapore. "Other than that, they are good at what they do."