Behind the scenes: Rui En and her on-screen ‘colleagues’ discuss lunch at their office in the Singapore Botanic Gardens
You’ve watched this star’s on-screen adventures in a variety of exciting drama serials. Most recently, she played a hard-boiled police officer in Unriddle, and a trendy girl-about-town in A Tale of 2 Cities.
But have you ever seen Rui En climb a tree?
In her latest drama,The In-Laws, this princess of Caldecott Hill plays an NParks arborist. Her character, Jiazhen, is a girl-next-door whose passion for nature provides respite from the drama she faces at home.
Behind the scenes: High up in the branches of a tree, Rui En looks every bit like a bona-fide arborist.
As part of her preparations for her role, Rui En watched a documentary which featured NParks’ arborists. “It was quite an eye-opener, because I never knew that there were people being paid to actually take care of the trees on a daily basis,†she said. “I always took it for granted that our trees and gardens just took care of themselves!â€
Rui En’s tree climbing scenes took place under the guidance and watchful eye of NParks’ real-life tree climbers. Although it was an entirely new experience, she enjoyed it: “It was easier than I thought it would be, and it was actually quite fun. I’m not scared of heights, so it was exciting.â€
Rui En’s ‘body double’, Ow Siew Ngim, is a certified arborist and experienced tree climber. She was impressed by Rui En’s willingness to climb a tree for the shoot, even though the scene could also have been staged with the use of a ladder. “I thought she was quite adventurous,†commented Siew Ngim. “She’s also really cool in person – just like on TV.†Siew Ngim also shared that the down-to-earth actress had no qualms about sharing the sweaty climbing equipment.
Because she plays an environmentally-conscious character, Rui En incorporated some of her own eco-friendly habits into the drama. For instance, ‘Jiazhen’ carries the same recycled tote bag in every single episode. “The wardrobe [department] prepared a few bags for me, but I thought it might not be that realistic if Jiazhen kept changing bags. My own recyclable bag was the only thing I found suitable, and it’s probably going to have a hole in it very soon because of all the use,†she quipped.
Rui En’s co-star and on-screen love interest, Pierre Png, also filmed some scenes at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where the arborists’ offices are located. He enjoyed the location shoot’s unique setting: “The lush, green open space gave me a sense of freedom and peacefulness. Great for anyone who wants to clear their mind, anytime!†In particular, the ‘$5 Tembusu tree’ evoked fond childhood memories for both Pierre and Rui En.
So while you’re catching The In-Laws, keep your eyes peeled for the exciting scenes of Rui En tackling tree climbing. And if you’re inspired by her to do the same, why not check out a recreational tree climbing course – or even consider a career with NParks!
The In-Laws airs on Mediacorp Channel 8 from 12 April, weekdays at 9 pm.
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Calling All Rui En Fans!
Here’s your chance to win an exclusive behind-the-scenes souvenir from The In-Laws!
We have two ‘wedding invitations’ used as filming props, for the wedding of Jiazhen and Jianhai. Just email us at nparks_mailbox@nparks.gov.sg with the subject “My Green Space – Rui Enâ€, and tell us in 150 words or less: What do you think of Rui En’s role as an arborist?
The two most creative answers will receive one ‘wedding invitation’ each, along with other NParks souvenirs.
Source: National Parks
Categorised in EN, National Parks, The In-Laws 麻婆斗妇.