Pui Tung Mak

The hardest part about being an actor, as anyone in the profession will tell you, is getting a good break. For 34-year-old Mak Pui Tung, that came last year in the legal thriller The Sparring Partner, for which his portrayal of real-life murder suspect Angus Tse earned him the Best Newcomer award in the 16th Asian Film Awards, as well as best actor nominations in the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards and the 29th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards.

Mak started out as a theatre kid – he discovered his passion when he joined the City University’s drama club. So keen was he to pursue a career in acting that he transferred to the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts to finish his education there. After graduating, Mak joined the Chung Ying Theatre Company, where he delivered award-winning performances in numerous plays before leaving in 2019 to work as a freelance actor, and explore opportunities in television and film.

His respect for the industry and his colleagues is evident. “I always evaluate my performances in all my work, no matter how big or small the role may be,” he says. “I hope I can become a better actor with each and every performance.

“Each production is the work of a team. Each production is the work of all our efforts combined. I respect everyone I work with.”

Mak hopes his future projects will allow us to see a wider variety of performances. He’s got a lot more potential yet to be uncovered, telling us, “I want more people to get to know who I am.”

And who might that be? He offers a rare glimpse into his personal life: “I love plants. I love camping. I also love switching off all the lights just before bed and listening to ghost stories.”