Huang Biren Will Win Best Actress (Again), Richie Koh Will Win Best Actor & Our Other Predictions For Star Awards 2023

Star Awards 2023 is happening tomorrow and so the time has come for us once again to predict who will be the big winners of the night.

If you haven’t heard, Your World In Mine was named Best Drama Serial at the Star Awards 2023 Gala Dinner last week. And the win begs the question: Will the cast of the drama have equally fruitful returns?

The predictions of our anonymous industry experts are in, and while they are unanimous on who should walk away with the coveted Best Actor trophy, there is no clear frontrunner on who will take home the other acting awards. 

Scroll down to find out if your predictions align with ours and those of our industry experts, and don’t forget to catch Star Awards live on April 9 to find out if we're spot on with our guesses.

Best Actor

Ayden Sng - The Unbreakable Bond

Brandon Wong - Leave No Soul Behind 

Desmond Ng - Your World In Mine

Qi Yuwu - Dark Angel

Richie Koh - Your World In Mine

INDUSTRY WATCHER: “Have you seen Richie Koh in Your World In Mine? His acting as Zheng Tian Cai was convincing and moving, and he deserves the award.”

INDUSTRY INSIDER: “I think the top drama this year is Your World In Mine and the whole cast did very well. Although Richie is young, he did a really good job. It is very hard to find a good balance playing someone with intellectual disabilities 'cos you can ‘overact’ or ‘underact’ but he did it very well, and made Tian Cai very lovable."

To be honest, if Dark Angel was released the year before, I think Qi Yuwu would have walked away with the trophy. But this year, Best Actor will be Richie.”

MEDIACORP ACTOR: “I hope Richie will bring home this award. Tian Cai is a slow-witted character, and it takes a lot of work on Richie's end to play him naturally. The performance didn't seem forced and it's evident given the response from audiences. 

Of course, if he does win, it might open up a path and more possibilities for younger artistes to clinch the award in the future.”

8DAYS' PICK! This category hasn't been kind to younger actors and only 11 leading men have won this award since its inception in 1995 — yes, that's 28 years ago. But there were few performances as talked about this past year as Richie Koh's in Your World In Mine and we think it's time they induct a new a member into this old boys club. 

Best Actress

Hong Ling - Your World In Mine

Huang Biren - Your World In Mine

Jesseca Liu - Soul Detective 

Rebecca Lim - Soul Doctor

Zoe Tay - Dark Angel

INDUSTRY WATCHER: “My vote is for Jesseca Liu. I think she deserves recognition for having to put up with her husband Jeremy Chan acting as a child on and off-screen! Her emotional scenes were touching, and her antics while possessed were hilarious! “

INDUSTRY INSIDER: “Huang Biren did a very good job. I think she did an even better job in Your World In Mine than in Recipe of Life, which she won Best Actress for last year. 

Although Hong Ling also did very well, I think Biren’s character provided more opportunities for her to express herself, so I think she will win.”

MEDIACORP ACTOR: “In my opinion, it's a tough battle between Huang Biren and Rebecca Lim. Hands down, Huang Biren displayed great acting skills, and conveyed so much emotion just with her eyes. Personally, I was touched and even cried during several scenes because of the way she portrayed the hardships of a mum with a kid with disabilities.

Rebecca, on the other hand, showed us her range by taking on multiple personalities of the different spirits that possessed her character's body."

8DAYS' PICK! Huang Biren's tour de force performance in Your World in Mine is simply unrivalled this year and the award is hers for the taking... again. It's HBR's world and we're just living in it.

Best Supporting Actor

Andie Chen - Sisters Stand Tall

Brandon Wong - Dark Angel 

Chew Chor Meng - Dark Angel 

Darren Lim - Genie In A Cup

Zhu Houren - Your World In Mine

INDUSTRY WATCHER: “I hope Brandon Wong wins because it would make for a brilliant comeback story for such an experienced actor. A Top 10 award in 2022 and hopefully Best Supporting Actor in 2023.”

INDUSTRY INSIDER: “To be honest, no one really stood out so this is a difficult choice. But I think Chew Chor Meng was good in Dark Angel and you seldom see him as an antagonist. He played someone with a secret, and when you watch it you don’t know if he’s a good or bad person, which I believe is the point of the entire story. He didn’t give away too much, and he managed to portray the unpredictability of his character, so my vote is for him.”

MEDIACORP ACTOR: “I feel it would be Brandon Wong, who is exceptional in handling the emotions and tensions of a scene through minute expressions or gestures. It's about time he brings home an acting award.”

8DAYS' PICK! Zhu Houren's empathetic portrayal of a man caring for his dementia-stricken wife in Your World In Mine is one of those low-key performances that would get overlooked when compared to his flashier fellow nominees. But the veteran actor deserves to be recognised for bringing a grounding presence to all that drama.

Best Supporting Actress 

Aileen Tan - Dark Angel

Cynthia Koh - Leave No Soul Behind

Kym Ng - When Duty Calls S2

Lina Ng - Your World In Mine

Xiang Yun - Your World In Mine

INDUSTRY WATCHER: “Xiang Yun's portrayal of a schizophrenic mother with dementia was emotional, authentic and poignant. She managed to bring the character to life and I was really touched by her performance."

INDUSTRY INSIDER: “I think it will be Xiang Yun because it’s difficult to play someone who is mentally disabled and she was able to convey the very ‘blank look’ of someone with dementia in all the scenes. It was a very natural portrayal, and she didn’t seem like she was acting at all.”

MEDIACORP ACTOR: “Hands down Aileen Tan. An actress whom I look up to dearly, she never disappoints. I loved the way she showed the duality of her character — a law enforcer —  in Dark Angel.

8DAYS' PICK! Sure, Xiang Yun's scene-chewing turn in Your World In Mine is awards bait but no one can deny how unforgettable and heart-wrenching her performance was and we're sure the judging panel agrees too.

Best Programme Host (Entertainment & Infotainment) 

Bryan Wong - Old Taste Detective S3

Christopher Lee - Dishing with Chris Lee

Darren Lim - A Night Under The Stars 

Dennis Chew - Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories @ Singapore Sightings

Quan Yifeng - Hear U Out S3

INDUSTRY WATCHER: “I think Quan Yifeng will win. Yes, again... No one else can unlock the secrets, inner thoughts and inner moments of our stars quite like our reigning Best Host."

INDUSTRY INSIDER: “My vote is for Dennis Chew. It’s very difficult to film a series like this, and right from the first episode he already encountered all the eerie stuff. It takes quite a bit of sacrifice to do something like that. 

I also quite liked Christopher Lee in [Dishing With Chris Lee]. His hosting was very natural… but then again was there any hosting or was he just being himself? Or was he doing it so well that you don’t feel like he’s hosting? 

MEDIACORP ACTOR: “Dennis Chew would be my pick. It didn't even feel like he was hosting a show. It felt like he was doing an IG Live, bringing his followers on a tour in search of spirits. This is what I feel a good host should be — to make the audience feel as though [he is] having a conversation with them.”

8DAYS' PICK! Christopher Lee's Dishing With Chris Lee was named Best Entertainment Programme last week at the Star Awards Gala Dinner and if that's not a vote of confidence for the show whose success laid solely on the charisma and genuine, unaffected charm of its host, we don't know what is.

You can head down to www.mediacorp.sg/starawards to vote for your favourite artistes. 

Catch the Backstage LIVE event of Star Awards 2023 from 3.30pm - 10.30pm on meWATCH or Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel on April 9 (Sunday).

The Walk Of Fame will be from 5pm - 6.30pm, on meWATCH, Ch 8, Ch U, and Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel on the same day.

It will be followed by the Star Awards 2023 Live Show from 7pm - 10pm on meWATCH, Ch 8, Ch U, and Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel.

The repeat telecast for the Walk of Fame and Award Ceremony will air on Ch 8 from 2pm - 6.30pm on April 16 (Sunday).