Hong Kong actor Michael Wong was in conversation with P.Ramakrishnan while he was blowing smoke up... at the Cigar Divan in Central. Images by William Furniss.
According to Will Smith’s chart buster “Getting Jiggy With It”, the cigar is “for the look” but he doesn’t light it. For Hong Kong actor, model, producer and writer, Michael Wong, the cigar is all about the taste, the flavour, the mood and so much more.
As we meet for an interview at the Red Chamber Cigar Divan, which is adjacent to the iconic Shanghai Tang flagship store in Central, Wong settles himself into a lounge chair and lights up one of his favourites. “I love a good cigar and I’m so grateful that David Tang has this place set up for us aficionados,” he says. “A great cigar does cover the full range of emotion, it’s always there for you at the right time. It;s that great companion that’s there when you’re in a contemplative mood, if you’re ecstatically happy… whenever.”
Before we continue, let me narrate you this cigar and David related tale,” he says with a laugh. “I owe him! I had asked him a favour a few years ago, when I was doing a series with Dennis Hopper. I wanted to give Dennis a gift on behalf of the cast and crew and so I called David because I knew Dennis loved his cigars. David generously gave me a box of Sir Winston and Trinidad, but unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out. By the time I got back to location in Shanghai, Dennis had already left and I had to share the cigars with the crew!”
So you feel guilty about that?
“No, not even that. What I felt really guilty about was that I called David on the phone, and I was in a taxi back here in Hong Kong and he must have been in the London. I was in a really giddy mood, and I must have woken him up. I was yelling, “Wei, wei, wei!” And I was laughing because I was in the car with friends and joking around and finally I heard him say, “I can hear you, who is it?!” and I hung up! I was so embarrassed! PS: Dear David, that was me on the phone that time and I owe you an apology, and my extreme gratitude in accommodating me.”
Even the people watching the photo-shoot join in the laughter.
American born, 6-foot tall, Hong Kong movie star Michael Wong has acted in over 60 films in the last 23 years. Li Cheng (also known as Miles Apart) was the first film he directed and co-produced, while he has also modeled for international brands and appeared on television shows. Married to the glamourous model Janet Ma, and brother of fellow actor/model Russell, Wong’s high-profile career so far has been a wild concoction of hits and misses.
Reflecting back, he says, “I think it was in a movie I was working on in 1995 when I first had a cigar on film. The projection of the mafia or bad guys smoking didn’t really bother me. When I played the role, I was the good guy in the film who was smoking. I convinced the director that it should be a trait in the character. I was lucky that he agreed with me so it was a great excuse to smoke during the day - as part of the job.”
Wong insists that he never smokes in front of his children and if there are kids around, he doesn’t like it when people light up either. “Places like this divan, or a cigar chamber, I think men should be gentlemanly about smoking cigars, be in company that permits, no, company that enjoys it as much s you do. All good cigar smokers are gentlemen first.”
Red Chamber Cigar Divan
Shop M1, Mezzanine Floor
Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street
Central
Tel: (852) 2537 0977
Cover story, The High Life
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