Philip Tan - The Protagonist

Having grown up in and around film sets, is it any wonder that Lewis Tan is now making a living on the big (and small) screen? Step into the shoes of Tan, from stunt work to modelling gigs to being part of the emerging Asian actors wave, who is ready for the limelight.

- Wayne Cheong

INT. EDITING ROOM – NIGHT

It is a Sunday evening and you, Lewis Tan, are editing clips of a short film you’ve done. It also happens to be the start of a new year. Normally, people would take this time to recuperate from the New Year’s Eve partying over the weekend, but you are not most people.

Some context as to who you are: 34 years old, 1.88m, half-Chinese/half-English. You were born in Salford, which, at the time, had the reputation of being a rough district. Your father is Philip Tan, a stunt coordinator, and your mother is Joanne Tan née Cassidy, an ex-model.

If this was a movie, there would be a montage of you splicing footages, while some R&B tune worms its way into your ears from a portable speaker—but it isn’t. Earlier you’ve worked the entire day, and now your eyes are tired and your posture is a little sloped from all the sitting. This short film is something that you’ve personally financed. Your own money.

You’re telling this to a reporter halfway around the world through videoconferencing. You tell him that your family didn’t come from money. The things that they have were earned through hard work.

LEWIS TAN

I understood the concept that

people got famous and they were