It has been 25 years since actor-director Tay Ping Hui made his screen debut.

Despite his quick rise to fame as one of the most recognisable faces on television, Tay has not stopped hustling. 

The 53-year-old told TNP: "For me, it’s really about going out there and gaining experience. I don’t like to be too comfortable because you get lazy."

Tay is particularly excited about his latest project Contenders, an upcoming drama series that chronicles the life of Chinese migrants in 1940s Nanyang. 

He plays Black Tiger, a character he describes as "not very bright, but loyal and cares a lot for the people around him".

Tay shared: "He’s a strong, masculine character who’s really good at fighting and very different from me. I’m a peace lover."

The 25-episode drama marks a departure from Tay's typical Mediacorp projects and overseas productions.

"It's been a while since I did something like that. I love such shows because in Singapore, we don’t explore that enough. We are always talking about a guy and a girl falling in love: A likes B, B likes C, C likes A. Whereas the characters in all my China-based shows never have a love life, which is quite sad lah," he joked.

"I've done enough of those, so I really look forward to Contenders because it explores the complex yet simplistic relationship between men and brothers. It's very different from what I’ve done for the past five years in China, which is basically all kungfu and period shows."

Tay seems to have come full circle from his role in Stepping Out (1999), which is similarly a historical drama about the Chinese immigrant experience in Singapore. His portrayal of a gang leader won him Best Supporting Actor at the Star Awards the same year.

But while the silver fox still looks as suave as ever, he admits that he is now "an entirely different person" after over two decades in showbiz.

"Stepping Out was my second show. I was a total noob and totally clueless on what to do. I just went with my instincts and observed my seniors or people who had more experience. I would say I had zero technical skills, zero acting knowledge and pretty much one per cent acting skills," Tay recounted.

"But right now, as I embark on this show, I've amassed almost 20 years of experience. In terms of my perspective, my understanding, my knowledge and my still pathetic acting skills, it would be a totally different experience.

"I know and hope it will be different because it better be. If not, jialat lah."

As for what's next, Tay hopes to explore different markets outside of China to diversify his roles. "I hope to complete my script and direct a movie, hopefully by this year. It's in the oven right now, it's baking, so hopefully it will come to be."

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This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.