Shorty star Chye-Ling: 'I'M PANSEXUAL, POLYAMOROUS & PROUD!'

The actress insists her real-life open relationship isn’t as messy as the soap would suggest

- SEBASTIAN VAN DER ZWAN

For Shortland Street’s pansexual paramedic Theodora “Theo” Chang, her sexuality and open relationships have brought no end of drama to Ferndale, with break-ups, make-ups, secret snogs and failed threesomes.

But Auckland actress Chye-Ling Huang – who plays the unlucky-in-love ambo on the TVNZ 2 soap – insists being pansexual and having an open relationship in real life is borderline boring!

“It’s a lot of sitting down and talking, which isn’t very exciting,” laughs the 30-year-old, who has been in a long-term relationship with a straight man for three years, while also seeing other men, women and gender-diverse people. “It’s more like a really dull talk show than a soap opera. There’s nothing dramatic or zany about it.

“As with all relationships, trust and communication are key, so everyone knows what’s going on. And I keep a diary so I can see different people on different days and not double up. When you stuff up, of course people get hurt.

“Miscommunication happens between regular couples as well – you can never avoid that. But it’s rewarding when it’s done well.”

While she and Theo may seem very similar, the actress says that when it comes to their love lives, they couldn’t be more different.

“She’s a lot more hotheaded and irresponsible than I am, and she’s doing things that I would never do. She’s not a great communicator and she’s not upfront with everybody involved – about who she’s seeing and what people mean to her.”