Two by two
Physically similar but creatively distinct, BRUCE TONG and CHRIS TONG are following in their father’s footsteps on the silver screen. Decked out in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton, they talk to NATASHA GILLESPIE-WONG about the demands of the entertainment industry, their studies of human nature and the complexities of being a twin
AS THE PHOTOGRAPHER adjusts the lighting and fills the makeshift pool for our digital cover shoot, Bruce Tong and Chris Tong tell us about their budding acting careers over iced lemon tea. Scions of TVB actor extraordinaire Kent Tong, the twins grew up in Hong Kong before making their way to Hollywood via UCLA. After signing with Bullet Films upon graduation, their joint big break came in the 2018 Cantonese action flick Big Brother, starring Donnie Yen and Joe Chen.
Now, like all up-and-coming entertainers, they’re hoping to expand their audience through social media. Bruce curates his Instagram feed to showcase his love of fashion and design, while Chris shares photos of his fitness journey, love for the outdoors and old family snaps. With over 10,000 followers each, the Tongs spread positivity with their happy-go-lucky attitudes – although their striking good looks probably help a little too.
In this series of photos, the brothers take a metaphorical plunge into an urban odyssey, dressed in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton and showcasing the elegance, durability and water resistance of the Louis Vuitton Tambour Street Diver watch. Bold, stylish, colourful and ready for adventure – it’s a perfect match for these two men to watch.
What’s the best and worst thing about being a twin? Bruce Tong (BT): The best thing about being a twin is that you always have company and they’ve always got your back. The worst thing about it is when people compare the two of you or see you as the same person. I think even if I wasn’t a twin, I would still have been on this journey alone because I love film and acting.
Chris Tong (CT): The best thing about being a twin is always having someone looking out for me and the worst thing about it is we get confused for each other sometimes.
You studied sociology at university. What was it about the subject that interested you?
BT: It touches upon so many different subjects: education, economics, culture, human relationships and so much more. Pretty much everything creates a society, so it’s interesting to learn about all the different aspects.
CT: I think sociology is a really broad subject and the most interesting part about it to me is understanding more about society and how it works. Things such as human behaviour and human relationships are particularly interesting and useful, because I can apply these to my business.
What made you want to become actors?
BT: I was mostly influenced by my dad. He’s an actor himself, and I grew up watching him on TV. We also minored in film while in college and that’s how I grew into it. My dad definitely encouraged us to finish our education before we began in the entertainment industry.
CT: My father definitely had a big impact as I grew up watching him as an actor. Also, I think what’s really fun about being an actor is you get to experience and learn new things every day, because every role is different.
What was it about Bullet Films that made you want to sign with them?
BT: My mom (Christy Jiang) has always been friends with Mrs. Yen (Cissy Yang, wife of Donnie Yen and founder of Bullet Films). We’d met at dinner before, and it just so happened that one summer they reached out to us and asked if we were interested in starring in our first movie, Big Brother, and signing with them, so we were really lucky.
CT: I grew up watching Ip Man and Donnie Yen has always been somebody I looked up to, my idol. It’s a dream come true for me to be a part of his company.
Big Brother together like?
What was being in
BT: It was fun, because we were students in the movie. We just had to be ourselves, and the people around us were pretty much the same age so it was easy to make friends.
CT: I still think it’s unbelievable being in a movie and seeing myself in a movie theatre. And it’s what I have always dreamt of since I was a kid.
There’s a scene in Big Brother where your characters get into a huge argument. What does your actual relationship look like when you have disagreements? BT: It’s an interesting story. We used to fight ( physically) all the time and would ghost each other for weeks and even months whenever we argued. But one time we got into a huge fight and I broke Chris’s nose and he ended up being hospitalised. We’ve never fought since then and surprisingly our relationship got better after that fight. Now it just takes us a day or two to cool off whenever we have disagreements.
CT: Yeah, we used to fight a lot but now we just don’t talk for a couple days when we have disagreements.
Some feedback you received after Big Brother is that you needed to be more explosive. How did you achieve that?
BT: I guess I just need to be more confident about myself, and to be able to do that I will have to keep improving as an actor.
CT: I think the best way to get better at acting is to be more expressive in daily life, which I’m still trying my best to learn every day.
If you weren’t actors, what do you think you would be doing?
BT: If I wasn’t an actor, I think I would be doing something related to art and design. I’m into interior design, or maybe fashion. I’ve always wanted to start my own business, have my own brand, maybe a clothing brand or work backstage, maybe directing. Anything creative for me.
CT: If I weren’t an actor I think I would be starting a business myself, which actually I’m doing right now. I’m starting a grocery shop with my relatives. But if I weren’t an actor, I would spend more of my effort on it and might think of expanding into more than just one business.
What have you learned about yourself through the film industry?
BT: You have to learn to equip yourself with as many skills as you can because you never know what your next role is going to be. I wouldn’t say anything has surprised me, though, because my dad also works in film so I was experienced in that way.
CT: I’m not a very talkative person and being in the film industry I became a bit more outgoing – I had to. I will continue trying my best to work on it.
Are there any traits in a character that you have played that you wish you had?
BT: One of my characters had OCD and I wish I had OCD so I would clean my home more often!
CT: I haven’t acted in a lot of different roles yet. But if I could choose, I would definitely go for somebody with superpowers, just like in the film Limitless.
What’s something you couldn’t live without? BT: I couldn’t live without my phone. I’m always on my phone.
CT: Definitely my phone. I spend a quarter of my time on my phone every day.
Not each other?
Both: Ohhhh. (laughing)
The watches you’re wearing today are made not only for fashion, but for divers too. How universal do you think this makes them?
BT: I’ve never dived, but I like a diver’s watch because they’re durable, they’re water resistant and sporty. I love sports, so when Louis Vuitton, my favourite brand, makes sporty watches, even better.
CT: I’m kind of a coward. I’m scared of water and fish, so I’m glad these watches are suitable for non-divers as well!
What hopes do you have for your future?
BT: I hope to be a versatile actor. I hope to be recognised as more than just a face. I hope people will love me for the roles I play. I want to inspire people.
CT: I’ve always hoped to be someone who has influence on the world, someone people look up to.