《enya FASHION QUEEN》封面人物拍攝當天，明道身穿白色襯衫搭配牛仔褲，漫步在正午暖陽撒落的攝影棚裡，那個你我隔著螢幕看到的王子，來到生活裡，從沒改變的英倫氣息多了一股為人父的溫柔，除了沾染著他喜獲麟兒的雀躍之情，講起明道你心裡閃過哪些畫面，《冒險王》真性情的陽光大男孩，唱歌時深情款款的型男，演戲時多半氣場強烈的總裁，出道 20 年光陰已屆不惑之年，如今人生翻開新的扉頁，每一次勇往直前的冒險，其實是對於細節的深思熟慮，我們用談話一句句擦去對「明道」二字既定的想像。
On the shooting day for the cover of enya FASHION QUEEN, Ming Dao, wearing a white shirt and jeans, walks around the photo studio where the sunlight falls warmly at noontime. The prince we once saw on TV comes in reality. His British temperament has never changed, but now he shows more tenderness as a new father. It’s obvious to experience his joy. While mentioning Ming Dao, we all have a certain impression of him in mind: the sunny boy on the TV show, The King of Adventure, the singer who sings passionately, and the powerful president in most TV series. After 20 years of the entertainment career, he is now in his 40s and has turned over a new page in life. Every time there’s a thorough consideration before taking each adventure. Through the interview, we erase the established image of “Ming Dao” but re-know him in depth.
悉心琢磨角色輪廓
演藝生涯一晃眼 20 年，明道穿梭於影視歌不同領域，在他身上活過的角色不計其數，今次扮演霸道總裁單均昊，下次又是命運離奇的更生人阿傑，還要穿起唐裝飾演明崇儼，近年更成立工作室走至幕後當起戲劇、節目製片，明道全力以赴的身影倒映在外界眼底，一如他手上蕭邦Alpine Eagle腕錶，在拋光打磨下散發出柔和緞光，不分明暗恆久幻化光芒。
不少人也許和我一樣著迷於《王子變青蛙》裡的霸道總裁單均昊，當時 20 多歲的明道演員生涯初出茅廬，劇中「失憶」課題，對他來說更多是字面底下的無助和可怕，「只能拿更多本人的經驗和大量的練習。」訪談中他即興演出失憶，仔細觀察我的真實反應，幾乎藉此「尋找更多的可能，讓角色不再重複，演起來也不會疲乏。」15 年戲齡積累了超過 40 種人生故事，明道看劇本幾乎過目不忘，但想淋漓盡致發揮角色核心特質，在於爬梳字裡行間「落這些敘述的人他心裡想看到什麼。」靠著悉心琢磨心中最有挑戰性或模糊的特質，點滴刻劃出角色輪廓。
困境之後才有熱情
文字能呈現事情的表象，深度卻很難刻畫，對他而言包括演員在內的演藝事業只是一份工作，他試圖假設「有人說他超有熱情，結果一個月可能練習演戲不到兩天，但我把它當工作，卻每天都在練習。」鎮日運轉的工作狀態，是在一次次抽絲剝繭的研究中找到興趣，並從中萌生熱情。
回首 22 歲第一份演藝工作《冒險王》，更多了一分責任。沒有浪漫的明星夢，明道當時就讀於彰化師範大學，教職是相對穩定的謀生工具，掙扎之餘一個念頭閃過「神要我用另一種方式當老師。」就此展開兩年多的冒險生涯。「大家去窮困的地方習慣以可憐和辛苦的角度拍攝，可是我從來沒在節目裡說過任何地方或情況可憐。」本著初衷踏遍南北半球，最終更走上金鐘紅毯成為「文教資訊節目主持人獎」最年輕得主，回顧演藝生涯時，明道這才恍然喊到「喔！那是唯一我覺得不是工作的工作，百分之百相信我就是那個人。」
幕前角色多變，明道也成立工作室，開始嘗試戲劇、節目製片，面臨的困難遠比想像超乎一萬倍，舉凡從前期建構劇情、尋找資金來源，拍攝中需不斷斡旋角色檔期，後期還得跟電視台拉鋸，講起排山倒海的問題幾乎無法換氣，冗長的心路歷程早已超乎言辭。不過首部由工作室製作的偶像劇《勝女的代價》成功締造討論度，明道則感念一路以來的共事者「其實我是一個團隊，我不可能會所有的東西，只是我們可能是讓大家聚在一起解決這些問題的人。」我彷彿看見在明道身上沒有天生的熱情，是在一次次的困境之後才能找到寶藏。
泰拳冠軍賽的領悟
身為公眾人物每一次的亮相乘載著使命，近期他深刻感受，明道二字置於不同人事物中能衍生百種解釋，是大家記憶裡的感覺、是閃過的一個念頭，「其實當大家有念頭，這就已經不屬於我個人，是屬於大家的。」操著一口沉穩語氣說到「神要我管理明道這兩個字，這才是我的工作，而不是我擁有他；世界上沒有誰是誰的，你以為是你的，其實也不是你的。」這樣的處世哲學貫穿他的工作與人生。
近期明道開始練習泰拳，來到攝影棚前一晚還看了場冠軍賽，原先期待著冠軍拳王迅速完賽的快感，沒想到雙方竟拉鋸至兩次延長，現實是拳王打的狼狽辛苦，「我心裡想怎麼會，他不是英雄嗎？不是可以輕鬆解決嗎？」我們以為時間能減少人生裡的挫敗次數，明道近年拿起劇本卻越感徬徨，他質疑自我不夠努力，也想過年齡恐是演藝事業裡難以跨越的門檻，像極了冠軍賽裡的拳王，最終拳王以些微差距險勝，他才頓悟「隨著時間越久段位越高，遇到的對手也會更強。最後你贏過對方可能真的是一點點而已。」人生每個跨度與階段也許可以墨守成規，但難上加難的挑戰更是打磨能力。
男孩成長後的溫柔
和我們見面前幾天，明道才和《王子變青蛙》相隔十多年未見的製片碰面，聊起單均昊一角除了家族事業背景不同，想法實際的特質很相像，他從小認為「沒有人會無條件幫你，同時我也不會幫你做很多事，每個人都該解決自己的問題。」訪談快到尾聲，我思忖明道是個全力以赴的冒險家，然而他卻澄清自己並非勇往直前，「我其實很謹慎的走每一步，即便旁人看起來很危險。」踏入新的挑戰意味得背起更多的風險，在每一次的如履薄冰之下是更深層的思考伏流。
人生賽道邁入 40 歲，明道才懂得在他眼裡的「普通」行事，是外人看來燃燒身心的拼勁，直至去年以前「我一直有意無意的掩飾自己正在做辛苦的事情。」是新生命的降臨，融化了男孩堅韌的外殼。近日，明道宣告「男孩+」的新身分，微博照片裡可見一雙紅潤的腳丫正安放於厚實的手裡，模糊的遠方是嬰兒熟睡的側臉。在孩子的眼底，明道似乎照見自我習於堅強的外表，最大的改變在於，面對困難，現在的他已能誠實拿下面具表達自己需要力量，奮力向前後仍不忘回首關照旁人的心境變化，便是這份溫柔，讓男孩升級成了「男孩+」。
Figure Out the Outlines of Each Role
Being in the entertainment circle for 20 years, Ming Dao has been involved in various fields including movie, TV show/series, and singing. He has acted in countless roles, such as the domineering president, Shan Jun-hao, the hapless reborn out of prison, A-Chieh, and Ming Chung-Yan in Tang suit. In recent years, he has set up a studio and moved behind the scenes as a producer of plays and TV shows. In the eyes of others, the way Ming Dao goes all out is just like the soft rays of light shone from the Chopard Alpine Eagle watch worn on his wrist. The radiance comes from several steps of polishing, and exists eternally no matter in the light or dark.
Many of you may share my fascination with the domineering president, Shan Jun-Hao, in The Prince Who Turns Into a Frog. Ming Dao was in his early 20s and his career as an actor just began. To interpret “amnesia” at that time, for him, was more helpless and scary instead of the literal meaning. “Learning from my own experiences and practicing more and more are the only ways,” he said. During the interview, he improvised “amnesia” and “found more possibilities” while observing my reaction. Therefore, the “acting of each time is not repeated and he won’t get bored in the performance”. Ming Dao has experienced more than 40 kinds of life stories in his 15 years of acting career. He has photographic memory on the scripts, but to make full use of the core characteristics of roles, he “needs to read the expectations” behind those written words. By figuring out carefully the most challenging or ambiguous characters in mind, he is able to sketch out the outlines of each role.
Enthusiasm Comes After Rock Bottom
Words can express the surface of things, but are hard to describe the depth. For him, an entertainment career including acting, is just a job. He tried to hypothesize that “if someone said he was so passionate, but in fact he might practice less than two days a month.” On the contrary, Ming Dao regards it as “a job but trains everyday”. When working on a daily basis, he found his interest and enthusiasm in the details of exploration each time.
Looking back at his first mission when he was 22, as the host of The King of Adventure, he had more responsibilities. Having no romantic dreams of becoming a star, Ming Dao, a student at National Changhua University of Education, might have a relatively stable teaching career in the near future. He struggled and thought, “God wants me to be a teacher in a different way.” This led him to this decision and set off on a more than two-year adventure. “People are used to filming poor places from a pitiful and laborious perspective, but I never mention poor places or conditions on the show.” With the initial intent, the adventure crossed the northern and southern hemispheres and finally brought him to stand on the red carpet of the 39th Golden Bell Awards. Ming Dao became the youngest winner of the Cultural and Educational Program Award. When looking back on his career, he suddenly realized, “Oh, that was the only job I didn’t regard as a job. That was 100% myself on TV, not acting as someone else.”
The roles in front of the screen are changeable, but as a producer behind the scenes is even challenging. After the set up of his studio, it is almost impossible to state the overwhelming problems in one breath, for instance, the story construction in the early stage, the source of funds, the coordination of filming schedule among actors/actresses, the negotiation with TV stations etc. The long journey is more than words. However, the studio’s first production The Queen of S.O.P has successfully created a buzz. Ming Dao thanks his colleagues all the way. “We’re united as a team. I can’t do everything, but I’m probably the one who brings people together for problem solving” he said. Enthusiasm is not innate. It’s the treasure that you will gain after many difficulties.
The Realization of the Muay Thai Championship
Every show up as a public figure carries with it a mission. Recently, he has been deeply impressed by the fact that the name “Ming Dao” can be interpreted in hundreds of ways in different people and things. It is a feeling, a flash of thought in everyone’s memory. “In fact, when people have such ideas, the definition of Ming Dao doesn’t belong to me, but everyone,” he said in a calm voice. “God wants me to manage the name. That’s my job. I do not own the name. There’s no one in the world who owns what you think is yours.” Such a philosophy runs through his work and life.
Recently, Ming Dao began to practice Muay Thai. He watched a championship the night before showing up to the photo studio. He had expected the champion to finish the match quickly, but not the fact that the seesaw battle prolonged twice. It was a hard and struggling match. “How come? Isn’t he a hero? Shouldn’t this fight be over easily?” Ming Dao couldn’t help thinking. We all naturally think that the number of setbacks in life can reduce with age growth. However, Ming Dao felt undecided when receiving the new scripts these days. He questioned himself not working hard enough, but also the age, an insurmountable barrier in the entertainment circle. The situation is much like that of the champion who won by a narrow margin. “The higher level you achieve over time, the stronger the opponents you meet. You’ll probably win a little bit at the end,” he said. Every span and stage of life may be routinized, but the difficulties and challenges are able to strengthen the ability.
The Tenderness of A Grown Up Boy
A couple days before this interview, Ming Dao met the producer of The Prince Who Turns Into a Frog, whom he hadn’t met for more than a decade. They mentioned the setting of the role, Shan Jun-Hao. Except the different backgrounds and careers, the characteristics of Shan Jun-Hao and Ming Dao are alike. Since childhood, he understood that “no one will unconditionally help others. There’s only so much he can do for others. Everyone should solve their own problems.” Toward the end of the interview, I thought of Ming Dao as an all-out adventurer, but he clarified that he didn’t always advance bravely. “I took every step cautiously, even if others regarded it dangerous,” he explained. Stepping into new challenges means shouldering more risks. In every situation that seems like walking on eggshells, he has already gone through deeper thinking.
While stepping in his 40s, Ming Dao just realized that his “ordinary” routines are all-out adventures in the eyes of others. He had “covered up naturally or half unconsciously his hard-working image” until last year. The arrival of new life melted Ming Dao’s tough appearance. He announced the new identity of “Boy +” recently. A photo posted in Weibo illustrated a pair of little ruddy feet securely placed in a pair of thick hands, while the baby’s sleeping face was in the dim distance. In the eyes of the baby, Ming Dao seems to see himself with a tough outlook. The biggest change he made is the attitude while facing up to the difficulties. Nowadays, he takes off the tough mask and honestly expresses his need for others’ support. Moreover, he takes care of others and their mood changes when moving forward. This tenderness makes the boy upgrade to “Boy +.”