For his role in the new film “Gold,” actor Jack Tan underwent intense preparation to convincingly portray national para-badminton champion Cheah Liek Hou. It took Tan three months to train to play badminton like a professional, but the challenge didn’t end there. Tan had to learn to play with his left hand, just like Cheah.
Cheah Liek Hou, a gold medalist in the Paralympic Games, is about to participate in this year’s Games. Portraying him required Tan to undergo significant physical transformation. Beyond mastering a new skill, Tan had to gain 20kg for the role. The production team paused filming for three months to allow him to gain the necessary weight after completing scenes that showcased his athletic form.
“The body transformation turned out to be very difficult,” Tan told StarLifestyle. “When I was talking to director Adrian Teh, we thought all I needed to do was eat a lot. Can-lah. But after a month of eating four meals a day, I didn’t gain any weight. My weight remained at 67kg. How was I supposed to get to 90kg?”
The rigorous training for badminton had heightened Tan’s metabolism, burning off all the extra food. Desperate to meet the deadline, he doubled his food intake, consuming up to six meals a day, including desserts, soda, and fried food, often going to sleep right after eating. Despite frequent stomach upsets from overeating, Tan eventually reached 87kg.
“We shot for four days for all the parts where he had gained weight,” Tan said, noting that he was involved in the production for six months. Once filming wrapped, Tan had to quickly lose the extra weight to attend international awards ceremonies for the film “Abang Adik,” which was gaining critical attention. “I ran every day and luckily lost all the extra weight I gained. But it did take me another three months,” he added.
Although the physical demands were grueling, Tan feels honored to portray Cheah and is eager for Malaysians to see “Gold,” which chronicles Cheah’s life and his journey to victory at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. “This is the first time I have tried something like this and I think this is the last time too,” Tan concluded.
