Cover Mak Pui Tung (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
Mak Pui Tung (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
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The award-winning Hong Kong actor, who gained fame from playing a gruesome murderer in ‘The Sparring Partner’, takes on a new voice actor role as the world’s most famous cat
If you're looking for some family fun this weekend, The Garfield Movie is just released in Hong Kong this week. As well as a fun and heartwarming plot, another reason to go watch it is that the lovable ginger cat in the Cantonese dubbing is voiced by Mak Pui Tung, an award-winning Hong Kong theatre-turned-film-actor.
Mak won the Best Newcomer at the Asian Film Awards last year with his role as a sleazy murder suspect in the true crime-inspired 2022 thriller The Sparring Partner. Since then, he has branched out into voice acting by voicing for The Super Mario Bros Movie (2023). The Garfield Movie is his first time voicing for a lead character in his career.
The rising actor tells Tatler about his transition from theatre to film and from comedies to murder films, and why he relates to Garfield.
Above Mak at a recording studio (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
Mak at a recording studio (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
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How does voice acting compare to live performances in a theatre?
Voice acting is challenging because you have to deliver the translated lines within a short and strict time as designed for the character. You also have to match the shape of the character’s mouth and add to the film’s ambience with only your voice. Unlike live performances where I have leeway for adding my personal style to my acting, I have to focus only on presenting my character’s traits to the fullest for voice acting projects.
What was the greatest challenge?
I only had two to three days to finish voicing for the whole movie, which has at least 800 lines [for Garfield]. While Garfield is a lazy character, its voice isn’t lackadaisical at all. It took much energy to play the role, especially in the fight or chase scenes. Three to four hours in, my voice got hoarse.
Above A film still of The Garfield Movie (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
A film still of The Garfield Movie (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
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What is your favourite takeaway from the movie?
Garfield gives out the impression that it’s just a lazy cat that only eats and sleeps. But there’s wisdom within. Sometimes Garfield solves problems the smart way, and it never gives up [on his friends and family].
Do you relate to Garfield?
Every time our team played scenes from the film where I finished the voice acting, I found myself sounding and even looking quite like Garfield, which was funny.
Prior to Garfield, you played a murder suspect in The Sparring Partner, which was a huge contract to the animation. How did you prepare for that role?
I’ve always been fascinated with strange cases in real life, and I was familiar with the homicide from which the film was adapted. The vivid image of my murderer character [realised through my costumes and makeup], the detailed script and the serious atmosphere of the shooting process further helped me to get into my role.
Read more: 9 Hong Kong movies that spotlight the city’s social issues
Above From left: Lam Suet and Mak (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
From left: Lam Suet and Mak (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
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You won Best Newcomer at the Asian Film Awards in 2023 for your role in The Sparring Partner. What does the award mean to you?
I was thrilled to win but I wasn't expecting it at all, and it gave me a boost of confidence to know both local and overseas judges recognised my acting skills.
What inspired you to become an actor?
I found my interest in acting when I joined the drama club at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts [where I studied]. I’m a quiet person and I don’t tend to express myself verbally a lot. Acting was a great method for catharsis when I put myself into different scenarios or characters’ shoes. Then Chung Ying Theatre Company offered me a full-time job to be an actor. The rest is history.
Above A film still of The Garfield Movie (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
A film still of The Garfield Movie (Photo: courtesy of Mei Ah)
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In your film career, you’ve played a wide variety of roles: a murder suspect in The Sparring Partner, a security guard in Over My Dead Body (2023), Gai in Zero to Hero (2021), and now Garfield. Which is your favourite genre to perform in?
I don’t have a particular genre that I like best. But in the future, I’d like to take on ordinary characters. The character is perhaps an anybody who has a nine-to-five day job. I want to explore human relationships and ordinary life experiences. I do have another genre in mind that’s at the other end of the spectrum: high-tech, sci-fi movies with some battle scenes.
Why ordinary movies?
I want to challenge myself to telling good stories even without a grand plot or character.
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
