I want to settle down and have kids before 40: Vanness Wu
In town for ScreenSingapore, Vanness Wu reveals his plans to have kids before he hits the age of 40.
Forget the former F4 band member (and his rebonded locks) we met in Meteor Garden a decade ago.
The Vanness Wu we are seeing today is a grown and changed man who knows exactly what he wants — babies included.
Having "been busy being Japanese and lovin it" for the past three years, the 32-year-old Taiwanese-American is back and all geared up for his new Mandarin album, 'C'est La V', set to be released worldwide on July 8.
Good news for fans who can't wait to feast their eyes on the 1.8 metre tall hunk after 2009's hit drama Autumn's Concerto. Wu's upcoming Material Queen will premier on 17 June. It will also star Aaron Kwok's girlfriend Lynn Xiong and Daniel Chan.
Yahoo! Singapore catches up with the actor-turned-singer, who was in Singapore for the ScreenSingapore, to find out more about his thoughts on singing, acting, and his love life.
Tell us, what have you been up to?
I was actually busy with a lot of interviews and dance rehearsals, preparations. I'm actually in the process of getting ready for the launch of my Mandarin album, and it's gonna be released on 8 July, and digitally, worldwide. So I'm just really preparing up for that.
Your title track 'Is This All' already features Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic. What's it like working with him?
It was a very long process, it took about eight months in total for it to finally finish recording because of a lot of e-mails that's going on between… Several months later, after the first e-mail was sent, he replied, because he was touring as well, and he said he'd love to write the song. I'd wanted to work with him before he became OneRepublic, so it was a very big blessing to be able to work with him.
We've seen your K-pop-like promotional pictures for the new album, what's up with the new image?
Growing up, I've been influenced by so many different cultures; I had my friends who were the first group to ever bring hip hop and R&B to Korea, a group called SOLID… I've always had that in me y'know, and I've worked in Korea before. The album is called 'C'est La V', French for 'Such is life', but instead of V-I-E it's just V, so it's 'Such is Vanness'. I really just wanna express, this is just me. What am I, I am somebody who has been pretty much all over the place? So, it's just sharing my personality and not trying to be somebody else but just be me? And to say, I've been to Korea and this is a part of me. It's not who I'm trying to be, it's who I am.
There's 'Material Queen' we're really excited about too. We've been hearing some unhappiness going on there between the co-stars though, what's that about?
Oh yeah, that's just rumours. Y'know, they see it in the papers, we're always fighting. When we meet up with the press and I go, okay they're fine, and then right afterwards, they write something again. So… they just really need something to write.
How different is it working with Lynn Xiong this time, as compared to Ady An in Autumn's Concerto?
An Yi Xuan is like, she's like a homie, y'know, she's like a brother. And Lynn is just… very woman, she's the girly girl.
She's so tall. Does her height bother you?
No, I think it's great that she's tall. Actually I'd have loved to play off more in the TV drama, but the producer thought it wouldn't be very right if the leading male was shorter. But for me, I'm saying that's the truth of it, that's what's gonna captivate the audience. I'm already a violinist falling in love with a gold-digging model, so how does that turnaround come to be? And I really think that's what would have attracted the audience even more.
How about working with Daniel Chan?
Daniel's cool, nice guy. I've known him for quite some time, we met each other before. He's really just kinda like… he's in his own world, but it's a great world… it's very cool.
We heard that you actually gave up breaking into the Hollywood for this drama. Why?
Well that was with Russell Crowe, called Iron Fist or something like that (The Man with the Iron Fists). They were shooting in China and they wanted me to go shoot for it also, but at that time I just really couldn't leave the TV drama… really wrong timing. And everything's about timing, that's what my mum said. If the timing's yours, it's yours; if it's not, then it's not, no matter how hard you try. So… that's one solid set of advice that she's always given me. So I just said okay, and let it go.
We miss seeing the four big guys hanging out together. Do you still keep in touch with the other three members of F4?
Yes, yes.
Are there any plans for a reunion?
If there is the opportunity or time is available, we will work together. But not in the near future, yeah.
Among the various hats you have put on, is there an area that you enjoy doing most?
I just like to try out everything. Because if I don't, then I'll get bored. I get bored easily. So, for me to be able to be a part of so many different things, it's because I really find it interesting, I love being a part of the creative process. To create is… such a beautiful thing.
Is there anything you haven't tried or would like to try?
To direct more, I'd like to direct more.
You collaborated with Jahan to create a Leftfoot Taiwan chapter in 2007. Any plans to work with other Singaporean artists/entertainers for your future projects?
I would probably work with Jahan again, Jahan definitely. (Doing what?) More art-based stuff. He is a great friend of mine, he's very talented and he is going to blow the minds of Singaporeans I think. And he really does Singaporeans proud; I really think he's a great master for the art in Singapore.
Any other artists in Singapore?
Well… not right now.
How about anyone else, if you've got the chance?
I'd like to work with Tom Hanks (laughs). I'm actually a very big fan of Tom Hanks since his movies… One of my favourite movies is Big, and that was when he played a kid. Such a great movie.
At what age are you looking to settle down?
I'd love to have kids soon; I just don't wanna be too old.
How old is too old?
40?
So you're going to devote your time now to your career?
No, that's too old. Like, I wanna have kids before I'm 40. I'm definitely gonna keep working but I wanna be able to have kids.
Are you for or against dating someone in the same industry?
I think it really depends. I've dated both, in and out, and they both have their ups and downs, pros and cons. But, I guess it really depends.
You've spent quite some time in this cut-throat industry already, just what keeps you going?
The truth of how God sees me? The truth of his opinion on me and not the world's… because the opinion of man is overrated. If I keep on focusing on that, what type of news does the press like to dish out, it's all negative, a lot of it is all negative. It's a fear driven society in that sense right now, we really pry on punishment. Y'know, this person does something wrong, he has to be punished. Instead of… (shrugs). So for me, I make sure that I know where that source of truth is coming from.
Have you ever felt like you were going to lose yourself in the process?
I have. Yeah, I did, I actually did lose myself in the industry, and that's why I found God, and decided to just quit. Not instantly quit everything but he took me on a path to where he showed me the things that I didn't know in my life.
How has being a Christian affected your choices as an entertainer?
I just probably wouldn't do certain things that I would normally do before so easily. (Any specific examples?) It really depends on the characters that I choose now? Like, if the characters have a form of redemption in the movie, or they just die, then I'd probably pick that role.
How about your own lifestyle habits, how have they changed after accepting the faith?
It really affects how I see people, how I view people, how I treat people. Before, I was a bit selfish. Maybe just, envious of a lot of things, like why I can't be in that movie, why I can't do those type of music, y'know. Actually right now it's not why I can't do that but it made me look at myself and to really understand that I have to be able to love myself as a person first to be able to just really identify who I am as a person before I can try to be somebody else.
What's next on your calendar in the short term and in the long term?
Short term, it's just really focusing on the album right now. Because it's been so long, three years. So, I really wanna make sure that the audience is able to get this full experience of the album. Long term… have babies, before 40 (laughs).
What're you looking forward to right now?
I'm just looking forward to the new show, I'm looking forward to the album, I'm looking forward to finishing the music videos, I'm looking forward to being on stage and singing in front of audiences, to perform these songs and just to hear the reaction. It's really something that I'm really excited about because, before I was like, oh I gotta go sing this song, I gotta go sing that song… like I'm not really feeling it. But this one is like, I'm feeling it y'know.
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