Vic Chou recently took a trip down memory lane and looked back on his breakout role in the iconic Taiwanese series Meteor Garden, which first aired in 2001.
In the series, Vic played Huaze Lei, one of the four members of F4. Speaking to GQ Taiwan, he recalled how Meteor Garden marked his first-ever acting role and how the entire F4 cast was similarly new to the craft.
"The four of us, none of us had much acting experience. Aside from me, Vanness (Wu), I think it was also his first time acting. Both Xiao Tian (Ken Chu) and Jerry (Yan) didn’t have much acting experience either. So most of the time, I relied heavily on director Tsai (Yueh-hsun)," he recounted as per English translation.
Vic went on to express deep gratitude for director Tsai and his late co-star Barbie Hsu, both of whom became his earliest mentors in the industry.
The actor shared how director Tsai helped him deliver what was needed for his role: "He taught me how to calm myself down, to forget about everything around me — the lights, the cameras, the people — and helped guide me into an emotional space he felt was right. I truly depended on director Tsai a lot."
Vic also fondly remembered Barbie, who played the role of Shan Cai. He recounted how she gave him valuable tips and insights on acting and navigating the entertainment industry. "Then there were my fellow actors, like Xi Yuan (Barbie). I leaned on her a lot too. We would talk about so many things on set. She was so generous. She would tell me about the paths that might lie ahead if I chose this career, what directions she thought were good, what things to avoid," he recalled.
Vic concluded by acknowledging their lasting impact on his life: "These two people have been huge blessings in my life. They helped me truly understand what acting is about."