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SCMP Reporter

Actor Timothy Cheng Tse-sing - local compere for last night's TVB live telecast of the 70th Annual Academy Awards - confesses he is one of the rare few who have not seen Titanic, which scooped 11 Oscars.

 The 35-year-old is the most hated villain among TVB soap opera fans. He died last week in A Kindred Spirit, where he played the bad guy who left his wife and son, took on a mistress, disowned his parents and swindled company funds.

 Cheng hosted shows on RTHK and Cable before moving to TVB as a presenter then, later, an actor.

What's on your mind?  Whether Titanic deserves so many awards. When everyone says how good the film is, I like to wonder whether it really deserves so many awards.

 I've not seen the film but my friends love it. I know someone who has seen the film 11 times and some women are crazy about Leonardo DiCaprio.

Will you watch it now?  I had always wanted to see it. But I don't like queuing up for tickets and there were always long queues.

 For the same reason, I rarely watch a film in its first run at the cinema. I wait for it to come out on laser disc. But I will definitely watch Titanic at the cinema. It is one of those films you have to watch on the big screen.

What sort of characters do you prefer watching in films?  I prefer watching villains. The bad side of a character is more difficult to interpret and act. In the old days, the villains used to frown or raise their eyebrows exaggeratedly. But nowadays, it is more complex. You cannot always tell who the villains are.

What is the secret to being a good villain?  In being the villain, I first have to convince myself I am not the bad guy. If I think I'm acting the bad guy, my expression will naturally be typecast. You always have to tell yourself that your actions are right, that you can face your conscience, and your words and actions are all out of good intentions.

How has the downturn affected the entertainment business?  With less people willing to spend money watching films, there will be less people wanting to make new films. In turn there will be less jobs for actors.

 As for the television business, the downturn has helped. Less people going out to spend money, means more people staying home to watch television because it is free.



Titanic admission from an actor at home with villains