Depended on his role as the brain surgeon Doctor Ching in Healing Hands, Lawrence has been crowned the "housewife killer". Producer Gary Tang is also a contributing factor, back then both of their careers were rising together and received the golden partner title. Now, the two collaborate once again in ATV's The Men of Justice, Lawrence does not think too much about the ratings: "The script is pretty good, the production is serious, the cast were a great team and the results definitely won't be bad. We just needed the chance for it to broadcast, believe that it will have good response and not afraid that no one will watch."
Brain Surgeon to a Prosecutor
This time Lawrence plays a professional again, but he's turned from a brain surgeon to prosecutor Fong Chi Ho. He let the producer decide everything, proving his trust for Gray. "Actually in the past, I had great challenges. When I debuted, I was often the villain and to the majority of viewers' hearts I was the evil guy, often setting off fires and murdering people, just I was definitely not a good person. Then I suddenly got good characters in Files of Justice and Healing Hands, the challenge is even greater. Making a person hate you is easy, just have to do bad things, but to make people like you all over again, it is difficult. Reality proves that there is nothing you can't do."
Grateful of Gary's support and guidance
Lawrence is very grateful of Gary's arrangements in the past. "As an artist, each acting outcome is not always perfect and to encounter a good script is a difficult task. Especially being accustomed to being the audience since youth, I really hated the evil roles in the series. However, after entry into the industry and being villains for 10+ years, I felt its pretty difficult, every time I get off work and sitting on the bus to get home, I would think about the murder scenes I did that day, who I raped or who's family I harmed. It is an unhappy and painful feeling, plus back then I didn't make much money. I did not like my work at all. Until Gary Tang found me to be a good character and changed my life."
Lawrence once asked Gary personally why he asked him to do Files of Justice. "At the time he wanted a person who had an outer appearance of an university graduate and someone who had no big conflict experiences. But I was suffering from being a mole to get to this position as an artist. He saw my appearance in Outburst as the gentle policeman and felt that I was a perfect match for the role. I have experienced a lot, once doing Category III movies and many other villain roles. I have rich experiences."
Two endings leaving foreshadows
Since Files Of Justice V, every arrangement made by Gary for Lawrence is an unhappy ending, roles that eventually grow old alone. Gary laughed: "Files V received many complaints from audience, asking why Lawrence had to die and until today there are still people talking about it. (How about this time, is there going to be a good ending?) TV series is not movies, movies have to maintain audiences' excitement when they leave the cinemas, just like Ip Man. However for TV series, some profound regrets will leave a deep impression on audience, so this time we have two endings because Lawrence has to make a very important decision. It is up to ATV to decide which to use, or maybe let audience vote for which ending they prefer." Gary expressed The Men of Justice ending foreshadows and leaves a lot of opening, just like many people online discuss Healing Hands, like if Doctor Ching will get married and his love life, and topics like that. Audience have a very creative mind." Lawrence also strongly supports his old buddy, although an unhappy ending makes people uncomfortable, but can leave a deep impression on audience.
TVB inhumane
The Men of Justice once started lots of gossips, including TVB issuing a legal letter to Lawrence stating that he still has a contract with them. As there are some artists who received no pay lately, Lawrence frankly said that he has not been affected, but actually the most memorable was when he got sick. "I rested a for a few days, but felt a bit sorry so I tried to get back to work. Some of my colleagues saw that I was still feeling unwell as I was constantly sweating. The director and other crew members didn't let me film, and kept telling me to leave. Before when I was filming with TVB, I still went to work despite being sick. If ill in bed, then will receive phone calls from the director, producer and executives demanding why you are 'lazy to work', really is inhumane." Asked if he's not going back to TVB again? Lawrence said: "I never thought about this question. It is hard to say, perhaps if there is a good script and role, if very sincere then I will go back."
Lawrence looking for a good script
Lawrence is currently resides in Mainland, his family of three is living happily together. Also, he's partnered with Eric Woo in a joint production company in Beijing. He believes that for the near feature, he will not be going back to Hong Kong to film series. Lawrence smiled: "In a year, I only spend a few months working and my other time is spent with my family. Currently I am just waiting for Gary's scripts, hoping to appear on-screen again by the end of the year. I want to take the intiative to find a good script to film because after all I am close to 50 years old." He will serve as the male lead in a new series and the story will contain several different elements. He hopes to invite Michael Tao, Bobby Au Yeung and Ada Choi as guest stars, but this will depend on the schedule and the investor.
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