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Wed, Nov 27, 2013
The Straits Times
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Zoe: Women hate Fiona
by boon chan

Top actress Zoe Tay has critiqued seven of MediaCorp's most popular young actresses in an interview with a fashion magazine.

Asked who had the most potential to succeed her among the seven, Tay sidestepped the question and instead gave frank assessments of each of them.

Her harshest words were directed at Fiona Xie: 'She's just sexy. Men love her, women hate her.'

Tay, 41, is known for her lack of airs and for being a straight-shooter.

In the interview with Style, a Media-Corp publication, she also said that she did not mind motherly roles and was not worried about being in line to succeed veteran star Xiang Yun.

She said: 'If there are good roles such as those played by Xiang Yun, I wouldn't reject playing an auntie.'

While younger stars have sought out plastic surgeons to preserve their youth, Tay remains confident of herself.

'Actually, plastic surgery is like accepting a regular medical procedure, it's no big deal. But at the moment, I don't feel that I need a plastic surgeon's help.'

She added: 'Rather than operating on the face, I would undergo conditioning of the entire body, and train to have firmer muscles. Frankly, my muscles are a little saggy right now.'

What Zoe thinks of MediaCorp's young stars:

On Jeanette Aw: 'Her acting has gradually matured and it proves that she has a relatively strong ability to learn and adapt.'

On Dawn Yeoh: 'She has become more mature. She used to be just a cutie pie with a doll-like voice.'

On Felicia Chin: 'I think she looks quite ordinary but she's very lively. She can occasionally be saucy but there's also an air of accessibility about her.'

On Jesseca Liu: 'She doesn't have great ambitions but wants to do her job well.'

On Joanne Peh: 'She is indisputably a sporty girl, very sunny, very energetic and very modern.'

On Rui En: 'She is totally different from the rest. She has character and a bit of a temper, like an ice queen. Not everyone will like her. But what we have to admit is that she leaves a deep impression.'

 

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

readers' comments
I think she should bow out gracefully rather than giving negative comments on younger stars.FYI my wife and daughter are Fiona's fan.
Posted by electric127 on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 at 09:16 AM
It is time that the whole production crews, producer,scriptwriter and actors need to over-haul. Produce some family value show. Not some incoherent,soical and family violence and sick family.
You make old folks sick and young one violance.
Posted by pikanetlim on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 17:21 PM
At least she's frank and dares to say this in a magazine interview for everyone to read. She didn't say that she's perfect either...she herself knows she's going to be relegated to auntie roles.
Posted by on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 17:01 PM
I think Zoe is just sharing her experinece with the younger stars and I fully agreed with her. I am a woman and I diskile Fiona to my core. To me, she is just a bimbo. No brain, only body. Enjoy the limelight like hell. Just look at all her performances and you know what I mean.
Posted by rapsberry17 on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 12:06 PM
The good looking and rich guy will go for sexy nice looking Fiona that means the ladies are jealous of her. The average ladies who are eyeing the rich and handsome looking guy are deprive of a chance.
Posted by jontanph on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 10:15 AM
Actually what Zoe wanted to say about is very simple : She does not like Fiona Xie. No need to beat about the bush and say WOMEN don't like Fiona unless Zoe meant she herself is not a woman.
Posted by RuZeDUDz on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 09:23 AM


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What i read is that ... even in the show biz, a "person " needs to have a bit of inner quality and substance rather than mere appearance. And that will come with experience and good coaching.

As a "big sister" , and talking in public , perhaps, she should be a bit more diplomatic, articulate and sympaphatic in her choice of words.
Posted by newlandgoldman on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 08:35 AM
Zoe is simply a jealous pot commenting on ppl better than her. Like what she did to Fann Wong, a Hollywood star.
Posted by kungfupanda08 on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 07:07 AM
What Zoe said was true. Fiona is sexy but she has the ability to take the breath of Singaporean guys away and that their ladies won't like that. For acting-wise, Fiona is considered as a person who can act.

Among those, Rui En should be the best actress. Joanne Peh can act convincingly and be the character.

Comparing the opportunities and experiences those actress got, Jeanette Aw's expressions and way of speaking out the scripts sometimes confusing than convincing me.
Posted by on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 at 00:32 AM
People with character, substance, looks, poise is more likely to succeed in this industry. Some people just get into this industry because they wan to be FAMOUS, be in front of the camera, attention "get-ter" - totally SSSOOOO Fiona.
Posted by on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 at 22:25 PM

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