TV talent

Young performers get dramatic

By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb

Last year an episode of the TV series Club Friday: Puen Rak, Puen Rai (Friend or Foe) based on the true story of a radio listener was a great success. Recently, the leading characters returned with a new story. Cartoon (Gybzy Wanida) is still fighting with her former best friend, Cherry (Saiparn Apinya), who married her ex-boyfriend. After Cherry’s marriage has problems, she blames Cartoon and causes trouble.

She tries to steal Cartoon’s new boyfriend and convince her brother, Tangmo (Pathompong Reonchaidee or Toy) to break the heart of Cartoon’s sister, Gratai (Sarannat Praduquyamdee or Vivi).

Student Weekly recently met up with 20-year-old Toy and 16-year-old Vivi at GMM 25. The young performers told us how they work together.

Student Weekly: Instead of calling radio DJs like in Club Friday, who do you talk to when you have problems?

Vivi: I talk to my friends and my mom. I can discuss anything with my mom. Then I’ll figure out what I should do to handle the problem. I’m also not a person who thinks too much. When I hang out with my friends, I have fun and forget my problems.

Toy: I'm close to my mom, so I talk to her. She’s modern and knows so much about me. She even knows which girls I’m interested in even though I don’t tell her.

Student Weekly: How do you feel about your character?

Toy: I was worried about Tangmo. I thought he was difficult to play, so I worked very hard. Toy loves his sister so much, so he feels sympathy for her and does what she wants.

Vivi: Gratai has nothing in common with me because she’s enthusiastic about boys. [Laughs.] But she’s sincere with Toy. I watched a lot of TV series which have characters similar to Gratai so I could understand her.

Student Weekly: What were your first impressions of each other?

Toy: With her looks and personality, Vivi seems mature. I thought she was a university student like me but after getting to know her, I found she acts her age.

Vivi: Toy smiles easily. He’s funny and likes to tease me.

Student Weekly: How does the director Goo Akasith guide you?

Toy: Goo lets his actors be natural. He let me know if he wanted me to express more or less, especially in crying or angry scenes.

Vivi: For my crying scenes, he told me to build up my emotions before filming. I prepared by thinking that I was my character.

Student Weekly: What was it like to work with professional actors?

Toy: In one scene I had a big fight with Saiparn, who plays my sister. She was impressive. In our first scene, she could cry immediately when the director said “action.” I was numb and couldn't act at all.

Student Weekly: Which the most difficult scene that you had together?

Toy: It was the scene where Tangmo tries to make it up to Gratai after their breakup, but Gratai doesn't forgive him. We had to become emotional. We were both new to dramatic scenes, so we were under pressure.

Vivi: It was more difficult than working with veteran actors because they can build up emotion on set more professionally.

Student Weekly: How was atmosphere on the set?

Toy: After the director said "cut," everybody had fun. I sometimes had a hard time when I worked on a scene because I couldn't concentrate on my character.

Vivi: The director warned us to focus on ourselves and our characters and not pay attention to others.

Student Weekly: What is your advice for any young viewers who want to be actors?

Toy: Some people may think to get to this point is easy, but it isn't. You have to be patient. Everybody has to go through auditions. To get a role requires talent and experience.

Vivi: You don't have to be a good-looking person, but you have to be bold and have special skills.

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