Andie Chen scores 2 Star Awards nods for ‘Hero’, ‘If Only I Could’ - 8days Skip to main content

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Andie Chen scores 2 Star Awards nods for ‘Hero’, ‘If Only I Could’

Star Awards 2017: Hero leads with 11 nominations, followed by You Can Be An Angel 2 and The Dream Job with 8 nominations each

Andie Chen scores 2 Star Awards nods for ‘Hero’, ‘If Only I Could’

L-R: Andie as Ou Jinguang (Hero) and He Daxian (If Only I Could).



Photos: Channel 8

The highly anticipated 2017 Star Awards nominees list is in: Year-end blockbuster drama series Hero puts up a strong showing and is in the lead with 11 nominations across both performance and technical categories. It is followed closely behind by You Can Be An Angel 2 and The Dream Job with eight nominations each, and If Only I Could, which scored a total of five nominations.

Lead actors of Hero, Shaun Chen and Jesseca Liu are both lauded for their performances in the drama series and are nominated in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, respectively. This nomination marks Jesseca's return to the performance categories—and her third Best Actress nomination—after a nine-year absence (she was previously nominated for Rhapsody in Blue in 2006 and Kinship in 2007) and triumphant return to the Top 10 popularity polls at last year’s Star Awards.

While she’s “excited” to be nominated again and has confidence in her character, Zhang Weixiong, Jesseca will be facing strong competition from a league of former Best Actress award winners -- Zoe Tay and Rebecca Lim (both are nominated for their roles in You Can Be an Angel 2), Jeanette Aw ( The Dream Job) and Rui En (If Only I Could).

Best Actress nominees: Jesseca Liu (Hero), Jeanette Aw (The Dream Job), Rui En (If Only I Could), Rebecca Lim (You Can Be An Angel 2), Zoe Tay (You Can Be An Angel 2).



“I really liked Rui En in If Only I Could,” Jesseca replied, when asked to name her strongest competitor, “She put up a liberating performance and did not hold back. She was very comfortable [to watch].”

Rui En, on the other hand, is heartened by the nomination but maintained that she will continue to work just as hard to put up a good performance, whether or not she wins the award.

Another notable individual who bagged two nominations in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories this year is Andie Chen; this is his first Best Actor nomination (for his role in If Only I Could) and third for Best Supporting Actor (for his role in Hero).

Speaking to Toggle in a phone interview, a calm-sounding Andie—who has been in the industry for 10 years and never won a single Star Award—is pleased with his results, but daren’t bank too much hopes on it because “when you start having expectations and hopes, it leads to disappointment when it doesn’t happen,” he said thoughtfully.

Best Actor nominees: Pierre Png (The Gentlemen), Shaun Chen (Hero), Chen Hanwei (The Gentlemen), Zhang Zhenhuan (The Dream Job) and Andie Chen (If Only I Could).



So between his nomination for If Only I Could (He Daxian) and Hero (Ou Jinguang), which is he rooting for? “I don’t know – I’m happy with either. I’ll be very pleased [if I win] and I’m lying if I say I’m never disappointed about not being nominated. I’m sure if I don’t win this year, I’d be disappointed for sure. I can’t make a comparison lah, but being approved by a panel of judges and people who vote – it is an important thing and an act of confidence for me,” he replied.

When asked to pick a possible winner out of his fellow Best Actor nominees Chen Hanwei (The Gentlemen), Pierre Png (The Gentlemen), Shaun (Hero) and Zhang Zhenhuan (The Dream Job), Andie said, "They are all strong lah. Hanwei, Shaun and Pierre have all won before so they are ‘veterans’ and have got all the fire power, so they have a good shot. Zhenhuan beat me to the Best Supporting Actor award last year and I think that says a lot (laughs), he’s also a dark horse (like me).”

In a separate interview with Toggle, fellow first-time Best Actor nominee Zhenhuan agreed with Andie and felt that the “three seniors” i.e., Hanwei, Pierre and Shaun, “stand a stronger chance of winning the award” since he is still “new” to this.

(Continued on the next page: Hero sweeps four out of five Best Supporting Actress nominations)



Best Supporting Actor nominees: Ian Fang (The Dream Job), Romeo Tan (The Dream Job), Chen Shucheng (Fire Up), Jeffrey Xu (Peace and Prosperity) and Andie Chen (Hero).



When the probability of him winning the Best Supporting Actor award over Chen Shucheng (Fire Up), Jeffrey Xu (Peace & Prosperity), Ian Fang (The Dream Job) and Romeo Tan (The Dream Job) was brought up, Andie firmly believes that none of them stand an inkling of a chance against “Shucheng da ge” who he calls “the best actor” in the whole industry.

“Running against him is like ‘OK, maybe next time,’” he added with a chuckle.

Over to the Best Supporting Actress category, four out of five nominees hail from the cast of Hero and they are Aileen Tan (Huang Lili) Pan Ling Ling (Xiao Jiahui), Paige Chua (Ou Jinxuan) and Bonnie Loo (Guan Meimei). The last nominee is Ya Hui from House of Fortune.

Best Supporting Actress nominees: Pan Ling Ling (Hero), Bonnie Loo (Hero), Paige Chua (Hero), Aileen Tan (Hero) and Ya Hui (House of Fortune)



Given the strong competition and having worked with all four actresses on the set of Hero, who does Andie think stands a higher chance of going home victorious?

“I can’t say who has a stronger chance but I’ve always liked Aileen, especially when she started to embrace her aunty roles… I also remember watching the drama and thinking Bonnie really did well ‘cos the character is really like who she is in real life. She’s so comfortable to watch! (…) So my bet is on these two.”

Visit the official Star Awards 2017 microsite for the full nomination list and more information.

Catch The Road to Star Awards 2017 LIVE every Sunday from March 26 to April 9, 9pm, on Channel 8 or Toggle.
Catch the Star Awards Walk of Fame on April 16, Sunday, 5.30pm on Channel 8 or Toggle.
Catch the 2017 Star Awards ceremony LIVE on April 16, Sunday, 7pm on Channel 8/U or Toggle.


Related:
What’s new in Star Awards 2017?

Best Actor nominees:
Andie Chen – If Only I Could
Chen Han Wei – The Gentlemen
Pierre Png – The Gentlemen
Shaun Chen – Hero
Zhang Zhen Huan – The Dream Job

Best Actress nominees:
Jeanette Aw – The Dream Job
Jesseca Liu – Hero
Rebecca Lim – You Can Be An Angel 2
Rui En – If Only I Could
Zoe Tay – You Can Be An Angel 2

Best Supporting Actor nominees:
Andie Chen – Hero
Chen Shu Cheng – Fire Up
Ian Fang – The Dream Job
Jeffrey Xu – Peace & Prosperity
Romeo Tan – The Dream Job

Best Supporting Actress nominees:
Aileen Tan – Hero
Bonnie Loo – Hero
Paige Chua – Hero
Pan Ling Ling – Hero
Ya Hui – House of Fortune

Best Programme Host (Variety, Info-Ed & Infotainment) nominees:
Bryan Wong – Hear Me Out 2
Desmond Ng – BENGpire
Guo Liang – Your Thoughts Please?
Lee Teng – The 4 Chefs
Quan Yifong – Markets in Asia

Best Evergreen Artiste award nominees:
Aileen Tan – Hero
Chen Shu Cheng – Fire Up
Hong Hui Fang – If Only I Could
Rayson Tan – Life – Fear Not
Xiang Yun – Peace & Prosperity

Best Drama Serial nominees:
C.L.I.F. 4
Fire Up
Hero
The Dream Job
You Can Be An Angel 2

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