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The spark that become the flame in Glenn Yong’s appearing profession was ignited by Leonardo DiCaprio.
“Once I watched Catch Me If You Can (2002), the place DiCaprio performed a conman who impersonated, amongst different issues, a pilot, banker, lawyer and policeman, it made me realise that as an actor, you may actually check out so many lives. That is not one thing you are able to do with an workplace job,” says Yong.
Lately, the 25-year-old has loads of imaginary lives to maintain him busy.
He made his debut as a lead actor in September 2021 in Mediacorp’s Chinese language-language drama Stay Your Desires and is at present seen on the large display in Ah Ladies Go Military, the newest instalment of director Jack Neo’s Ah Boys To Males film franchise.
It was not so way back that Yong himself was a military recruit exploring social media.
“I used to be doing my nationwide service in 2018 and I began posting loads of TikTok movies. That was when TikTok actually took off and I used to be in all probability one in all its early adopters. A few of these movies went viral, and that is form of when folks began noticing me and asking me for shoots and exhibits,” he says.
Since then, his rise has been swift.
“This previous 12 months has been a breakthrough 12 months for me: I bought my first lead position on TV after which my first lead position in a film. These had been two issues I set for myself as objectives and I am so grateful I have been in a position to obtain them at such an early stage in my profession.”
That isn’t to say that the journey has been with out bumps.
“There are positively loads of doubters – individuals who do not need to see me succeed and they also do or say loads of issues behind my again,” he says.
“That isn’t one thing I used to be conversant in. Earlier than I used to be an actor, I by no means knew anyone within the media or leisure trade. Prior to now two years, I’ve realised that many issues are totally different from what I anticipated – what you see could not at all times be what you get.”
However he stays optimistic.