Malaysia-born actor Ronny Chieng hasn’t been able to travel back to Singapore in over two years to visit his mother. Much like many people all around the world, visiting friends and loved ones overseas turned into a challenge as the world went into lock down mode to combat Covid-19.
Chieng shared with AsiaOne that he regrets taking the freedom to openly travel for granted. “I definitely would have seen her more if not for Covid,” he said, expressing how much he misses his mother. Chieng has referenced his mother many times in his stand up shows, including the 2019 Netflix special Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America.
The 35-year-old added: “It used to be, you could just go to Singapore at the drop of a hat — direct flight from JFK Airport to Singapore — and you can't do that anymore.”
Aside from travelling, film production had also been greatly affected by the pandemic. Chieng, who can be seen in the new blockbuster Shang-Chi And The Legend Of TheTen Rings, recalled not being able to film back in March 2020.
He shared that production in Sydney, Australia had to be shut down for two weeks. “We didn't know if we would walk outside the house and die,” the Crazy Rich Asians star said. During this time, Chieng said he gained a newfound appreciation for the good moments in life, “because they can be rare and they can be fleeting”.
Needless to say, the first thing Chieng plans to do after travel restrictions are lifted is to fly to Singapore to visit his mother.
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