Image reproduced from TVBS 新聞網

The Taipei Film Awards ceremony held on May 5, 2025, witnessed Thai actor Wanlop Rungkumjad being honored as the first-ever foreign best actor in its history. Known as the 'Thai Tony Leung', Wanlop clinched the award for his performance in 'White Garment Blue Dog', overcoming strong contenders including Chen Bolin for 'Tempest', Huang Guanzhi for 'The Wrongdoer', Lan Weihua for 'My Family’s Affairs', and Pan Gangda for 'Eel'.

Upon receiving the award, Wanlop displayed an expression of disbelief and expressed, 'Thank you for making this world a better place.' He went up to the stage with tears in his eyes and graciously thanked Chunfeng, Lu Yijing, and the crew in Chinese. 'Without them, I wouldn’t be standing here today,' he noted.

He shared a heartfelt message during his speech, emphasizing that regardless of whether one is a new actor or someone experienced, perseverance is crucial in facing challenges. 'Actually, before I filmed 'White Garment Blue Dog,' I was contemplating giving up my acting career. Thank you to this film for giving me a rebirth in Taiwan. It provided me with more energy to continue down this path,' he remarked.

Wanlop's humility resonated with the audience as he acknowledged that while winning is an honor, simply being nominated is an affirmation in itself. He expressed his intention to actively seek opportunities to work in Taiwan, stating that even if there are no offers, he will strive to learn Chinese.

Furthermore, he wished to invite the other four nominated actors and the 'White Garment Blue Dog' team to sign on his trophy, notably expressing his admiration for Chen Bolin and hoping to secure his signature. In a lighthearted moment during his speech, Wanlop became so nervous that he momentarily forgot his translator, causing him to awkwardly smile and step back, creating an amusing scene that entertained the audience.