10 Facts About Jeanette Aw leaving Mediacorp that You Should Know

Last Updated on 2020-02-21 , 2:28 pm

I’m kinda ashamed to admit this, but I’m a big fan of Jeanette Aw.

I mean c’mon; it’s Jeanette Aw!

Apart from her striking good looks, she’s also equipped with stellar acting chops and bubbly charisma.

Just look at her resume; The Little Nyonya, Breakout and Holland V are just some of the many Channel 8 dramas she did, and I dare say she shined in all of them.

But it’s also why the news came as a real shocker.

Because Jeanette Aw is leaving Mediacorp.

1. And it wasn’t on the spur of the moment

According to Jeanette Aw’s Facebook post, it wasn’t an instantaneous decision.

“This decision was deliberated upon over time. Personal growth, the environment, that little voice within that simply grew louder, and the universe showing me it was time to move on.”

“I’ve always believed that to grow, as a person and as an actor, I need to welcome challenges, in this case, find new challenges. I’ve always believed in the need to renew and reinvent the self, and reignite the passion along the way.”

“So.. no more speculations. I thank all media who have shown me much concern when the talk was going around and everything was a big question mark. Thank you for respecting me and giving me the space I needed. Always grateful for that.”

Now, a new journey begins. #JeanetteAw

Sorry guys…

Those damn onions are cutting ninjas again…

2. She leaves at the peak of her career

The Channel 8 leading lady had attained her first Best Actress award at last year’s Star Awards, for her role in the showbiz drama The Dream Makers 2.

Jeanette had played the role of Zhao Fei Er, a top TV actress who falls into depression.

If you’ve seen it, you would agree; she deserved it.

3. It’s not just Mediacorp

Jeanette has also left talent agency Hype Records-Artiste Network.

She has been with Hype Records for 15 years, the same duration she spent with Mediacorp.

This means that she will officially be her own agent, from here on out.

4. Will she never act in a Channel 8 drama ever again?

Fortunately, it seems that there’s still hope.

“We have a long and positive working relationship with Jeanette, and look forward to working directly with her for future projects,” Mediacorp’s The Celebrity Agency said.

Jeanette Aw herself has also not ruled out any future collaborations.

When the Straits Times reached out to her for an interview, she had this to say.

“I will have more freedom with scheduling my time and picking the right scripts as they come along. I am definitely open to drama proposals and open to opportunities overseas.”

5. What’s she up to now?

It looks like Jeanette’s been pretty busy, as she has been working on a short film titled ‘The Last Entry’.

The 15-minute Mandarin film, inspired by her own godmother’s struggles with Alzheimer’s disease, is currently in post-production.

Jeanette had written, directed and acted in the film.

“I’m excited about it, and have plans to enter this short film at festivals and competitions.”

“My company Picturesque Films was established in 2012. That was when I already had plans to do my own film. Many times during interviews, I would also share this dream to move behind the scenes. I do mean the things I say and it’s just a matter of time that I pursue those dreams.”

6. Her Facebook post is filled with well-wishes

There’s a saying: “If you truly love someone, you will wish that person all the best, even if it isn’t something you voluntarily want.”

I for one would have liked for her to continue being contracted under Mediacorp. Think about it; who would Mediacorp rather give a role to? A freelance artist, or a Mediacorp artist?

But at the end of the day, it’s her own choice and her own life, and I have nothing but well wishes for her.

And it seems that Netizens think the same way too.

It might be a sad day for us Jeanette Aw fans, but I’m sure it’s one she’s been looking forward to for a long time.

So let’s stop the moping, and delve into a timeline of Jeanette’s successes and achievements.

7. She didn’t have aspirations to be an actress

The charming lady was born in Singapore to parents with ancestry from Fujian, China.

Growing up, she was a self-professed introvert and had wanted to be a dancer, an artist or a child psychologist.

Well, this is the rare case where I’m actually exhilarated at the theory ‘childhood dreams have a 0.01 percent of happening’.

8. Ticket to stardom

In 2000, Jeanette joined Route to Glamour, a talent search show organised in Singapore and Malaysia by the now-defunct television network SPH MediaWorks in 2000.

She eventually won the competition, edging out 5000 participants in the process, and went on to sign a contract with the network.

In her debut year, she was awarded “Best Performer” and “Best Newcomer”, and even co-starred in a Taiwanese television drama.

In May 2002, she officially signed on as a Mediacorp Artiste.

Despite her prior achievements, it wasn’t until Holland V aired that she truly became recognizable.

Her iconic role as Mo Jingjing, a young woman with low IQ, propelled her onto the national stage.

She was even seen as a possible successor of the coveted Ah Jie (big sister) status.

But her true ticket to stardom came in the form of The Little Nyonya.

Her portrayal of a young Peranakan girl, forced to deal with all kinds of lemon trees and fiercely braving through them, really catapulted her to nationwide fame.

While she did act in a few more prominent dramas down the road, none of them, in my opinion, served to be as memorable as The Little Nyonya.

But the Dream Makers 2 did try. It was the drama that gave Jeanette her first ‘Best Actress’ award, after all.

9. Books

You might be surprised to know this, but Jeanette actually has two books to her name!

She released her debut book, Jeanette Aw: Definitions, in February 2012. The book contained aspects of her personal life, including a segment involving a breast cancer scare in 2010.

In May 2015, she followed up with her second book, Sol’s World: Somebody to Love. This fictional story chronicled the titular character’s journey of self-discovery.

10. Personal Life

When her close friend passed away soon after giving birth to a set of triplets, Jeanette had intervened and acted as a mother to them. She made it a point to call them every day and visit them as often as three times a week, all the while nurturing them and caring for their emotional and mental growth.

For those of you still harbouring thoughts of being with her, I’m sorry to say that as of 2015, she was in a relationship with her Caucasian boyfriend of nine years.

So just give it up.

Said nobody ever. Including me.

All in all, we here at Goodyfeed wish Jeanette the best in her future ventures.

Good luck, Jeanette!