For our Father's Day issue this year, we photographed soon-to-be father-of-two Shaun Chen and his 17-month-old daughter Nellie at Oakwood Studios Singapore, an ultra-hip serviced apartment located just off Orchard Road. And here are the photos from our daddy day out with the Ch 8 actor and his Energizer bunny of a kid. Photos: Aik ChenStyling: Jerome AwasthiArt Direction: Pyron Tan
1of7
Wave heart
Believe it or not, Nellie is a total pro in front of the camera - she smiles whenever Shaun and Celine tell her to, which apparently is a talent she has had since she was a baby. So what would Shaun say if Nellie wants to follow in his footsteps and give showbiz a shot in the future? "I won’t object if she wants to do that ’cos you know you can’t control kids these days. They’ll do what they want," he says. "So all we can do is to support them and just hope they can contribute to society and do something that is meaningful. But if she really wants to go into showbiz, I’ll tell her it’s going to be a hard path to walk and I’ll relate to her all the worst case scenarios. And if she still insists on it, so be it."
2of7
Wife lessons
Shaun's wife. Celine, seems a tad wary of us when we talk to her, but that could be due to shyness from meeting the media for the first time. The former beautician-turned-full-time-mum, who at the time of the shoot was seven months pregnant with their second kid ("80 per cent chance it's a girl," she tells us), also declines to take a family photo. “She doesn’t want to because she’s not ready,” Shaun says. But after much coercing from the crew, she finally relents, not before asking Shaun to switch sides. “She can only show her right profile,” laughs Shaun.
3of7
Having a balloon of a time
If Celine seems cautious of us, little Nellie, on the other hand, seems to be throwing all caution to the wind. “She's not afraid of strangers. It would be good if she was a little scared because now, everyone can [be friends with her],” laughs Celine, as Nellie beckons us, a complete stranger, to hand her one of the balloons we’ve filled the room with. “She likes to be around people and she gets more cooperative when there are more people around,” says Shaun about his daughter, who he jokingly calls his ‘xiao san’, or ‘mistress’ in Mandarin. When we ask him if he has loved anyone more than his daughter, he laughs, “You can say that… But you know lah, if my wife hears that, she won’t be happy.”
4of7
Lip service
If you ever get the chance to attend one of Nellie's birthday parties and you're scratching your head wondering what gift to get her, just stop. "Since she turned one, we’ve been telling people that we only accept cash and not presents for her birthday (laughs)," says Shaun. "We have too many toys at home now and she just plays with them for a short while only."
5of7
Reading time
In case you're wondering what's Shaun's stance on keeping a kid occupied with an iPad, here goes: "It’s good for when you are feeding her. Well, at least for me lah (laughs). It’s not something we want to do but let’s say we are out for meals and she starts throwing tantrums… that’s when the iPad works. But I don’t encourage letting her watch it all the time. I don’t want it to get to a point when she gets home and she needs to have her iPad immediately." So can he entertain her without resorting to the iPad? "I can," he beams. "I’m good at reading stories. I’ll act it out, you know, with a lot of pattern and she’ll laugh at me (laughs). But sometimes when I read her bedtime stories, she gets more awake so it’s better if I don’t.
6of7
Daddy's girl
There's no doubt that Shaun and Nellie are as close as two coats of paint so we couldn't help but wonder if he and Celine have a competition to see who gets the bulk of their daughter's affection. "Not really but Celine gets jealous when she sees how close I am to Nellie, especially when I hug or kiss her," smiles Shaun. "[My wife] will say, “Eeyer, now you only kiss [your daughter] lah. Never kiss me lor.” Standard lah (laughs). So occasionally must kiss your wife also (laughs)."
7of7
Right back at ya
I’m actually afraid of spoiling her," says Shaun when we ask if he's guilty of pampering Nellie too much. "I don’t want to give her too good a life. An okay life is good enough. I don’t have to buy the best bed for her to sleep on or the best clothes to wear. The same for food too. Only this way will she know that she’s actually from a very average family and that she will understand the meaning of being content. Hopefully, this way, she will fight for what she wants in the future."
I consent to the use of my personal data by Mediacorp and the Mediacorp group of companies (collectively “Mediacorp”) to send me notices, information, promotions and updates including marketing and advertising materials in relation to Mediacorp’s goods and services and those of third party organisations selected by Mediacorp, and for research and analysis, including surveys and polls.
Here's the tea on making better bubble tea choices: Limit milk, sugar and toppings = authentic tea flavours ✨ Who knew healthier choices could taste this good?🧋#healthy #lesssweet #bubbletea #eachacup #lowsugaroptions #lowsugar #lowerinsugar #8dayseat
At his heaviest, Ray, the owner of vegan restaurant iVegan, weighed 95kg and struggled with health issues. Through mindful eating, he achieved a healthy weight of 70kg. Now, Ray is passionate about sharing delicious healthier food with others. He believes in showcasing the natural flavours of the ingredients and does this by using lower-sodium salt, sauces and seasonings. Learn more about Ray's journey to healthier eating! #LessSaltMoreTaste #hpbsg #8dayeat #ivegan #healthyfood #vegan #eathealthy #lowersodium #vegetarian
Karen Pan is the 2nd-gen owner of Goldleaf Restaurant, which was such a beloved supper spot that even superstars like Teresa Teng dropped by for the Taiwanese-style sweet potato porridge served with comfort dishes like braised pork and steamed fish! #8days #goldleaf #buffet #Taiwaneseporridge #restaurant #porridge#geylang #localfood #sgfoodie
This couple running Twenty6 Gusto House proves that it doesn't take a lot of salt and sauces to create tasty and flavourful western cuisine! Consuming too much salt can lead to health risks such as high blood pressure and heart disease. To help their customers manage their sodium intake, the couple switched to lower-sodium salt, and use herbs and spices instead to bring out the natural flavours and freshness of their dishes. #LessSaltMoreTaste #hpbsg #8dayseat #eatclean
This couple running Twenty6 Gusto House proves that it doesn't take a lot of salt and sauces to create tasty and flavourful western cuisine! Consuming too much salt can lead to health risks such as high blood pressure and heart disease. To help their customers manage their sodium intake, the couple switched to lower-sodium salt, and use herbs and spices instead to bring out the natural flavours and freshness of their dishes. #LessSaltMoreTaste #hpbsg #8dayseat #eatclean
This Michelin-listed stall uses lower-sodium salt and sauces for their crowd-favourite dishes such as Hainanese Chicken Rice and Curry Chicken Noodles! Instead of relying only on salt, hawkers Betty Lek and Tony achieve bold, complex flavours by using spices and natural ingredients like blue ginger and lemongrass. According to 75 year-old Betty, eating healthier helps you look younger! ❤️ #LessSaltMoreTaste #hpbsg #8dayseat #eatlight #Michelinguide #currychickennoodle #hainanesechickenrice
The old-school Goldleaf Restaurant offers a value-for-money $29.90 buffet, where you can load up on Taiwanese-style porridge paired with steamed sea bass, kam heong flower clams, prawns and the restaurant’s signature super fluffy chye poh omelette! #8days #goldleaf #buffet #Taiwaneseporridge #restaurant #porridge#geylang #localfood #sgfoodie
With 25 outlets islandwide, Providence Cafe is putting its significant presence to good use. The chain, which serves sandwiches, pastries and beverages, hires elderly staff to man the shops as the company believes in giving employment opportunities to senior citizens! #8days #providencecafeandbakery #Socialenterprise #affordable #sgfood #cafe #sgcafe#sgfoodie
Prices for pastries are as low as $2.30 at heartland Providence Cafe for a good reason - so that more people can afford to treat themselves! #8days #providencecafeandbakery #Socialenterprise #affordable #sgfood #cafe #sgcafe#sgfoodie
Some say this nasi ayam goreng stall has the rudest service, but who cares if if the food is so darn good right?! 🤪 #8dayseat #filescafe #nasiayamgoreng #rude #rudistservice #sedap #muslimfood #sgfoodie #sgfood
We sent Chen Ning to Yi Xin Yong Tau Foo at Woodlands Close to take on the stall’s challenge — finish a bowl of YTF in 90 secs and get a $48 ang pow! Can she do it?! 🫣 #8days #yixinyongtaufu #ytf #woodlands #localfood #sgfoodie #sgfood #handmade #90secchallenge #tomyum #laksa
The weather is SO HOT now! 🥵 If you’re looking for drinks to help cool down, here are some tips on how to choose healthier lower-sugar options that are tasty! #LessSaltMoreTaste #hpbsg #8dayseat #healthydrinks #herbal #lowsugar #lesssweat
You May Also Like
Content is loading...
This browser is no longer supported
We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with 8 Days to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.