Star Awards 2026: Why Were All 5 Leads Of Mediacorp Drama I Believe I Can Fly Snubbed From Acting Noms?

The nominees for Star Awards 2026 were announced last Thursday (Feb 26), and as is often the case, several omissions have left netizens lamenting the lack of recognition for certain artistes.

Among those noticeably absent from the acting categories were the five leads of Mediacorp drama I Believe I Can Fly: Thomas Ong, Chen Hanwei, Yao Wenlong, Cavin Soh and Brandon Wong.

The drama, which revolves around the five "uncles" re-evaluating their purposes in life after the sudden death of a former classmate, received wide-praise from viewers, and was also ranked fourth in terms of viewership last year. 

The drama, which centres on five longtime friends and “uncles” re-evaluating their lives after the sudden death of a former classmate, was widely praised by viewers. It also ranked fourth in viewership last year.

Given its strong reception, many netizens are now asking: How did none of the five leads receive a single acting nomination for the show?

Hanwei, on the other hand, is nominated for  for his performance in

Hanwei, however, did secure a Best Actor nod for his performance in The Gift Of Time.

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, Wenlong shared that he is not particularly disheartened by the outcome.

“For veteran actors like us, having strong ratings and good word-of-mouth is already a great achievement. As for nominations, that depends on fate and the judges," he explained.

That said, Wenlong admitted he felt some disappointment, not for himself, but for his “four brothers”.

"Personally, I’m fine. I’ve never been nominated for Best Actor before, so there’s no such thing as being disappointed or not. I’ll just leave it to fate."

The seasoned actors also saw no need to comfort one another.

“We’ve done our best, so there’s no need to console each other,” Wenlong quipped. “Maybe we’ll tease one another instead.”

Brandon echoed similar sentiments, saying nominations are ultimately beyond their control. He added that the show’s strong ratings and positive reception already reflect the dedication of the production team, and he is grateful that audiences recognised their efforts.

He also expressed hope that Hanwei will clinch his eighth Best Actor trophy this year. “He has the ability to move the judges and earn their vote,” Brandon said.

As for Cavin, he simply thanked viewers for their support.

"Being appreciated and supported by viewers is already the greatest affirmation for the entire team. Congratulations to the show for its three other nominations too," he said.

Despite missing out on Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor nods, I Believe I Can Fly is still in the running for Best Supporting Actress (Cynthia Koh), Best Original Theme Song and Best Drama Serial.

Catch the Star Awards 2026 Backstage LIVE on April 19 (Sunday), streaming from 3.30pm to 10.30pm on mewatch and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel.

The Walk of Fame takes place from 5pm to 6.30pm, and will air on mewatch, Ch 8, Ch U, and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel.

This will be followed by the Star Awards 2026 Live Show from 7pm to 10pm, broadcast on mewatch, Ch 8, Ch U, and the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel.

Catch I Believe I Can Fly on mewatch or in the video below: