What are these former Mediacorp actors doing now?
What have your faves been up to?
By Ho Guo Xiong -
As seasons change and time ticks forward, nothing in life ever stays constant. Celebrities who were one day active and popular could one day choose to retire and seek a new adventure away from the camera lenses. Yet their light doesn't dim. From Ivy Lee and Eelyn Kok to Michelle Chia and Jacelyn Tay, here are where these 20 former Mediacorp actors are at and what they've been up to as of late.
Constance Song is one of the few local actresses that has found success in both English- and Mandarin-language drama productions. She started from Star Search in 1997 before going on to star in roles such as villain Jiang Ruolin in The Ultimatum, where she scored a Star Awards' Best Supporting Actress win.
Constance Song is currently managed by Li Nanxing's talent management company, LNX Global. And when she isn't busy juggling her two kids, Constance Song runs multiple businesses and takes on minor acting roles.
Most of us would recognise Eelyn Kok as the villain Huang Zhenzhu in the iconic drama The Little Nyonya (2008). Her convincing portrayal even scored her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 2009 Star Awards.
While the mother of one has largely retreated from public view, Eelyn Kok continues to stay relevant on her social media as well as picking up minor roles in television dramas such as Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories@Job Haunting II (2023) and Cash on Delivery (2023).
Edmund Chen needs little introduction after having starred in many dramas including Beyond the Axis of Truth (2001), Man at Forty (2004) and Double Happiness (2004). Despite retiring in the 2000s, Edmund Chen's presence can still be felt from the brands he fronts as ambassador to his wife Xiang Yun and their two kids Chen Xi and Chen Yixin being active in the local entertainment scene.
He hasn't been slacking though. Edmund Chen has transformed himself into a hunkle with a hot body that would put most of us to shame. He has also actively channeled his creative juices into artworks and even has a Guinness World Record for it.
From Genie 0385985 in My Genie (2001-2) to Kitty Pong in Hollywood's Crazy Rich Asians, Fiona Xie has starred in many memorable roles throughout her acting career. So much so that she was once named one of the Seven Princesses of Mediacorp.
After leaving showbiz at the peak of her fame in 2009, Fiona Xie's personal life has gone through many ups and downs. Nevertheless, she continues to be a fighter and is currently delving into the world of art and tech as we speak. She also regularly updates her Instagram with fashion-forward photos of herself.
Since winning the female category of Star Search in 1995, Jacelyn Tay went on to establish herself as a household name with The Legendary Swordsman (2000), Romance de Amour (2003) and You Are The One (2004). Under her belt are multiple Best Actress nominations as well as Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes wins that affirm that fact.
Jacelyn Tay has since transformed herself into a wellness coach where she peddles advice on her Instagram as well as through her business Body Inc, which she describes as an "integrated holistic medicine centre". She is also a mother of one and a published author.
The multi-hyphenated and outspoken Jade Seah got her start after placing first runner-up at the 2006 Miss Singapore Universe pageant. She later went on to pick up work in acting, modelling and most prominently in radio and hosting.
The former Her World contributor and fitness enthusiast later dove deep into Positive Psychology and graduated with a Master's degree in the subject in 2021. Together with Sheila Sim, Jade Seah started Wonder and Wellness to conduct positive psychology-based workshops, programs and retreats.
Most of us would know Jamie Yeo either for her role as Tammy Tay in the longest-running English-language drama Growing Up (1996-2001) or her prolific career as a radio presenter and television host.
In 2022, Jamie Yeo relocated to the United Kingdom with her British husband Rupert and two kids in tow. There, she continues to update fans over Instagram and manages her successful jewellery line, Lula J Jewelry.
Most of us know Michelle Chia as an actress and television host. But did you know that she was a child actor who got talent spotted at the age of six? In 2012, she decided to transition to working freelance to focus on herself and enjoy life.
Going solo has since done wonders for Michelle Chia. Not only has she been able to focus on her own business ventures. she started the live-streaming company Mdada with celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee and host Pornsak in 2020 and has gone on to rake in millions in revenue.
Sheila Sim is one of the biggest homegrown models who has worked with the likes of Singaporean designer Ashley Isham, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, SK-II and more. After slaying in the modelling realm, she went on to be an actress starring in both film and television productions. In fact, her work in the latter scored her Star Awards' Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes win in 2018 as well as two Best Supporting Actress nominations. Her last acting credit was in 2021 in Live Your Dreams.
In August 2022, Sheila Sim and husband Deon Woo welcomed their second child. She continues to enjoy the joys of motherhood as evidenced on her Instagram. Besides that, Sheila Sim also completed the Master's in Positive Psychology (with Jade Seah) and is a champion for self-care and wellness with their Wonder and Wellness business.
Fun fact: Thomas Ong was actually an air steward with Singapore Airlines before he got scouted and became an actor. Following that, he enjoyed a thriving career in the late 1990s till the 2010s where he starred in dramas such as Perfect Cut (2008-9), Pillow Talk (2012) and Three Wishes (2014) before finally retiring in 2020.
Since leaving the entertainment industry, Thomas Ong has dabbled in multiple business endeavours, including selling durian and wanton mee as well as travelling the world.
The beloved ah jie that needs little introduction, Fann Wong is a well-established name in the local entertainment scene. She started as a model before being scouting for television. She even released multiple albums, too. And once she had her footing in Singapore, she went to Hollywood to star in Shanghai Knights (2002) alongside Jackie Chan.
While Fann Wong hasn't been acting much in recent years, she's kept herself busy with her online bakery Fanntasy with new launches every so often. She also celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary with fellow actor Christopher Lee recently.
We can't talk about Fann Wong without delving into her other half Christopher Lee. An 'ah ge', as he is lovingly regarded, Christopher Lee has been a force in local media since winning the Star Awards' Best Actor prize for The Price of Peace in 1997, two years after placing runner-up in Star Search. The couple later left Mediacorp and signed with Taiwanese agency Catwalk.
Christopher Lee has continued to stay active behind the camera. He focuses his time mainly in Taiwan and his work there has received commendation too. He won two Golden Bell Awards - Best Leading Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film for Workers (2021) and Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series for Danger Zone (2022).
Ivy Lee was a much-beloved and celebrated actress. After winning Star Search in 1993 and Star Awards' Best Newcomer a year later, she went on to win three Best Actress trophies for Angel’s Dream (2000), Double Happiness (2004) and Family Matters (2006).
In 2009, Ivy Lee bade goodbye to Singapore as she left for Hong Kong, then London, with her husband, Hong Kong director Raymond Choy, and their four children. In July this year, she returned home to send her two sons to serve their national service obligations.
Many actors play minor characters until the day they finally clinch the lead role. For Dawn Yeoh, her first debut role was the lead role in The Shining Star (2006). She was nominated for Most Popular Newcomer in the same year and became part of the Seven Princesses of Mediacorp. A contractual issue then stopped her rise as she had to go on a hiatus between 2009 and 2013.
These days, Dawn Yeoh has been busy working on Sibay Shiok, an e-commerce platform she co-founded with the likes of Terence Cao. She is also set to star in the film King of Hawkers, which will air during Chinese New Year 2024.
Zheng Geping is turning 60 in 2024, but his fit and toned body put many younger folks in shame. Did you know that he worked as a chef and police officer before becoming an actor? He went on to win Star Awards' Best Actor in 2007 for Like Father, Like Daughter and the All-Time Favourite Artiste commendation in 2022.
Then in January 2023, Zheng Geping shocked fans as he announced his departure from Mediacorp. He had been with the broadcaster for almost four decades but wanted to have the time and space to reconsider his trajectory in life.
While she was a working actress, Andrea De Cruz starred in productions such as Tiger’s Whip (1998), No Problem (2002) and Sayang Sayang (2008-9). But while she did not have the longest career in showbiz, she left a mark on the local entertainment landscape due to the liver donation from her then-boyfriend Pierre Png to save her life and failing liver after she had consumed Slim 10 weight loss pills.
Andrea De Cruz has since been happily married to Pierre Png. They continue to commemorate each year they have together as 2023 marks the 21st year since the liver transplant. Outside of the family, Andrea De Cruz owns the hair salon Cinq and is a partner of the bar Tipsy Flamingo with her husband.
After winning Star Search in 2003, Felicia Chin went on to take on many iconic roles. These range from The Champion (2005) and The Golden Path (2007) to The Journey: Tumultuous Times (2014) and A Jungle Survivor (2020). Felicia Chin also cemented her popularity with the All-Time Favourite Artiste trophy in 2023.
A year prior, Felicia Chin made big moves professionally and privately. In June 2022, she left Mediacorp to work as a presenter for a Christian platform. A few months later, she got married to fellow actor Jeffrey Xu after they two had been dating since 2015. Now, Felicia Chin still takes on acting roles whenever she feels like it, such as for I Do, Do I? (2023).
Julie Tan has continually evolved and changed herself through the times. In 2007, she auditioned for Campus Superstar at the age of 15. Two years later, she competed in The New Paper New Face modelling competition and placed second. She then got into acting first with The Promise (2009), then That Girl in Pinafore (2013), 96°C Café (2013) and The Dream Makers II (2015).
Since departing Mediacorp in 2017, Julie Tan has dabbled into live streaming on Twitch. In August 2023, she made the decision to freeze her eggs after the procedure had become legalised.
Most of us remember Sharon Au as the host of the variety show City Beat (1998-2002). Heck, she even won multiple Best Variety Show Host with that role. But did you know that she is quite the actress as well? She starred in Right Frequency (1998-2000), for example, and played the late first lady Kwa Geok Choo in The LKY Musical in 2015.
Sharon Au now lives in Paris. She had previously worked as an investment director at a private equity firm there. She quit in 2022 after her house got burglarised and reminds tourists to be vigilant when heading to the capital of France.
If there was anyone who was born to have a career as a comedian, it would be Michelle Chong. After competing in the Fame Awards, she went to become especially known for her characters Lulu and Barbarella in the satire comedy show The Noose (2007-2011).
Michelle Chong then went on to carve her own niche as a director, making the films Already Famous (2011), 3 Peas In A Pod (2013) and Lulu The Movie (2016). She continues to make funny skits and play various hilarious characters, such as Summerella and OL Shirley Goh, on her social media platforms.