"I am so excited: that this is my first cover shoot," gushes Xixi, throwing her hands up in the air with exuberance. "It's such a huge milestone." She's been interviewed by several publications before, but this marks her first time in the title role. It's ironic really, because most of her roles on-screen tend to be typecast as a supporting character.
"[It's usually] the best friend of the female lead," she says with a slight weariness in her voice.
It is not something that Xixi regrets as she entered the industry with her eyes wide open when she was 18. As a plus-sized performer, the 35-year-old was aware that she was unlike most celebrities in Singapore. Still, Xixi was laser-focused on showcasing her talent in comedy: "Every show needed a comic relief, and I was that," she says. You might recognise her as the perennial best friend and/ or comic relief in shows and movies such as The Oath (2011), Girl Band Called Girl Band (2019), Upside Down (2018), and most recently, Jack Neo's Ah Girls Go Army (2022). She's also a Youtube regular, and stars in variety show The Outcasts launched a year ago.
But now, 17 years after entering the industry, Xixi is ready to try something new. "I'd love to be a villain," she says.
"It can be funny too!" She refers to the likes of Melissa McCarthy and Rebel Wilson in Hollywood, and how they are portrayed in a variety of roles and are able to explore a wide range of personas. However, her roadblock, she says thoughtfully, is that the production houses in Singapore are "conservative when it comes to exploring new stuff".
Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Dressing For Success
Today's workplace dress codes are more varied than ever, but as the lines blur, we're left wondering: Is dressing down impacting how we show up - and how confident we feel at work?
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This '80s skirt trend is popping up on our social media feeds and on the streets.
Is Social Media Really Necessary For Career Success?
Social media platforms are powerful job-hunting and networking tools, but if you don't use them for professional reasons or aren't comfortable posting online, don't worry - there are other ways to improve your career prospects.
PAYING IT FORWARD
When she noticed that women in developing countries were not getting the funding they deserved, Laina Raveendran Greene started Angels of Impact.
FIRING UP SINGAPORE'S INDIE CINEMA SCENE
Nothing makes Karen Tan, co-founder of The Projector, more happy and fulfilled than making a difference to a film-goer's experience. For her, that spells \"f-u-n\" and brings people together. In the third instalment of the \"HER WORLD, HER SPARK\" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Karen about her journey.
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ONG is intentional about building the next blocks of her career
Back For Good
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Beyond The 9-To-6
According to Her World's annual What Women Want survey, a staggering seven in 10 women in Singapore are willing to take a pay cut for a job that offers better perks and benefits, with a flexible work schedule being a top priority. Are employers here ready to accept flexible arrangements as part of our lexicon?
Leading Singapore's Sustainable Innovations
In this second instalment of the "HER WORLD, HER SPARK" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Oh Chu Xian, founder of deep tech start-up Magorium. Determined to make the construction sector a more sustainable one, she's revolutionising it with a new technology that turns plastic waste into sustainable building materials.