Local veteran actress Chen Meia stars alongside 30-year-old actor Lai Hong En in RTM's new drama 'Love and Laws: It All Begins with Love', portraying a sibling-like romance. At the drama's opening ceremony, she laughed and said it was her first time acting in a romantic scene with a young actor, which made her feel very shy!
Under the initiative of Chen Meia, 'Love and Laws: It All Begins with Love' is RTM's first Chinese-language luxury urban commercial emotional drama. The story is set against the backdrop of modern international business society, delving deeply into the intense peaks of workplace power schemes, business conflicts, and emotional entanglements. The cast includes Chen Meia, Gan Jiaqi, Mai Guiyuan, Lai Hong En, Yu Lisha, Wu Jinying, Chen Peilian, Li Haochang, Lin Jianwen, Wang Yixiang, among others. The series consists of 13 episodes and has currently been filming for 12 days, with locations including Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, and Penang, expected to wrap up on April 13.
The main cast of 'Love and Laws: It All Begins with Love' takes a photo with Zhang Nianqin (4th from left). From left: Li Haochang, Chen Peilian, Lai Hong En; from right: Mai Guiyuan, Gan Jiaqi, and Chen Meia.
The drama aims for opulence, featuring luxury cars, mansions, yachts, and private jets. Chen Meia admitted that the TV station's budget is limited, and to produce a good drama, she leveraged her personal network, with actors reducing their fees and received sponsorships for mansions, luxury cars, yachts, and private jets for filming. Even the crew's meals in Ipoh were sponsored by restaurants, allowing the series to proceed smoothly. “Everyone in front of and behind the camera was personally invited by me. We prioritize dedication, not money, and everyone is committed to making this show great. I hope the government recognizes the unity of our Chinese community in making this work and supports Chinese-language film and television!” She also confessed that due to the limited production funds, there were significant challenges and high pressure. “Throughout the process, it was tough, and I cried many times.”
In the drama, Chen Meia plays the Legal Department's General Manager, engaging in three romantic relationships with Gan Jiaqi, who plays her subordinate, Mai Guiyuan, her boss, and Lai Hong En, her assistant. She laughed, saying she has collaborated with Gan Jiaqi and Mai Guiyuan many times and they have a lot of chemistry.
Zhang Nianqin (front row, 5th from left) officiating the opening ceremony of RTM's first Chinese luxury drama 'Love and Laws: It All Begins with Love'.
As for Lai Hong En, she revealed that when she first met him, it was quite awkward, and she avoided making eye contact. “It was my first time acting romantically with a young actor, and a few times I couldn't bear to meet his gaze, feeling very shy!” She also bashfully mentioned a scene where he took the initiative to lift her, making her feel the strength in his arms. “His performance was mature, and he even helped me get into character, after which I was able to completely immerse myself in the role.”
She mentioned that she wasn't familiar with Lai Hong En before but admired his performance after watching the drama 'Ming Men', praising him as a rare “mature and stable type” among young local actors.
Malaysian Deputy Minister of Communications Zhang Nianqin expressed at the opening ceremony that the local film and television industry has great potential, and productions are increasingly high-quality, especially with this year's impressive box office performance of local New Year films. She said that as of February 24, the box office for local New Year films totaled 26.64 million MYR, surpassing the total box office of overseas New Year films, which was 21.23 million MYR. “Local films truly make us proud, highlighting the ever-improving quality of local film production. We hope more high-quality movies and even dramas will be produced in the future, allowing international audiences to see more outstanding works with unique Malaysian characteristics.”