Taipei, March 31 (CNA) For the street dancer-turned-actor Chen Hsin-hung, the character "Choco" he plays in the hip-hop movie "Chocolate Rap" was not too far of a stretch because the movie reflects his real-life experience.
"I just had to be me [in the film], although I had to learn the fundamentals of acting beforehand," said 25-year-old Chen, who played the film's lead role despite not having any film experience.
Describing himself as a late-comer who didn't start break-dancing until he was 19, Chen said he went through almost the same experience in real life as Choco did in the film.
"I had broken a wrist and fingers in practice. That's when I thought about quitting dancing, just like what Choco thought after he got injured in a car accident," Chen said.
"And my parents couldn't understand why I love dancing so much despite not making any money from it and coming home dirty after all that breaking [on the ground]," he added.
Chen was asked to audition for the film after being spotted by director Lee Chi Y in a street dance competition in Hsinchu two years ago. Chen ended up playing the lead.
Lee named the main character Choco as a tribute to the young dancer who took him to over 80 street dancing sites across Taiwan but didn't play the lead in the film.
"It feels good to know that [street dancing] culture has been gradually accepted by most people in Taiwan during the last three to four years. And I've been able to make a living out of it by establishing my own dance group and studio, giving lessons and performing at various events," Chen said.
"Dancing means a lot to me. It gives me confidence. I did this movie to salute all the Taiwanese street dancers out there, not for myself. I did this because I love to dance, not the other way around," Chen said.
"Chocolate Rap," which is billed as the first hip-hop movie in Asia, premieres April 4 and hits local theaters April 7.