SA2025 Best Actress Jessica Hsuan Doesn’t Think She Had An Edge Over Local Nominees Because She Flew In From HK & Is More Accomplished

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On Sunday (Jul 6), 54-year-old Hong Kong actress Jessica Hsuan made history as the first overseas star to win an acting award at the Star Awards. She clinched it with her role as a heartbroken mother obsessed with finding her daughter's killer in Kill Sera Sera.

This surely calls for a celebration, right?

When 8days.sg caught up with the actress after her win, she reveals that she is not allowed to feast just yet.

"I can't eat too much 'cos I have a photoshoot a few days later. I had some pandan cake just now. My friends sent it to me so I was eating it backstage," says Jessica..

There isn't anything in particular she wants to eat, adding that she and her team would probably just "order something to eat in the hotel room rather than go out".

Though she's here for the awards, she's also excited to meet some of her former co-stars. Local actor Tay Ping Hui, is one of them. They starred opposite each other in 2011 Mediacorp drama Bountiful Blessings and he sat next to her during the awards ceremony. 

"The last time I saw Ping Hui, we both happened to be working in Malaysia. Today, it was about seeing everyone from [the Kill Sera Sera] team as well as a friend from Bountiful Blessings," she says.

She was also happy to catch up with Bryan Wong. "We did [2003 period drama] Eternity: A Chinese Ghost Story together 20-plus years ago and I haven't seen him since so it was really nice seeing him," she adds.

Was it planned to have Jessica sit next to Ping Hui?

"I don't know! I asked him: 'Was it intentional? Did you ask to sit next to me?' He said: 'No!' They probably put us together 'cos they know we're good friends."

So did Jessica think she would win?

"I saw [guest presenter] Lau Ching Wan and thought: 'He's from Hong Kong, could it be [me]?'," she says. "Everyone who was nominated, they are all good. So it didn't really matter to me who won. But of course winning is a happy feeling. You get very excited."

Receiving the award from Ching Wan also made it extra special, even though she has never worked with him before.

"He's a wonderful actor. To me, he's the best in Hong Kong. He's very very good," she effuses.

Did Jessica think she had an edge over the local nominees given that she flew in from Hong Kong and is also more experienced and critically acclaimed?

She was up against Chantalle Ng (Hope Afloat), who also played her daughter in Kill Sera Sera, Felicia Chin (I Do, Do I?), Hong Ling (Unforgivable) and Jesseca Liu (Unforgivable).

"No, no, no, no, acting is not about who's in the business longer. It's all a matter of luck. Sometimes it's got to do with the drama. I don't really read too much into the whole thing," she says.