Tyler Ten Says Emerald Hill Role Is “Deciding Factor” For His Career Progression; Hopes For Star Awards Nomination

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He may be towering above everyone else at 1.9m tall, but that’s not why you notice Tyler Ten when you first see him at the Emerald Hill press conference at the Peranakan Museum.

The 27-year-old Mediacorp actor is the only cast member not dressed in a suit. Instead, he is in a casual cream-coloured knit top that shows off his muscular arms and defined chest.

We spot Tyler shyly waving at us as he's wolfing down mee siam from the buffet before rushing over.

Guess the boy needs his carbs first.

When we ask Tyler about his skin-baring Dolce & Gabbana top, he says he wanted to stand out, knowing everyone else would be dressed formally.

“It was my idea,” he shares, adding he “always feels tight around his arms” whenever he wears a suit.

He says we are the first to ask him about his outfit and wryly remarks: “I guess everyone expects me to always show some skin.” But he quickly adds that this will be the last time he shows off his arms for a while. 

Wait, what?

His outfits for upcoming promotional appearances have already been selected. But Tyler reveals that he’ll be shirtless plenty in Emerald Hill, and viewers will just have to be patient (he appears from episode 7).

He ties it back to his character, Bai A-Li, a street kid, or in his own words, “a gangster”, and love interest of Tasha Low’s Xinniang, in the 30-episode drama.

Describing his past roles as “cool” and “not needing to talk much”, Tyler's Emerald Hill character is extremely extroverted.

“I’m introverted by nature,” says Tyler, who also admits he’s feeling a little overwhelmed by the large press conference.

At first glance, one might agree — Tyler can often be seen gazing away and twiddling his thumbs during our chat. But something tells us there’s more beneath the surface.

To challenge his introverted image, we took out an Emerald Hill photo card of an extremely toned and oiled up Tyler behind bars staring intensely into the camera (pictured below).

When we ask what was going through his mind during the shoot, Tyler laughs that he was focused on "contracting 99 per cent of [his] muscles", before he gives us a live demonstration.

Not exactly the behaviour of an introvert, right?

A lot of his inspiration for the character came from Chinese actor Zhu Yilong who gained praise for a similar role in the 2022 hit film Lighting Up the Stars.

“I watched the movie more than 10 times and I really tried emulating everything about his character,” he says.

Tyler also reveals that he had to lose "around seven to eight kilograms" for his role.

“During the 1950s, no one was lifting dumbbells,” he explains.

He credits the crew in Malaysia for helping him prep his meals. For breakfast, he had 10 eggs, while lunch was simply boiled chicken.

He also went to tan regularly to achieve a more rugged look for his character.

Must have been tough with all the Nyonya dishes on set, we ask. 

“It was so difficult! Many times, I could only take a quick look and force myself to turn away as their menu kept changing,” he admits.

Given the dedication, how does Tyler feel about whispers that Emerald Hill could be his big break?

Admitting he has heard the chatter, he says the role is “the best time for me to shine”.

“The finished product is out there, and I can only hope for the best knowing I did everything I could."

“Not only is this my most important role, it will be the deciding factor on how my career progresses,” he says, adding that he hopes for a Star Awards nomination.

"So many people were fighting for this role, and I had to prove to everyone that they made the right decision."

When asked what he means by “deciding factor”, Tyler compares it to taking stock of his career since his time as a Star Search 2019 finalist.

We ask if the pressure has ever felt overwhelming, and he insists that it’s what motivated him.

“Knowing that all eyes were on me during filming kept me on my toes,” he says. “I didn’t give myself room for mistakes.”

So, after Emerald Hill, will we see Tyler’s popularity soar, much like fellow Mediacorp actor Desmond Tan?

Desmond shot to leading man status after his role as a rickshaw puller in 2011’s A Song To Remember.

Tyler says he’s flattered by the comparisons and is motivated to reach similar heights in his own career.

“It’s motivating to be compared to one of the biggest stars now, and Desmond is very generous with advice, especially about his role as a coolie and how it was his big break," says Tyler.

Photos: Kelvin Chia, tylertenn/IG

Catch Tyler in Emerald Hill on demand for free on mewatch or in the video below: