Digital Cover: Jack Tan on taking risks, metaphorphosis and staying hungry with Tag Heuer

“Hey, you know how to swim, right?” Jack Tan asks, just before diving into the 14-m deep pool, Armani “cape” flowing and a TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date watch glinting on his wrist. We thought we had the shot in the bag but the 33-year-old actor insists, “This could be better. Let’s go again!”

Jack’s relentless pursuit of perfection is nothing new. On the set of his upcoming cinematic project, Gold, he tirelessly worked to ace a shuttlecock smash scene, getting visibly frustrated when it didn’t match his vision. “I didn’t want to use CGI because I knew we could get the shot,” he asserts.

His dedication is indeed paying off. The Kuala Lumpur-born actor consistently takes on challenging roles, earning acclaim for bringing depth and sensitivity to films grounded in gritty realism. His recent turn in Abang Adik, a story of two stateless orphans struggling to survive in Malaysia’s capital city, earned him nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 Golden Horse Awards and the 2024 Asian Film Awards.

“Good thing I didn’t drop out of school,” he jests. Despite over a decade of being in the limelight around the region, Tan remains humble and grounded. A thrill-seeker in his free time — think car racing, drifting, rock climbing and hiking — it is certain the local supernova is set to deliver even more groundbreaking performances in the years ahead.

How did you get into acting?

Being an actor was never on my radar. I went with my friend to an audition for an acting program in Malaysia, just to keep him company. Then this lady stopped me and asked if I’d try out too. So, I thought, why not? I didn’t know anything about acting so I showed off my dancing and singing instead. They weren’t exactly impressed [laughs]. But a few days later, I got a call saying I’d been accepted into the course. I felt a mixed bag of emotions: surprise, confusion and calm. I was young and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. But I figured, why not give it a shot? It could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and who knows, maybe I’d be good at it. And that’s how my acting career started.

Can you recall your first acting gig?

My debut performance in Kuala Lumpur was in a musical. Since it was live, I couldn’t watch it myself so I had to rely on the video recording. My first TV drama, though, was a different story. Seeing myself on screen for the first time felt a bit strange and I felt embarrassed [laughs]. Even though I’d rather not watch myself act, I do it to see where I can improve.

What do you love most about acting?

Acting lets me wear many hats and understand different walks of life through the characters I play. Still, it wasn’t something I was sure I’d focus on. When I first got into the acting academy in Taiwan, my parents were hesitant because they didn’t think acting was my strong suit. They weren’t wrong — there were times in school when I thought about quitting and getting a regular 9-to-5 job. I also faced some internal struggles that kept me from being active on screen. It was a tough time, but I reminded myself how far I’d come and that quitting wouldn’t solve my problems. I kept pushing myself to improve as an actor and performer, and I’m proud of where I am today.

Your performance in Abang Adik was impeccable, and your brotherhood with Wu Kang-ren was just as inspiring. What have you learned from him career-wise?

I’m thankful for the amazing team behind Abang Adik. The synergy we had was incredible, making it one of my favourite projects so far. Wu Kang-ren, in particular, helped me a lot with my acting. He taught me to be braver and more daring with my characterisations. Before that, I just stayed in my comfort zone, following whatever the production team thought suited the character. But Kang-ren showed me that it’s important to speak up and offer suggestions to make the character come to life. It’s great to challenge yourself and see what you’re capable of — don’t stay in your comfort zone for too long.

Is there any part of the character Adik that resonates with your personality?

Not at all. When I first got the brief for the character from the director, I suggested he might want to find someone else for the role. But Jin Ong had faith in me [laughs] and gave me plenty of time to study the character. This led me to wander around the city, especially the Pudu area, every day to get familiar with the community’s lifestyle. I observed how people worked, talked and moved, paying attention to their body language and gestures. I also spoke to many foreign workers to learn more about their lives in the city.

Moving on to your next breakthrough performance in Gold, a docudrama biopic based on the national hero Cheah Liek Hou’s journey to winning a gold medal in the 2020 Paralympic Games for badminton. I’d say it’s not an easy job considering Cheah Liek Hou will be watching your performance. How did you handle the pressure?

I’d never worked with Adrian Teh before so having his full trust to take on this role was a big deal for me, especially given his impressive contributions to Malaysia’s film and entertainment industry. At first, it was nerve-racking because I had no skills in badminton, let alone playing it with my left hand like Cheah Liek Hou. I also had to undergo some serious body transformations — gaining 20 kg and then losing it again to get back to my original state. The pressure was real, but I was excited to show what I could do with this character. As an actor, I believe playing a real-life figure isn’t about replicating them exactly, otherwise, we’d just cast the real person. My job was to bring Cheah’s character to life with subtle nuances without creating a completely new persona.

And how did Cheah react to your performance?

I’m really happy that I managed to do justice to his character. He was deeply touched by what my team and I did for the film. He even felt sorry for the challenges I had to face to portray him.

Can you tell us more about it?

I had to gain 20 kg for the role within three months which was quite a struggle because my metabolism was really high. I had to double or even triple my meals, eating five to six times a day. The sheer volume of food messed up my digestion and sleep. There were times when I felt pretty down about my body and couldn’t do much to fix it. My back started to hunch, and my mood was all over the place. Once filming wrapped, I had to get my body back to its original state quickly since I had other projects lined up. It wasn’t an easy journey, but I enjoyed every moment of it. At the end of the day, that’s all part of the job as an actor.

What have you learned about yourself throughout your career?

All the characters I’ve played so far have taught me to be more grateful for what I have. Not everyone gets to do what they love for a living so having this opportunity is a real blessing. I’ve learned to be more proactive with my work, keep learning and stay hungry. It’s also pushed me to be more versatile which I think is crucial. As an actor, while establishing a signature style is important, versatility is just as valued. You’ll be amazed at what you’re capable of with each new challenge.

Looking at your achievements so far, including Best Supporting Actor at the 2024 Malaysia Global Golden Awards, what would you tell your ten-year younger self?

Good that you didn’t give up on acting [laughs], and thank you for keeping on chasing your dream.

Is there anything that you’d like to ask yourself?

I’d like to know when I am going to compete in drifting. I love motorsport and it’s one of my dreams to be competing in the arena, especially in Japan together with my idols such as Naoki Nakamura and Daigo Saito.