Celest Chong is already 36 years old?! Wah lau, I thought she's in her late 20's like she always claimed to be.
Feb 20, 2009
'I was insulted in Taiwan'
'It was inevitable that I was bullied. Everyone became territorial - they think that a foreigner is vying for a piece of their livelihood,' said Celest Chong. -- PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER
REMEMBER Celest Chong?
Modelling, acting, singing, radio DJ - the 36-year-old has done it all.
Leggy Singaporean Celest was a regular fixture on the local entertainment scene until she left Mediacorp in 2005.
After her departure, she dipped her feet into the Taiwanese entertainment industry - and got a real shock.
In an interview with The New Paper, the naturally-tanned actress recounted the venomous remarks she had to put up with when she moved to Taiwan.
'All sorts of verbal abuse were hurled at me. I've been told things like 'you're so dark!' and 'you can't even speak Mandarin well'. It was a real culture shock.
'But you learn how to deal with them. You have to retort with sarcastic remarks like 'I'm ugly but not as poor as you.' Then you suddenly find yourself a best friend in the person who yelled at you first.
'It was inevitable that I was bullied. Everyone became territorial - they think that a foreigner is vying for a piece of their livelihood.'
Despite the negativity, she managed some limited success.
There, she released her third album, Snowflakes (2005), and played a reporter in C'est La Vie (2006) which also starred Taiwanese actor Lin Youwei.
After 1 1/2 years, Celest packed her bags for China, where she spent two years involved in several projects.
She moved back to Singapore last January due to a family emergency.
Viewers can soon see her on television again as she stars in Channel 5's new English drama serial, Red Thread, which starts on April 7.
The single actress also revealed that she has been reading Hollywood scripts, but does not want to 'you know, say two lines and die', and fade into oblivion'.
She also said she has been offered a hosting gig on an online Canadian variety show, but wants to deliberate on it.
Celest is in no hurry to accept more projects, and she just wants to 'take it easy'.
Feb 20, 2009
'I was insulted in Taiwan'
'It was inevitable that I was bullied. Everyone became territorial - they think that a foreigner is vying for a piece of their livelihood,' said Celest Chong. -- PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER
REMEMBER Celest Chong?
Modelling, acting, singing, radio DJ - the 36-year-old has done it all.
Leggy Singaporean Celest was a regular fixture on the local entertainment scene until she left Mediacorp in 2005.
After her departure, she dipped her feet into the Taiwanese entertainment industry - and got a real shock.
In an interview with The New Paper, the naturally-tanned actress recounted the venomous remarks she had to put up with when she moved to Taiwan.
'All sorts of verbal abuse were hurled at me. I've been told things like 'you're so dark!' and 'you can't even speak Mandarin well'. It was a real culture shock.
'But you learn how to deal with them. You have to retort with sarcastic remarks like 'I'm ugly but not as poor as you.' Then you suddenly find yourself a best friend in the person who yelled at you first.
'It was inevitable that I was bullied. Everyone became territorial - they think that a foreigner is vying for a piece of their livelihood.'
Despite the negativity, she managed some limited success.
There, she released her third album, Snowflakes (2005), and played a reporter in C'est La Vie (2006) which also starred Taiwanese actor Lin Youwei.
After 1 1/2 years, Celest packed her bags for China, where she spent two years involved in several projects.
She moved back to Singapore last January due to a family emergency.
Viewers can soon see her on television again as she stars in Channel 5's new English drama serial, Red Thread, which starts on April 7.
The single actress also revealed that she has been reading Hollywood scripts, but does not want to 'you know, say two lines and die', and fade into oblivion'.
She also said she has been offered a hosting gig on an online Canadian variety show, but wants to deliberate on it.
Celest is in no hurry to accept more projects, and she just wants to 'take it easy'.
