Those who grew up in the late 1970s and early 80s might still remember Lam Kar-wah as the squeaky-clean policeman-turned-actor who moved from hosting Junior Police Call to playing righteous leading men in soap operas. They're in for a surprise: after a decade-long absence from local screens, Lam is returning as a shady cop in Soi Cheang Pou-sui's Dog Bite Dog (far right, with Sam Lee Chan-sum).
An able performer shouldn't let his personal values get in the way of his acting, Lam says. 'Empathy and keen observations from everyday life, rather than one's personal experience, are the most important things in building up a character,' he says.
The 49-year-old says his approach to fathering is not at all like his character's. '[My character] hides the truth from his son in the hope of protecting him, but I think it's important for families to share their ups and downs,' he says.
Such emphasis on the well-being of his kin explains his decision to move to Canada in 1988, leaving behind a potentially lucrative career. 'To me, the most important thing is my family, and I felt that Canada could provide a good environment to raise my son in,' he says. He flew back and forth and continued to be active in the local entertainment industry until 1996, when he moved to Toronto permanently to spend more time with his son.
With his son now well-ensconced in university, Lam is restarting his career in Hong Kong. 'This is a career that lets you constantly renew your perspectives, and I see acting as my life-long profession,' he says.
His career began on a somewhat innocuous note. Instead of going on the beat, the police cadet school graduate was picked to host Junior Police Call, an educational television programme produced by Radio Television Hong Kong. The weekly show established Lam as a public figure.