Before the Star Awards, veteran actress Jin Yinji had been widely tipped to win Best Supporting Actress for her moving performance in Cash On Delivery.
So you can imagine the 76-year-old's dismay when she went home empty-handed. The award eventually went to Aileen Tan for her villainous turn in SHERO. When reporters caught up with Jin jie backstage at the awards, she admitted she was disappointed by the shock loss, especially since she had missed out on a Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste nom this year. Her last win was in 2021 when she took home the Best Evergreen Artiste and Top 10 awards. “Before the Star Awards ceremony, my daughter told me not to take winning so seriously. That I was nominated shows I'm already a winner. I said okay, but in my heart, my expectations were high,” says Jin jie. “I appeared on the cover of a magazine and a few publications named me the hot favourite, so I was hoping for a good result. I even prepared my acceptance speech.” The past six months have been tough for Jin jie to say the least. Her husband of 51 years, Anthony Lee, died of a heart attack at home last October at the age of 85. “I was crying every day after his passing. But when I heard that I was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, it cheered me up. It gave me something to look forward to,” says Jin jie as her eyes well up with tears. "Winning the award", she says, “would help me get over the grief of my husband’s passing quicker”. She also wanted to show her late husband and two grandsons, her biggest supporters, that she “still has what it takes to win awards”. Nevertheless, she’s taking the loss in her stride. “I will continue working hard and try again next time. After all, I have already waited so many years for an award. Unlike some of the artistes who win Top 10 in a flash, I waited more than three decades before clinching my first,” says Jin jie. “I am no longer dwelling on the unpleasant things. Life must go on.”
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Carina Lau is one of Hong Kong’s richest actresses, with an estimated net worth of HK$800mil (S$142mil).
Besides acting, the 56-year-old made her riches from her restaurant and nightclub businesses in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as real estate investments. Together with her hubby, movie legend Tony Leung, 61, she reportedly owns at least 10 luxury properties with a total market value of S$190.5mil. In Hong Kong alone, Carina’s property portfolio reportedly exceeds US$100mil (S$135mil) in value. Carina recently saw her net worth grow even further when she made a whopping HK$21.07mil (S$3.66mil) from the sale of her Marinella condo. According to Hong Kong media, she sold the four-bedroom apartment for HK$73.8mil (S$12.8mil) in April. The 1,949 sq ft waterfront property, which she bought in 2011 for HK$52.7mil (S$9.16mil), boasts views of a yacht club. It is understood that the unit was owned by Good Advance Investments Limited, of which Carina is a director, and was previously listed for HK$90mil (S$15.6mil). Carina has been actively investing in real estate for many years and is known for having a great eye and acumen. In May 2020, she sold her 1,301 sq ft condo in Azura in Mid-Levels West for HK$44mil (S$7.65mil), earning a cool HK$4.9mil (S$853K) Hubby Tony, however, has lesser luck when it comes to investments. He reportedly made a HK$1.5mil (S$260K) loss when he sold his lot of shops in the To Kwa Wan area in 2021. In case you haven’t heard, Thai heartthrob Bright Vachirawit is dating Thai-Chinese idol Pornnappan Pornpenpipat aka Nene, his co-star in 2020 BL drama 2gether: The Series.
The stars, both 26, confirmed their relationship after a video of them holding hands in Tokyo last weekend went viral. Bright was in the city for his two-day fan meet. In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Bright apologised to fans for not going public with the relationship earlier. "We truly had no intention of disrespecting anyone or causing harm,” he wrote. “My focus is always on spreading love and positivity through my work and dedication. I am incredibly grateful for everything that has shaped me into who I am today, and for all the love and support I've received.” Calling Nene “one of the most precious people [he's] met”, he said: “She makes me feel warm and safe every day we’ve been together. I hope you guys will cheer for us.” Nene, who gained popularity after participating in Chinese talent competition Produce Camp 2020, also addressed the dating news on Weibo, along with a dedication to her significant other. “Bright is a warm person. We rely on and support each other… Since being together, I've found myself becoming more cheerful and positive about life. I'm no longer afraid of setbacks because I know that even if I fall, there will be people to support me, comfort me, and give me strength,” she wrote. However, the news did not sit well with Nene's Chinese fans, who flooded her post with tens of thousands of comments, expressing their disappointment and declaring to unfollow and boycott her. For the uninformed, in 2020, Bright incurred the wrath of Chinese netizens when he retweeted a post that labelled Hong Kong as a country. So you can imagine they were none too pleased that their idol is now dating Bright. There were comments like “He may be warm to you, but do you know his attitude towards China?", "If you have his support, we don't need to support you anymore” and “After reading this, I'm heartbroken. This statement killed my love for you over the past four years." The past year has been so fulfilling for Mediacorp actress Jernelle Oh.
The 29-year-old Star Search 2019 finalist received her first Most Popular Rising Star trophy at the Star Awards on Sun (Apr 21). Last December, Jernelle was nominated for Best Actress at the Asian Academy Creative Awards for her heartfelt performance as a resilient food delivery person with cerebral palsy in Mediacorp drama Cash On Delivery. The same performance also earned her a Best Actress nomination at this year's Star Awards but the title eventually went to Kym Ng. On top of that, Jernelle also got engaged to her 30-year-old engineer boyfriend, Mr V, in Japan in November. When reporters spoke to Jernelle backstage after her win, the actress couldn't contain her excitement and gave us a big hug. She said she wants to go for a feast but would not be able to as she has work the next day. "I still have to continue working hard tomorrow, because I have a radio show on Capital 958 in the afternoon," she laughed, adding that she was looking forward to sharing this special moment with her co-host DJ Lin Linzhi. We asked if there was anyone she had forgotten to thank during her acceptance speech, like her fiancé for example? "I classified him under 'family'. He wanted me to mention his name but I didn't in the end," she laughs. "I told him I would just thank him together with my family because we don't have much time for our speech and I was scared I would forget. But he still really wanted me to talk about him. So I said: 'People don't even know your name!'" Like we mentioned earlier, Jernelle has been on a roll. Does she know what clicked? "I don't know! I don't think I did anything special. I hope it's because people are starting to see the hard work I'm putting in instead of thinking it's just luck. Of course luck played a huge part, but hard work did too," she said. In her speech, Jernelle revealed that her mum gave her a five-year grace period to prove herself in showbiz. If she doesn't, she would want Jernelle to find a proper job. So did she have any back-up plan if she didn't get her breakthrough role? "Actually I'm quite a rebellious person," she said. "My mum wishes the best for me but personally, when I set my heart on something, I would persevere no matter what," she asserted. Even if her acting career didn't take off, Jernelle would continue to be an actress, though she might have to resort to working odd jobs to make ends meet. "I can sell bubble tea or be a tutor just so I can realise my dreams," she said. Guess she doesn't need to do that now. Blake Lively had a sweet message for her husband Ryan Reynolds as she promoted his upcoming movie If on her Instagram Story. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants star, 36, spoke about how her husband, 47, is everything she dreamed of, as she posted the trailer for the new live action/animated comedy crossover film.
Blake had a sweet message for her husband of 12 years. “Everything I believed as a kid did turn out to be true… his name is @vancityreynolds,” she wrote, before making a quick joke about her hubby’s Instagram handle. “Well, his legal name isn’t , At Vancity Reynolds.” While she got a light jab at the Deadpool star’s social media handle, she did have kind things to say about him and his upcoming film. “But he is dreamy and he is in @ifmovie, which is also pure magic,” she wrote. She also tagged director John Krasinski in the post, with a few heart emojis. If is set to be released on May 17. It stars Ryan alongside Cailey Fleming, who plays his young neighbor. Besides directing, John also plays Cailey’s dad. She can see animated beings called Ifs. Besides Ryan and Cailey, the movie features voices from tons of major stars, including Emily Blunt, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, and many more. Blake also seemed to reveal that she also makes a voice cameo by sharing a poster for the movie on her Story. In the poster, an animated cat was wearing an octopus costume, and under the film’s title it said, “The Kitten of the Sea.” The actress quipped, “I disappear into a role.” Blake and Ryan have been married since 2012, and they have four kids. It’s clear that they still have a very playful relationship, and they often joke about one another on social media, like when Blake attended the Super Bowl in February.” While she was at the big game, Ryan posted a photo and asked where she was. When she got back, she wrote, “Honey, I’m home.” Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck‘s middle child, Seraphina Rose, has reintroduced themself as Fin Affleck. The 15-year-old spoke at Jennifer’s late father’s memorial service last weekend in Charleston, West Virginia, which was reportedly live streamed on Facebook.
After taking the podium to speak, the teen began their speech by saying, “Hello, my name is Fin Affleck.” Fin reportedly wore a black suit and tie. Earlier this year, they debuted their brand-new buzz cut while stepping out. In addition to Fin, Jennifer, 51, and Ben, 51, share daughter Violet Affleck and son Samuel Affleck together. The two actors were married from 2005 to 2018 when they finalized their divorce. However, since their split, Ben and Jen have remained dedicated co-parents to their three children. The three Affleck kids have also become close with Ben’s wife Jennifer Lopez‘s two children, Max and Emme Muñiz, whom the 54-year-old pop singer shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony. In 2022, the “On the Floor” hitmaker revealed on stage at Dodger Stadium that Emme, 16, went by the pronouns they/them. “The last time we performed together was in a big stadium like this, and I ask them to sing with me all the time, and they won’t,” J. Lo said at the time. “So, this is a very special occasion. They are very, very busy. Booked. And pricey. They cost me when they come out. But they’re worth every single penny because they’re my favorite duet partner of all time. So if you will indulge me.” She and Emme then sang Christina Perri’s hit single “A Thousand Years” together as the crowd cheered. J. Lo and Ben’s kids have seamlessly become one of Hollywood’s favorite blended families. The teens have been spotted on various outings together, from simple shopping trips to days at an amusement park. Both the Selena actress and the 13 Going on 30 star have talked about raising their children over the years. Most recently, Jennifer told reporters in March that her children are “so solid right now” at this stage in life but admitted that it can be “so hard” for her to let them make their own decisions. “I’m just watching them in this new phase of life where they’re figuring out who they’re going to be and what they’re going to study,” she explained, adding, “And I’m so interested in them. All the time, I’m interested in everything about them.” The F1 Chinese Grand Prix took place in Shanghai this past weekend, and the special guest for Saturday’s (April 20) sprint race was none other than our very own JJ Lin.
The 43-year-old, who is a fan of F1, was invited to hand out plaques to the top three placing drivers, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Sergio Perez. One commentator for the race, however, clearly did not know who JJ was. As the singer took the stage, the commentator was heard saying: “This young guy is a lucky audience member picked from a crowd of racing fans to present the awards.” Netizens who caught the live stream couldn’t help but cringe at the situation. For starters, he referred to JJ as “this young guy”. Others also criticised the commentator for “not doing proper research”.. JJ, on the other hand, was unfazed by the whole situation. The singer remained in a cheery mood, taking to social media to share snaps from the weekend. He posted a photo with his pal Kick Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu, with the caption: “So proud of the first and only Chinese F1 driver @zhouguanyu24 , fulfilling his dreams with today’s historical first race in China! Happy to be witnessing this with so many race friends!” This year’s Chinese Grand Prix was the first to happen since 2019. The event was cancelled from 2020 to 2023 due to the pandemic. Its long-awaited return drew a star-studded audience, including Daniel Wu, Hannah Quinlivan, and Jimmy Lin and wife Kelly Chen. They showed up in support of Guanyu, who was racing on home ground for the first time. Mediacorp actor James Seah is understandably excited after winning his first Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes award.
So much so that he remembered to give a shoutout to his dog Moon but forgot to thank… JEMS, his fan club. “Yes! I was so taken aback by the win that I forgot to thank those who voted for me!” he sheepishly told reporters. But can you truly blame The Sky Is Still Blue actor, who had to wait more than a decade for his turn on stage? When asked how he felt about the long wait, he muses for a bit before offering, “Good things are worth waiting. More to come!” “I guess deciding to cut my hair short this year helped?” he jokes. James also defended himself about thanking his furkid on stage, saying: “Moon was always there with licks and cuddles whenever I was nervous or insecure about my performance.” His speech also prompted fellow Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes winner Jeremy Chan, who went on stage after James, to cheekily thank his “two cats” for the award. For now, James says he is making good on his promise to his fans by throwing a party to celebrate his win. “I want to plan a huge gathering to celebrate, and it will probably be somewhere we can all sing karaoke,” he shares. Son Ye Jin Charms Fans During First Visit To Taiwan, Introduced Herself In Mandarin At Event4/26/2024 Though Korean actress Son Ye Jin is one of the most popular K-stars around, with many fans around the region, she has never visited Taiwan.
Naturally, the 42-year-old actress’ arrival at Taoyuan airport attracted a crowd of adoring fans and photographers who turned up to catch a glimpse of her. Donning a pair of sunglasses and dressed in a pink knitted jacket, Ye Jin smiled and waved to the crowd before she was whisked away to the Grand Hi Lai hotel. The Crash Landing on You star later turned up for a press conference looking every bit a fairytale princess in a Barbie-pink off-shoulder dress. Introducing herself in Mandarin, she shared that it was her first time in Taiwan and how the atmosphere seems very similar to Korea. However, it seems that was all she prepared before switching back to her native tongue. She also shared how she looked forward to eating xiao long baos after the event and if possible, making a trip down to nearby Jiufen to visit the site where sky lanterns are released. When quizzed about what she does to maintain her porcelain-looking skin, Ye Jin shared a couple of secrets with those present and said she often eats in and keeps her meals light and simple. Ye Jin also said that exercise is important to get healthy skin and is partially influenced by her actor husband Hyun Bin to play golf to maintain her figure. The couple got married in 2022 and welcomed their son, nicknamed “Little Sweet Bean” in November 2023. It was third time lucky for He Yingying, who won her first Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste trophy at Star Awards 2024. She was previously nominated for the category in 2017 and 2021.
“So this is how it feels to be on stage!” says Yingying, 29, excitedly in her acceptance speech. “I have been in the industry for almost nine years, and this is my first award – not too late or too soon, [the timing is] just right.” When reporters speaks with the actress backstage, she says she was “super, super shocked” when her name was called. “But I kind of kicked into auto pilot [mode] ‘cos I was afraid I would run out of time for my thank you speech,” she says. “I prepared a speech, but it was with the attitude of if win then win lah, don’t win it’s fine too, so I was really shocked. And I think I was the third person [Ed: she was actually the fourth] to be called up on stage. I was not expecting that.” The only things on her mind were to get on stage quickly and don’t fall. Apart from her fan club and managers, who actively helped her to cavass votes, Yingying attributes her win to friends and family who voted for her every day. “We have group chats and every day they would be like, ‘Time to vote or don’t forget to vote,’ and I am so thankful for that. I never asked them to do that for me, but out of love, they have been supporting me ever so silently,” she shares. When asked if she brought anything for good luck, she replies, “Not really but maybe next year onwards, I will wear the same pair of underwear.” Hearing this, Shaun Chen, who was next to Yingying, jokingly covers his nose. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t wash it!” she exclaims, before continuing, “But the interesting thing is, my stylist saw this outfit that I’m wearing [from British luxury label 16arlington] last year and he told me he was going to give this to me to wear to go on stage [at Star Awards 2024]. I told him I don’t know if I am going to be nominated or win anything, but he said that he has faith in me. So maybe this is my lucky charm. My stylist manifested my win.” |