Hong Kong stars Lai Lok-yi and Ali Lee recently touched down in Kuala Lumpur to promote their upcoming drama The Exiled, premiering on Astro AEC (Ch 306) on Dec 14.
The duo had previously spent two months in Malaysia filming the series back in July.
In an exclusive interview with StarLifestyle on Wednesday (Dec 3), both stars expressed their appreciation for the warm hospitality and seamless teamwork shown by the local production team.
Despite it being her first time filming in Malaysia, Lee said she was impressed by the local team’s efficiency, professionalism and high standards.
"The production team understood the tone, style and atmosphere we wanted to create. Everything was so precise.
“I learned so much from them on the technical side, especially how props and lighting can influence a performance. It really broadened my perspective,” the 43-year-old said.
During her time filming in the country, Lee fell ill and had to take 10 different medications – including painkillers and sore throat remedies – to recover.
Thankfully, she received care from both Lai, 45, and the local team – something she’s very grateful for.
Meanwhile, Lai expressed his love for Malaysian cuisine, though he admitted it was a double-edged sword for an actor.
“The food here is very tasty, but it’s easy for me to get ‘heaty’. Although Ali and I love durian, we didn’t eat a lot as we were worried about our voices getting affected.
“We were also worried about gaining weight. The food is just too good!” he said with a smile.
When asked about his favourite local cuisine, Lai pointed to bak kut teh and prawn noodles.
The TVB star also commented on the weather in Malaysia, admitting that the heat posed a major challenge since he often had to wear leather jackets while filming.
“I sweated a lot when I was filming here. The weather here is also very unpredictable. It would be sunny one moment and then pouring the next,” he said.
