Andrew Seow’s role as Gary (right) earned him the Best Newcomer accolade at the Asian Television Awards in 1996. Photos: Zaki Hussain/Instagram, Filepic
Do not be surprised if you see Andrew Seow on duty in uniform.
The former actor is best known for his role as rebellious elder son Gary in the Singapore period drama Growing Up (1996 to 2001). He is now working as an auxiliary police officer with security firm Aetos.
Content creator Zaki Hussain shared a video in partnership with Aetos on Instagram on July 2, in which he asked Seow how he went into the security sector.
“My dad used to be an auxiliary police officer back in the British days,” Seow said. “When he asked me: ‘Why don’t you do something meaningful with your life?’, I said: ‘OK, let me try.’ I got the interview.”
The 55-year-old said his father drove him all the way from Marine Parade to Jurong, where Aetos is headquartered, on the day he told his father he was going for the interview.
“I had never seen him so excited,” Seow said, recalling that his father wished him all the best before he went for the interview.
Zaki asked Seow if he missed acting. “I miss my fans,” he said.
Content creator Zaki Hussain (left) with 'Growing Up' actor Andrew Seow. Photo: Zaki Hussain/Instagram
They re-enacted a scene from Growing Up, where Seow, in uniform, reprised his role as Gary, while Zaki played Gary’s father Mr Tay. The character was played in the original series by Singaporean actor Lim Kay Tong.
Growing Up was a family drama about the trials and tribulations of the Tay family spanning the 1960s to the 1980s. Seow’s role as Gary earned him the Best Newcomer accolade at the Asian Television Awards in 1996. Seow, who starred in all six seasons of Growing Up, left Mediacorp in 2007.
Growing Up also starred Wee Soon Hui as Mrs Tay, Irin Gan as the wilful and fashionable elder daughter Vicky, and Steven Lim as the intellectual younger son David.
The youngest sibling Tammy was first played by local actress Fann Wong’s younger sister Fann Woon Jing and then Quek Sue-shan before the role went to Jamie Yeo.
Seow spoke fondly of his Growing Up character in a report in The Straits Times in 2015.
“Gary is very close to my heart. I feel that everyone has a Gary in them,” he said. “Have we not been rebellious before? Was there not a time when your parents asked you what time you were coming home and you ignored them? I guess that’s why people can relate to the role.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
