Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we’re told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they’re given. This week, he talks to Christopher Chung. The Australian actor, 38, has been nominated for a BAFTA Award for his performance in Apple TV’s Slow Horses, and stars as Harry Beecham in Netflix’s new adaptation of My Brilliant Career.
SEX
You’re a bona-fide hunk, but is it true that when you were growing up in *** Melbourne, you didn’t feel attractive? *Oh, I
definitelystill feel the same way. All those insecurities – being an overweight teenager; not being desirable at school; seeing all the guys get all the girls – are still deeply rooted within me.
How big were you? When I was 13, I was fairly substantial in size: about 85 kilograms in a 5 foot 4 [163 centimetres] frame, so quite short and chubby. And growing up with a lot of my Asian aunties, there was a huge emphasis on weight and looks. And I don’t speak Chinese, but the words that stood out were 毼磻 – fei zai …
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“Fat boy”! [Laughs, nods] I was like, “For f---’s sake.” There’s also that misconception [in Western countries] that East Asian men are not desirable. Which is why, when I read [the Netflix screenplay for] My Brilliant Career, it was such a huge moment for me. I was like, “Oh, wow! Perception is changing.” It took Liz [Doran, the showrunner] to see it. I always thought my career was going to be capped at being the best friend or the sidekick.
Your wife is Scottish actor Frances Mayli McCann. How did you meet? We did a show called Here Lies Love, a musical about [former Philippines First Lady] Imelda Marcos. I remember seeing her in the audition waiting room, thinking, “Oh, she’s really fit!” She was very much trying to “friend-zone” me to keep things professional but, 12 years later, we’re married.
So you wore her down – or she just couldn’t resist you any more? I wore her down! It’s the same thing with my acting career: I wear people down until they take notice of me!
What attracts you to Frances? Her talent. She’s also independent, feisty, fiercely intelligent and stunningly beautiful. But mostly it’s her personality. She’s my saviour when the world is exploding around me – and an equal partner.
What’s the thirstiest DM that you’ve ever received? I don’t know if it’s thirsty or just weird, but I’ve had a couple of people ask me for pictures of my feet …
Chris, they’re probably being rated online as we speak. I told a friend about the DMs, who said, “Oh, are you on this WikiFeet thing?” [Groans] Apparently, I am.
BODIES
What’s your workout regimen? I go to the gym about six days a week. If I’m on set, I’ll go before shoots, so I’ll get up at 4.30am and be there for an hour. Moving my body before work releases all the endorphins and serotonin for my mental health. You sit around on set so much, I feel like absolute shit for the rest of the day if I don’t go.
What’s the most intense physical challenge or transformation that you’ve had to undertake as an actor? When I did Heathers: The Musical in London. I was one of the jocks. We get shot at the end of Act One in our underpants – Y-fronts – then we spend the whole of Act Two as ghosts – in our Y-fronts. So I was basically naked for a good hour of the show on a West End stage. I was like, “Well, I don’t want to look shit,” so my counterpart and I egged each other on the whole time. That was probably the most jacked I’ve ever been because I was getting naked every night and acting and singing.
When do you feel most comfortable in your skin? When I’m working as a personal trainer, which I still do [in London].
When do you feel least comfortable? At any kind of premiere or party when everyone is kind of looking at you.
What superpower do you wish you had? To be able to fly.
What superpower do you actually have? Generosity and kindness. My mum always said to me, “Just be a good person – that’s it.” It sounds simple, but navigating the world for the past 38 years, I’m surprised by how many not-good people there are.
MONEY
Given there’s no safety net, how do you make acting work financially? Oh, you’re below the safety net; you’re already in the shark pit. There’d be weeks when I was living off 20 quid and it was really down to the line; it’s always a gamble. But you can cash out of acting any time you want. If you really want to do it, you have to continue to play your hand and hope that it comes up for you.
** What are the best money decisions you’ve made so far? **Buying my first property, selling it at the right time and buying the property I’m in now.
And the worst? Oh god, I’ve made so many terrible money decisions. I spend a lot of money on food. Going out to restaurants? That’s silly money. And my wife is a terrible influence. She’s always like, “Just do it.”
Working as a PT alongside acting, how much of that is a financial decision, and how much of that is because you love both kinds of work? They serve each other, in many ways. I still love personal training, and I’m in a position now where if I didn’t want to do it any more, I don’t think I would. But I still want to do it. At the same time, I’m an actor. There might be a lean, three-year stretch after this moment finishes. So [being a personal trainer] gives me a bit more freedom and the ability to be less frugal.
As you’re famous now, are you rich? Somebody did send me a link to a site where you can look up people’s net worth. One of them said I’m worth £1.5-£2 million [about $2.9-3.8 million]. You have no idea how far from the truth that is!
Maybe they’re talking about the worth of you as a person. [Grins] I’m worth way more than that.
The six-part My Brilliant Career premieres on Netflix on Thursday. Slow Horses Season 6 returns to Apple TV next month.
diceytopics@goodweekend.com.au
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Previously
Despite having lived his entire life by the beach, Jason Graham-Nye was afraid of the water. His friend Gary made it his mission to teach him to swim.