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AsiaOne
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Producers of all-Asian rom-com Worth The Wait reject Hollywood pressure to cast white actors, Entertainment News
SINGAPORE — Producers on the US-Canada romantic comedy-drama Worth The Wait wanted their movie to showcase Asians falling in love, navigating awkward encounters with former lovers and coping with loss. But they faced pressure from Hollywood financiers, who suggested a change they thought was minor, but was anything but to Rachel Tan. The Malaysia-born, Los Angeles-based producer says they wanted to add a white male to the cast rather than letting the film be an all-Asian ensemble. "They gave me a list of white guys we could cast. If we could give one of the roles to them, we could get funded. It was so tempting," the 43-year-old recalls. She was in town with her producing partner and husband, Chinese-American Dan Mark, for a screening of their film — which the couple also co-wrote — at Tanglin Club on July 10. The investors held the belief that, except for genres such as martial arts, Asian male characters are not bankable, with little appeal for Western audiences, she says. [embed] Tan and her team ignored the suggestion, completing Worth The Wait without watering down their goal of an all-Asian cast in stereotype-breaking stories. For years, Asian Americans have been viewed by the majority as the "model minority", the ethnic group to be the most well educated, well adjusted and upwardly mobile, but the film seeks to show a more complete picture, she says. Slated to open in Singapore cinemas in August, Worth The Wait is directed by Taiwanese film-maker Tom Shu-Yu Lin, known for his Golden Horse-nominated drama The Garden Of Evening Mists (2019), adapted from the 2011 Booker Prize-shortlisted novel of the same name by Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng. Set in Seattle and Kuala Lumpur, it revolves around a group of singles and couples of different ages, and features actors of Asian or mixed descent from North America and Europe, including Ross Butler, Lana Condor, Andrew Koji, Sung Kang and Elodie Yung, as well as Singapore actors Tan Kheng Hua and Lim Yu-Beng. Producer Mark, 43, says audiences will see that Butler (Shazam!, 2019; 13 Reasons Why, 2017 to 2020) fits the profile of the romantic lead, while also being Asian. "He's a masculine Asian man. He's stereotype-breaking, and we love that — we need to have that in our culture," he says. Singapore-born American actor Butler plays Kai, the son of a corporate bigwig (Lim). On why on-screen white male-Asian female couples are the more common representation, Butler feels it has to do with Asian men being seen as not desirable. "It's a deep topic to talk about. In the West, for a hundred years, the Asian man has been emasculated," the 35-year-old tells The Straits Times at the same event. Butler drew on his personal experience to play Kai, who is under pressure to live up to his father's goals for him. The performer took chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio State University, but left his studies to pursue acting as a career. "A lot of this was generational legacy pressure from my mum. She is from Malaysia, and she took me to the US for the opportunities. We all know about the immigrants' dream," he adds. In another of the film's intertwining story threads, a couple played by Chinese-Canadian actors Osric Chau and Karena Lam find their marriage becoming strained after a miscarriage, while a young man, Blake (Chinese-Canadian actor Ricky He), has priorities other than school. Rachel Tan says: "Osric's character is vulnerable and Blake failed maths. There are so many layers to the characters. We are so much more than what's usually shown." Worth The Wait opens in Golden Village cinemas on Aug 8 and EagleWings Cinematics on Aug 14. [[nid:720270]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Asian Rom-Com Producers Reject Hollywood Pressure to Cast White Actors
Find out what's new on ST website and app. In Worth The Wait, Lana Condor and Ross Butler play a couple in a long-distance relationship. SINGAPORE – Producers on the US-Canada romantic comedy-drama Worth The Wait wanted their movie to showcase Asians falling in love, navigating awkward encounters with former lovers and coping with loss. But they faced pressure from Hollywood financiers, who suggested a change they thought was minor, but was anything but to Rachel Tan. The Malaysia-born, Los Angeles-based producer says they wanted to add a white male to the cast rather than letting the film be an all-Asian ensemble. 'They gave me a list of white guys we could cast. If we could give one of the roles to them, we could get funded. It was so tempting,' the 43-year-old recalls. She was in town with her producing partner and husband, Chinese-American Dan Mark, for a screening of their film – which the couple also co-wrote – at Tanglin Club on July 10. The investors held the belief that, except for genres such as martial arts, Asian male characters are not bankable, with little appeal for Western audiences, she says. Tan and her team ignored the suggestion, completing Worth The Wait without watering down their goal of an all-Asian cast in stereotype-breaking stories. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms, 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Opinion What we can do to fight the insidious threat of 'zombie vapes' Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years For years, Asian Americans have been viewed by the majority as the 'model minority', the ethnic group to be the most well educated, well adjusted and upwardly mobile, but the film seeks to show a more complete picture, she says. Slated to open in Singapore cinemas in August, Worth The Wait is directed by Taiwanese film-maker Tom Shu-Yu Lin, known for his Golden Horse-nominated drama The Garden Of Evening Mists (2019), adapted from the 2011 Booker Prize-shortlisted novel of the same name by Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng. Set in Seattle and Kuala Lumpur, it revolves around a group of singles and couples of different ages, and features actors of Asian or mixed descent from North America and Europe, including Ross Butler, Lana Condor, Andrew Koji, Sung Kang and Elodie Yung, as well as Singapore actors Tan Kheng Hua and Lim Yu-Beng. (From left) Lim Yu-Beng, Ross Butler, Tan Kheng Hua and Osric Chau at the red carpet event for Worth The Wait on July 10 at Tanglin Club. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO Producer Mark, 43, says audiences will see that Butler (Shazam!, 2019: 13 Reasons Why, 2017 to 2020) fits the profile of the romantic lead, while also being Asian. 'He's a masculine Asian man. He's stereotype-breaking, and we love that – we need to have that in our culture,' he says. Singapore-born American actor Butler plays Kai, the son of a corporate bigwig (Lim). On why on-screen white male-Asian female couples are the more common representation, Butler feels it has to do with Asian men being seen as not desirable. 'It's a deep topic to talk about. In the West, for a hundred years, the Asian man has been emasculated,' the 35-year-old tells The Straits Times at the same event. Butler drew on his personal experience to play Kai, who is under pressure to live up to his father's goals for him. The performer took chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio State University, but left his studies to pursue acting as a career. 'A lot of this was generational legacy pressure from my mum. She is from Malaysia, and she took me to the US for the opportunities. We all know about the immigrants' dream,' he adds. (From left) Osric Chau and Karena Lam play a couple dealing with the trauma of a miscarriage in Worth The Wait. PHOTO: WORTH THE WAIT MOVIE LLC In another of the film's intertwining story threads, a couple played by Chinese-Canadian actors Osric Chau and Karena Lam find their marriage becoming strained after a miscarriage, while a young man, Blake (Chinese-Canadian actor Ricky He), has priorities other than school. Tan says: 'Osric's character is vulnerable and Blake failed maths. There are so many layers to the characters. We are so much more than what's usually shown.' Worth The Wait opens in Singapore cinemas in August.
Straits Times
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Working together on The Old Guard 2 was an ‘extra gift' for actresses Charlize Theron, Uma Thurman
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Uma Thurman (left) and Charlize Theron at Netflix's premiere of The Old Guard 2 in Los Angeles on June 25. LOS ANGELES – Two of Hollywood's fiercest female action stars, Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman, go head to head in The Old Guard 2, now streaming on Netflix. The film also introduces a keris-wielding immortal played by Malaysia-born English actor Henry Golding and inspired by the legendary Malay warrior Hang Tuah. A sequel to the 2020 action-fantasy hit The Old Guard, it sees the stoic, battle-scarred Andy (Theron) once again leading a band of immortal mercenaries, who have protected the world for centuries. This time, they face off against one of the oldest immortals, a shadowy figure known as Discord (Thurman), whose agenda threatens their mission to protect humanity. At The Old Guard 2's recent Los Angeles premiere, Theron – the 49-year-old South Africa-born star of Atomic Blonde (2017) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – said she had long hoped to work with Thurman. 'Really glad I got the chance on this, and felt really lucky that she said yes,' says Theron, who won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in crime drama Monster (2003). Charlize Theron in The Old Guard 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX The two quickly bonded on set. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line Phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements by April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore askST Jobs: Facing intrusive demands from your employer? Here's what you can do Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Tech Hackathons produce scam simulation tool for education, platform identifying birds based on calls Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 'Just being around her, it's impressive to kind of see what she's achieved and how she has such a healthy outlook on all of it,' says Theron, who in past interviews has said she regards Thurman as her 'sensei', or teacher, when it comes to the action genre. 'And that she still has her heart and soul intact. 'She's a good and kind person and a great mum, and we related on so much of that that by the time we actually shot it, it felt like this extra gift that we got,' says Theron, a single parent with two adopted children aged nine and 12. Thurman, known for her iconic turn as sword-wielding assassin The Bride in the Kill Bill action films (2003 to 2004), says Theron personally reached out to her about joining the cast. Uma Thurman in The Old Guard 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX 'She's a special person and she wrote me a really beautiful, personal e-letter. I'm so old-fashioned, I call e-mails letters,' says the 55-year-old American actress, who also starred in the crime drama Pulp Fiction (1994). 'I thought her work in the first one was so spectacular, and I knew she wanted to make the second one something very special, and was excited to support her in that,' Thurman adds. The star has a 23-year-old son and a 26-year-old daughter – actress Maya Hawke – with American actor and former husband Ethan Hawke, 54. She also has a 12-year-old daughter with her ex-partner, French financier Arpad Busson. Like Theron and Thurman, Golding, who plays a reclusive older immortal named Hang, threw himself into the action scenes. Henry Golding in The Old Guard 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX But 'I always get myself in trouble with the stunts', says the star of romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and the A Simple Favor thriller franchise (2018 to 2025). 'I go 100 miles an hour, and then the day before, when you're just going through the choreography, trying to get the movements and timing right, that's always when it happens. 'Because you're all relaxed and your muscles aren't contracted and keeping everything in place, I always pop something in my lower back,' says the 38-year-old, who has two daughters aged two and four with his wife Liv Lo, a 40-year-old Taiwanese media personality. 'But strap it up, painkillers and on with the show,' he adds. 'Luckily, nothing was broken, so nothing too serious.' Cast member Henry Golding at a premiere for The Old Guard 2 in Los Angeles on June 25. PHOTO: REUTERS In a recent interview with the Malay Mail newspaper, Golding reveals that it was his idea to draw on the legend of Hang Tuah, a 15th-century warrior and martial arts master, to flesh out his character. 'From my time growing up in Malaysia, I was always enamoured by the folklore of Hang Tuah. 'I don't think we have seen this kind of representation in a Hollywood movie. So, I'm really hoping Malaysians and South-east Asians can catch on to this.'
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Christopher Lee won three big awards –Special Achievement Award, Best Actor and Best Programme Host – at the Star Awards on July 6. SINGAPORE – With more than 200 artistes in attendance, the 30th edition of Star Awards was the most star-studded in its history, with the biggest star of the night being Christopher Lee with three wins. At the awards ceremony held at The Theatre at Mediacorp on July 6, the Malaysia-born local actor was honoured with the Special Achievement Award, presented to him by Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo. In his acceptance speech, he thanked his wife, fellow actress Fann Wong, 54, and their 10-year-old son Zed. Lee said to Fann, who was seated in the audience: 'You received this award a long time ago. You are my inspiration and motivation.' And to Zed, he added: 'I want to raise you to be a good person. Thank you for being my son.' In his acceptance speech, Christopher Lee thanked his wife, fellow actress Fann Wong, and their son, Zed. PHOTO: MEDIACORP The 53-year-old also nabbed two more awards: Best Actor for mystery crime series Kill Sera Sera and Best Programme Host for the second season of variety cooking show Dishing With Chris Lee. When receiving the former, which he won for playing a man whose daughter is found dead and dismembered, said during his speech: 'I feel so surprised. Kill Sera Sera is quite a dark production which was difficult to film. I have never acted with the goal of winning awards. To me, what is important is that the audience enjoys the programme, and can connect with it. Thank you for supporting Kill Sera Sera'. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch Singapore Woman on SMRT bus 190 injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Business Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Business High Court orders Instagram seller to pay Louis Vuitton $200,000 in damages over counterfeit goods Singapore MOH studying 18 proposals to integrate TCM into public healthcare Lee's Kill Sera Sera co-star, Hong Kong actress Jessica Hsuan, won Best Actress for playing his onscreen wife. The 54-year-old said on stage: 'This has been the toughest role I have won in. I have always wanted to be an actress. I hope to present more shows for you to watch.' Kill Sera Sera's Hong Kong actress Jessica Hsuan with her award. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun Fat, whose last appearance at Star Awards was at its inaugural edition in 1994, presented the trophies to the 20 winners of the Top 10 Most Popular Male and Female Artistes. The genial 70-year-old celebrity guest dished out hugs and took wefies with the veteran local artistes who attended the 1994 edition, which included Zoe Tay, Li Nanxing, Chen Liping, Pan Lingling and Aileen Tan. He did the same with the winners of the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes. It was also a special night for Yvonne Lim and Pornsak, who won the All-Time Favourite Artiste Award. It is conferred to those who have won a cumulative 10 Top 10 Most Popular Male or Female Artistes accolade. Pornsak, 43, said: 'I know I am not the strongest, but I am the most lucky.' Lim, 48, attended Star Awards 2025 with her husband, Taiwanese businessman Alex Tien, as well as their son AJ, 10, and daughter Alexa, eight. The family used to live in Taiwan, but returned to Singapore in January. Lim said: 'I have been working and living overseas for more than 10 years. But Singapore has always been where my dream started. I am a normal person. I have to cook and read to my children. And to get your support, I feel very fortunate.' Cynthia Koh won her first Best Supporting Actress award for the drama Hope Afloat since her acting career started in 1992. The 51-year-old, who played a woman who quits her job to become a caregiver to her disabled daughter , said: 'After working for so long, I have finally reached the end. I have failed before, and questioned myself, but I always told myself not to give up. Thank you to the fans. You are the strength that pushes me to move forward.' Cynthia Koh won her first Best Supporting Actress award for the drama Hope Afloat, since her acting career started in 1992. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Chen Hanwei clinched his third Best Supporting Actor award for his role as a former convict in the crime drama Unforgivable. The 55-year-old, who also won in the category in 2015 and 2018, said: 'Good productions have created us as actors. We will do our best to do right by the company (Mediacorp), and the fans and friends who have supported us. It has been 30 years. Apart from thanks, I have more thanks.' Chen Hanwei clinched his third Best Supporting Actor award for his role as a former convict in the crime drama Unforgivable. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Star Awards 2025: List of main winners Programme awards: Best Drama Serial: Unforgivable Best Entertainment Programme: Dishing With Chris Lee Season 2 Best Infotainment Programme: Legends Of Singapore Comedy Best Short-form Entertainment Programme: #JustSwipeLah Best Theme Song: Remnants from Once Upon A New Year's Eve, sung by Jim Lim Best Radio Programme: The Shuang, Kunz, Jia Trio from Yes 933 Performance awards: Best Actor: Christopher Lee for Kill Sera Sera Best Actress: Jessica Hsuan for Kill Sera Sera Best Supporting Actor: Chen Hanwei for Unforgivable Best Supporting Actress: Cynthia Koh for Hope Afloat Best Rising Star: Tyler Ten for Unforgivable Best Programme Host: Christopher Lee for Dishing With Chris Lee Season 2 Young Talent Award: Lincoln Ang for Born To Shine Best Audio Personality: Zhong Kun Hua for The Shuang, Kunz, Jia Trio Special Achievement Award: Christopher Lee Popularity awards: Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes: Benjamin Tan, Desmond Tan, Guo Liang, Jeff Goh, Jeremy Chan, Marcus Chin, Richie Koh, Romeo Tan, Xu Bin, Zong Zijie Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes: Carrie Wong, Chantalle Ng, Chen Biyu, Chen Ning, Denise Camillia Tan, Gao Mei Gui, Hong Ling, Paige Chua, Tasha Low, Ya Hui Most Popular Rising Stars: Ayden Sng, Tyler Ten and Zhang Ze Tong All-time Favourite Artiste Award: Pornsak and Yvonne Lim
New Paper
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Singapore actress Eleanor Lee accused online of insulting China, allegedly dropped from Chinese show
Home-grown actress Eleanor Lee has found herself in the middle of an online storm, with rumours accusing her of making derogatory comments about people in China. It is also claimed that the 25-year-old China-based star and daughter of local TV host Quan Yifeng has been removed from the cast list of an upcoming Chinese period drama, The Journey Of Legend, as a result. Lee's alleged remarks have also led to the delay of the airing of the show in early May, according to online speculation. Based on a novel by Malaysia-born author Woon Swee Oan, The Journey Of Legend also stars Chinese actor Cheng Yi and Chinese actress Gulnazar Bextiyar. Lee plays one of the main characters, Tang Fang. The show wrapped up filming in October 2024. The furore started when an anonymous netizen claiming to be Lee's former assistant recently released a poor-quality 31-second audio recording on Chinese social media platform Weibo. In the recording, which features a lot of background noise, a woman is heard saying she is "doing this not for fame, but for money" and that "most people in China are idiots". It is not confirmed if it is Lee's voice in the clip. A spokesperson for the Chinese agency which manages Lee told The Straits Times on May 9: "We are looking into the matter and will provide an update over the next two days." Lee's name is still listed on one of the pinned posts dated Oct 25, 2024, on The Journey Of Legend's Weibo account. Her name is missing on another pinned post dated April 9, but her scenes can still be seen in the accompanying video. According to Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao, The Journey Of Legend has not announced its official premiere date, and that the early May release was only a rumour.
