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SINGAPORE : “How would you spend your last days if you know your time here is almost up?” I asked MediaCorp actor Chen Han Wei when we sat down for our interview on Monday.it may be an insensitive question but it is a topic that the actor would have given some thought to, considering he is set to play a married middle-aged scrooge, who has a complete change in attitude towards life after being diagnosed with cancer, in his upcoming drama series “Be Happy”.And just like the character he portrays, Chen is all about staying positive and living life to the fullest.”You can cry and scream, make a huge fuss out of it, but you will still have to go through it and one day, leave, so why not just enjoy the remaining days while it lasts?” said the four-time Star Award best Actor winner. “We can even sit down and plan for the funeral, saying jokes like 'Hey, you must turn up on that day!'”The challenge of subtlety After 22 years in showbiz, playing a diverse range of characters including the role of an AIDS patient in “By My Side”, which won him the best Actor Star Award in 2009, one would think Chen's latest role would be a walk in the park for him. This, however, was not the case and Chen revealed that the challenge this time round was to look the part. “With cancer patients, you cannot really tell that they are sick unless they are at the late stages. If not, they look completely healthy.” the buffed and atheletic actor revealed that he had to lose some weight and live like a vampire.”I stopped exercising so much, went on a diet and I even avoided the sun so I would appear pale!” said Chen, adding that he will also wear a wig in the show to resemble a balding cancer patient.These are but minor sacrifices for Chen as those who are familiar with his work will know that the dedicated actor will stop at nothing to get into characters – he even removed a crown of his chipped front tooth for 2010 drama series “The best Things in Life”. in preparation for the role, the 41-year-old read up on the symptoms and experiences that cancer patients may face, and even looked to his friends for inspiration. “Some of my friends have cancer or some know someone who is suffering from it. of course, there are those who are very pessimistic and others who are very optimistic about it – those are the people that inspire me,” said Chen. One particular story that stuck in his mind was how a friend's relative found a new lease of life despite his diagnosis.”My friend has an uncle who was diagnosed with cancer, with a short time left to live, so he took off on a vacation to new Zealand to enjoy the remaining time that he has. And he has lived on for another 20 years,” recounted Chen. So back to the question, what is the one thing he would do before he moves on from this world? “I think the most important thing for me is to keep my family in close company, treat them well, as well as meet up with some of my close friends. going places or visiting countries is not a necessary thing for me. Family is most important,” said Chen.“Be Happy” is slated to air on MediaCorp's Channel 8 in February.- CNA