Actor, singer and dancer Eden Ang reveals his secret to looking good

Actor, singer and dancer Eden Ang reveals his secret to looking good
PHOTO: Actor, singer and dancer Eden Ang reveals his secret to looking good

sINGAPORE - Mr Eden Ang, 25, has the best of not just two, but three or even four worlds. With a Japanese mother and Chinese Singaporean father, he and his younger brother grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, where they lived a healthy lifestyle.

Soft drinks were not allowed at home and they ate mainly home-cooked meals. For sport, he picked up karate at the age of eight.

The competitive streak in him - "I was constantly striving to be better than others and always want to be in the best condition that I can be," he said - spurred him to compete at the national level.

He represented New Zealand from the age of 15 to 18. But entertainment is clearly his passion. He learnt to play the guitar, drums and bass at a young age.

When he was in high school, he picked up breakdancing and would always find time to dance.

Mr Ang, who moved back here for national service, stayed on to carve out his entertainment career.

His foray into theatre started when he auditioned for theatre company Pangdemonium's musical Spring Awakening in 2011.

The bachelor dances, acts, hosts and sings, and has appeared in commercials and television programmmes here.

His latest project is Pangdemonium's production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Rabbit Hole, which runs until May 12 at the DBS Arts Centre.

He said: "I am an all-or-nothing person. I tend to overdo things. But the character I play requires a lot of control. So I'm learning and it's great."

Find out how this 1.7m tall and 63kg hunk keeps in shape:

What do you do to keep fit?

As a B-boy (the colloquial term for breakdancer boy), I am constantly dancing in my day job, so that works itself out.

I perform four times a day at least three days a week at Universal Studios Singapore.

There is a two-hour interval between the shows and that is when I hit the gym for 10 minutes each time to lift weights.

I also do a lot of core conditioning and shoulder and calf work. Every Friday, I practise my flips and moves at the gymnastics gym.

When I take time off from my day job to perform in musicals or plays, such as Rabbit Hole, I try to hit the gym every day.

What else do you do to look good?

The thing about being in entertainment is that you have to be concerned about the aesthetic side of things.

I have never been keen on going to the gym, but the gym work that I do in between shows are for aesthetics. I work on my chest and biceps, the areas that dancing does not really work out.

There are two types of fitness. One is where you build a very strong core and are in control of your body. It means I can pull off whatever moves I want.

The other type of fitness is about having the abs and muscles to look good. For example, look at bodybuilders. They cannot move very well but they look good.

Do you often get cast as someone younger?

I always play teenagers. But when you do things that you like every day, and are always happy and excited about new things, and constantly learning, you will end up feeling younger.

Has there been a time when you were not fit and fabulous?

I have always been fit as I picked up karate at the age of eight and practised it until I was 18.

But there was a time during national service when my weight hit 68kg. I was quite plump.

I had a slipped disc at that time so I could not exercise. That was a miserable time and I felt uncomfortable with my body.

What is your diet like?

To me, carbohydrates are fuel. I eat more of them on the days I know I am going to use a lot of energy. It can be rice, noodles, bread or any other type of carbohydrate.

If I am not going to be active that day, I will cut back on carbohydrates. I am a huge fan of vegetables and lean meat of any kind.

I try not to eat fast food and drink soft drinks. I did not really eat those till I was 18. We were not allowed fast food and soft drinks at home.

When I was young, my mum took care of my health. Now, it is my responsibility.

What are your indulgences?

Bubble tea, Brazilian buffets and, very recently, cheesecake with green tea (while memorising my lines for Rabbit Hole).

I also love a place that sells Taiwanese street food. I love the seafood tofu fries (fries made of deep fried soya bean curd, with seaweed seasoning). It is one of the best creations ever.

I ate that when I lived in Taiwan and I was so excited to find the dish here.

What are the three most important things in your life?

God, people and my career. People, in general, matter. I believe that who you are depends on how well you treat everyone. It is not just about treating family and friends right.

I do not really care about how much money I make or going to parties. I love what I do, so I am blessed.

What is your secret to looking fabulous?

A lot of it lies in being positive. When you are standing in front of someone, it is too late to go for a workout or tweak yourself to look "fab". What I can do is to be myself, smile and be positive.

Would you go for plastic surgery?

Nope. Because then they would need to cast someone else for Rabbit Hole.

Do you think you are sexy?

Do you think I am sexy? It is up to you to decide.

joyceteo@sph.com.sg


Get a copy of Mind Your Body, The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.