Paul Foster stays cool, calm and collected while modelling, acting, hosting, investing in businesses and giving back to society.

No demands. No celebrity tantrums. No entourage. Paul Foster arrives on time for his shoot and immediately says “hello” to new and familiar faces in the creative crew. Without missing a beat, he sits down to get his grooming done.

Standing at 184cm and blessed with good looks and a killer body, Foster never went out in search of fame. All this former rugby player wanted to do was have a career in sport. But, in 2002, reality programme The Big Unknown followed Foster through his university days in Melbourne and, after that show, a star was born.

On his return to Singapore, he was quickly picked to act in TV programmes and host gigs because of his Pan-Asian looks — his father is British and mother, Peranakan. Comfortable in switching from a crisp British accent to Singlish, Foster has acted in a variety of roles, from a British policeman in Mata Mata to a local dude making the most of his career in the comedy series Working Class.

Not just a pretty face, Foster is well known for his business savvy. He has invested in properties and is involved in creating apps. He is also a director at Beam Artistes Pte Ltd, a talent agency. Foster learnt the hard way about the value of money, as he was only a teenager when his dad passed away and he had to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of his mother and sister.

With his affable boy-next-door charm, his appointment book is filled with acting, modelling and hosting engagements. But he still makes time to give back to society by being actively involved in Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organisation that builds homes for the less fortunate.

When it comes to work, Foster gives his all — he is a professional through and through. He sat patiently, waiting for the photographer to get the lighting right before posing for numerous shots.

To find out more about Foster, Options asked him for his views on various matters.

Acting, hosting, modelling — which do you prefer?
I love them all, because they are different and challenging in their own right. When I’m acting, it’s about being someone else and playing a character. When I’m hosting, it’s me being me. When I’m modelling, I’m either myself or not, depending on what is needed. But at the end of the day, all three are complementary and I love doing them.

You have shown your versatile acting skills in dramas and comedies. Which would you say is easier to do?
It’s good not to be typecast and it’s great to be able to showcase a variety of acting abilities. But it’s not really which is easier; either way, you have to perform and make it look like you aren’t actually acting. The art of it comes down to physically, mentally and emotionally becoming the character. Of course, drama is more serious and you really have to show more emotion, which can be very draining. Comedy is a happier place to be and you just let it all out, have fun and make fun of yourself so that others can make fun of you. I love being challenged and given opportunities. I am really open to anything as long as the story and character resonate with me.

Is there another area of entertainment you would like to try? Do you harbour ambitions of cutting an album?
I’m an in-the-car, having-a-shower, drunk-karaoke singer kind of guy. I would love to actually have some voice and singing training and it would be awesome to do something with that. But I think cutting an entire album is pretty optimistic. I do hope one day to take part in a stage production, though. Theatre is real acting in the sense of its being a live performance on stage in front of a live audience. There is no ‘Cut’ from the director if a mistake is made and we can reset for a retake. So, I would love to take on a stage role to complete my acting [experience besides] TV and film.

What has been the biggest highlight in your career so far?
Good question. I have a few, but I think my first major role in a major feature film — an Indonesian production [Diary Si Boy] in 2011 — would be up there. Just being a part of something on that scale and the fact that I had to learn the script in another language and film away from home — all that made the entire experience special.

If you had a choice of acting opposite a leading lady, who would you pick?
Depends what the role is... this is tough. But purely from a professional standpoint, I would love to work alongside these leading ladies: Olivia Wilde, Natalie Portman, Emily Blunt, Kate Beckinsale, Kate Bosworth and Julia Roberts. I’m going to stop here, because this could be a very long list.

As actor and host, you get a stylist to pick your wardrobe. What is your sense of style? How are you dressed on your days off?
Shorts, T-shirt and slippers. I believe in being comfortable and my style is basic and simple. Less is best. My days off involve lazy days at home, so attire for those days is just shorts — this is definitely my go-to outfit.

What were your growing-up years like? I understand you lost your father at 18 and you had to become the man of the house. How has that shaped you into the person you are today?
Growing up in Singapore was safe and my childhood was an easy one. I was outdoors a lot and was very fortunate that my dad gave us a good life. We got to travel a lot on family holidays, so from a very young age I was able to see a lot of the world. When he passed away, I was in the midst of my IB [International Baccalaureate] exams and graduating from high school, so not only did I have to do my best academically, but also be a pillar of strength at home for my mum and younger sister.

We had a lot of family and friends there for us, which was an amazing support system, but I still took it upon myself to step up and be the man my father would have wanted me to be. So, although I had a great childhood growing up, I was fast-tracked by unfortunate circumstances and had to grow up overnight from a teenager into a man.

If you had to give your teenage self some advice now, what would it be?
To not worry too much about the future. Enjoy the growing-up part of life. Learn and cherish. Stand up for those who need your help. Be with family, friends and do all the things you love. Go outdoors and be among nature. Experiment, experience and be excited. Respect others. Learn from your mistakes. Be the bigger person and always be the better person without having to put down anyone else. Never go to bed angry. Always say your goodbyes and never be afraid to say ‘I love you’.

If you weren’t an actor, host or model, what do you think you would be doing?
I would have loved to become a professional athlete. But the older I get, the more realistic I become too. I have a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sports Coaching Administration, so I would have been able to go into the business world. But even though my main work is in entertainment, I am already involved in a few partnerships, businesses and investments. There are always so many ifs and buts, and so many paths that I could have taken. But opportunities have come and gone and more will come. So, from what I’ve learnt, you need to be in the right place, at the right time with the right people. Also a bit of luck doesn’t hurt either.

Can you share what’s coming up for you next?
Apart from hosting events here and there, at the moment, I am involved in all the international rugby events in Singapore. We have been lucky to host three ‘home’ games for the Sunwolves [from Japan] as part of the newly expanded Super Rugby competition.

I’m working on a few business opportunities; we have our online health supplement store LiveFit.Asia, which is slowly gaining traction in the fitness lifestyle market, and I’m working with a great team on a new valet service mobile app. So, look out for Dre Valet to officially launch soon — the app will get you home safe.

In the second half of the year, I’ll be doing another project in Indonesia for Habitat for Humanity and [am likely to] work on a local feature film, if the crowdfunding phase goes well. If I do get more TV/filming gigs to round off the year, that would be awesome!

This article appeared in the Options of Issue 725 (April 25) of The Edge Singapore.