Emerald Hill actor Tyler Ten: 'So many people were fighting for this role'

He may be towering above everyone else at 1.9m tall, but that’s not why you notice Tyler Ten when you first see him at the Emerald Hill press conference at the Peranakan Museum.

The 27-year-old Mediacorp actor is the only cast member not dressed in a suit. Instead, he is in a casual cream-coloured knit top that shows off his muscular arms and defined chest.

We spotted Ten shyly waving at us as he's wolfing down mee siam from the buffet before rushing over.

Guess the boy needs his carbs first.

When we asked Ten about his skin-baring Dolce & Gabbana top, he said he wanted to stand out, knowing everyone else would be dressed formally.

“It was my idea,” he shared, adding he “always feels tight around his arms” whenever he wears a suit.

He said we were the first to ask him about his outfit and wryly remarked: “I guess everyone expects me to always show some skin.” But he quickly added that this will be the last time he shows off his arms for a while. 

Wait, what?

His outfits for upcoming promotional appearances have already been selected. But Ten revealed that he’ll be shirtless plenty in Emerald Hill, and viewers will just have to be patient (he appears from episode 7).

He tied it back to his character, Bai A-Li, a street kid, or in his own words, “a gangster”, and love interest of actress Tasha Low’s Xinniang, in the 30-episode drama.

Describing his past roles as “cool” and “not needing to talk much”, Ten's Emerald Hill character is extremely extroverted.

“I’m introverted by nature,” said Ten, who also admitted he’s feeling a little overwhelmed by the large press conference.

At first glance, one might agree – Ten can often be seen gazing away and twiddling his thumbs during our chat. But something tells us there’s more beneath the surface.

To challenge his introverted image, we took out an Emerald Hill photo card of an extremely toned and oiled up Ten behind bars staring intensely into the camera (pictured below).

When we asked what was going through his mind during the shoot, Ten laughed that he was focused on "contracting 99 per cent of [his] muscles", before he gave us a live demonstration.

Not exactly the behaviour of an introvert, right?

A lot of his inspiration for the character came from Chinese actor Zhu Yilong who gained praise for a similar role in the 2022 hit film Lighting Up The Stars.

“I watched the movie more than 10 times and I really tried emulating everything about his character,” he said.

Ten also revealed that he had to lose "around 7 to 8 kilograms" for his role.

“During the 1950s, no one was lifting dumbbells,” he explained.

He credited the crew in Malaysia for helping him prep his meals. For breakfast, he had 10 eggs, while lunch was simply boiled chicken.

He also went to tan regularly to achieve a more rugged look for his character.

Must have been tough with all the Nyonya dishes on set, we asked. 

“It was so difficult! Many times, I could only take a quick look and force myself to turn away as their menu kept changing,” he admitted.

Given the dedication, how does Ten feel about whispers that Emerald Hill could be his big break?

Admitting he has heard the chatter; he said the role is “the best time for me to shine”.

“The finished product is out there, and I can only hope for the best knowing I did everything I could."

“Not only is this my most important role, it will be the deciding factor on how my career progresses,” he said, adding that he hopes for a Star Awards nomination.

"So many people were fighting for this role, and I had to prove to everyone that they made the right decision."

When asked what he meant by “deciding factor”, Ten compared it to taking stock of his career since his time as a Star Search 2019 finalist.

We asked if the pressure had ever felt overwhelming, and he insisted that it was what motivated him.

“Knowing that all eyes were on me during filming kept me on my toes,” he said. “I didn’t give myself room for mistakes.”

So, after Emerald Hill, will we see Ten’s popularity soar, much like fellow Mediacorp actor Desmond Tan?

Tan shot to leading man status after his role as a rickshaw puller in 2011’s A Song To Remember.

Ten said he’s flattered by the comparisons and is motivated to reach similar heights in his own career.

“It’s motivating to be compared to one of the biggest stars now, and Desmond is very generous with advice, especially about his role as a coolie and how it was his big break," said Ten.