Tasha Low, Zhang Ze Tong and Tyler Ten on love, camaraderie and fame after Emerald Hill

The first of our four-part cover story series for Her World’s July issue, Emerald Hill’s rising stars find common ground in their personal ambitions – where self-belief, authenticity and due diligence are their secrets to success. Read more about Tasha Low, Zhang Ze Tong and Tyler Ten.

There is a heart-warming scene in Episode 23 of Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story, where the kind and strong-willed protagonist Zhang Xinniang (played by Tasha Low) is caught in a crossfire between her main love interest Huang Zuye (played by Zhang Ze Tong) and her loyal long-time friend Bai Ah Li (played by Tyler Ten). As they roam the chaotic streets of 1970s Singapore, Bai Ah Li discovers that his childhood sweetheart Xinniang has fallen for Zuye.

Bai Ah Li’s eyes widen in disbelief. He spins Xinniang around to check if something is amiss, and decides to drag her to a shaman to remove her from her “love spell”. Xinniang, who sees Bai Ah Li as a brother, squints at him in annoyance, while Zuye chuckles in the background.

Mediacorp’s blockbuster drama of the year plays on a classic love triangle between the three characters in its last few episodes. Unlike other love triangles, the three-way relationship comes across as endearing rather than bitter – thanks to a combination of lighthearted banter, excellent comedic timing, and hints of a growing friendship between Zuye and Bai Ah Li. 

“Just marry each other already!” exclaims Tasha to her two male co-stars on set for this particular cover shoot. Ze Tong and Tyler are doubling over in laughter pretending to be Zootopia’s Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde for a Tiktok video. The trio are having a whale of a time behind the scenes. Rousing discussions around badminton sessions, weekend plans and upcoming work gigs are interspersed between location and outfit changes. When the wait time is longer, they huddle together to plan cutesy content ideas for their social media feeds.

Part of a promising crop of younger actors in Singapore, Tasha, Ze Tong and Tyler are quick to acknowledge how Emerald Hill has catapulted their careers. They have gotten a lot more recognition as actors and, in turn, more work engagements and publicity events. Set from the 1950s to 1970s, the spinoff of 2008’s mega-hit The Little Nyonya revolves around a wealthy Peranakan family who live in a lavish mansion on Emerald Hill. As the series progresses, the intertwined lives of the Zhangs captivate its audience through calculated lies, sinister deception and unexpected betrayal. 

Emerald Hill became an instant success. It soared to the top spot on Netflix Singapore overnight after its debut on the streaming service – and made history as the first Mediacorp Chinese drama to do so. Midway through the season, it garnered a record 1.35 million viewers on Mediacorp’s platforms.

After five months of filming together, the star-studded cast and crew of Emerald Hill have predictably grown closer as friends. All of them belong to an eponymous group chat named after the show, created only after the show started airing on television. Zoe Tay, the undisputed queen of Caldecott Hill, and the matriarch of the fictional Zhang family, is often the one to initiate meals and group activities.

“It felt like one big family. We got along really well,” reflects Tasha on the filming period of Emerald Hill. “The qian bei men (Mandarin for work seniors, and in this case, veteran actors) really took care of us.”

“There was a lot of joy [on set],” confirms Ze Tong. “The production period of Emerald Hill is one that I will always look back on and want to relive again. Due to how long it took to film, we didn’t think that much about our own personal lives. We were just lost in this world.”

Reaching for the stars

Tasha, Ze Tong and Tyler share a natural camaraderie, both on and off camera. They are generous when it comes to praises for each other’s acting chops or personality traits. 

“You’re slow to warm up. I told you this already,” Ze Tong says candidly, turning to Tasha. “But once you’ve warmed up, you’re very fun to hang around with,” he reveals with a grin. He adds that Tasha is very feminine and demure, but off camera, she is exactly like her character Xinniang – known to be tough as nails and slightly rough around the edges.

“Mmm,” Tasha agrees. “That’s a good way to put it.” In turn, she describes Ze Tong as a knowledgeable friend, and an expert in all topics, including investing, technology and, of course, acting.

According to Ze Tong, Tyler was a “different beast” back then. The boys competed together in Star Search, Mediacorp’s iconic talent competition, in 2019. “It’s the first time I’ve worked with Tyler in so long, and he’s really a changed man. Back then, he was a fun-loving boy; now, he is more mature,” observes Ze Tong, as Tyler interjects jokingly: “The industry changed us!”

This year’s Star Awards, Mediacorp’s version of the Academy Awards, takes place on July 6. Though Emerald Hill is not in the running this year (only shows that aired between Jan 1 and Dec 31 2024 are eligible), all three actors have several nominations under their belt. 

“Being nominated for Star Awards means being recognised for your work and craft,” says Tyler. “After working hard for a whole year, it is a motivating factor and what all of us actors look forward to.”

Tasha is in the running for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Coded Love, as well as the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes Award. 

Tyler has nominations for Best Rising Star for his role in Unforgivable, and is also contesting in the Most Popular Rising Star and BYD Favourite Male Character Award for I Do, Do I?.

Similarly, Ze Tong is nominated for Most Popular Rising Star and the BYD Favourite Male Character Award, but has two nominations in the latter category for his roles in Once Upon A New Year’s Eve and Hope Afloat. He is also contesting the Bioskin Most Charismatic Award, and the Mypick! Favourite CP Award alongside fellow Mediacorp actor Chantalle Ng for their couple pairing in Hope Afloat.

The real endgame

In Emerald Hill, Xinniang gets her long-awaited happily ever after, finally marrying Zuye and having three children with him. However, over at Her World, senior fashion editor Lena Kamarudin – who relishes some drama herself – decided to come up with her own storyline, which serves as the mood board for this cover shoot and video. 

In this Emerald Hill adaptation inspired by Wong Kar-wai’s moody cinematography, Ze Tong and Tyler are friends who have both fallen for Tasha. There’s a charming role reversal here too – Ze Tong now plays an alluring bad boy, while Tyler is an affluent gentleman. 

The boys’ tight friendship gets increasingly complicated. After much thought, Tasha decides to take herself out of the equation by leaving them both. She feels more empowered alone, rather than being caught in the middle.

I pose a question on how they felt about their respective endings on Emerald Hill. “Maybe for Zuye, have more kids lor,” Ze Tong voices out cheekily. Tasha eyes him suspiciously and counters: “Three is not enough?”

Tyler chimes in: “You know, there are comments saying that you [Zuye] just woke up from a coma, so you don’t have that much energy to have so many kids. They are asking, “Why do you only stop at three kids?””

The three of them erupt in laughter. Processing this, Tasha felt her ending was indeed a happy one, but would also have liked for Xinniang and Bai Ah Li to explore their relationship more.

“He left too suddenly,” Tasha says. Ze Tong pulls a face and clutches his hand to his heart. 

“Get out of [your character] Zuye right now!” Tyler orders with an impish grin.

Read Tasha, Ze Tong and Tyler’s cover stories below.

Tasha Low on the beauty of wisdom and resilience with age

Zhang Ze Tong on growing as an actor and embracing his true self

Tyler Ten on building his career with patience and passion

PHOTOGRAPHY: REUBEN FOONG, ASSISTED BY: DANIEL WEST
CREATIVE DIRECTION & STYLING: LENA KAMARUDIN, ASSISTED BY: ANIS NABILAH AZLEE & MANDY TAN
ART DIRECTION: RAY TICSAY
HAIR: RYAN YAP/PASSION HAIR SALON (TASHA LOW), SYLIN/SHUNJI MATSUO (TYLER TEN & ZHANG ZE TONG)
MAKEUP: KIMBERLEY CHEE, USING DIOR BEAUTY (TASHA LOW)
GROOMING: DOLLEI SEAH, USING DIOR BEAUTY (TYLER TEN & ZHANG ZE TONG)
LOCATION: MADAME FAN AT NCO CLUB & SABAR MENANTI NASI PADANG