Celeb Crushin’: Kate Pang and Andie Chen

If Kate had written Andie off immediately after they first met on the set of the Channel 8 blockbuster Joys Of Life in early 2012, none of this love story would have happened. Kate once said she and Andie didn’t get along during their first on-screen collaboration and that they often made fun of each other on set.

Things only started looking up when they were cast as lovers later that year in the MediaCorp Studios Malaysia drama series Break Free. It was through more personal interactions this time that the actress found herself sharing similar personalities and habits with her co-star.

Andie packed his bags and left to further his acting career in Taiwan in early 2013 — a bold move for the 2007 Star Search winner. The gutsy guy went on to star in the drama series Independent Heroes while there, as well as other projects including an idol drama.

And this August Andie made his stage debut in Toy Factory Productions’ Mandarin musical December Rains, and received positive reviews for his portrayal of a 1950s leftist student activist turned bitter, heartbroken old man.

After dating in secret for more than a year, Kate and Andie announced they were married — and 10 weeks pregnant — having solemnised their marriage on November 24, 2013.

The couple conceded the unexpected move did look like a shotgun marriage, but they explained they hadn’t seen the need for a Registry of Marriages certificate to be sure they’d be together for life — they had agreed to start a family without a wedding, plus the application process looked so complicated and daunting online that they gave up.

But, as Andie put it, they changed their minds for the money. “When the baby came along and we took a look at the financials, we realised that without the Baby Bonus and government subsidies, we wouldn’t be able to buy an HDB flat and that was a huge issue,” he once said. “I also found out that Kate couldn’t use my Medisave unless she’s legally my spouse.”

Kate and Andie welcomed their firstborn, Aden, on June 30, 2014. The 3.66-kg boy was delivered naturally in Kate’s Taiwan home, with Andie and two licensed midwives helping out, and footage of the epidural-free process was uploaded to their family online video channel.

Little Aden has now become almost a celebrity in his own right, charming legions of fans on Instagram and tickling his parents pink with his antics and chubby adorableness.

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Sadly, Aden missed a chance to become a big brother when Kate suffered miscarriage at four weeks in late April this year. The foetus exhibited chromosomal abnormalities and was surgically removed, all while Kate was busy hosting the Star Awards.

While Andie had wanted to keep the unfortunate news private, Kate opted to share it, saying one in six cases of pregnancy ends as theirs did, and expectant mothers needed to know that they’re not alone and they can overcome the blow.

“Thank you, my dear, for teaching me a valuable lesson,” Andie wrote on Instagram then. “Your strength never fails to amaze me. I will keep my spirits up and prepare to welcome the next member of our family.”

Related:
Kate Pang suffers miscarriage

Having skipped holding a traditional wedding banquet, Kate and Andie arranged for a playdate for Aden (with fellow star baby Zed, no less) and took off for a belated honeymoon to New Zealand, sending back a stream of enviable travel snaps and showing us their quirky personalities.

As this celeb family show, whether you’re heading out or staying in, being together is what matters most.