Sitting across me is this handsome gentleman; modest and pleasant, with absolutely no air of self-importance despite his superstar status in his native China. Interviewing Huang Xiao Ming (黃曉明) is easy – it’s like visiting an old friend to catch up on old times. Huang admits he is a very shy person. “In fact, right now, during this interview, I am a little nervous and feeling shy. I still get uneasy on stage, but I have learned how to overcome stage fright.”

Huang treasures his privacy, but understands that as an entertainer, regular intrusion into his life is the price to pay.


He’s a dedicated artist

After the various TV series that made him a household name in China in 2001, his subsequent roles in The Return of the Condor Heroes, Shanghai Bund and Duke of Mount Deer Royal Tramp shot him to fame outside China, especially in Asia. Among his many acclaimed movies were The Banquet, Sniper, The Message, Ip Man 2 and The Flying Guillotines.

Huang’s talent goes beyond acting (he was in Malaysia a couple years ago to perform a concert). Apart from singing in some of his TV dramas and movies, he has released two albums – It’s Ming in 2008 and Moopa in 2010.

Huang also appears in advertisements and is a brand ambassador for, among others, Gucci, Mercedes-Benz, Olay Men, Rejoice, Pepsi, Diadora and Toshiba. For this second trip to Malaysia, Huang is serving as Tissot’s envoy.


He’s a natural charmer!

Asked how he feels being the ‘Number One Heartthrob’ of China, Huang humbly diverts that claim by saying he has not maximised his potential yet. At 34, he feels he still needs to improve his acting skills so that he can take on more challenging roles.

His philosophy is to not compare himself with others, but to improve himself in whatever field he is engaged at that moment. “I am a very focused and simple person. I can be very naive on some occasions and mature in most. I tend to adopt an innocent approach to every issue and resolve the problem positively”.


He’s a family-man

Huang confesses that during the earlier period of his career, he had been busy and neglected spending quality time with his parents. Being an only child, he has a deep sense of filial piety. Today, he has made family time a top priority and as much as possible, invites his parents to come with him on tour. He happily declares that he recently took his mother to Thailand and many parts of Europe.


He’s a health advocate

Huang has firm opinions about health. He believes that when one is young, the body should be used to make money; as we age, the money is to be used to maintain physical health. “This is the reality of life. Health is very important and should not be neglected at any age.”

What does Huang do for his health? His family has a history of hypertension, so Huang is especially careful about his diet and maintaining a healthy weight. In spite of his busy schedule, he makes time to visit the gym, where he runs on the treadmill and does weight training.

Huang loves to try out all types of food, including spicy ones. Among his favourites is seafood. However, as he is regularly affected by high uric acid levels, he eats moderately.

As he exercises regularly, he has increased his intake of protein to build up his muscles. He especially likes anything cooked with chicken breast.

For breakfast, Huang enjoys a glass of kiwi, carrot or apple juice, along with a vegetable salad, wholemeal bread and a hard-boiled egg. This trip to Malaysia will not be complete until he samples durians, which has been recommended by popular Malaysian singer Eric Moo.


He’s a pragmatic man

Asked if his future includes an acting career in Hollywood, Huang says, “I am a realistic person. I will work with what I have been offered. Moreover, I believe that the tide will change and people will flock to Asia for good movies. Therefore, we may not need to go to Hollywood; Hollywood may come looking for us in Asia.”


He’s also a philantropist

Another admirable aspect of Huang is his involvement in charity work and promotion of environmental-friendly awareness events. In 2007, he was one of the celebrities who performed at the Live Earth concert in Shanghai.

Huang is also the official envoy of the Panda Protection Research Center in China. After the Sichuan earthquake in 2009, Huang adopted a pair of twin pandas that were born during the quake.

Two years ago, he became one of three Chinese UNICEF ambassadors and was involved with the charity run. Last year, Huang received the International Charity Celebrity Award – one of the highest awards bestowed in China for charitable works – held in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.


Reference: Lei Yang (2010). Chinese Stars Receive International Charity Celebrity Award. All-China Women's Federation.

Available at www.womenofchina.cn/html/report/107481-1.htm.