Wednesday December 7, 2005
Marco Ngai's hairy story
By LI EE KEE
Hong Kong actor Marco Ngai will be the first to admit that he is vain. If most women need an hour to preen themselves before going out, he needs two. And as he jokingly points out, the mirrors in his house are all cracked because of his constant “checks”.
But about three years ago, the unthinkable happened. He found that the person staring back was balding. Before he could remedy his condition, it became tabloid fodder in the Hong Kong rags. Ngai’s ego took a beating. It didn’t help that he kept receiving period drama roles, where donning wigs were a requirement.
“There were times when after filming I felt like keeping the hairpiece on permanently!” he said, laughing.
Ngai lost interest in everything. The self-confessed fitness nut stopped going to the gym (as a result the weight started to pile on and he ballooned from 70kg to 84kg) or hang out with friends, preferring to stay at home as he was embarrassed to be seen outside.
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A fit-looking Marco Ngai and his crowning glory. |
A friend then recommended Svenson Hair Centre.
Looking at him now, it is hard to imagine that this 37-year-old was ever depressed or had hair loss problems. On a recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, where he was introduced as Svenson’s celebrity spokesman, the jocular Ngai was all smiles and kept the media amused with his jokes. With his hair back in place, so is his confidence.
“If I had to choose between being wealthy and having hair, I would choose the latter. I’m not good-looking or cute like (best friend) Bobby Au-Yeung, so I can’t afford to lose my hair. With Bobby, the less hair he has, the more popular he is,” Ngai quipped.
“Besides I’m much too young to be playing someone’s father. When that happens, it’s all over!”
But Ngai can rest easy these days. His career is progressing well. Aside from Hong Kong, he is also busy filming in China and recently completed a serial titled Hong Sik Gei Yik (Red Memories), slated to air in January. He hopes to gain a wider exposure among Chinese fans with the series.
“TVB (Television Broadcasts Limited) has been very good to me, giving me a lot of opportunities. However, I think it is time to expand my horizons, although that does not mean that I will forsake Hong Kong,” he assured.
With his career going places, Ngai, who was sporting black shades because of an eye injury that occurred during filming of Hong Sik Gei Yik was asked if he had thought about marriage. He and Tang have been together for eight years.
“Not at present, especially now that I have my hair again. It is her turn to wait and be afraid,” he laughed.
“But I am a traditional man so I will get married.”
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