Latest news with #YvonneLim
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Keep going, don't give up: Yvonne Lim and Pornsak win All-Time Favourite Artiste awards , Entertainment News
Though it's been a while since they've turned up for Star Awards, it seems their popularity never dimmed. Local actress Yvonne Lim and host Pornsak Prajakwit went home with the All-Time Favourite Artiste trophies tonight (July 6). The accolade is awarded to artistes who have won a cumulative 10 Top 10 Most Popular Artiste awards. Yvonne recently moved back to Singapore with her husband Alex Tien, son AJ and daughter Alexa. She thanked her loved ones and paid tribute to her late mother during her acceptance speech. "I believe it's not fame that makes someone truly memorable. It's sincerity from the heart that allows one to go far. The most precious award isn't the one you hold in your hand, but the one you hold in your heart. "This delayed recognition… I wish one person in particular could have seen this: The person who influenced me the most, and the one I've missed the most these past 35 years, my late mother. Do you see me now? I love you," said the 48-year-old. In an interview with AsiaOne backstage, she said today was particularly meaningful for her. "This return, after 10 years, is different, because I'm surrounded by family. In 2014, when I last stood on this stage, I was only here with my husband. But now, I've returned as a mother, with my children by my side. Even my outfit holds a special meaning. "The gown I'm wearing today belongs to my godmother Grace. She was with me in 2014 and said, 'If you ever win All-Time Favourite Artiste, I hope you'll wear this.' Back then, I thought it was impossible. But now, it's happened. Even the ring I'm wearing is the one Alex used to propose to me." Yvonne told us she "never had a smooth-sailing career": "I've been through many ups and downs. But thankfully, I persisted, otherwise, there wouldn't be a Yvonne Lim today. I wouldn't be standing here. "When I meet rookies, I always tell them, 'Keep going, don't give up.' And when they ask why, I say, 'Because if you truly love this craft, and if you persevere, you will succeed. Your moment will come.' That's what I truly believe." Meanwhile, Pornsak advises aspiring young talents to "experience the pain" first and work on building a fortune later. "I think a lot of us, when we first come into the industry, hope to get both fame and fortune... The ROI (return on investment) will come someday, somehow," he said in an interview with AsiaOne backstage. During his winning speech, the 43-year-old thanked his mentors and boss Michelle Chong: "I know I'm not the strongest, but I'm definitely the luckiest, because I met all of you." [[nid:719894]] syarifahsn@ No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
CNA
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Nostalgia, rising stars and four gongs for Christopher Lee at Star Awards' 30th anniversary show
Stars past and present were out in full force for the grand 30th anniversary of the Star Awards, the biggest event of the year in local Mandarin entertainment. To mark its three-decade milestone, the show pulled out all the stops, with a stroll down the memory lane of iconic theme songs via a live orchestra, a performance by songstress Kit Chan, appearances by Hong Kong superstars Chow Yun Fat and Sean Lau, and a towering Star Awards trophy on the red carpet 30 times the size of the real thing. Hosted by Guo Liang together with Chantalle Ng taking on a hosting role for the first time, the show's theme, 'Walking Through Time Together' celebrated the moments and faces in drama history that made lasting impressions in fans' minds and hearts. The event felt like a reunion of sorts as actors long retired from the screen like Huang Shi Nan, Tracer Wong and Bernard Tan took to the red carpet; while All-Time Favourite Artistes throughout the years gathered on stage, including Ann Kok, Mark Lee, Vivian Lai, Tay Ping Hui and Fann Wong. Meanwhile, this year's All-Time Favourite Artistes, Yvonne Lim and Pornsak, collected their long-awaited trophies after having won 10 Top 10 Favourite Artistes awards through the years. Pornsak quipped that he wanted to thank dish soap brand Mama Lemon as the exposure he gained from starring in their advertisement had paid for his housing and his master's degree for the last 14 years. Lim, who marked her return to Singapore after spending the last 10 years in Taiwan by walking the red carpet with her husband and two children, teared up as she talked about her late mother in her acceptance speech, saying, 'The person I've missed the most for the last 35 years – do you see this? I love you.' She added, 'The best award is not in my hands but in my heart.' Best Supporting Actor winner Chen Hanwei (Unforgivable) also remembered his mum, telling media backstage, 'Whenever I've won an award, I've always told her about it. But, now that she's gone, I can't. I'm wearing the ring she gave me, and I hope she knows.' The big winner of the night was Christopher Lee, who was named Best Actor for his work in the thriller Kill Sera Sera; in addition, his variety show Dishing With Chris Lee S2 earned him the Best Programme Host and Best Entertainment Programme awards. Lee, whose career is 30 years old just like the Star Awards, was also honoured with a Special Achievement Award for his contributions to local entertainment over the years. Visibly surprised at clinching Best Actor, Lee quipped to the media backstage: 'Like what my wife said all those years ago on stage: 'What award should I get next year?'' He guffawed. 'I never thought I would get all these awards. I'd like to thank the audience for watching my shows,' he added. In his on-stage speech, he thanked wife Fann Wong, saying, 'You are my motivation.' He also thanked Singapore viewers, saying, 'Without you, I wouldn't be here. I will continue to work for you.' Jessica Hsuan, who starred opposite Lee in Kill Sera Sera, was named Best Actress for her intense turn as a grieving mother, a role she described as 'the darkest I've taken on in many years. My emotions every day of filming were so bleak,' she said. 'I thank the viewers who enjoyed my performance in this role. I hope to continue acting well into my old age.' An emotional Cynthia Koh received the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as a dedicated mum in Hope Afloat, her first win after six nominations. 'In the last few years I went home empty-handed and I've been very disappointed. But this year, I'm very happy,' she said. Emerald Hill's Tyler Ten went home with two awards: Best Rising Star and Most Popular Rising Star. In his acceptance speeches, he thanked fans and mentor Chen Hanwei. How is he planning to celebrate? With chocolate cake, he said, as he'd been on a strict Star Awards diet. In the popularity categories, Romeo Tan and Carrie Wong collected their 10th Top 10 Most Popular Artistes trophies, clinching them next year's All-time Favourite Artiste awards; while first time award winners were Benjamin Tan, Gao Mei Gui and Richie Koh. How did they spend their time on stage? By taking wefies with Chow Yun Fat, of course.
CNA
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Watch Star Awards 2025: Live red carpet arrivals and awards show
This year's Star Awards celebrates its big 30th anniversary on Sunday (Jul 6) with a nostalgia-filled show honouring the best of Singapore's Chinese entertainment. This year's show is co-hosted by veteran actor-host Guo Liang and Chantalle Ng, who'll be making her Star Awards hosting debut. Special guests include Guests include Hong Kong legends Chow Yun Fat and Sean Lau as presenters, and Singapore's very own Kit Chan as a performer. To commemorate three decades of Star Awards – which started in 1994 with just eight trophies given out – All-Time Favourite Artistes throughout the years will come together for a big reunion. This year's inductees are actress Yvonne Lim and host Pornsak. Crime drama Unforgivable leads the pack with the most nominations (10 gongs, including Best Drama Serial and Best Theme Song), followed by parenting-focused drama Born To Shine with seven nominations. The event, which will be held at The Theatre at Mediacorp, kicks off at 7pm. But before that comes the Walk of Fame red carpet event at 5pm. After the show proper, there will also be a post-event party at 10pm. Scroll down for a recap of this year's nominees and winners so far, as well as our previous stories. STAR AWARDS 2025 NOMINEES Best Actor Andie Chen (Born to Shine) Christopher Lee (Kill Sera Sera) Gavin Teo (To Be Loved) Qi Yuwu (Once Upon A New Year's Eve) Richie Koh (Coded Love) Best Actress Chantalle Ng (Hope Afloat) Felicia Chin (I Do, Do I?) Hong Ling (Unforgivable) Jesseca Liu (Unforgivable) Jessica Hsuan (Kill Sera Sera) Best Supporting Actor Chen Hanwei (Unforgivable) Chen Shu Cheng (Unforgivable) Guo Liang (To Be Loved) Pierre Png (Moments) Xu Bin (Kill Sera Sera) Best Supporting Actress Cynthia Koh (Hope Afloat) Lynn Lim (Kill Sera Sera) Meixin (Born to Shine) Tasha Low (Coded Love) Ya Hui (Coded Love) Best Program Host (Entertainment & Infotainment) Bryan Wong (Makan On Wheels) Christopher Lee (Dishing With Chris Lee S2) Hazelle Teo (Star Awards 2024 – Walk Of Fame) Jeremy Chan (Double J BAEcation) Joanne Peh (A Conversation With Minister) Young Talent Award Camans Kong (Born To Shine) Charlotte Chen (Unforgivable) Elvis Shi (Unforgivable) Goh Wee Ann (Born To Shine) Lincoln Ang (Born To Shine) Best Rising Star Herman Keh (House Everything S3) Joey Tay (YES 933 TikTok Live) Juin Teh (Unforgivable) Tyler Ten (Unforgivable) Ye Jia Yun (Uniquely Ours) Best Audio Personality Chen Ning (The DAKA Show) Hazelle Teo (The Shuang Kunz, Jia Trio) Pan Jia Biao (CAPITAL 958 Wake Up Call) Zhong Kun Hua (The Shuang, Kunz, Jia Trio) Zhu Zeliang (The Night Is Young) Best Drama Serial Born to Shine Kill Sera Sera Once Upon A New Year's Eve To Be Loved Unforgivable Best Entertainment Programme Dishing With Chris Lee S2 King of Culinary 2024 Makan On Wheels Pasar Malam Stars Star Awards 2024 – Award Ceremony Best Short-form Infotainment Programme Legends Of Singapore Comedy Old Taste Detective 5 Tuesday Report – Restart Women Behind Bars World's Unique Neighbourhoods Best Short-form Entertainment Programme #JustSwipeLah Behind The Lens: Star Search 2024 In Focus Outcast: Battle Of The Stars The DAKA Show S2 YES 933 Drama-tainment Series Best Theme Song Born To Shine's Born To Shine (Matthew Teng, Lincoln Ang, Bernice Lok, Chen Rui En) I Do, Do I's Bu Tong Shi Jie De Ni (Ling Kai) Once Upon A New Year's Eve's Remnants (Jim Lim) Unforgivable's Wounds (Jurine Chia Xin Ni) Coded Love's Xu Guo (Colbie Ong) Best Radio Programme Capital 958's CAPITAL 958 Wake Up Call Love 972's Breakfast Quartet Love 972's Mr. Zhou's Ghost Stories Yes 933's The DAKA Show Yes 933's The Shuang, Kunz, Jia Trio *** All-Time Favourite Artiste: Yvonne Lim, Pornsak *** My Pick! Awards Favourite CP: Chantalle Ng and Zhang Zetong (Hope Afloat) Show Stealer: Jesseca Liu (Unforgivable) Most Emotional Performance: Hong Ling (Unforgivable)
CNA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
'Fearless and resilient': Actress Yvonne Lim looks back on nearly three decades in showbiz
When you think about megawatt, headline-grabbing celebrities, perhaps Yvonne Lim might not be the first to come to mind. After all, for the past 10 years, she's hardly even been on television, instead baking chiffon cakes and raising children in Taiwan, where her husband is from. But, some lights flare and some burn steadily. It's a testament to her staying power that she hasn't been forgotten. At this year's Star Awards, she's set to be crowned with the coveted All-Time Favourite Artiste award, officially cementing her status as one of Singapore's most loved actresses as a result of being voted into the Top 10 Most Popular Artistes register 10 times. Popularity, she opined, is 'not about fame or being on TV'. In actuality, it simply means that "people can relate to you, and they want to be with you and around you.' Why is she gravitated towards? Is it her doll-like features and girl-next-door energy even at the age of 48? Is it the fact that in person, one of the things that stands out about her is her sociability? Or, is it her ability to make others feel cared for? The fans who have followed her for many years would say so. 'Sometimes they do share their problems with me, and I become an agony aunt,' she quipped, adding that losing her mother at the age of 13 has helped her understand how others might be feeling when they tell her their concerns about relationships, health or loss. There's also, of course, her on-screen prowess, which has earned her recognition across roles in dramas such as Stepping Out, Portrait Of Home and Metamorphosis. Throughout her absence from Singapore entertainment, 'I got messages saying, 'We miss your work. We love your acting. Please come back.'' Although taking a break to be a full-time mum to her two children, aged 10 and eight, has been fulfilling – she couldn't even cook an egg before, she divulged, and now she's known for her skills in the kitchen – she did miss her identity as Yvonne Lim the actress, not to mention her friends and colleagues. Her initial plan was to stay in Taipei for two years; two years turned into 10. 'We'd watch every Star Awards ceremony together,' she recounted, and 'I remember my son asking me, 'Mum, why are you not there on the red carpet?' I said, 'Because mummy has to take care of you. If you let mummy go back, mummy will be on the red carpet.'' With her son's blessing, she and her family moved back to Singapore for good half a year ago. And, no doubt, he's eagerly awaiting seeing her walk the red carpet come Jul 6. She's working on her acceptance speech for that night, but, after all these years in showbiz – 28, if you want to be exact – she still has a phobia of the stage, she shared. 'I think my past speeches weren't that fantastic, because I was really nervous. All eyes are on you, and you're in in the limelight, and everybody's waiting for you to say something classic or funny. When I took part in Star Search, we had to perform a musical on stage. I did fumble because I was so scared.' She mused: 'To be very honest, I don't think I had it really easy, to get to where I am now. It wasn't like year after year of Top 10 trophies. Some people just take 10 years. It took me 28.' DESTINY It comes as a bit of a surprise hearing Lim say that being in the limelight makes her nervous. Didn't she, after all, get her start by joining her polytechnic's beauty pageant, back when she was an electronics engineering student? 'It's not that I wanted to join. They didn't have enough contestants,' she giggled. 'The student union leader spoke to me and said, 'Can you just join?' I said, 'Okay, I'll just make up the numbers.' Somehow, I was the first runner-up, and that led to me being signed to Carrie Models.' One of her first successful auditions was for a McDonald's television commercial, she recalled. 'There was a really tight shot of me eating a S$2 McChicken burger. I did have to do a lot of takes, honestly. But, they had a way of dressing the burger to make it look juicier from the front, so actually, I was eating plain buns!' The commercial aired and, 'after seeing myself on TV for the first time, I thought to myself, 'Not too bad. I think I do look okay.'' Star Search came along in 1997, while she was waiting for admission to university in the UK to study business. 'I had nothing to do. And my hair stylist encouraged me to join.' Out of six or seven audition hopefuls, Lim was the only one singled out to have her profile shot. But, she didn't get a call back for the second round of auditions. What she didn't know, however, was that a producer had seen potential in her. 'He went through the profiles of all those who didn't show up for the second audition. And he pointed to my picture and said, 'Where is this girl? Why was she not at the audition?'' When they called me up, I said, 'I didn't know I was called back.' It turned out that they'd sent the invitation to the wrong address.' When she returned to audition again, she impressed the judges by not just answering the questions she was asked, but also asking questions back. 'I was so young. What was there to lose?', she recalled. 'I guess, in a way, looking back, I think it was sort of destiny.' Her one regret is not having gone on to earn her degree. 'I do think about what would it be if I had pursued my studies. Seeing my family portrait, I'm the only one without a graduation gown,' she said, adding that she is thinking about taking up an online course so she can eventually fulfil that dream. HIGHS, LOWS, LOVE Then again, no one can say she hasn't lived a full life. The Yvonne then 'was really fearless. Fearless and resilient,' Lim mused. As an actress just starting out, 'I got scoldings. I knew nothing then about acting. My highest record of takes was 58. But, I know the director was trying to help me, so I'm thankful to her for pushing me.' In filming, there are 'long hours and really hard times', like shooting period dramas in multiple layers of clothing under the blazing sun. Recalling her time on the set of 1998's Return Of The Condor Heroes, she said, 'Even Christopher Lee as Yang Guo couldn't take it. But, I was there, hanging on.' She acknowledged: 'I did get opportunities. I'm thankful for the roles that I had, thankful for people casting me in period dramas, and people realising I can actually do period dramas. That led to me venturing overseas.' When she was posted to China to develop her acting career, her fanbase there began to grow. Her makeup artist recalls travelling with her to a village outside of Beijing for a commercial shoot, where there were no lavatories. Lim suggested knocking on villagers' doors to ask if they could use their bathrooms. The team was skeptical. But, when she appeared on people's doorsteps, she was instantly recognised and welcomed into homes. Even recently, shooting in a kopitiam in Singapore, tourists from China approached her to ask for a photo, she told us. But, it hasn't been successes and smooth sailing all the way. Before she worked in China, there was a period in time when the good roles dried up and she found herself cast in fewer dramas. And, after winning her first Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes trophy in 1998, she subsequently didn't make the Top 10, all the way up until 2009. She started wondering what had gone wrong. 'That was when I seriously considered that maybe my time was up, and I should try something else,' she recalled. But, while in China for 'a good half a year of not going home, living alone, moving from one drama to another', 'the light bulb went on. I started to understand the art of storytelling.' And, when she returned to Singapore, 'that was when I started getting acting awards', like Best Supporting Actress for her work in Portrait Of Home in 2005 and Best Actress for Metamorphosis in 2007. International endorsements and magazine covers stacked up. 'And that's when I met my husband,' she smiled. Alex Tien was then a member of the boyband BAD and the two were introduced when the band was invited to perform at a charity show in Singapore. 'He was interested in me. But, I was not into good-looking boys,' she said. 'I knew it was tough being in the limelight and I didn't want to be with another person who was also in the limelight.' Was it because she dated someone in showbiz before? 'Sort of, but it didn't work out,' she said. After 10 years of staying in touch as friends, 'He was no longer in the boyband, and he was a normal person. Before, he was young, good looking, and all the female fans were always chasing him wherever he was. He had bleached hair. I was like, 'Ugh. Not for me.'' But, since he had now 'put on weight and had a tummy, I said, 'Okay. This is good! Maybe we can give it a shot'.' EVOLUTION Subsequently, motherhood changed her in subtle ways. 'You realise that the world is no longer about you anymore. It's about how we are going to move together as a family. You see things with a different perspective. I think I have much more to give, as well.' For instance, she moved from in front of the camera to behind it, making her directorial debut with the short film Hope. It won her the Best First Time Filmmaker award for short films at the Cannes World Film Festival, on top of multiple accolades like winning the Grand Jury prize at the SEE Asian Film Festival 2023 and making it to the 'Official Selection Digital' lineup at the LA Shorts International Film Festival 2023. 'People do think, 'You are just an actress. What do you know about directing?',' she mused. But, even better than the validation of winning an award at Cannes was the validation of her crew. 'On the last day of our production, one of them asked, 'When are you going to do your next one?' That touched me a lot and meant so much to me.' While we don't know when she is going to do her next one yet, she is set to act in a short film for SG60, produced by Eric Khoo as part of an anthology called Kopitiam Days. 'Now that I'm back, I do hope to give back to to my country, to to where I started,' she said. Being in Cannes and seeing Singapore represented made her feel 'a sense of pride – that, I think, I did contribute to the country. I think many people do know that I am very patriotic. I love Singapore very much. I was very happy that I was able to do something for my country.' Turning to us at in the course of our chat, she said: 'You've really made me think about what I have done all these years. Being me, I would just be like, 'Oh, what have I done? Looking back, I won't say that I have come a really long way, but, I have actually done a lot of stuff.' Not blowing her own horn is something her mother taught her, she shared. 'I tell my kids as well, to be humble, to not be boastful and to be grateful for whatever you have. If they do well for their exams and get awards, they learn to be quiet about it instead of talking about it.' Similarly, getting recognition at the Star Awards 'is not about being popular or famous. It's more like a pat on the back; that my hard work has paid off.' Popularity, she said, 'can come and go. One day you might be very famous; one day, you might not. I told myself to always have balance and be down-to-earth.' One of her immediate goals outside of her career has to do with her other passion: Cooking and baking. 'I have a dream of maybe one day setting up a live cooking line where I can cook for the public,' she divulged. Does she still eat McChicken burgers? 'Oh, it's still my favourite,' she gushed. 'If they have another S$2 McChicken promotion, maybe they can cast me in the ad, and put then-me and now-me side by side.'
