Raymond Lam interview with Next Magazine
林峯从我的烟包取过一根，点上，徐徐吐出烟圈，眼神带着落寞说：「你觉不觉得我太成熟 了？我无得拣。」
Come on ，廿五岁仔。类似说话，我听黎姿讲过——不用叼烟，不用表情十足，自幼家贫，那种身不由己已逼人而来。黎姿还告诉我，为怕遭睇小，很长一段时间她胡诌十三岁便入行只为兴趣不为钱；林呢，明明含着银匙出世，父亲四亿身家，与利孝和夫人分属世交，放弃美国大学建筑系学位未读完系都要做明星，他却强调因贪搵快钱，要供弟弟读书，绝非打风流工。
这是个憎人富贵厌人穷的世界，穷人不敢认穷，有钱人不敢认有钱。说穿了，都无得拣。甚至，后生细仔要装老成；三十四岁如我，作为娱乐记者，开始担心out，唯有反过来提高八度声线，像小弟弟对大哥哥戆笑问林峯：「系呢，点解你咁成熟？」
尿片尿布
一般艺人要经历过的阶段，我都无skip过——OK，顶多话我跳级比较快……
林峯的装穷，无时无刻不提高警觉。这天来到汀九拍照，记者奇怪他不自行驾车，宁愿挤上敝公司的客货van。他说：「我不是大家心目中经常跑车入汀九兜风的公子哥儿。最紧要方便，有公司车坐，一视同仁就得。」得！更得的是，林峰的确拥有价值五十万的Benz跑车。「其实我最怕。以前读中学（圣保罗书院），家里叫司机接送，我都宁愿搭小巴。后来入行要买车，我一心日本车简简单单，爸爸系都话我新牌仔，欧洲车至够安全喎。」极速跑车是否对新牌仔更安全？不得而知。访问中，林峰忽然提起：「今晚难得清闲可以游游夜水了。」记者问：「这种天气，你家有暖水泳池吗？」林峰马上犹疑起来，大概后悔不自觉显示了富贵，迟迟才答：「有……」唉，谁不知林峯独居半山帝景园呢？但林峯仍爱强调自己捱惯、捱得。「我在厦门出世，两岁来香港。小时候连尿片都无，要用尿布——有数得计，廿几年前的大陆物资仍匮乏嘛。我不是白手兴家，但总见证父母打拼出头的日子，一样通山走长大。」 实情却是，林家至少发迹了三代。林父林华国固然坐拥七间地产及建筑公司；林爷爷林梦飞更一早是福建省政协副主席。用尿片抑或用尿布，已经不重要。
只在乎钱
事实胜于雄辩，林峰不得不坦承：「你看，我尽量淡化家世，传媒还是渲染成咁；如果我稍为表现得招摇，更加令人认定我玩玩打风流工，日后的路便难走了。」 入行之初，他甚至死口不认父母与利孝和夫人有交情。这天，他终于说：「现在自己有了些成绩，才敢认——是，两家人是熟的……
「我不算故作神秘，任何艺人讲家庭背景，大致上公开到这程度便点到即止了，再之后都宁愿观众留意自己的演艺工作啦。只不过其他人讲一句爸爸做文员，记者已无兴趣问下去；我屋企做生意，便非要查家宅不可。「我入艺训班，照样要经过考试，只是，考得松。我没有特权，熟人介绍反而一次都不敢走堂；唯一特别是因为插班旁听，无津贴。」像家境优越的大学生无grant & loan。姑且相信林峯的诚意，那么，放弃建筑系学位不读，演戏应该是为兴趣了？「又唔系！」林峰马上澄清：「是的的确确为钱。我承认对拍戏有兴趣，但无人会为兴趣捱到我这样吧？」 「不怕告诉你，我的车我的楼都是爸爸买，如果我想自己买，为什么不需要赚钱？我还希望供弟弟读大学——都知想法有点傻，成日话要遥兰遥娌挥梦已魑恢痔龋蚁刖〉皆鹑巍！埂副绕鹜牵韵质本鸵祷肪常易鲅菰保阉阕钗袷底顡嫷娇烨腸areer，你怎能再说我发明星梦呢？只不过，这行总要先有名才有利，其实我不爱虚名，我只为利。拍《寻秦记》时，古天乐问我：『你为乜先？』现在我识答，只有答为钱，才不会令人议论纷纷。」
山在头上
根据林峰的逻辑，他甚至比年过三十的前辈小生更踏实。「他们红了多年才北上拍剧，适应到，但总有些放不下架子；我这一代却一入行便要和内地合作，像现时廿几岁投身社会的大学生，一开始已面对搵食艰难，反而更为硬净。」林峯说，世上有太多先入为主，观众认定他从未做过茄喱啡，其实他可如数家珍缕述在《医神华陀》扮过兵，在《真情》扮过侍应，在《碧血剑》扮过蒙面人。「一般艺人要经历过的阶段，我都无skip 过——OK，顶多话我跳级比较快……」 简单如艺名，他也自有一番上进道理。林峯原名林汇文，究竟应写成「峯」还是「峰」好？「有前辈劝我写『峰』，免得被山压在头上。我说，就让前面永远有一座接一座高山等我跨过好了。」林峯说，连身份证也改了叫林逸峰。记者误会是日月的日，他笑说：「邵逸夫个逸呀！」噢，一不小心又似乎透露了与TVB老板相熟的内情，林峯连忙收起笑意。
幸福白老鼠
刻意扮成熟有其反效果，林峰也心知肚明，就是有时变成扮大佬。新一辈六星小生（林峯、吴卓羲、黄宗泽、陈键锋、马国明、黎诺懿）同场，林峰永远企中间，有观众戥其余五星不值。林峰说：「我的确不是最年长，但出道比他们（指五星）早一期。他们当事人反而明白，不会嫉忌。TVB曾经许久不敢重用廿几岁的男仔，甚至有讲法认定年过三十才担到戏，全靠我做了多次白老鼠实验，杀出一条血路，令观众接受到后生仔也可做主角，阿Ron （吴卓羲）他们的路才会如此顺畅。「他们接着冒起了，我也开心，做生意要成行成市，一排小伙子站出来才够气势。」 「以前大家只说林峰是幸运儿，其实对我不公平。我都有风险，弄不好便永远沦为主角的弟弟那类角色，其他五星更蒲不出头了。」 青春无敌，谈到自己所带来的一代新人换旧人，林峯烧埋花旦果叠。最近与三十上下的畲诗曼、郭羡妮合演《覆雨翻云》。「我已经尽量扮成熟迁就她们，但睇番片，阿畲还OK，Sonija （郭羡妮）就 ……」算不算大佬口吻呢？不过，大佬也有失手时。今年年初，林峯到新加坡拍戏，被《壹周刊》摄到夜蒲揽女。
「回港后，其他娱记说：『循例答几句啦。』他们的态度连我都觉得好笑——对，正常人也明白，收工去饮杯，根本不成新闻，难道去图书馆吗？图书馆都休息啦。你们却拿男女授受不亲来大惊小怪做文章。我只希望被写一次就够，不要像连续剧继续渲染下去。「你问我有没有因此被乐小姐（无线艺员大管家乐易玲）训示过？又真系无，公司相信我为人正正经经——都知这样答又令你联想到因为林峰是特权阶级，我不想呃人，我无特权，但真从不用见训导主任。」
本性
林峯的老成自白讲完了，当一个富家子弟如此有诚意地充老成，甚至连不得不充的背后原因也坦承出来，就不能纯以扮o野视之——虽然，我更欣赏他偶然流露的少年本性。例如提起拍《大唐双龙传》的辛苦，林峯反反覆覆呻了半小时，原来只为引出一条结论：「所以，后来我在国金二期跑楼梯不支晕倒，并非报纸说的孱仔，而是真的拍戏捱残了。」不服输耿耿于怀，不正是细路仔心态吗？」这天在汀九拍照，旁观的村民婆婆说：「好熟面口，你好似做电视 ……」偏偏叫不出他名字。 林峰没有扁嘴（扁嘴便显得不成熟了），但不忘解嘲：「可能我的古装钊朊裥模弊把炊偃巳系谩！挂廊缓檬ぁ?廿五岁，本该如此。
Translation:
Raymond Lam took one from my pack, lit it, then blowing out some circles made from the smoke, then with his eyesight looking a little down, he said, "Do you think I'm too mature? I don't have a choice."
Come on, he's twenty five. Smiliarity of speaking, I've heard Gigi Lai say -- You don't need to put a cigarette in your mouth, you don't need a bunch of expressions, she was just poor when she was young, that kind of involuntary has been threatening. Gigi also told me, because of being scared of being looked down on, she came into the entertainment circle, not for money, but for interest; but what about Raymond? He was born into a rich family, his dad has wealth of four hundred million, knowing Madam Lei Hau Woh, he gave up his studies of architecture in America just to become a celebrity, he strongly insists he's doing this to make fast money, making money to afford his younger brother's education, he is not on loose labour.
This world is a place where people hate those who are rich, but dislike those who are poor, poor people don't dare to admit they're poor but rich people don't dare to admit they're rich. Being frank, it's still because they have no choice. Even until, young people have to pretend to be mature, being thirty four like myself, being an entertainment reporter, I start to worry of being kicked out, I can only lift my voice up eight times higher, smile like a little kid towards a big brother and ask Raymond, "Oh yeah, how come you're so mature?"
Diapers and a Cloth
- The stages that a normal actor has to go through, I've never skipped them.....OK, you can mostly say I went up the levels faster.........
Pretending to poor, Raymond doesn't enhance his vigilance. This day coming to shoot for photos, the reporter is confused on why he didn't drive here himself, he rather took the guestdriving van of my company. He said, "I'm not one of those playboys that drive around in their vehicles all the time like everyone thinks I am. The most important thing is for it to e convenient, if there's a vehicle of the company, just take everyone as the same." Great! The even greater thing is, Raymond does have a Mercedes Benz valuing to five hundred thousand. "It's actually my biggest fear. When I was going to St. Paul's College, my family tells a driver to drive me, I'd rather take the bus. Then afterwards, coming into the circle and buying a car, I was going to buy a simple car that's manufactured from Japan, but Dad just tells me that I'm a new driver, and a car manufactured from Europe is way safer." A high speed sports car is safe for a new driver? Who knows? During the interview, Raymond suddenly mentioned, "Tonight, being free and off from work, I can take a swim." Reporter asks, "During this weather, your house has a hot water pool?" He suddenly hesitated, it may be because he regrets of showing his wealth without noticing, answering after a while, "Yes...." Reporter sighs, who doesn't know that Raymond lives alone at Sun You Enterprise? But Raymond still likes to strongly insist that he's able to suffer through things. "I was born in XiaMen, coming to HK when I was two. When I was little, I didn't even have a diaper, I had to use a cloth--- being able to see that the commodity in Mainland was very deficient, I didn't work myself up to my wealth but I've seen how my parents have worked hard, I've grown up running around like a kid too." But the truth is, the Lam family has at least gained fortune and fame for three generations. His father, Lam Kwok Wah, of course has seven Real Estate and Construction companies; but his grandfather is also Fujian Province Political Consultative Conference Vice-President.
Only caring for money
The truth wins over explaining, Raymond had frankly say, "You see, I've tried my best to hide my family background, but the media still goes to exaggerate things; if I perform a bit more incurred, it will only make more people think I'm just playing around with loose labour, the road will just be harder for me to walk on. " When he just came into the circle, he never admited his parents' relation with Madam Lei Hau Woh. This day, he finally said it, "Now that I seem to have some success, I'll dare to admit -- Yes, we're very familiar with them.......
"I don't count as being mysterious, each celebrity, when talking about their family background, they all have a limit, afterwards, they would rather others to focus on their acting. It's just that if someone said that their dad works in an office, the reporter won't have more interest to ask more; my family has a big business, then they'd want to find out everything. Being in the acting class, I too had to take tests, it's just that, it was easy. I didn't have special powers, being introduced into it, I didn't dare to skip a class; the difference is that I just sat to listen, no allowance." Just like university students who don't need grant and loan. Just now believing Raymond's sincerity, now, giving up on his education and going to act should be for interest? "No!" Raymond quickly explains, "It's for making money. I admit I'm interest in acting, but no one would suffer like me just for interest? I'm not afraid to tell you, my car and house is bought by my dad, if I want to buy it myself, why wouldn't I need to earn money? I also hope to make money for my brother to get into university, I know it's a little stupid that I always say I need to support the family, right now, it's really not necessary for me to do that, but having the attitude, I want to have a responsiblity. Comparing to other classmates, and looking at the ecomonic conditions, being an actor, should be the most money earning career, how can you say that I'm having a dream to be a star? It's just that, in this circle, you need fame before getting fortune, I don't need fame, I just want the fortune. When filming "A Step Into The Past", Louis Koo asked me, "What is it that you want?" Now, I know how to answer, just for money, then there'll be no further discussions."
Raymond's father, Lam Wah Kwok has been an actor of opera. Raymond said, his brother likes to work on their family business, he can now relax himself into his acting career.
Raymond's house and vehicle, is all under the name of his father's company.
Mountain On The Head
According to Raymond's principles, he's more stable than the actors who are past thirty years old. "They need to be famous for a few years before filming in Mainland, being able to get used to it, but some can't put down their actor look; in my generation, some go to cooperate with Mainland companies right when they get into the circle, like the university students who come into the society right now, they know that things are going to be hard, which makes them stronger." Raymond says there are too many things in the world when people think things are like that because they see it like that, the audience insists that he's never been an extra, but actually he can count out the times where in "Incurable Traits", he was a soldier, in "Kindred Spirit", he was a waiter, in "Crimson Sabre", he was a slayer. "The stages that a normal actor has to go through, I've never skipped them.....OK, you can mostly say I went up the levels faster........."
Even as simple as a name, he still has his theories. Raymond's real name is "Law Wui Man", should we actually write his "Fung" with the mountain on the top or at the side? "There's been a senior who has asked me to write it with the mountain at the side, so the mountain won't be pressuring on the head. I say, I should let there be one high mountain after another for me to surpass it." Raymond said, he even changed his name on his identification card to "Lam Yat Fung". The Reporter confused the "Yat" with the chinese word for day, he laughed and said, "It's the "Yat" of Siu Yat Fu (Uncle Six)!" Oops! By not being careful, he revealed how he's close with the boss, Raymond quickly put away his laughs.
A White Mouse Of Weal
Being mature on purpose may bring opposite effects, this, Raymond understands, sometimes it would turn into pretending to be the "Big Bro". The Six Stars of the New Generation being in the same place (Raymond Lam, Ron Ng, Bosco Wong, Sammul Chan, Kenneth Ma, Lai Lok Yi), Raymond is always in the middle, there are audience who feel bad for the other five stars. Raymond says, "I am definitely not the oldest, but I came out before them. They actually understand, they won't be jealous. TVB hasn't been daring to highly promote actors who are in their twenties, there was even a saying that you have to be over thirty to be the main character, because of me being the white mouse and showing the ability so that the audience would accept young people being main characters, now Ron and the other's road of acting is way easier. The others are starting to come up, I'm happy too, doing business, you have to form a big line, a big group of young guys standing out, there you'll get some imposing manner. Before, everyone only knows to say that Raymond Lam is just lucky, it's actually very unfair to me. I have my dangers too, if I don't stand out on my first round, I'd probably end up as the main character's little brother or something, the other five also won't be able to come in." Young can defeat many things, speaking to the group of newbies replacing veterans, Raymond goes over to the actress side, just co-starred with actresses who are close to their thirties, Charmaine Sheh and Sonija Kwok in The Lethal Weapons of Passion and Love. "I did my best to look more mature to match them, but watching it over, being with Charmaine is still OK, but with Sonija............" Does it sound like a Big Bro? But, even a Big Bro has his faults. The beginning of this year, when Raymond was in Singapore filming, he was seen at Clubs hugging girls.
"After coming back to HK, other reporters go: "Just respond in the state of manner." Their attitude, I feel it's very funny, yes, any normal person will understand, going for a drink after getting off work, it's not even news, should I go to a library? The library would be closed. But you people always use the theory of the opposite sex shouldn't be so close to each other to make up a big piece of news. I hope once is enough, don't exaggerate and write on like a series. You've asked me if I have had a talk with Miss Lok? We really didn't, the company believe that I'm a person who's proper, I know answering like this will again lead to the thought about Raymond Lam having special powers, I don't want to lie, I don't have any special powers, I never needed to go see an instructor."
Real Personality
Raymond's words of being mature are done, being a rich guy, but he has such sincerity to pretend to be mature, even his reasons behind him, he has frankly spoken them out, so we really can't say he's pretending, even though I admire his real personality as a youngster way more, which he brings out once in a while. Like speaking about how labourious filming "Twin Of Brothers" was, Raymond complained about it for half an hour, but that was only for one conclusion, "So, the time where I fainted while running up stairs is not because how the news said I was a weakling, but it was really because of the labourious work of filming." Not accepting how he lost and feeling bad about it, isn't it like a little kid's mind? That day shooting, there was an old woman watching at the side who said, "You're very familiar, I think you act in series......" But not being able to say his name out. Raymond didn't flatten out his lips (that'd be immature), but he didn't forget to do some coverup, "Maybe my ancient appearance is more catchable, so people don't really recognize my modern look." Still loving the feeling of victory. A 25 year old, should be like this.
Looking at the time where he fainted while running, a mature youngster like Raymond shouldn't mind much, right?
Comments: Sigh ~ I always felt sorry for Ray. Well, this is the world we live in. People do look down on the poor and even more prejudiced against the wealthy. He doesn't have a choice. Poor OR wealthy is not a crime.
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