Looking back at the time he was named one of the eight up-and-coming young actors to watch, “It was really good exposure, but at the same time, there was a lot of comparison and competition,” he said. “To constantly being compared – ‘Who’s doing well, who’s doing better?’ – was quite sick. But I feel that that period was when I forced myself to grow up and accept the reality that this is showbiz.”
Negative feedback about his acting also affected him. “I did quite badly in the period drama The Journey: Tumultuous Times,” he recalled. “I had a crash course with a dialogue coach and I didn’t have enough time to digest it, so when I delivered the lines, it seemed too forceful. That was my first time seeing so many negative comments. I took two or three months to get over it. And during those months, I even asked myself whether I should leave showbiz. Like, ‘Maybe this is not meant for me’.”
But, opportunities continued to come his way, and producers gave him their support and encouragement. The popularity awards came fast and furious, too. “Yes, I think it’s very hard to get so many awards in such a short span of time,” he acknowledged in agreement.
Emerald Hill was a bit of a full-circle moment: Another period drama, but with vastly different results. “I got a lot of good feedback. Recently, people have come up to me to say, ‘Hey, I watched Emerald Hill and I really loved your character. And, on the plane, I’ve seen people watching Emerald Hill!”
In his next project, he reunites with longtime screen partner Jeanette Aw for Highway To Somewhere, a drama about a couple who embark on a road trip to try to save their marriage. “It’s time for me to move on to do more mature roles,” he quipped. “I’ve played a lot of boyfriends, wealthy young heirs, Mr Nice Guys.”
So, it’s on to the next challenge and full steam ahead, at least until his 50th birthday, lah.
Star Awards 2025 takes place on Jul 6. Catch it live on Channel 8, Channel U, mewatch and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel. For more information, visit https://www.mediacorp.sg/starawards.
Makeup by Lasalle Lee using Sisley Beauty; hair by Sylin Yer, Shunji Matsuo using Oribe; art direction by Jasper Loh; photos shot at The Standard, Singapore.
