Best Actor Chen Hanwei Feared Contracting Covid-19 Before Star Awards So Much, He Was “Wrapped Up Like A Dumpling”

For the uninitiated, Hanwei detailed how “scary” it was if he were to fall ill and drop out of the show at the last minute. “The stage will have to be reconfigured; we will have to reshoot all the pre-segments. The pressure is immense,” he explained.

Which is why he took no chances when it came to protecting himself from coronavirus germs. “Since I got the hosting assignment three or four months ago, I have been worrying so much about it. I thought to myself, I cannot fall ill. So I have been wearing all kinds of protective shields — face masks, face shields. I was wrapped up like a dumpling!” he laughed.

It isn’t easy for one man to stand on stage and host an entire awards show solo. When Hanwei met us backstage, his voice had gone hoarse. “The show overran, so I was backstage trying to see what we could modify to get the show schedule back on track,” he said.

And no one is harder on Hanwei than himself when it comes to judging his hosting skills. “It’s not perfect. I made mistakes onstage and mispronounced some guests’ names,” he pointed out. But he also had his moment on stage as an award winner, when he took the Best Actor trophy — his seventh — for the drama Recipe of Life.

Hanwei’s voice dropped lower when he talked about his win, for which he had earlier expressed that he hoped would go to a newbie. “From the bottom of my heart, I hope to see some new faces win and have people see that they can give good performances too,” he revealed. “It’s not that I’m unhappy to win this award. I’m of course encouraged by my win. But in my heart I’m also thinking, ‘Aiyah, why hasn’t the opportunity come for these newcomers?’”

He adds: “At my age I just hope to pass the baton to the youngsters and we can all strive together. Even if the role is tough, like Romeo [Tan] playing an old man, they managed to do it. We have to give them props for that.”

Age, Hanwei said, has also made him omit things like his famous lucky black rose brooch, which he used to wear to every Star Awards show. “I haven’t worn it in a long time. I wore it because people said it was a good talking point, but at my age, I don’t need such talking points anymore. Let it be history,” he said.

But like in previous years, Hanwei is still keeping his post-show plans simple: “I haven’t had lunch or dinner today, so I just want to go home and cook instant noodles, have a good rest and not think about anything!”

Photos: Mediacorp Photo Unit