Days before the premier of his latest big screen comedy, Arak Amornsupasiri gets blunt about tangling with the tabloids, the perils of typecasting and why sales will never steer his musical career
One of the most striking things about Arak ''Pae'' Amornsupasiri is just how unpretentious he can be. He laughs at his blunders, swears once in a while, speaks openly about the passion behind his music, and is blunt about his love life. He seems comfortable in his own skin and claims that's probably because he knows what he's doing.

It's 9am at House RCA, which seems abandoned compared to the evening when it's usually thronging with people. Pae, his make-up artist and two public relations people are the only ones there.
``Wow, I've never had an interview this early. Hope it's OK with you,'' says Pae.
It would seem inappropriate to open an interview with a question about his personal life, especially since it seems to overshadow his work at times. But the 25-year-old guitarist for the band Slur and star of the comedy 30+ Soad on Sale, which opens on Thursday, shares no such reticence.
``Is it because I'm dating a superstar?'', he says, referring to current love interest Khemanit ``Pancake'' Jamikorn, whom he met while filming the Channel 7 drama Ter Kub Kao Lae Rak Kong Rao (You, Him and Our Love).

``She is a great person — good-hearted, easy-going and beautiful,'' said Pae. ``I'm happy when I'm with her. I know what I'm doing, so screw rumours [Pancake was in a relationship with another actor when they met]. I know I'm in the right place for her and her family. That's all I care about.''
He has a reputation of falling for his co-stars. ``That's not really true. Last time I was with Koy [Ratchawin Wongviriya] before we filmed Rak Sam Sao together,'' Pae says, grinning mischievously.
Pae seems nonchalant about his personal life being tabloid fodder, but he says it isn't always easy to maintain his composure. ``I wish I did a better job at keeping my cool. Recently I snapped. It's not because of the questions they asked about me and Nong Pan [Pancake], but it's how they asked and giggled like my personal life was so funny to them,'' he says. ``I know they're doing their jobs, but they don't know the entire situation. I regret that, but don't blame them.

``I appreciate their attention because it ensures my `celebrity' status. It also means I'm still wanted,'' says Pae.
In 2006, Pae landed the leading role in the horror movie Body Sop #19, playing an engineering student who solves a murder after having a dream of the crime scene.
He had the combination of good looks, a striking personality and cinematic charisma that packs cinemas, but his ambitions were more modest. ``I was the long-haired guitarist for Slur, a 20-year-old man who just saw this as an opportunity to make money out of it, so I could buy new guitars.''
A year later he played a recently graduated artist in Rak Sam Sao, a darkly funny drama about a love triangle directed by Yuthalert Sippapark.
Rak Sam Sao made 60 million baht at the Thai box office and Pae, who had started as a down-to-earth rock star with an intriguing look, was poised to become the country's next great leading man.

True movie stars are rare. They might be great actors — think Sorapong Chatree then and Ananda Everingham now — but they also must possess an allure that draws in the paying public. Pae is uncomfortable about lumping himself in with the likes of Thailand's screen legends.
``Let's face it. I'm no Ananda,'' says Pae, who is reluctant to call himself an actor. ``I'm probably just a movie star. Actor is too big a word for me.''
Pae nonetheless has had success in combining his personality with those of the characters he plays, giving each of his films an element of familiarity. Despite his modesty about his on-screen ability, box office receipts tell a different story. In 2008, he landed the lead in the romance Kwam Jum San Tae Rak Chan Yao (Best in Time), playing a love-sick vet. The film grossed nearly 50 million baht. Later that year, he played a policeman in the action film Chuean.
His greatest success was to come on the small screen as a high-society snob on Channel 7's Jaew Jai Rai Kub Khun Chai Tewada in which he starred opposite soap queen and sex icon Patchara ``Aum'' Chaichuea.
The role was literally tailor-made for him.

``They based the character on me. I didn't even watch TV before. I was surprised by the immense impact that this drama had. After taking on that role I realised I would be around in showbiz longer than I had expected.''
The TV drama served as a launching pad for several starring roles in big screen romantic comedies such as Sud Ket Saled Ped, Bangkok Kung Fu and 30+ Soad on Sale. The latter sees him starring opposite Chermarn ``Ploy'' Boonyasak and is directed by Puttipong Promsaka Na-Sakonnakorn, who made last year's sleeper hit Sing Lek Lek Te Riak Wa Rak.
``This movie is about a successful modern career woman in her thirties who suddenly finds herself single after being dumped by her long-time boyfriend. She has to cope with singlehood and society's expectations,'' says Pae. ``Personally I admire them [single women] because they are independent, especially those who choose to be alone rather than with someone who is emotionally unavailable.''

He says the film resonates in part because of Puttipong's connection to the material.
``I was surprised how a male director can understand women as profoundly as he does.
Since completing 30+ Pae has been offered other roles in big studio movies, mainly romances and comedies. He's turned them down, not because he wants to distance himself from commercial films, but because he would like more challenging work. While he enjoys his movie star status, he longs for meatier, darker, more intense roles.
``I love comedy. It's a combination of talent and rehearsing until it becomes natural. It's understandable that I have become typecast. I know I can do more, but studios want to hire actors who are similar to the characters in the films they're casting.''
Pae pauses, seeming lost in thought. ``Wait, can we go back to that question again? I don't think I was clear. Let me see your notes,'' he says, grabbing the notebook out of my hands.

He takes another long, ponderous pause. ``OK, I'm good now. What I'm trying to say is that as corny as it may sound, I love acting. As much as I would love to play serious roles, those scripts don't come every day. To be honest, the Thai film market doesn't give you many choices. I know it'll be a long time before I get to play in an action movie like Chuean again. So don't be surprised if my next movie is another romantic comedy.''
While it seems that he is willing to accept typecasting in the movie world, in music he has battled the star system by remaining a complicated individual in a sea of similar acts.
``Movies are about portraying a character realistically. With Slur it's about entertaining fans. But my solo album reflects my true self. I've been working on the demo of my second solo album, which should be released by the end of this year.
His debut solo album, Auto Erotic, received mixed reviews. Fans didn't particularly like it — the album was slammed online — but critics embraced the album. Kom Chad Luek named him last year's best new artist.

``I don't give a s*** about those who hate my album. They don't know what I'm doing, but I do. Critics are the ones who enjoy the album. They're smart enough to understand what I'm trying to say!'' he says, laughing.
``Writing songs makes me appreciate the beauty of language and how so much meaning can be hidden between the lines. I wish I read more Thai literature as a kid. Now I appreciate Sunthorn Phu's works because they tell stories beautifully.''
He says he doesn't measure his success as a solo artist in the number of albums he sells. ``Look, I know I'm not a good singer with a fantastic voice. I don't even want to call myself a singer. I can sing in tune but what's more important to me is the message I want to communicate,'' Pae says. ``I didn't expect my first solo album to be a smash hit. It's not what the market is looking for. There are no love songs or dance numbers. It's more about storytelling in a folk rock style.
``My next album will be similar but will include love songs because I had just come out of a bad break-up and had things to say. Again, I don't expect it to be a big seller.''
So if he had to choose between acting and music?
``If I could be one thing, in a heartbeat, I would be a f***ing famous musician,'' says Pae as he punches the air. ``Yeah! How about that?''.


吧里有木有英语达人给翻译一下啊。。。英语盲纠结中。。。

亲爱滴 俺已经贴了

在哪啊。。。

汗 我的意思是贴重复了 呵呵

哦。。。那我还是找在线翻译吧。。