"I Thought It Was A Joke": Desmond Tan On His Surprise Best Actor Win

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In the lead-up to Star Awards 2026, many had already pegged actor Chen Hanwei as the frontrunner for Best Actor. He holds the record for the most wins in the category, and his latest performance as a terminally ill cancer patient had been widely praised.

But lo and behold, it is fellow actor Desmond Tan who clinched the Best Actor trophy this year, winning for his role-playing identical twin brothers with different personalities in Devil Behind The Gate.

And yes, even he was not expecting it.

Speaking to 8days.sg after his win, Desmond admits he was overcome by a wave of different emotions when he heard Hong Kong actor Julian Cheung call his name.

“I was confused initially, and then my mind went blank. I thought it was a joke, and something I couldn’t comprehend there and then. I had to fight to get back my composure,” he says.

This marks Desmond’s second Best Actor win, his first being in 2018 for When Duty Calls. Earlier that night, he had also picked up his 10th Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes trophy, and the BYD Favourite Male Character Award.

“To be nominated alongside my shifu (Hanwei), I think, it’s already a treat for any actor. He honestly is like the final boss in a game,” he says.

“To go all the way to the last stage alongside him is already a huge accomplishment for me,” he added.

In fact, Desmond had already braced himself for a different outcome. He reveals he had watched trailers of Hanwei’s performance in The Gift of Time, where the latter plays a terminally ill cancer patient.

“It is not easy to portray someone in such a sick state, so I felt like he had a really high chance of winning,” he says.

During his acceptance speech, he dedicated his Best Actor win to his two-year-old daughter, later telling us that she gave him strength, affirming his passion for acting.

In 2018, he had dedicated his first win to his wife, whom he married in 2021. They welcomed a second child last September

“I remember reading my script for Devil Behind The Gate when I was carrying my daughter as a newborn. My wife took a photo of me when I was carrying my daughter, reading the script while sitting in the armchair. I really enjoy being a dad, and that was a very interesting book life balance,” he shares.

As for how he plans to explain his Best Actor win to his daughter when she grows older, Desmond keeps it simple.

 “As long as you chase your dream, if you believe in yourself, mix with people who share the passion, you surround yourself with political people one day, you're achieve your goal, somehow. Soon or later, we will all in in a certain way,” he says.

Photos: Mediacorp

Catch Desmond's Best Actor win on mewatch or in the video below: