Tang Tsung-sheng Wins First Golden Bell Acting Award, Fulfilling a Promise to His Father

A trophy nearly 30 years in the making

Taiwanese actor and comedian Tang Tsung-sheng won the supporting actor award for a miniseries or television film at the 61st Golden Bell Awards on October 26, 2026, turning his first acting nomination into a victory after nearly 30 years in entertainment. His performance in Wo De Yang Guo A Gong brought him a trophy he had long hoped to dedicate to his late father.

The ceremony at Taipei Music Center followed a postponement caused by Typhoon Trami. Tang emerged from a field of six nominees, including two actors from the same production, Ko I-cheng and Chen Chu-sheng. Together, the three occupied half the places in their category.

Tang had previously received four Golden Bell nominations for hosting variety programmes. This time, he stood on the stage as an award winning actor, with a message about the dramatic work he hopes to do next and thanks for the family members and teachers who helped him reach it.

Tang, also known by his stage name Cong Cong, described the length of his wait in his acceptance speech:

I have waited 30 years for this award!

His most emotional words were for his parents. His father had died before seeing this achievement. His mother, who has lived with dementia for 16 years, still recognises him, something he described with deep gratitude as he accepted the award.

The promise behind the prize

Tang was at his studio when he learned of his nomination. After confirming the news, he opened a window and called out toward the cemetery in the distance where his father was buried. He later explained that he had already treated the nomination as a victory.

His parents had once worried that acting would leave him unable to support a family. When he entered the theatre department at what is now Taipei National University of the Arts, they repeatedly urged him during his first year to change his course of study.

Tang continued his training and built a career, but he still wanted a particular kind of recognition to offer his father. The acting award gave a concrete form to that wish: a trophy tied to the work he had chosen despite his parents' early fears.

Speaking after the ceremony, Tang recalled holding his father during the final 30 minutes of his life. He connected that memory with his father's presence when he himself entered the world.

Tang described the memory in these words:

I was there with him, just as he was there with me in the 30 minutes before I came into this world. It was a kind of completeness within imperfection.

The award also gave Tang the chance to thank his father for what he described as the performing talent he had inherited from him. His account brought together two parts of their relationship: the early uncertainty about his career and the personal debt he continued to feel after his father's death.

A mother who still knows her son

Tang's mother watched the ceremony on television rather than attending in person. He said her memory now lasts about three to five minutes and that she sometimes forgets she has just eaten.

Dementia affects memory and other thinking abilities, making familiar routines and conversations difficult. In Tang's family, the daily challenge includes helping his mother through moments she can no longer remember, while valuing the connection she still has with her children.

During his acceptance speech, Tang addressed his mother directly:

Mum, I won an award. Thank you for still not forgetting me after 16 years with dementia. And my dad, I hope you are proud of me.

Tang said he wanted to place the trophy in her living room so she could see it often. The nomination had been difficult for her to understand, he explained, and he hoped the physical presence of the award would help her remember his achievement.

His thanks extended to his brothers and sisters, who share responsibility for caring for their mother. He also thanked his wife and two daughters, placing the family's support alongside the professional help that had sustained his career.

An anxious driver with more than jokes to offer

In Wo De Yang Guo A Gong, Tang grew a beard to play an unemployed driver. His performance combined the character's anxiety with the frustration and sadness of an ordinary person struggling through difficult circumstances.

The role drew on his skills in physical comedy. His character reacts nervously to the pandemic, becomes alarmed by possible threats and struggles with the stubbornness of an older family member. Quick movements and everyday complaints provide the humour.

Tang also had to slow the performance down at emotional turns. Beneath the agitation, the character carries the pressures of being a son and a father. Those quieter moments allow his worry and affection to emerge alongside the jokes.

The production's dark humour comes from finding comedy in uncomfortable or painful situations. Tang's portrayal moves between frantic reactions and a more subdued sense of helplessness, giving the audience both something to laugh at and a person whose troubles they can understand.

His victory came in a category that also included Wang Po-chieh, Yang Chia-en and Yusuke Fukuchi, as well as his colleagues Ko and Chen. Wo De Yang Guo A Gong was also nominated for television film, writing and promising newcomer, the last through performer Lee Yi-ju.

Recognition as an actor, with more drama in mind

Tang used his moment on stage to challenge the narrow expectations that can accompany a successful comedy career. Although audiences know him for making them laugh, he said he wanted more opportunities to perform serious dramatic roles.

The actor expressed that ambition during his acceptance speech:

Comedians can act in serious dramas too. Thank you for recognising talent.

Backstage, Tang explained that he particularly enjoys acting and loves comedy, while also wanting to bring audiences a wider range of emotions. His first nomination as an actor, followed by a win, gave that ambition a new public marker.

His previous four nominations had recognised variety hosting, work that often depends on timing, quick responses and interaction with other performers. The new award recognised a scripted character whose humour had to coexist with family tension and personal disappointment.

Tang said the value of winning lay in the opportunity to thank people who had helped him. He described the 90 seconds available for his acceptance speech as precious, a brief space to acknowledge relationships built across decades.

The teachers and colleagues he thanked

Tang paid particular tribute to his late teacher Lee Kuo-hsiu. During Tang's university years, Lee taught him acting without charging for his teaching time and also gave him guidance about how to conduct himself.

Recalling Lee's influence, Tang identified a lesson that had remained important throughout his working life:

Without rules, nothing takes shape.

For Tang, the teaching went beyond technique. His recollection linked the discipline of learning a role with the standards he tried to carry into the entertainment business.

His acknowledgments also included the late filmmaker Edward Yang, the late entertainment entrepreneur Yang Teng-kuei, director Chu Yen-ping, actor Chin Shih-chieh and theatre director Stan Lai. He thanked his manager, his work and drama teams, and Taiwan's Ministry of Culture.

Those names gave his speech a longer professional history than the award announcement alone could convey. Tang was celebrating a new category of recognition while remembering people whose teaching, trust and opportunities had helped him continue working.

A delayed ceremony and a brief loss of sound

The drama ceremony began at 7 p.m. on October 26 at Taipei Music Center after disruption caused by Typhoon Trami. The red carpet was moved indoors and closed to public spectators. Actress Annie Chen hosted the ceremony.

The drama competition received 824 entries, with 135 shortlisted to compete for 27 awards. Tang's supporting actor prize was one part of a programme covering performances, writing, production and technical work.

A microphone malfunction briefly interrupted the announcement of his victory. Presenter Lou Jun-shuo's sound cut out as he read Tang's name while presenting the category with actor Christopher Lee.

The interruption prompted viewers in the livestream chat to revive phrases associated with Tang's 2017 dispute with variety host Hsu Nai-lin during a recording of Genius Go Go Go. Hsu later publicly apologised, the two reconciled and they subsequently appeared together again.

On stage, Christopher Lee also exchanged a joke with Tang, asking him to call him Grandpa. Tang replied that his grandfather had died and he was not used to seeing him appear, prompting Lee to hand over the trophy quickly. The playful exchange preceded the much more emotional acceptance speech.

From the nomination to a family break

Tang's next plans combined another performance commitment with time for his family. He said he would complete a comedy production in Kaohsiung that week before taking a trip with his mother and children. No exact travel date was announced.

The main steps leading to that break span his early training, a long television career and the award night:

• During his first year studying theatre, Tang's parents repeatedly encouraged him to change subjects because they worried about his livelihood.
• Before his acting nomination, he received four Golden Bell nominations for variety programme hosting.
• On learning he had been nominated for Wo De Yang Guo A Gong, he opened his studio window and called toward his father's cemetery.
• On October 26, 2026, he won supporting actor for a miniseries or television film at the 61st Golden Bell Awards.
• After his Kaohsiung stage commitment, he planned to spend time travelling with his mother and children.

The immediate destination for the trophy was more personal than a display of career achievements. Tang wanted it close to his mother, where she could see it repeatedly. For his father, the award fulfilled the promise he had carried through years of training and work.

Key Points

• Tang Tsung-sheng won his first Golden Bell acting award for Wo De Yang Guo A Gong on October 26, 2026.
• He prevailed among six supporting actor nominees, including two colleagues from the same production.
• The victory followed four earlier nominations for variety hosting and nearly 30 years in entertainment.
• Tang dedicated his achievement to his late father and thanked his mother, who has lived with dementia for 16 years and still recognises him.
• He honoured his teachers, family and colleagues, and said he hoped to perform more serious dramatic roles.
• His next plans included a Kaohsiung stage performance and a family trip.