He’s The Dominator
SINGAPORE: Dominic Lau is smitten by a MediaCorp hottie. Only, it’s not Fann Wong, Fiona Xie or any other lithesome beauty.
In fact, his crush doesn’t even own a set of ovaries.
“I actually got to meet Gurmit Singh and I was so blown away!” said the Eurasian good-looker (his mum’s English). “He’s a big star in the region you know!”
While Gurmit is indeed a bright, shining star on our sunny isle, it was surprising to hear the Hong Kong-based Dominic go on and on about him (“He’s such a funny, warm, great person!”) – especially when the highlight of his career was hosting a programme on the red carpet at last year’s Academy Awards.
“It must have been the biggest thing I’ve done,” said MediaCorp TV Channel 5′s latest hunk and Channel V VJ. “It was my first live telecast ever and I was so nervous. But it was amazing to get to interview big Hollywood A-listers, like Helen Mirren, Eddie Murphy, Greg Kinnear, Clint Eastwood, Steve Carell and Al Gore.”
As he went on about his Oscar adventure, thanks to his additional role as the host of Star Movies’ VIP Access – he has a manner of prattling on as if you were his newfound best friend – one couldn’t help but wonder: Isn’t going from Tinseltown to Caldecott Hill a bit of an anti-climax?
“Of course not. I got to interview some big stars of America. Now, I get to mingle with the big names of this region,” the 26-year-old former model said.
Dominic was in town to promote his newly-minted job as host of The Showdown, the Channel 5 game show that pits local celebrities against each other. The commercial music graduate told TODAY that all it took was one phone call from MediaCorp to get him on a plane to Singapore.
That and our pretty women.
“The girls here … Woah! So pretty and always in shorts and flip-flops!” he said, grinning mischievously.
But isn’t there a special someone in his life to keep him in Hong Kong? For the first time during the interview, Dominic’s cocksure but likable demeanour turned almost wistful.
“When I first started out with Channel V back in 2005, I met a very beautiful girl called Sarah (Tan),” he said. “I was very smitten and I am not usually like that with girls or people.”
Former Channel V VJ Sarah Tan and ESPN Star Sports presenter Soo Kui Jien got married in Bali on Dec 21 last year and are expecting a baby due anytime soon.
“I sincerely hope from the bottom of my heart that she’s doing well. Kui Jien is a really lucky man,” he said.
And that was when the articulate host blessed with pretty-boy looks and who’s on the way to becoming a household name in Singapore fell uncharacteristically quiet.
“Sarah Tan is the one that got away.”
The happily-married couple politely declined to comment.
The Showdown airs every Thursday at 8pm on MediaCorp TV Channel 5. –
Channel News Asia
Award-Winning Film-Maker Kelvin Tong Starts Work On New Horror Film ‘Rule #1′
SINGAPORE: Filming has started for Singaporean movie director Kelvin Tong’s new US$2 million horror flick ‘Rule #1′.
The film, set in Hong Kong, is co-produced by Kelvin’s Boku Film, MediaCorp Raintree Pictures, Fortune Star Entertainment, Scorpio East Pictures and Dream Movie Entertainment.
It stars Hong Kong actors Ekin Cheng and Shawn Yue. Singaporean actress Fiona Xie plays a supporting role in the film.
In the show, Ekin and Shawn are cops in charge of dealing with hotline calls to the police about supernatural happenings.
Their job is to convince people of ‘Rule #1′, which is, that there are no ghosts.
Director Kelvin said that despite his record-breaking success in Singapore with his horror movie ‘The Maid’, he is under no pressure to replicate that achievement.
He said: “I actually wrote the film for Shawn and Ekin. I knew I wanted them from day one, but of course, the big question was whether they would want the film. But I was very pleasantly surprised because as soon as I finished it, I got it translated to Cantonese… sent it to Shawn, sent it to Ekin.
“They got back within a week and suddenly, I had a cast. So I think they were very attracted to the script, and they saw potential in this very strange mix of cops and ghosts.”
Ekin Cheng said: “I believe he saw my previous movies. I think he understands that I crave for new roles and directions. It’s a great opportunity for me.” – CNA/ir
Channel News Asia
This Is For My Ex-Wife
SINGAPORE: Huang Yiliang did it again – made another controversial speech involving former wife Lin Meijiao.
At Sunday night’s Star Awards, which were held at the St James Power Station for the first time, Yiliang won the Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in the drama Women of Times.
When he went on stage to accept the award, he said he wanted to give the award to Meijiao. In the same speech, he also thanked his current wife. It was a speech that raised eyebrows, not least due to the little-known fact that he has remarried.
In 2003, when he won the same award, Yiliang mentioned Meijiao in his thank-you speech, comparing her to a giraffe and saying her neck had grown from yearning for an award.
Meijiao was not present at Sunday night’s show.
Backstage, Yiliang lost his cool when quizzed him about the speech.
“Meijiao is more talented than me but she doesn’t have my luck,” he said. “I’ve always wanted her to win something so I’d like to give this award to her.”
He claimed he was simply voicing the wish of his daughter with Meijiao. He has been married for three years to Lily Liu.
“When I made that speech in 2003, I only had good intentions. I regret that it’s a joke that fell flat, I shouldn’t have made it.”
Visibly annoyed, he added: “Do you know how influential the media is? If you write bad stuff about me, that’s the end of me. Please spare me. I don’t have any bad intentions.”
Meanwhile, the Best Actor and Actress Awards were won by Li Nanxing and Ivy Lee, respectively, while Hong Huifang nabbed the Best Supporting Actress Award. Bryan Wong won Best Variety Show Host, while Kelvin Tan won Most Popular Newcomer.
The top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes were: Christopher Lee, Gurmit Singh, Tay Ping Hui, Vincent Ng, Edmund Chen, Qi Yuwu, Mark Lee, Kelvin Tan, Elvin Ng and Bryan Wong.
As for the women, the top 10 were Kym Ng, Huang Biren, Xiang Yun, Rui En, Michelle Chia, Jeanette Aw, Felicia Chin, Fiona Xie, Quan Yifeng and Jesseca Liu. – TODAY
Channel News Asia