Christopher Lee Says Working Overseas Made Him Feel Like He Missed Out On Son Zed's Childhood

Christopher Lee, 55, has long split his time between Taiwan and Singapore for work. These days, while he's based in Taiwan, he makes it a point to return home whenever he gets a break to spend time with his wife, Fann Wong, and their son, Zed, who turns 12 later this month.

The Malaysia-born actor recently appeared on the latest episode of Jeanette Aw's JA Unscripted YouTube talk show, where he shared that he usually heads back to Singapore for about two weeks after wrapping up a project before returning to Taiwan for work.

When Jeanette asked if he misses home, Chris laughed: "What kind of question is that? Of course I do. But I have to make a living, so there's no other choice."

Whenever work allows, Chris wastes no time coming home.

He revealed that if he has a month-long break before his next project, he'll always ask to spend at least 10 days in Singapore.

"I'll definitely come back if there's a break of more than five or six days in between," he said.

The actor also recalled spending nine consecutive months in Taiwan during the pandemic without returning home, admitting the experience nearly drove him to the brink.

"Although nine months might not seem that long to many people, it happened to coincide with Lunar New Year," he added. "Spending the new year at someone else's home just doesn't feel the same at all."

These days, Chris' biggest priority is spending as much time with Zed as possible.

He keeps track of his son's school holidays well in advance and makes it clear to his managers that he needs to be back in Singapore during those periods. He'll only take on projects that can accommodate that schedule.

"My son is 11 years old now. From the time he was about seven or eight until now, as he's getting closer to his teenage years, I feel like I've missed out on a lot," Chris confessed.

He continued: "The way he speaks has changed, he's started getting pimples and all that, and he's making new friends. Whenever I come home, it feels like, 'Wow, he's suddenly become a different person.'"

Thankfully, technology has helped bridge the distance.

Chris said he FaceTimes his family every day. While it's no substitute for being home, it allows him to witness the little changes in Zed — from his changing voice to how much he has grown.

"When I nag at him or discipline him, he can still hear me," Chris added.

That said, he admitted that every time he returns home after being away for an extended period, Zed needs time to warm up to him again.

"I went overseas just half a year after he was born. My wife and I had agreed that I would be the bad cop and she would be the good cop, with me handling the discipline. But after being away for half a year, I didn't dare to be the strict one anymore. He wasn't close to me at all, so I immediately told her, 'I don't want to be the bad cop anymore. We'll both be the good cop'," Chris recalled.

Because of that early separation, Chris believes Zed is still "a little more afraid" of him than Fann today.

To make up for lost time, he's made a conscious effort to communicate with his son more openly, hoping their relationship will eventually feel more like a friendship than a traditional parent-child dynamic.

That has also meant keeping up with Gen Alpha slang.

"So now my son says to me every day at home, 'I'm Gen Alpha. Do you know what's the difference in the way we Gen Alpha speak?' He asks me that all the time," Chris quipped.

He shared that after asking Zed why he kept sending him three skull emojis, his son explained that it actually meant he was extremely happy — much to Chris' confusion.

He also discovered that Gen Alpha has its own way of showing affection. Instead of sending the classic heart emoji, Zed told him that kids now use the heart-with-ribbon emoji to show they relate to someone.

Changing times indeed.

When it comes to family holidays, Chris and Fann always let Zed have a say in choosing the destination.

In fact, their son has picked the Maldives three times because of his love for the ocean. Even Fann, who isn't a fan of spending long hours under the sun, happily obliged.

"She didn't change much for me. She changed for our son," Chris quipped.

"So having a child can really change a person in many ways," he added.

As for whether Zed will one day follow in his famous parents' footsteps, Chris says neither he nor Fann is hoping their son joins showbiz, though they'll support whatever path he chooses.

"But judging from things now, I don't think it will happen. He thinks things on TV are all fake. He likes nature, plants and flowers, and he likes watching fish. I recently asked him if his dream had changed, and he said it hasn't, he still wants to be a marine biologist," Chris said.

Towards the end of the interview, Chris shared a parenting moment that has stayed with him.

He recalled the time Fann accepted an award on his behalf because he couldn't attend the ceremony. Chris had prepared a speech for her beforehand but later realised he had forgotten to mention Zed.

"When he heard my wife being mentioned but not him, my wife's friend said his eyes immediately turned red, like he felt he wasn't included. So you see, the things kids care about are things we don't even notice," Chris mused.