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| Lawrence Chau |
"After graduating with a degree in journalism," Josh adds, "Lawrence... rocked the airwaves... in Asia."
Lawrence also served, Josh tells us, "as co-host and writer of 'Citylife Hong Kong,' the territory’s top rated prime time English entertainment and lifestyle program in the mid-'Nineties. During this time, Lawrence also acted in theater and appeared in numerous commercials and print ads.
"The floodgates to show business, however, really burst open when Lawrence was talent scouted by the television execs in Singapore. Originally slated to become an afternoon 'veejay,'* Lawrence was drafted practically by accident as a temporary roving reporter on 'Showbuzz, the nation’s Number One English prime time entertainment news program.
"The new 1997 season of 'Showbuzz' featured an aggressive media campaign plugging the new anchor with no mention of Lawrence; however, like its own 'E! True Hollywood Story,' the public and press took — not to the new anchor — but to Lawrence (subsequently dubbed 'The Accidental Host') with a never-before-seen-like frenzy.
"Phones rang off the hook at the television station whilst media headlines screamed: 'We Want Lawrence Chau'; 'Who Is That New Guy?'; 'The Host with The Most'; and 'He Does More Than Just Sit There', the latter referencing Lawrence’s dual skills as a host and producer."
Lawrence "recently acted in two high-end short films: the award-winning 'Dive,' which focuses on a boxer forced to take a 'dive'** in a career-changing match because of his hidden sexuality; and 'Farm 1,' which sheds light on the dark subject of child trafficking. 'Farm 1' is produced by the Emmy-winning team at Hoplite Entertainment.
"Throughout his career, Lawrence has supported numerous charitable causes helping to raise funds to combat A.I.D.S. [Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome], Alzheimer’s, cancer, under-privileged children, physically-challenged adults, endangered wildlife, and abandoned and abused pets."
La Libertad: Where were you born and where do you currently live?
Lawrence: I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. It's taken me a lifetime, but I finally made it to Los Angeles, U.S.A. where I currently live.
La Libertad: Tell us about yourself and latest projects.
Lawrence: Currently, I am most recognized as the face of the award-winning paranormal series "Ghostly Encounters," which airs, in the U.S. on Destination America; in Canada, on O.W.N. [the Oprah Winfrey Network; in Asia on Crime and Investigation TV, and, as of 2016, on YourTV U.K. [United Kingdom].
In Hong Kong, I was known for my hosting duties on Citylife, a popular prime time, English lifestyle program, whilst in Singapore I was one of the country's foremost T.V. hosts. I anchored and produced "Showbuzz, their Number One English entertainment news program, along with numerous large-scale live specials like "Miss Singapore Universe." I also hosted "Celebrity Squares," their franchised version of "Hollywood Squares," and "Capital E," a current affairs program that focused on the business aspects of entertainment.
In addition to hosting, I've maintained a consistent acting career, appearing in a number of dramas and comedies in Asia, Canada, and... the U.S. I've played a cop, a criminal, an attorney, a doctor, a diplomat, a boyfriend, a businessman, a reporter, and, most recently, an I.T. [information technology] specialist on "General Hospital."
Another one of my recent projects is the award-winning short film "Dive," which tells the story of a boxer pressured to take a "dive" in the match of his life because of his hidden sexuality. I play a reporter in that, and helped co-executive produce it.
La Libertad: What do you love most about your work?
Lawrence: Certainly not the fame and glamour... Those are very superficial things.
I would say the creativity of this industry... Whether as an actor or host, you get to tell amazing stories that touch people.
La Libertad: How did you get involved in the ghost world and hosting?
Lawrence: I was an aspiring actor with a journalism degree. Those things converged when the T.V. stations in Asia rolled me out as a host. My career just skyrocketed in that direction. Suddenly I was tracking down Hollywood's biggest and brightest stars all around the globe for exclusive interviews, and I wasn't
complaining because I was, and still am, an entertainment junkie.
After ten successful years in Asia, I returned home to Toronto, where I auditioned for (and landed) the hosting role on "Ghostly Encounters." Right next to entertainment is my love for all things supernatural. I've had to pinch myself, not once, but twice for having the good fortune of landing hosting roles in two
genres that I love. If you genuinely love the things you do, I think that honesty resonates with casting, producers, and, ultimately, the viewers.
La Libertad: What inspires you?
Lawrence: Audacity, in a positive sense. People taking chances, defying the odds... People breaking barriers, challenging convention... People brave enough to chart their own course in life, as opposed to having their paths dictated by naysayers and doubters.
La Libertad: What is the hardest part of your job(s)?
Lawrence: The constant unpredictability... You have to be an independent, self-sufficient, meticulous multi-tasker when the schedule goes ballistic. I've survived a good chunk of my life on one-to-three hours sleep a night, whilst juggling a myriad of balls in front of and behind the scenes. Another difficult
thing to deal with is rejection. This industry is full of rejection. If you can't stomach "no," show business is probably a "no" for you.
La Libertad: What are your career goals?
Lawrence: After seeing success in Asia and Canada, my goal is to see if I can do likewise in America, both as an actor and as a host. I'm still relatively new here, and it takes a lot of time to hone your craft as an actor, to meet the right people, to create your own projects, and to help pry the doors of diversity wider.
La Libertad: What projects are you working on in 2016?
Lawrence: Pilot season has just begun here in Hollywood, so there's a lot of auditioning that will hopefully happen. I'm also looking forward to the release of "Farm 1," a short film I had a large supporting role in. It is a very emotionally and physically demanding project that delves into the dark world of child trafficking. The Emmy-winning team at Hoplite Entertainment produced it, and [it] stars a wonderful actress and dear friend, Jane Park Smith.
I also wouldn't rule out producing my own acting and hosting projects.
La Libertad: Where can people learn more about you?
Lawrence:
Official website:
www.lawrencechau.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/Lawrence-Chau-ActorHost-149641835228574
Twitter:
twitter.com/lawrencechauact
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/lawrencechauact
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqfOfvzanlz_KiqllsHo2w
IMDB:
www.imdb.com/name/2920680
"Ghostly Encounters" has just been picked up for broadcast in the U.K. on YourTV:
www.yourtv-uk.com/ghostly-encounters
La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?
Lawrence: Chart your course early in life because time passes quickly.
Introduction by William Mortensen Vaughan and Josh Mitchell
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*"veejay": V.J., video jockey
**"dive": to feign a knockout in order to lose a boxing match intentionally
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