When Zoe Tay Took On The Oscars

“I’d relish a chance to play this role. But as for the nudity and the sex scenes… Kissing scenes can ‘kill’ me already. I really struggled with them in the past. The movie I’m in now has a kissing scene and I’m worried about it. I really don’t know how I managed to get through them in the past. I only learnt how to fake-kiss later in my career. But some actor scolded me for being unprofessional when I did that. I didn’t care. Why must I kiss you? Anyway, no more kissing scenes for me now — aunties no need to kiss lah.” — Zoe on making out for reel

“I have been styled as Marilyn Monroe many times. Maybe people just think I’m sexy? That’s an image many people want to portray of me. I’ve never thought of myself that way. But after all these years, I’ve come to realise that being sexy is part of my repertoire, part of what I can do.” — Zoe on being a sex symbol

“I do housework but I don’t wash toilets. There was a scene in Pretty Faces where I had to clean a toilet bowl and I puked all the way. And it was a fake toilet bowl! I have a fear of s***. I’ve overcome it, but in the past, I would faint just posing for this photo!” — Zoe on her coprophobia

“It’s not easy acting in a silent film. Your body language must be rich but you cannot overdo it or else it becomes like theatre. I can’t wait to watch this movie ’cos it will remind us of another way to act.” — Zoe on the art of acting silent

“Hawaii is overromanticised. And over-commercialised. You’d think the beauty of the beach would blow you away when you go there, but no, it’s not like that. I know this ’cos my sister studied there and I was there for her graduation. Maybe my expectations were too high but I wasn’t impressed.” — Zoe on Hawaii, where The Descendants was filmed

The 89th Annual Academy Awards – Live! airs Feb 27, HBO (StarHub Ch 601), 8am (red carpet) and 9.30am (main show).