Arak “Pae” Amornsupasiri started out as a guitarist with indie rock outfi t Slur, but gained fame with his bigscreen debut in 2007’s thriller Body. He talks about his many current projects, including Slur’s second album and his second feature fi lm, Rak/Sam/Sao.

BK: How did you land a role in Rak/Sam/Sao?

Pae: Director Yuthlert saw me in a fashion spread in a magazine and thought I had the right look for one of the characters, so he approached me. I like his work, so I said yes even before I saw the script. He is a veteran director, who has a sharp eye for details and knows what he wants.

BK: Tell us more about your character?

Pae: I play Payu, a quiet guy who doesn’t speak his mind. He is totally different from me because I’m pretty straightforward, I don’t have his complexity.

BK: Is it difficult playing a different personality?

Pae: Not really. Once I understood who he really was, it was much easier to become the character. But the movie has many emotional scenes where I have to cry a lot. I’m the opposite of what you consider romantic—let alone sensitive— and I’ve never been in a rak sam sao (love triangle). So I had to do stuff like watch tear-jerking movies, listen to sad songs and even meditate to train myself to become more sensitive. Trust me, I’ve tried everything to help me cry!

BK: How is the transition from indie guitarist to up-and-coming movie star?

Pae: There are many more actors who are much more famous than I am. I can still just about walk around normally in Siam Square. I have had to adapt quite a lot, though. The Pae onstage is the real me. The Pae that you see giving interviews on TV is also me, but the super-polite version! I’ve learned how to cope with the press. Before, I was too frank and candid, which at times, made things look pretty bad.

BK: You also dabble in fashion?

Pae: Yes. I used to be an intern at Greyhound, and I learned a lot. My friends and I just opened a shop called Papercuts and the Pencil Sharpener at Lido Theater. But it is a very complicated business; the branding and marketing gives me a real headache.

BK: Music, movie, fashion—what’s next?

Pae: I don’t know. I’ll just concentrate on what I am doing now. I got some offers to be in TV dramas, but I turned them down. Starring in a TV soap, for me, is like jumping into real showbiz, and I don’t want to be that popular! I’m afraid I won’t have time to make music, perform a gig or be in a good movie.