Jeanette Aw

Early life

Aw was born in Singapore to parents with ancestry from Fujian, China. She has an elder sister and an elder brother. Coming from an English-speaking family, Aw rarely used Mandarin in their conversations. She considered her childhood blessed and fortunate because her parents provided for everything that she needed. Growing up with a carefree nature, she was an introvert and was "the kind of girl who loved reading, writing and drawing". Aw wanted to be a dancer, an artist or a C.I.D.psychologist.

Attending Raffles Girls' Primary School, Crescent Girls' School, National Junior College and National University of Singapore, Aw was a school prefect and a model student. Her best subjects were English Literature and English, and she scored an A for art at the O Levels. Aw did gymnastics in primary school, dance in secondary school and swimming in junior college. She started ballet training at 13, and Aw went on to dance almost everyday before signing her first acting contract. She also played the saxophone in her secondary school concert band and trained for a girl group in junior college. In university, Aw was President of the NUS Dance Ensemble. Though she considered majoring in C.I.D.psychology because of her love for children, Aw planned to pursue a career on stage and eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Theatre Studies.

2001–2002: Early work

While preparing for her graduation production in her final year at university (before receiving an offer for the Honours Degree program), Aw and her friends also auditioned at theater companies. A friend told her that a company was looking for actors, and Aw only learnt that it was a television station after submitting her application. Joining Route to Glamour, a talent search organised in Singapore and Malaysia by the now defunct television network SPH MediaWorks in 2000, Aw beat over 5000 applicants to emerge champion and signed on with the network. In her debut year, she was awarded "Best Performer" and "Best Newcomer" and co-starred in a Taiwanese television drama. Aw left SPH MediaWorks in early 2002 to complete her studies, joined Hype Records and then officially signed on as a Mediacorp artiste in May 2002. She starred as Fan Keke in Beautiful Connection, the highest-rated Singapore drama in 2002, and won the Best Newcomer award at Star Awards 2002. Aw also filmed the Taiwanese idol drama Kiss of a Toast II.

2003–2007: Public recognition

In 2003, Aw acted in True Heroes, before going on to star as Mo Jingjing, a young woman with low IQ, in Holland V. It was the most watched Singapore drama that year, and she grew popular for playing the character. Aw was nominated for Best Actress at Star Awards 2003, but lost to co-star Chen Liping. However, she won her first "Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes" award. After the mega success of Holland V, Aw was seen as a possible successor of the Ah Jie (big sister) status. In 2004, Aw starred in her first female lead role as Wen Qian in Spice Siblings alongside Tay Ping Hui and Cynthia Koh. Following that, she starred in two dramas – A Child's Hope II and The Champion. Aw was again nominated for Best Actress for her excellent performance in A Child's Hope II and also won the "Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes" award at Star Awards 2004.

Following two years of non-stop filming, Aw became less productive in 2005. In January, she starred as Fang Lixiang in My Lucky Charm alongside Huang Biren. That year, Aw filmed one drama, The Rainbow Connection, where she played Ding Yingying, a talented dancer who has stage fright. This drama involved an ensemble cast drawing from Singapore, mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia. As Aw was also a dancer, she performed in many dancing scenes. Though Aw did not manage a Best Actress nomination at Star Awards 2005, she managed to win her third "Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes" award. In 2006, Aw played a schizophrenic character who hated her father in C.I.D. before starring in Through It All. She clinched her fourth "Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes" award at Star Awards 2006. In December 2006, the term Seven Princesses of Mediacorp was coined as part of Mediacorp publication iWeekly's 476th issue cover story. Aw was named as one of the 7 Princesses along with Jesseca Liu, Felicia Chin, Fiona Xie, Rui En, Joanne Peh and Dawn Yeoh.

Aw's drama The Peak was screened on January 2007. She played Zhong Xiao Yang, a ship construction worker who became wheelchair-bound after saving her boyfriend. The drama was filmed around the time of Aw's loss of her godmother, and while many expected her to be nominated for Best Actress at the annual Star Awards, she did not manage a return to the nominees list. In July, Aw was involved in Switched! starring opposite Fann Wong, where she played Jiang Xinhui, a famous, willful and materialistic actress. Her final 2007 drama, Dear, Dear Son-In-Law, was screened on October 2007.

2008–2009: Breakthrough

In 2008, Aw spent four months filming in China for the Chinese production The Shaolin Warriors. She then starred as Chen Xiaorou in Rhythm of Life and Lin Keyi in The Defining Moment where she was praised for her good acting. Then came Aw's big opportunity: to star in Mediacorp's mega-blockbuster production, The Little Nyonya. Several actresses auditioned for the main female lead role for which Aw was selected. Many viewers saw it as a series conceived to boost Aw's television career and to secure the Best Actress award for her at the following Star Awards, and criticism was leveled at Mediacorp's bias towards Aw. Several viewers also believed that the producers intentionally wrote Aw's first role as a mute in attempt to conceal her imperfect delivery of Mandarin. In response, producers lauded Aw's work, saying that she performed in a professional manner. Aw's dual portrayal of Yamamoto Yueniang and Huang Juxiang (the mother to her primary character) was also praised by members of the audience. The drama became the most watched Singapore drama in 15 years and was a huge success. Aw gained many more fans and was hailed as the third-generation Ah Jie. Despite receiving a third Best Actress nomination at Star Awards 2009, Aw surprisingly lost to her co-star Joanne Peh. In end-2009, Aw acted in Together with Dai Xiangyu for the third time.

2010–2014: Continued success

In 2010, Aw played a funeral director hoping to improve people’s perceptions of her profession in New Beginnings. She had overcome a health scare during the filming of the drama. Though Aw again failed to win, she clinched her fourth and fifth Best Actress nominations respectively for Together (2010) and blockbuster drama Breakout (2011). Originally scheduled to film Absolutely Charming in 2011, Aw instead joined Destiny in Her Hands in Malaysia where she suffered a minor facial injury. In September 2011, Aw completed filming for the drama Precious in China. She played the main lead role and collaborated with Dai Xiangyu – the fifth time in three years. Precious was the remake of The Little Nyonya, and Aw played three roles (the mother Fang Xi Ruo, the daughter Ling Qian Jin and Qian Jin's granddaughter) this time. In 2012, she also filmed Rescue 995 as Shi Hao Ran. A righteous young lady who is bubbly and cheerful, the role differed from Aw's recent emotional roles. 2012 Channel U drama Jump! was her first attempt at a laugh-out-loud comedy, making it a surprising and challenging one. In December that year, Aw played a girl with eyes that can see through anyone’s inner world in Beyond.

Said to be Aw's second breakthrough drama, The Dream Makers was Channel 8's 2013 mid-year blockbuster, which featured a grand cast including Zoe Tay, Chen Li Ping, Chen Han Wei, Qi Yu Wu and Rui En. In the drama, Aw played a C-list actress who tries hard to make her way to fame. She received numerous positive comments from viewers and compliments from veteran artistes like Zoe Tay, Chen Han Wei, Bryan Wong and Xiang Yun, which made Aw the hot favourite for Best Actress at Star Awards 20. Following a similar loss to Chen Liping at Star Awards 2003 however, she was again beaten to the award by her co-star and broke the record for most nominations (6) without a win. Aw clinched five popularity awards, including "Favourite Female Character" and "Favourite Onscreen Couple" with Qi Yu Wu for the drama. At the Star Awards 20 Show 1, she became the first artiste to win four awards at a single show since the inception of Star Awards as well as the first to net five awards in a single year. With Aw clinching a tenth and final "Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes" award at Star Awards 20 Show 2, she was also the first of the Seven Princesses of Mediacorp to earn the "All-Time Favourite Artiste" accolade.

In 2013, Aw was involved in Channel 8's epic historical drama The Journey: A Voyage which marked her fifth and third collaboration with Elvin Ng and Joanne Peh respectively. Along with cast members Ng and Desmond Tan, Aw promoted the drama – then airing on PPCTV – in Cambodia. In celebration of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, she acted in the football-themed drama World at Your Feet and its spin-off, Unexpected Strangers, a telemovie made for Mediacorp’s on-demand service Toggle. In August 2014, Aw played a tomboy chef in Spice Up before starring in The Journey: Tumultuous Times, the second part of The Journey trilogy. Her onscreen combination with co-star Shaun Chen was celebrated for evoking memories of their Holland V pairing.

2015–present: Dream Makers II and film

In February 2015, Aw played a fashionable single blogger known for baring her break-up experiences and shaming her exes online in Channel U drama Let It Go. She nabbed six awards at the Star Awards 2015 Show 1 before receiving her "All-Time Favourite Artiste" award at Star Awards 2015 Show 2 with Vivian Lai. In July 2015, she guest starred in The Journey: Our Homeland, thus becoming the only cast member to have appeared in all three installments of the trilogy.

It was announced in May that year that Aw would play Zhao Fei Er for the second time in blockbuster drama The Dream Makers II, the sequel to the 2013 hit series. Even before filming begun, Aw's Best Actress award chances at the following year's Star Awards were highlighted. Aw explained that her character would suffer from depression and she has done some research on the characteristics and behaviour of depression patients to better portray her role. In July, Aw and co-star Zoe Tay promoted the drama at the China International Film & TV Programs Exhibition in Beijing. Later in November, Aw's debut film, Find My Dad, grossed $37,850 over a 14-day limited release. Produced in Malaysia in 2012, Aw played a single mother. At the inaugural PPCTV MediaCorp Awards in Cambodia, Aw was the most decorated artiste, nabbing "Favourite Lead Actress" and "Favourite Female TV Character" for portraying Zhao Fei Er in The Dream Makers. Following the airing of The Dream Makers II in December, Aw's embodiment of the role was lauded. She went on to clinch the awards for "Best Actress", "Favourite Female Character" and "Favourite Onscreen Couple" at Star Awards 2016.

Aw later starred in mid-year blockbuster drama The Dream Job and netted her eighth "Best Actress" nomination at Star Awards 2017 thereafter. She plays a triad gangster in season two of the Channel 8 long-form TV drama, 118, and was injured by a shattered glass door during its filming. In March 2017, it was announced that Aw would star in Ramen Teh, a film co-produced by Japan and Singapore, alongside Seiko Matsuda, Takumi Saito and Mark Lee. The film started shooting in Singapore in July and is scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2018.

Aw is writing, directing, and starring in The Last Entry, a short film inspired by her godmother's struggles with Alzheimer's disease.

Endorsements

From 2001 to 2002, Aw made her first commercials for AsiaOne, Glamour Shot, OTO, Singtel, and Sony Batteries. She then endorsed LifePharm Intenz Skin Activator and Pokka Vegetable Juice in 2003, and with her rising popularity in 2004, Aw became the official ambassadress for SK Jewellery for the first time. This was followed by StarHub i-mode in 2005 and 2006. With the roaring success of The Little Nyonya, Aw picked up endorsement opportunities for IZU, Kim Robinson, NETS, New Moon, OSIM uSqueez Warm, and Sakura International Buffet Restaurant. From 2010 to 2012, she modeled for Olay Regenerist, OWL, and Reduze as well as SK Jewellery again, and was named the queen of endorsements. In July 2015, Aw began to appear in advertisements for Bio-Essence, a skincare company.

Aw is a Montblanc brand ambassador, notably gracing the 2016 launch of the Bohème Lady collection with Miss World 2007 Zhang Zilin and film director and screenwriter Xue Xiaolu. Together with executive Chinese chef Brian Wong of Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant, Aw created a Peranakan-Chinese fusion menu as part of American Express' Love Dining programme in 2017.

Social and humanitarian work

Aw has visited children's homes and made overseas volunteer trips for underprivileged children. In 2012, Aw collaborated with Precious Moments and reportedly received a five-figure sum which she donated to a charity for children with cancer. In May 2016, Aw, a brand ambassador for Bulgari, helped to raise funds for a Save the Children program in Vietnam.

Books

Aw published her debut book, Jeanette Aw: Definitions, in February 2012 containing aspects of her personal life. In this work, which includes black-and-white photos and sketches she drew, Aw defined what was important to her in words from A to Z. Among the revelations was a breast cancer scare in 2010 – she discovered a lump in her breast, but it turned out to be benign. Aw also wrote about playing mother to her three young godchildren as well as her interest in drawing and sketching. The title topped the best-selling lists of all major Singapore bookstores. A month later, Aw released Jeanette Aw: Definitions (Limited Edition).

In May 2015, Aw followed up with her second book, Sol’s World: Somebody to Love, concerning the titular character’s journey of self-discovery. The picture book is the result of over two years of hard work and all illustrations were hand-painted. The character Sol began as an illustration which accompanied Aw’s column in Mediacorp publication iWeekly in 2010. Over the years, she grew attached to the character and decided to make Sol the central figure of this book. As part of its Children’s Season "Masak Masak 2015", Aw's artwork from the book and new drawings were exhibited at the National Museum of Singapore from May to August 2015. The Sol’s World: Somebody to Love exhibition included her display "Simple Pleasures in Life & Life’s Best Journey is with The One You Love" and two other artist interpretations of her book.

Stage performances

Inspired by the popularity of The Little Nyonya, Aw headlined The Peranakan Ball in May 2009 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and paired up with Dai Xiangyu again. Other cast members of the musical included veteran Mediacorp artistes like Xiang Yun, Ann Kok and Rayson Tan as well as Project SuperStar’s Chen Diya and Carrie Yeo.

Aw performed at Singapore Day in Shanghai in 2011 and 2015.

In November 2015, Aw became the latest Singapore television celebrity to take to the stage in a re-staging of Dick Lee and Michael Chiang’s iconic musical Beauty World at Victoria Theatre. She played the character Lulu, a vindictive cabaret queen. Aw was commended for her "convincing acting" and her "perfect" enactment as she "gave off the vibe of a cunning and manipulative cabaret queen easily" without a single word spoken. Despite criticism of Aw's vocal abilities, director Dick Lee praised her overall performance.

Others

Jeanius (Singapore) is Aw's official fan club and was established on 29 December 2004. The club's name is derived from Aw’s first name, Jeanette, and the word "genius". It is the only official fan club acknowledged by Aw. Over the years, the club has worked closely with Aw's management, Artiste Networks. Jeanius (Singapore) has expanded its fan base to regional countries such as Cambodia, China, and Malaysia.

Personal life

When her close friend died soon after giving birth to a set of triplets, Aw stepped in and played mother to them. She has nurtured the children and cared for their emotional and mental growth since then, calling them every day and visiting them as often as three times a week. The father, who was working in an events company, traveled often, and the children were often in her care.

As of 2015, Aw was in a relationship with her Caucasian boyfriend of nine years.

In the media

Aw is one of the most popular actresses in Singapore, and she keeps her personal life well-guarded. Aw has appeared on the covers of lifestyle magazines, ranging from Mediacorp publications like 8 Days, Elle Singapore, iWeekly, Style:Weddings and uWeekly as well as SPH magazines like Cleo Singapore, Female, Her World, ICON, Nuyou, Nuyou Time and Simply Her to others like #313Foodie, Citta Bella, Ezyhealth and LiveWell (all Singapore), Citta Bella, Feminine, My Wedding, Oriental Cuisine and Sisters (all Malaysia) and Ladies (Cambodia). From 2007 to 2009, FHM Singapore ranked her among the Top 100 Sexiest Women.

Aw is also the only Singapore television actress with at least a million Facebook fans. Along with seven triumphs at the Singapore Blog Awards and the "Social Media Award" at Star Awards in 2014 and 2015, Aw is popularly referred to as Caldecott Hill’s social media queen.

Often pitted against fellow Singaporean actress Rui En by local television audiences, the pair had swept popularity awards like "Favourite Female Character" and "Favourite Onscreen Couple" throughout the history of these categories at the annual Star Awards. Aw has clarified that there is no personal rivalry, something Rui En also describes as having "outgrown the whole princesses thing". Ken Lim, owner of Hype Records which manages both actresses, added, "Rui En and Jeanette appeal to different fans, and this is why they are both at the top of their game. Rui En is the one with the attitude, while Jeanette is relatable."

Asian Television Awards

The Asian Television Awards is organized by Television Asia Plus magazine.

Star Awards

The Star Awards are presented by Mediacorp.

Published works