Zen Chong | |
---|---|
Chinese name | 钟证祥 (simplified) |
Pinyin | Zhōng Zhèngxiáng (Mandarin) |
Birth name | Chong Cheng Xiong |
Born |
Malaysia |
15 August 1978
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2001–present |
Spouse(s) | Geline See (2011–present) |
Zen Chong (Chinese: 钟证祥; pinyin: Zhōng Zhèngxiáng; born Chong Cheng Xiong, Chinese: 钟证祥 on 15 August 1978), is a Singapore-based Malaysian actor.
Chong joined MediaCorp in 2001 after finishing third in that year's Malaysian edition of Star Search Singapore. One of his first major roles was in the 2003 sitcom Lobang King where he was cast alongside veteran artistes Chew Chor Meng, Huang Wenyong and Irene Ang as the smooth-talking employee of Huang's character.
Chong is known for portraying juvenile "ah beng" characters, antiheroes and villains. He shot to fame for his role as a main antagonist in the hit period drama The Little Nyonya. Although initially a replacement for Andrew Seow, he was praised for his convincing portrayal of antagonist Robert Zhang and won a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2009 Star Awards, his first ever awards nomination. He was given his first lead role in the 2008 co-production The Thin Line.
A native of the gangster-infested "New Villages" in Kuala Lumpur, Chong studied graphic design and worked at an advertising agency prior to joining Star Search Malaysia. He married his long-time girlfriend Geline in January 2011. Guests at the ceremony included fellow MediaCorp artistes Darren Lim, Christopher Lee, Brandon Wong, Alan Tern and Zhang Yaodong. The couple have a daughter Aryssa, who was born in April 2015.