“I Never Thought I Was Good Or Fit Enough”: Elvin Ng On Why He’s Now Ready To Pose Shirtless On Instagram

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Yes, a quick check on his Instagram reveals that Elvin Ng, 42, has recently been baring more skin. But before you think the actor is going all Chippendale on us, hold your horses. Elvin clarifies that he is still just as conservative.

“If a shoot or role requires it, I won’t say no,” he explains to 8days.sg. He adds that even going sleeveless, which he did for the recent Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert was still a stretch for him.

He reveals it was the first time he had worn such an outfit for an event, calling it “quite daring,” by his standards.

Elvin goes on to describe his journey as an evolution of sorts, “I had the classic smiley and sunshine image for so long. However, I think I discovered this side of me that I deem a little “bipolar-ish”. Now, I feel I can be more rebellious, even a little edgier, which is the other end of the spectrum,”  he explains.

Elvin also reminds us that him pushing boundaries has been evident for a while, “Even at the annual Star Awards show, I hate being forgettable and receiving comments as “presentable”. I always like to make a statement I truly believe in and I want these outfits to convey that. Or else, I might as well not wear them,” he says.

At this point, Elvin almost had us convinced that there was nothing he wouldn’t answer… Till his manager swiftly blocked a question on the actor’s immediate thoughts when pictures of the huge BE@RBRICK (Elvin is a proud collector of more than 10) display from the S$1 billion money laundering probe first flooded the Internet. The brakes are still there, people.

It is definitely a far cry from the Elvin Ng (studiously learning his script as minders prepped him for a shoot) this writer interviewed almost a decade back.

For starters, gone are the moments of hesitant replies that have been replaced with a level of confidence that exuded over the phone. “I think this evolution has been quite gradual. Whereas I previously felt guarded and needed to wall myself up” he explains, when I commented on the positive change.

Elvin also shares that his approach to work has differed recently too. Describing himself previously as a “typical Capricorn” who “always did his homework and was prepared 101 per cent,” he now goes into a filming a scene not really knowing what he is going to do, choosing to go with the flow of his character.

“Something just mentally clicked when I was in New York. I guess going there for a month allowed me to throw caution to the wind, changing how I function. Previously, my style worked very well due to continuity reasons for some serials. However, playing my character Wan Defu in My One and Only required me to be spontaneous and flamboyant.

In fact, he is quite crazy and does not follow a set system,” Elvin explains. He also shares that when he chanced upon the role of Wan Defu, he immediately knew he was perfect for the role. “I can say that I somewhat lived it. It was tough. But I guess when you are passionate about something, frustrations do arise."

8DAYS.SG: For your role as an interior designer in My One and Only, were you able to add any of the ‘angst’ you experienced from your time designing your own home?

ELVIN NG: (Laughs) I still remember those times. Back then, I only wanted to get it done in the most cost-efficient way. Now, I understand their perspective better. In preparation for the role, we had to visit a renovation company and sit in to see how they worked. It is really not easy having to juggle both clients and subcontractors while still being mindful of the different rules and laws governing the whole industry. Unless you get someone bochup. [laughs]

Ya Hui plays your love interest in the drama.  What are some of the things you realised about her while filming for My One and Only?

Hmm... Wow...This question ah.. Let me think about it. Although we are only a few years apart, I like to tease her and say, “Yes, you are very young, you are very young” as she tends to push me towards the older actors while she identifies with the younger cast members like Shawn Thia and Fang Rong. On set, I would say our relationship is very organic and we can flow with the script as it changes. It’s very much like how our characters are not sure about who was interested in whom at various points of the show.

While filming for My One and Only, did you feel you needed to have more or fewer items in your home?

Let’s just say, that though my private and personal life seems to be “mashed up” at the moment, nothing much has changed and I am still looking to add more things to my home. Who knows? Once it becomes too cluttered, I will be forced to let go of some things?

Or you could buy the adjacent property and expand on your square footage?

Do you think it’s so easy? (Laughs) I realise it is less about the items that you have but making the place more about myself. For example, there is always wear-and-tear and it is much like how we will change over the years. It has been almost eight years since I moved in and I think the space mirrors my current eclectic multi-faceted self.

Does your mum still give you ‘the look’ when you buy new things to add to your place and will she partake in your ‘home improvements’?

I doubt that is possible though I would like to think I have slowly trained her (laughs). Right now, all I can do is gently suggest. Living together is never easy but she seems more at ease with my decisions now. I would say we have evolved and gotten softer with each other though ultimately, she is still “the government” at home.

With a nephew and two nieces living with you, was there a need to curtail your design choices?

Initially, no as I kept a room available and changed it to a children’s room when they needed it. Not much was done to the common area too as it was not unfriendly to begin with. For me, I just wanted a house for everyone to live harmoniously together like how my late father wished for.

You own a few BE@BRICKS. How many do you currently own?

(Sheepishly) Can we not talk about numbers? Okay, fine. I definitely have more than 10. It was by pure coincidence how it started. I was given two when I did a shoot a few years back and found myself being attracted to the artistically designed ones. Rather than display them as a whole collection, I feel each of them owns a different corner of the house.

Are any more corners available for new additions?

There aren’t many corners left! I am definitely slowing down as any more will make my place look too clustered. Come to think of it, if I want more, I should consider selling some of those that have appreciated before I consider having new BE@RBRICKS.

You are known to love dogs and you’re dad to Cooper, a giant schnauzer, and Bagle, a beagle you adopted from Voices for Animals. What drew you to them?

I always wanted to adopt and Bagle stood out from the rest as she was so quiet and calm. In fact, what I did not realise was that she had an inferiority complex and didn’t dare make any eye contact. Her skin condition was also bad and her state was so bad that the vet could not tell her age.

However, I observed a positive change in her almost a year in which she is now willing to play. Adopting her is a rewarding experience. As for Cooper, I have always wanted a black giant schnauzer after seeing one a few years back and decided to get him when he was only a few months old and looked like Batman (laughs).

Did you have to make changes to your home or get used to some things when you got Bagle and Cooper?

Definitely being resigned to the fact that the parquet floors will be scratched beyond recognition (laughs). On a more serious note, I have become more mindful about glass doors as Cooper has been known to be unaware of his surroundings and simply push or collide into them. Once a glass sliding door collapsed and shattered in the middle of the night and I suspect that it became misaligned as Cooper had previously hit it a few times. Fortunately, he was not around when it happened.

What is next for Elvin Ng?

I want to experience new things and see how far I can go without overthinking. Whether it is in a 9 pm drama or a theatre role, I am open. I am trying this “get out of your head” thing and find out where life takes me next. Also, I am looking forward to my next long break as I believe it will provide fresh stimuli the way New York did for me. Change is not reflected in just one thing or how I plan to be different. It is about understanding it and how to keep growing.

Catch Elvin in My One and Only here on meWATCH or in the video below: