RUI EN 芮恩 Singapore Actress. "HEAR Me? I AM what I AM."

RUI EN 芮恩

Singapore Actress

She has her legion of loyalist fans, this much I am sure.

There were a few die-hards whom I had met on facebook way back then, and they had often implored that I write an online article about RUI EN, to celebrate her years of being a popular, much-sought-after SINGAPORE television actress.

“We absolutely adore her,” they chimed. “She’s diligent and she’s so different from the others.”

How different? I put across.

Let’s say that, from all accounts and reports, and from artistes that I have known who had worked with her, she’s known not to be an easy person.

Nor is she approachable by any means, we can go on reading.

A feisty attitude? Perhaps.

She is steely cool, a demeanor that can put anyone mildly off.

Some nickamed as her Miss Snooty.

She has this aloof attitude that both press and acquaintances can find so exasperating.

No, she’s not endearing, she has no reason to be,

and she has every intention not to wear her heart on her sleeve.

Not even in a fledging industry like Singapore where there’re more television dramas than films on the roll, so hey, what’s the big deal?

But in this entertainment arena of falsitudes, she has clearly shown us that “all that glitter are not gold”.

She is a chameleon that shocks you in the light, yet glows warmly in the dark.

This is RUI EN, Singapore’s comely actress.

She is indeed one of a kind, take it or leave it, please.

Her persona has come a long way and Miss RUI EN now has weathered the storm and establishes herself as a gem, a solid one as that.

She is showing all and sundry that her patience and diligence have eventually paid off.

And for this, we salute her in this timely tribute.

Unlike ZOE TAY and FANN WONG who were fashion icons when they first started out, RUI EN has never been labeled as a glamor puss.

In fact, from the drama series that she appeared in a few years back, her facial shape appeared obviously roundish and her teeth looked a little less than perfect.

But she stood by her stance, carrying on with her career in her own dedication with a don’t mess-around-with-me attitude.

Does this demeanor remind you of Asian diva FAYE WONG?

In the last couple of years, she has come clean with a new look, an olive shaped face that has added radiance to her looks.

Did she sculp her face? It’s your guess and everybody’s.

But one thing’s for sure. She’s a lot slimmer and her fierce determination to stay focused as an actress may have instilled in her a compact exercise regime such as running and a wise, healthy choice of foods, perhaps to cut on less sugar, salt and carbohydrates?

For those of us who are overweight, we should take this cue from her.

No pain, no gain and if nothing’s ventured, nothing is gained.

Her last drama series called WITH YOU where she played a hapless role as a young housewife whose husband (CHEN HAN WEI) had suddenly perished in a motorbike accident is an emotionally charged one that demanded a gamut of real tears, anguish and angst.

I have never been her fan, but this is a heart-wrenching part albeit a matured one that RUI EN has carried off admirably.

Finally she had me and many others sit up and take notice.

I like her long flowing hair that has given her an alluring look, but guess it should be a wig.

Nonetheless, this is an award winning role

that should pitch her as a favourite contender for the 2011STAR AWARDS for BEST ACTRESS.

For all that she is now, she deserves kudos for “being the person she is” and does not bow down to ridiculous pressures expected of her.

Carpe diem, RUI EN, you have come thus far and even succeeded to convince a skeptic like me.

And to her wonderful fans out there on Facebook and RBKD (RUI EN FAN CLUB), here it is, finally – the piece that you all have always wanted that has taken me some time.

But I had done my homework,

and glad I finished this article.

HAPPILY.

SINGAPORE ACTRESSES. When these PRETTY DOVES fluttered in droves from their NEST, shouldn’t it be said that there’s MORE than MEETS the EYE?

FIONA Xie

DAWN Yeoh

JESSICA Liu

FELICIA Chin

WHAT WE KNOW

Now, whether this tiny morsel of news holds weight, it’s everybody’s intellectual guess.

Netizens are currently deluged with screaming headlines that the STARS ain’t shining that brightly at the Singapore MEDIA CORP studios.

Not when some of the principal artistes from the stronghold are quitting hastily in droves, back-to-back, in an unanticipated queue.

Things always happen for apparent reasons.

Let us talk about the so-called 7 princesses.

3 of them are leaving, or have vanquished the nest, namely FIONA XIE, DAWN YEOH, JESSICA LIU and speculations are rife that FELICIA CHIN will soon follow suit.

NAT HO, JOSHUA ANG, (the charming boys-next-door) and thespian ADRIAN PANG would have left by now, from the “glittering” film factory.

So what’s happening?

Just a dearth of good scripts?

They are like birds fluttering away hurriedly from a cold winter, looking for warmer weather.

The exodus of principal talents all-in-a-row is the first time ever, as any outsider can comprehend.

Of course everyone craves for security with a caring employer, one who appreciates our work performances, when we have done our best.

What price security?

FIONA XIE made an exceptional claim that she earned SGD 500,000 annually (of course Miss XIE should also mention that this amount should factually include her collective product endorsements for her best years), that she has found love in a rich boyfriend in Hong Kong, and that she is giving everything up for love and “peace of mind”.

“What is the point of being in a place that brings out the worst in you?” was her bold departing statement.

This spells out a thousand woes for the remaining surviving artistes in the Singapore film factory, as nobody can be that fortunate to find viable alternatives.

On the other hand, veteran actress HUANG BIREN was reasonably pissed when she quitted two years ago over her new salary package. She was delivered with an unkind pay cut in her contract renewal, sans leave, sans compensations, sans CPF.

It’s like telling you that in the acting profession, as your age piles on, your value drops.

Can things really be that bad?

We are well aware that “stuff” floating in cyberspace may NOT necessarily be true.

But as an artiste, not everyday is a bed of roses.

You can hang on to that pedestal, beaming and posing with your accolade.

Doomsday may arrive sooner than you think, when your sweet smile becomes a smirk and you will be rudely shoved off to make way for another emerging spring chicken.

Dispense disbelief, maybe.

Well then, if there’s no smoke, you can discount the fire.

This is show business, with a stark reality that tells you that there are no promises of long term adulation.

This is land of “facades”, with one artiste hugging and congratulating another on an award win, and then cursing himself for not being the actual winner.

When you are the victor, all your sunshine friends and the media will surface, milling around you, wanting a piece of the action.

This is to say that you are newsworthy.

When you become the loser, woe betide you as you can start to count your true friends at your fingertips. So there!

And if you have a chicken heart, back out.

This cruel arena is not for you.

Let’s say, you have this ocean bed, sprawling with oysters, waiting for your pick.

Pearls are for the employer to nurture and cultivate.

Properly treated, they will sparkle.

Now, are you ready to walk the red carpet?

WHAT WE MAY NOT KNOW

The Singapore MediaCorp studios have certainly come a long way, since 1980 when it was earlier known as plain old Singapore Broadcasting Station (SBC).

Advancing technologies and emerging trends …. each brings with it new information that is added, or modifies the old impression.

In the 1980s, the Station’s artistes were notably ex-firemen, factory workers, insurance agents and flight attendants. They are mostly Chinese educated, receiving at best, the GCE ‘O’ level education.

The English mainstream deemed these actors as AH BENGs and AH LIANs, a less than disdainful term for groups from a “different” class, those with a less fashionionable mentality.

You can bet your last dollar that a true-blue graduate would never consider a career in acting during those days!

It was only when fashion icons ZOE TAY and FANN WONG joined the stronghold in the 90s that we see a re-positioning of the Station.

They brought about a change in consumer perception.

Suddenly, branded products who once turned a deaf ear to sponsorships were re- adjusting their mindsets.

Even fashion gurus like DAVID GAN and JEREMY TAN had a change of hearts and were more than eager to lend a hand at reshaping the industry.

The emergence of these “brands” had brought about this elusive element called GLAMOR and has then taken the film factory to new heights.

On the other side of the fence, if you ever sat on an employer’s hot seat before, you will probably know that the economic ride can be bumpy, and the “feel” is never cushy.

As an ace production company, you’d have thousands of mouths to feed.

ACTING is also a business, albeit a volatile one, and you have to keep those numbers healthy, and stay out of the red.

This is not Hollywood with the mega bucks and the SINGAPORE celluloid market, unlike Hong Kong and Taiwan, is still in its infancy stage.

Yet the financial cost of producing a television drama in SINGAPORE is at least double that of MALAYSIA’s and THAILAND’s.

And of the returns?

With a bit of geographical common sense, let’s make a quick calculation:

THAILAND has a population of 61.5 million, of this 10 million are residing in Bangkok.

MALAYSIA’s population comes close to 28.9 million in 2010.

SINGAPORE? Well, it is 5 million.

Yet any visitor to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore who may have sat through a drama serial in each of the countries would have deduced the difference in the number and quality of the TVCs during commercial breaks.

Researching on available statistics, the quantity and quality of TVCs aired during prime time in SINGAPORE would pale in comparison with those of the neighboring countries.

Plus, nobody would classify the SINGAPORE drama as ” hot property “. Not every country in ASIA is eager to grab a piece of this pie, unlike the TVB drama series which are widely available in Chinatowns worldwide.

Of late the mainland CHINA dramas have uncovered new Asian markets and the TAIWANESE cinema is currently undergoing a new revival.

Singapore?

MALAYSIA is clearly the chief supporter of the made-in-SINGAPORE dramas, with help from BRUNEI, VIETNAM, CAMBODIA and to a questionable degree, CHINA.

The recent top-rated drama series THE LITTLE NONYA has fascinated and captured foreign markets but the future remains yet to be seen if the succeeding dramas can live up to viewers’ expectations.

So far, none of the recent dramas have dogged close to the heels of the predecessor.

Well, not yet.

The SINGAPORE artistes are still whetting their appetites to be “discovered” and “accepted” by the ASIAN markets.

Homegrown glitterati such as ZOE TAY, JOANNE PEH or CHEN HAN WEI who may be able give the TAIWAN and HONG KONG artistes a run for their money, are virtually unheard of in those countries.

Well, it’s more than 3 decades down the road and it boils down probably, yes, probably, to the fact that the marketing geniuses would have to exercise more than the usual prudence, prowess and efforts in terms of aggressive and focused overseas marketing.

Of course, it may be easier said than done.

Curtailing and suppressing established “brands” and “nurturing” new ones does not seem to be a viable solution as anyone can see.

Signing on artistes from TAIWAN and CHINA to establish a connection to new markets may or not work, as the sincerity of the employer can be attested in the long run.

The lot of an artiste is tough.

The hours are terribly long with little or no rest in between when you are working on back-to-back dramas.

The pay package differs widely from artiste to artiste and when the time comes for contractual renewal, you will be judged from market perception and the number of hours you pack in.

Is there a stark differential gear between the old and new schools of thought?

Surely!

These days you have this young, ambitious and restless group classified as the star-struck GEN-Y who are eager to hop on board the ever-competitive stable of artistes.

These are the new generation actors who see acting as a stepping stone, and are not afraid to speak up, should the going gets rough.

And these are the “doves” who would flutter from their nests, looking for new horizons when “winter” beckons.

Life imitating art?

Truth is stranger than fiction?

Well, something’s gotta give.

Doves flee in droves for a singular reason: SECURITY and VISIBILITY.

Won’t you really?

REUNION DINNER tastes even BETTER this TIGER YEAR, thanks to veteran actress CHEN LIPING.

CHEN LIPING.

How do we describe her?

In three little words …..

She is cute, fun, very versatile.

And definitely, one of SINGAPORE’s best loved actresses.

When it comes to au naturel acting, not that many come close, at least, not in Singapore.

Her diction, her gesticulations, her vivid portrayal of the undaunting mother never fails to strike a chord in our hearts, always.

She is simple, her versatility puts us at ease and we laugh and cry with her her as she goes on in her gamut of roles.

Take this poignant scene from last year’s drama series REUNION DINNER.

It’s the eve of the Chinese New Year where the entire family sits down for the once-a-year round the table gathering.

Here she is, serving the festive foods.

Her wimp-of-a-husband has been offered a high paying position by an ex-Caucasian client.

Her dementia stricken father-in-law has just unwittingly complimented her as being the “best daughter-in-law” around.

Suddenly intense happiness assails her and as the camera follows her brisk saunter to the kitchen to get more soup,

her eyes are welling up with genuine tears …

Camera closes in on:

her face as she brushes aside tears of pride and joy that speak volumes of the long hard years that had not been in vain ….

How can we forget this heart-warming scene as it keeps on playing over and over again in my mind, reminding me of my own mother?

I wish my own mother is still living so that I can give her a hug,

IT’S SO REAL.

REUNION DINNER was aired in SINGAPORE before the LUNAR NEW YEAR of 2009 (exactly one year ago), but it tastes even better this time round.

With a grande dame like Ms CHEN LIPING around, who really cares for attention grabbing eye-candies?

MISS CHEN, THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORY!

2010.

It’s the LUNAR YEAR of The TIGER.

A time for reflection upon the past before embarking on a brand new Chinese year.

Isn’t it right that, if time could really stand still,

we’d have freeze it here …..

we’d have handled things a lot more differently?

Regrets we all have many.

Who don’t?

We are all creatures of imperfections.

Let’s begin this Lunar New Year by saluting all mothers.

MOTHER.

This word conjures an image of a stoic woman,

A woman who believes in selfless love for her children.

A mother who expects nothing in return,

Perhaps, except, maybe, for some love and care on our part.

Too shy to say “I love you” to your mum?

Don’t be.

Give her a warm hug

and that alone would speak wonders.

Treasure her when she still around,

lest when she’s long gone one day

and you’ll live with regrets that you haven’t done so.

How do you describe

A MOTHER’S LOVE?

“To some love is just a word

To me it’s a feeling

A feeling

I get everytime I look into your eyes

A feeling I get when I realize you’re my mum,

A mum who loves, shares,

A mom who inspires

Unconditionally …..

What’s that?

That’s love

A mother’s love,

but only you would know

And me

You returned that love

time and time again

Possibly too much,

nevertheless you did

Thank You

Thank You for being there when I needed you most

For being my rock when I should have been yours,

Thank you for believing in me,

even when I doubted myself

For being the one person I could trust

No matter what,

No matter where

But most of all, “Thank You” for being you ….

my mum,

A mum I am so proud to claim

I LOVE YOU,

Now and always.”

HAPPY YEAR OF THE TIGER, FOLKS!