They thought it was porn

HONG KONG - While some believe that second-generation stars are a privileged lot, Hong Kong rookie singer-actor Alex Lam Tak-Shun that celebrity parents do not make the ride easy.

And before you face the public, you are already judged at home.

The suave, dimpled 28-yearold is the son of legendary Hong Kong entertainer George Lam, who is known in Asia for fronting Guinness Stout's famous 1993 television ad campaign.

His stepmother, Taiwan-born singer Sally Yeh, is a household name too, having released a slew of chart-topping hits in the 1980s and 90s.

Lam and his younger sister are from his father's previous marriage.

In a phone interview with local reporters last week to promote his new film, Lan Kwai Fong 3, Lam shared that his dad and stepmum initially had reservations about his involvement in it.

"They were worried as they hadn't watched the first two (Lan Kwai Fong) movies and kept thinking it was a porn film," he said in Mandarin.

"But it's not. It's not X-rated." Lan Kwai Fong 3, rated M18, is the third of a sexy film series set in Hong Kong's most vibrant nightlife hub.

Now showing in cinemas here, it follows the ups and downs of hard-partying couple Shin (Lam) and Sara (Ava Yu), whose romantic relationship is challenged when Sara's best friend, Jena ( Jeanna Ho) decides to seduce Shin.

Lam has two raunchy make-out scenes with ac-tress Ho, one in bed and one under water.

"Sally was also concerned about my kissing skills not being up to the mark," said Lam.

"She remembered a previous (film) I did in which I had to kiss another girl and she remarked that my kissing lacked passion."

The University of Southern California graduate takes such criticism in his stride.

"As a celebrity kid, the pressure to perform is always on, but it's positive pressure," he said.

"My dad and Sally often give me great suggestions. For example, though they are aware my biggest love is music, they've advised me to do more movies to boost my profile."

With a laugh, he said that his maiden on-screen make-out scenes in Lan Kwai Fong 3 went well.

All sexed up

"Before the shoot, I was quite nervous as there were more than 20 crew members on set to 'admire' our work," he said.

"Thankfully, I've known Jeanna for a long time and overall, we were able to be professional." He and co-star Ho suffered a case of the giggles at one point.

"That day, before we shot our kissing scene, Jeanna had just eaten a garlic mutton dish and a funny smell kept coming from her mouth," said Lam.

"It was supposed to be a very sexy moment, but we ended up having a good laugh over it."

The hunky dude is open to baring it all should the right project come along.

"Nudity is okay for me if the script is solid and the director is renowned."

OTHER ASIAN SHOWBIZ KIDS

They are rising stars in music and television, but it remains to be seen if they can go on to enjoy career longevity like their folks.

Jeremy Liu, 27

The son of acclaimed Taiwanese musician Liu Chia-Chang, 72, and actress Chen Chen, 65, gained infamy when his 2011 song, Love You, went viral.

Referred to by critics as Taiwan's answer to US teenager Rebecca Black, the graduate of California's Musicians Institute was mocked for his high, flat voice.

He has of late been overshadowed by his dad's alleged scandal with a 28-year-old actress.

Harwick Lau, 39

He is the son of Hong Kong veteran actor Lau Dan, 69, and the duo even starred together in a number of TVB drama series, including A Kindred Spirit (1995) and Virtues of Harmony (2001).

Lau's popularity soared after he shifted his focus to the mainland Chinese market, where he became the go-to leading man for TV productions such as Spell Of The Fragrance (2010) and In Love With Power (2012).

He will be tying the knot with actress girlfriend Mini Yang Mi on Wednesday.

Richard Sun, 39

Unlike his dashing dad Chin Han, 67, who was Taiwanese cinema's marquee name in the 1970s alongside Lin Ching-Hsia, Chin Hsiang-Lin and Lin Feng- Chiao, Sun's looks are more comical than handsome.

That may explain why he is more active as a regular on Taiwan's TV variety show circuit, where he hops from programme to programme, clowning around for laughs.

He scored supporting roles in dramas Independent Heroes (2012) and Love Around (2013).

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