He’s a character in a local serial drama called Red Thread but fiction and reality are seemingly merging if the comments on Facebook are to be believed. One just hates Robert Leong; another commentator thinks Li Ann should shower him with harder slaps while someone thinks he is evil reincarnated.

Self-representing actor Simon Wong is the target of unfavorable comments, to put it mildly, because of his character, the pompous, scheming and duplicitous cad Robert Leong. The storyline has it that he raped Li Ann –played by Singaporean actress Celest Chong -10 years ago while they were dating during their university days. Robert departs for the UK leaving Li Ann behind devastated. Now their paths have crossed again with a business merger set to take place between the companies of Robert’s and Li Ann’s family-owned corporations.

Criticism mounted after the second rape attempt was shown and had the viewers recoiling in hatred at Robert’s evil intentions and his cunning ways of twisting the story. Every viewer of the show saw how Robert assaulted Li Ann in her office one evening, obviously with the intention of forcing himself on her. Luckily, the “blind” Alex Sung (played by Adrian Pang, Singapore’s virtuosic artist) hears the commotion in the office and, thankfully, averts the rape attempt. True to his form, Robert, with his thick British accent, tells the investigating officer that Li Ann was the one who came on to him after he went to see her to ask if she wanted something to eat.

The drama series hasn’t concluded yet but I can just imagine the new set of vitriolic comments to come Simon’s way. If viewers would just step away from fantasy world long enough to see the real score, they’d learn to differentiate Simon Wong from Robert Leong. They can, with all their heart, hate the character, not the actor. Without a doubt, Robert is the epitome of pure unadulterated wickedness. Simon, on the other hand, is the actor who has convinced the followers of Red Thread of Robert’s evil nature. If Adrian Pang convinced people he’s blind, Simon persuaded viewers that Robert is a bad ass, which was amplified in this scene when Robert threatened Li Ann that things would get worse if she didn’t stop branding him as a rapist. Simon, in fact, consistently projected this iniquity with his almost schizophrenic good guy-bad guy personality in front of other people. Isn’t that what we’d call good acting? And wouldn’t that make him the paradigm of virtuosity (almost like the master of acting Adrian Pang) and not wickedness?

One more thing, Simon also won’t have to unnecessarily defend himself against the blitz of criticism that are meant for his character and not him. He won’t have to think of looking clean shaven all the time and carrying furry pets with him to strike a more amiable persona in public. While it’s good to hear feedback from viewers about one’s acting, it’ll be helpful to separate reality from fiction.

On that note, after doffing my hat off to Mr. Wong for a job well done in Red Thread, I’m hoping that in his next show his wardrobe would be much better. Too many stripes in one suit ensemble! Plus a haircut would be nice.