Star Awards 2018: Shocking Nominations and Big Oops
What’s in the Spotlight?
When the 40 nominees for the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes and Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes were unveiled on March 16, fans were left scratching their heads. And the surprise? The two big names from last year’s list—Jesseca Liu and Ian Fang—didn’t make it this time.
Surprise Star‑Studded Nominees
- Joanna Dong – The “Sing! China” finalist turned into a global wanderer, hosting Channel U’s travelogues and tasting world cuisines for the National Flavours documentary.
- Diana Ser – The news anchor turned documentary host, leading Channel U’s “Innocence Lost” series on child labor. She’s made her bid for the Most Popular Female Artiste before (1997, 1999, 2005) but never clinched the trophy.
- Jack Neo – Classic director‑actor who nursed a string of wins (1998‑2003) and now looks like a nostalgic throwback in the race.
- Ha Yu – The 72‑year‑old Hongkong veteran who’s finally been tapped for Singapore’s local stage after years in TVB.
Snubbed and Confused
- Jesseca Liu – Despite smashing the covers of local magazines and starring in “Eat Already” as a badass psychologist, she’s been left out of the top‑10 pool. She’s only busy pulling apart the drama “Babies on Board” while juggling a fresh wedding.
- Ian Fang – The 28‑year‑old who snagged his second Top‑10 spot in 2017, and later lent his voice to the ever‑popular “Life Less Ordinary” drama, simply got brushed aside.
- Xu Bin – Three‑time Top‑10 winner in 2014–2016, he’s currently under contract for “118,” playing alongside Carrie Wong, yet got no nod this year.
- Shane Pow – The 27‑year‑old “Best Supporting Actor” hopeful for the army drama “When Duty Calls” had a career-packed year, yet his name didn’t tick the ballot.
- Jayley Woo – With over 20 shows in her filmography, she’d won all three consecutive nominations for years but was left out this round. Her twin sister, Hayley, is making history as the first‑time nominee.
- Jeffrey Xu – The “Have A Little Faith” hero, who appeared in “Life Less Ordinary” and “Mightiest Mother‑in‑law,” was likewise snubbed.
Why the Surprise?
Star Awards mainly celebrate actors from Singapore’s Mandarin channels (Channel 8 and Channel U), not the English‑language sister channel’s talents. But Diana Ser proved that a documentary host can rise to the popularity charts, while the sneaky inclusion of older veterans like Ha Yu reminds us that age doesn’t put out the flame.
Final Thought
As the drama unfolds, the drama industry is shaken, but maybe that’s what keeps the hype alive. Who’ll rise, who’ll fall, and who will get the spotlight in 2019? Only the next nominees will tell.
