Happy to play granny

Local actress Hong Huifang, 63, stars in Taiwanese drama Breeze By The Sea as an oyster farmer in her 70s

- Benson Ang

Local actress Hong Huifang is unfazed by the thought of being typecast as the grandmother these days.

The 63-year-old portrays yet another one in her 70s in the Taiwanese drama Breeze By The Sea, her first overseas project following her Golden Horse-nominated turn in Singapore-South Korean film Ajoomma (2022).

The 18-episode series will be available on Rakuten Viki and Viu from Dec 14.

Speaking to The Straits Times at the Asia TV Forum & Market held on Dec 4 at Marina Bay Sands, Hong said she does not mind playing much older characters. After all, she added, she has portrayed a centenarian in the Channel 8 drama Good Luck (2015) and several grandmothers over the years.

Furthermore, she is heartened that on-screen grandmothers are being viewed in a positive light and have gained more prominence recently, such as in the hit Thai movie How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024).

She noted the Chinese saying of "having an old person in the family is like having a treasure", and added: "Some people are closer to their grandmothers than their parents. I think it is partly because they know their time with their grandparents is short. By the time they grow up, their grandparents are already quite old."