1. Scene & Heard Page 22
Story: Ashley Teo
Special guests: Besides the two finalists battling it out at the The Final 1, there were also guest performers to entertain the 5,000-strong crowd at the Star Performing Arts Centre. Rui En took a break from acting and rocked out with The Final 1 judge Taufik Batisah on the rousing ‘Sky’s the Limit’.
2. Advertorial Pages 89-93
Sudden Prelude Poster 1
accident =/= coincidence
maybe…
Sudden Prelude Poster 2
verdict =/= truth
maybe…
Sudden poster
3. Television Page 105
Sudden
Mon, Ch 8, 9PM
New serial!
Four lawyers (played by Rui En, Rebecca Lim, Romeo Tan and Zhang Zhenhuan) are involved in the same traffic accident that have repercussions on their private and professional lives. The 20-part legal drama – partly filmed in Tasmania, Australia – also stars Guo Liang, Constance Song and Ian Fang.
4. TV Synopsis Pages 117-118
Sudden
Sudden éª¤å˜ debuts 2 September 2013 9pm on Channel 8.
Categorised in 8 DAYS, EN, Sky's the Limit, Sudden 骤å˜.
In a star studded finale last night (21 Aug), Shaun and Farisha took to stage performing a total of seven songs each, including ‘Payphone’ with judge Taufik Batisah and ‘Without You’ with South African Idols champion Jody Williams.
Taufik Batisah also shared the stage with Rui En, performing their hit ‘Sky’s The Limit’ to the screams of the crowd.
Source: MeRadio
Categorised in EN, MeRadio, Sky's the Limit.
It’s rock star Rui En! The actress joined Taufik on stage for ‘Sky’s the Limit’.
Source: Xinmsn
Categorised in EN, Sky's the Limit, xinmsn.
The double R (our nickname for them) traipsed to picturesque Tasmania to film several romantic scenes for Ch8’s upcoming drama, Sudden
Text: Joanna Goh
Photos: Channel 8
Ch8’s Sudden is set out to be a legal drama glazed with heart wrenching love lines and intense courtroom scenes. But that’s not all there is to it, says lead actors Rui En and Romeo Tan, during their separate phone interviews with xinmsn.
The two just got back from Tasmania, Australia, where they filmed intensively for a period of 10 days to capture as many romantic ‘flashback’ scenes between their two characters. On top of the scenic background of lakes, mountains and farms, they have been filming with a new camera that would add more depth and cinematic feel to the entire show. “The whole output felt like a Korean drama,†said Romeo.
“As long as you have romantic scenes and you go to a place like Tasmania, immediately it adds bonus points – as compared to doing it at East Coast beach,†quipped Rui En, as she added with a chuckle, “Which is where we have done a lot of scenes too, and kenna a lot of bad sand fly bites. (Laughs)â€
Favourite scene filmed in Tasmania
Rui En: There were so many! (Thinks for a moment) Probably this scene in Mount Nelson – it’s not really that high but it overlooked the sea. It was very peaceful and for some reason, it just felt very touching. When we finished the scene, it started to snow and my tour guide said that it never ever snows here. IT was miraculous.
Romeo: The one with the sheep. In that scene, I had to ask her to be my girlfriend and my character had to coordinate with the farmer for it to work. The both of us were standing in the middle of a big field and about 500 sheep came running in towards us and surrounded the both of us; I walked towards her and asked her to be my girlfriend. It’s a very beautiful field and a very memorable scene.
Biggest challenge in Tasmania
Rui En: When the temperatures dipped below zero! That day, we learned how to use the heatpack (chuckles). Our tour guide taught us the best brands in everything so now, we’re all very seasoned. The toughest is really just dealing with the cold, I’m a person who’s quite adverse to heat and cold but I rather be hot (referring to a warmer climate) lah. Nothing’s too tough [in Tasmania] and everything was just very pretty.
The funniest thing that happened
Rui En: I’m someone who feels cold easily, so one day, our guide told us that it was going to be cold and I wore up to seven layers. I think our guide overstated the coldness because when we began hiking up to the place, I started to perspire, and I started peeling off the layers of clothes one by one (chuckles). All of them thought it was the funniest thing ever.
Tasmania was a good break from their intense schedule in Singapore
Rui En: The trip was something to look forward to – it was like a break for everyone (the crew included) since we were filming intensively before it, with only three or four hours of sleep a night.
Their growing chemistry
Rui En: (Laughs) I think it has [improved]. At least he’s a bit more comfortable with me now – I did try to make him open up. Hopefully it translates [to the show].
Romeo: She has been helping me since day one and towards the middle of filming; we cracked all sorts of jokes and would go crazy on set. Towards the end when we were in Tasmania, it felt more comfortable since it was just the two of us.
In real-life, Romeo is…
Rui En: He’s like a little brother, sort of a younger brother (laughs). You know, it’s his first time going to such a cold place and first time filming at such a cold place, so we had to tell him a lot of things to buy. He ended up more like somebody everyone else took care of (laughs).
Romeo’s response to what Rui En said: She always thinks that i’m a little kid (laughs). Maybe because of my age and since I’m one of the youngest there. When I arrived at Tasmania, I went ‘Wow, wow, wow, wow,’ and she went ‘Er, excuse me, what’s that to be excited about?’ (laughs).
In real-life, Rui En is…
Romeo: I don’t feel that she’s very ‘dao’ or arrogant. She’s a very nice girl, but her image makes her look different. She’s very down to earth too. I learned about how to be professional from Rui En. She’s very professional and knows what to do. She’s a very firm person who knows what she wants – she’s not a follower – and it’s important for an actor to stand by their character. I want to be like her in this sense.
Rui En meets a fan, Patricia, in Australia
We were told by RBKD (Rui En’s official fanclub) that Patricia, who is a fan of Rui En, went around searching for the production team in hopes of meeting the actress. Patricia said, ‘I have been living in Australia for almost 10 years and I still love watching Singapore dramas… I started liking Rui En from Unriddle because she was so cool as Hu Xiao Man. That was the first time I saw her on a drama. Now, I am watching Joys of Life and I love her role as Han Yong Yong too. I wish I can watch The Dream Makers now, but I’ll have to wait for the DVD to be released.’
Rui En with Patricia’s young daughter, Anastasia Le Xuan.
Sudden éª¤å˜ debuts 2 September 2013 9pm on Channel 8.
Source: Xinmsn
Categorised in EN, Sudden 骤å˜, xinmsn.
1. Cover Story Page 34
She comes across like she’s nonchalant about her age. Talk to her about hitting the big 4-0 and she laughs it off. Age, Ann says, is not something she thinks about, though she does let on that she feels more at ease now in mind and body.
Oh, yes, that age-time-defying body. Those who caught this year’s Star Awards must have eyeballed Ann wearing a fishnet bodysuit with a Hervé Léger dress so scandalous that we blushed, and then rated it ‘XXX’ in our red carpet review. Sure, Rui En won Best Actress and Joanne Peh made her public debut with new beau Qi Yuwu, but it was Bombshell Ann who, ahem, double-torpedoed the spotlight from every actress that night with her assets.
8DAYS: Speaking of friends, your BFF is Jesseca Liu, in the mid-noughties, she was part of the rising crop of new actresses like Jeanette Aw, Rui En, and Joanne Peh who signalled a changing of guard on TV. Did you feel threatened by these younger girls?
Ann: No. I don’t belong to their group and they don’t belong to mine. So, yeah…though it did cross my mind that maybe…there’ll be fewer opportunities to act, but that’s about it.
Categorised in 8 DAYS, EN, Star Awards, Star Awards 2013.
By Yip Wai Yee
Source: The Straits Times
Categorised in EN, The Straits Times.
1. Boos & Bravos Page 114
Bravo to Rui En on the just-ended The Dream Makers for taking a dig at herself. In a wink-wink art-imitates-life moment, her character, a variety show producer-turned-actress, is up in arms when she gets wind that she may appear in a rape scene. “No way will I shoot [that],” she protests. “They can call me unprofessional but I have my principles.” Fans will know that this is a not-too-subtle reference to Rui En’s real-life stance against filming rape scenes.
2. Cover Story Page 34
Despite her newfound chirpness, there’s no image overhaul. Chloe is still very much the feline beauty with enormous doe eyes, elfin nose and pouty lips. As we talk, she spies a copy of 8 DAYS with Rui En, her Joys of Life co-star, on the cover. She cries, “That’s Rui En!” then grabs the mag for a fervent flip-through.
Categorised in 8 DAYS, EN, Joys of Life èŠ±æ ·äººé—´, The Dream Makers 志在四方.
A guilty pleasure and a dream to watch, here’s what we think of Ch8’s The Dream Makers
By Joanna Goh
The last time a Ch8 drama created this much hype, it was the year of The Little Nyonya in 2008, where Peranakans (specifically, Yue Niang) ruled our lives. Fast forward 4.5 years later and we finally see an inkling of what we’d call the revival of local TV’s former glory days in Ch8’s The Dream Makers, a 30-episode series which concluded its run last night.
For the past few years, no other show has achieved what ‘Dream Makers’ managed to do in six weeks: generate an insane amount of frenzy online and off. It became the hottest lunch and gossip topic as people 1) compared fact or fiction notes based on real-life showbiz events (like we did here) and 2) shelved dinner plans and after-work activities to race home and catch the broadcast of the weeknight drama at 9pm – us included. True story.
So what was it about The Dream Makers that worked for viewers? Was it the show’s format? The uncanny pairing of the TV station’s top-tier actresses and actors and the long-awaited reunion of the ill-fated ‘Nyonya’ lovers Jeanette Aw and Qi Yuwu (who’ve yet to, well, get a happy ending of their own…)? Or was it due to the sense of familiarity viewers had for the local entertainment scene they once grew up with?
Hit: Tight chemistry between the cast
The next best thing about having a bunch of veterans cast in this show (apart from their strong acting) is the solid chemistry that comes through their performances as a result of their familiarity with one another. There was no need to wait for them to “grow into†their roles and nurture their chemistry – thank goodness. Here are our favourite pairings from the show: Zoe Tay and Chen Liping’s friendship (more on that on slide 5), Chen Hanwei and Zoe’s soulmate-like relationship, Jeanette and Yuwu’s instant and natural chemistry, and Dennis Chew and Rui En’s buddy-like siblinghood.
Hit: Pot shots at realistic events
Instead of basing certain story plots on lofty ideas and far-fetched circumstances, what was done right in this show was the boost of realism it had with drama events mirroring real-life happenings. And as viewers we do appreciate the “art-imitates real-life†and subtle tongue-in-cheek references found in its scenes and dialogues. We said it before in our previous story and we’ll say it here again – this is our kind of guilty pleasure.
Hit: An insider peek at the TV industry
Half-truth and half fictional, The Dream Makers successfully incites interest with its gossip reveals and behind-the-scenes take on show business in Singapore. Viewers are left guessing the authenticity of what they see on TV: are there really catfights between fame-hungry actresses, do directors really bully newbies and calefares – so on and so forth. Plus, for the ones not in the TV industry, it provided them with an inside-out microscopic look at how folks at the TV station go about their daily jobs – from the management-level and business side of things to the production end, the show nails it perfectly, especially the APs (assistant producer), writers and camera crew’s behaviour.
Hit: Well-paced storyline
The Dream Makers was a drama with a multi-faceted plot and did not solely revolve around events taking place in the TV station. Apart from its main focus on the office politics and rivalry between the higher-level management staff and actors in showbiz, it also had other story plots which focused on the relationship between siblings, lovers, a married couple and friends. And despite its multiple ongoing story plots, the show gave viewers breathing room by spreading out the development of its characters over a few episodes at one time which explains why they sometimes go missing for an episode or two.
Hit and Miss: A show all about women; but what about the men?
We don’t know if you noticed this – the drama is mainly driven by the stories and lives of these four women in the TV station: Yao-Chu Kang Li, Zhou Wei Yun, Fang Tong Lin and Zhao Fei Er. It is centered on their trials and tribulations; their successes and failures. On the other hand, there is less focus on the men in this show as they are there to serve one and only one purpose: to drive the growth of these four female characters. Whether done intentionally or not, we appreciated and really enjoyed the strong and unwavering focus on the ladies. Can we have a drama series done on the men in the TV station next? We can’t wait to see the hijinks that would unfold from this.
Miss: Unrealistic parts of the show
Despite the truths portrayed in the show, The Dream Makers had its fair share of unrealistic moments too. An artiste manager (Shaun Chen) dating his artiste in the open? Uh, that’s brazen – considering how local celebrities prefer to keep things on the low-key end. And Vincent Ng’s overdramatic trip-roll-and-rumble action stunt to get to his dead wife’s side in the earlier episodes of the show? We’re sorry guys, that felt a little too staged and forced.
Miss: Voting for the final couple… again???
This feels like Star Awards online voting (aka, fan wars) all over again. To the ones who have the power to decide and control the destiny of the show, please do not take the joy out of watching a drama by forcing viewers (or rather, fans) to vote for their preferred ending between Jeanette Aw and Rui En. While it’s commendable that we try to be different, innovative and engaging, reusing the same old method i.e., getting fans to vote for their preferred happy ending, just feels stale and predictable. Can’t we just vote if Jason should stay single or attached and have the producers decide who deserves to be his happy ending? Well, if we had to choose, we’d say Joanne Peh. There, we said it.
Source: Xinmsn
Categorised in EN, The Dream Makers 志在四方, xinmsn.
Text: Sherman Yang
Videos: Chia Jia Xin
We asked the beautiful leading ladies from The Dream Makers share with us more about their characters and what songs best reflect their characters’ on the show.
Rui En as Fang Tong Lin
What does Rui En’s song ‘Frog’ (é’è›™) have in common with her character Fang Tong Lin on The Dream Makers? Perhaps it was the cute frog fan she was holding in one of the episodes or maybe not. Check out the video!
The Dream Makers 志在四方 is now airing on weekdays, 9pm on Channel 8.
Source: MeRadio
Categorised in EN, MeRadio, The Dream Makers 志在四方.
