Last year, more than three decades after his showbiz debut, actor Zhang Shuifa considered retirement.

"Physically, I was ready to retire, but mentally, I still hoped that there would be opportunities to act or at least cameo in shows," the 58-year-old told AsiaOne at the recent press conference for his new movie I Want To Be Boss.

By June 2024, he had sold his home in Malaysia and was prepared to rent a small apartment near the seaside in Melaka.

He told us: "That's the place where my mum had worked so hard to raise me. I hoped to retire there so that I could visit her frequently at the columbarium where her ashes are interred."

In an interview with The New Paper in 1989, Shuifa, who had debuted in Singapore showbiz a year earlier, shared he was born and raised in Melaka and his mother worked as a washerwoman and baby-sitter to provide for him and his younger sister. His father died when he was 15 years old.

He also told the publication then that his favourite hobby was to "gaze at the stars on a deserted beach by himself", adding that he felt "very relaxed and in harmony with nature".

However, Shuifa's retirement plans were set aside when he received a call in July from his good friend, local actor Terence Cao, who arranged for him to come to Singapore through another friend.

He added: "Terence is very warm, he provided me with accommodation in the master bedroom of his home as he understands I need my own privacy too."

In good humour, he quipped: "It's a pity he's not Amy Yip, I would have devoted myself to him."

Terence, who was also in this interview with local director Jack Neo, shattered his thoughts quickly by reminding him that Amy is Jack's business partner.

Shuifa first appeared on Terence's Star Live livestream on July 3 and was warmly received by netizens then.

It appeared Terence also arranged for him to meet Jack that day, three decades after he co-hosted Jack's variety show Comedy Nite.

"I didn't expect that after 37 years, I would still need my good friend Terence to look after me," Shuifa added.

When asked why he decided to help Shuifa, Terence, 57, said: "I have known him for a long time and wanted to help him, but I am powerless.

"But since working with Jack, there have been more acting opportunities in his movies and also livestreams, so I hoped to be able to share these with actor friends around me.

"I think actors are passive, and even more so for those at our age where we don't get to choose the work and it chooses us instead. We also hope that when we are chosen for an acting project, we are able to do something that we are happy with and help others at the same time; that makes me very happy."

I Want To Be Boss also marks Shuifa's first Singapore movie and he plays Steven, an ex-colleague of retiree Ong Dongnan (Henry Thia), who becomes the latter's culinary apprentice after Dongnan opens a Chinese restaurant.

Steven learns Dongnan's secret recipe but soon turns on him using artificial intelligence (AI) when conflict arises between Dongnan and his business partner Douyin Jie (Dawn Yeoh). Despite that, AI also leads to Steven's downfall. After a series of events, Steven and Dongnan learn the importance of hard work, honesty and forgiveness.

Shuifa was known to play antagonists in local dramas when he first debuted with Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC, now Mediacorp), such as Hu Qifeng in Teahouse in Chinatown (1988) and Ke Qin in That Moment In Time (1993).

Jack, 65, said it was pure coincidence that Shuifa was cast as a villain in his new movie.

"I didn't know he used to play antagonist roles. During the audition [for this movie], the energy that he gave off made me feel that he would be the appropriate person to act as a villain. I was impressed by his performance. I feel that he has a fierce gaze and not everyone can pull that off," he said.

Shuifa also told us he felt the pressure about his role, his first since he returned to acting: "I told Terence, 'It's you who brought me back to Singapore, I don't want to let you down.'"

I Want To Be Boss also stars Aileen Tan, Patricia Mok, Yang Guang Ke Le, Shawn Thia, Terence Cao, Jae Liew and Malaysian influencer Inthira and is now showing in Singapore cinemas.

yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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