Zoe Tay

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Zoe Tay 郑惠玉
Birth name	Tay Hui Gek
Born	January 10, 1968 (age 39) Singapore
Official site	www.zoetay.org
Notable roles	BoBo in Pretty Faces

Zoe Tay Hui Gek (Simplified Chinese: 郑惠玉; pinyin: Zhèng Huìyù; born 10 January 1968) is a Singaporean actress in MediaCorp and previously a model. She is known as the Queen (Ah jie) of Caldecott Hill.^[1] She is also known as the Thousand-Faced Lady. ^[2]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Acting 3 Film debut 4 Recent years 5 Notes 6 Publications 7 Discography 7.1 Albums 8 Filmography 8.1 Television programmes 8.2 Films 8.3 Television films 9 Awards and nominations 10 External links

Early life

Zoe Tay was born to farming parents, their second-youngest child. During her childhood, her family lived in Lim Chu Kang. She entered the now defunct Kay Hua Primary School and later Yuan Ching Secondary School for her secondary education. A tomboy in her youth, she enjoyed football, climbing trees, and bicycle racing. ^[3]

Tay became a model at the age of sixteen, much to her father's disapproval.^{[citation needed]} She was first groomed at IMP International and David Gan in 1986. During her modeling stint, she became the 1987 Model of the Year. In 1988 she joined the bi-annual talent Star Search organised by what was then called Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (now MediaCorp).

Acting

Tay did not enjoy acting in the early part of her career, desiring become a production assistant instead.^[4] She didn't take that route, however, After an acting coach assured her that she would become an outstanding actress if she was willing to persevere, she decided remain an actress.^{[citation needed]}

In 1991, Tay began to enjoy acting. She was given a role in Crime and Passion as a simple village girl who was torn between two men. It was through this role that she found herself appreciating the life of an actress. Her first television serial was My Fair Ladies, broadcast in 1988, in which she appeared with other winners from Star Search, Jazreel Low and Aileen Tan.

Tay played many characters in several period and contemporary dramas. In 1990, she became the first local star to be featured in Lux commercials. After being the Lux girl, further product endorsements came to her, making her a favorite star in Singapore's entertainment industry.

Her breakthrough came in 1991 when she was cast as a materialistic and malicious woman in the television series Pretty Faces. She set a record when over a million viewers tuning in for the episode where her character, Bobo, was raped. The role won her many accolades and critical compliments. It was nominated as one of the most memorable roles in the Star Awards in 2003.

In 1993 Tay performed with Li Nan Xing in The Unbeatables, a serial that focused on gambling. The chemistry between them resulted in the series hitting the top of the viewers ratings. Even as of now, the duo are still deemed one of the most compatible pairs of on-screen lovers. At her peak, there was widespread agreement in the media industry that putting Zoe Tay's picture on the cover would revive the plummeting sales of any magazine. ^[5]

Tay has maintained a consistent placement among the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes in the annual Star Awards, an award ceremony for TV personalities, since its inception in 1994. She also clinched the Best Actress Award in Star Awards 1996 for her performance in Golden Pillow. Her portrayal of a modern career woman in Home Affairs also earned her a nomination for Best Leading Actress at the Asian Television Awards 2000.

Zoe Tay was also the first local female artist to launch a coffee table book, Zoe's Pictorial, in 1995, which portrayed her in a variety of poses, including sexy, demurely alluring, or glamorous and stylish. That was followed by the release of her solo album a year later.

Film debut

In 1999, Tay started to venture out into films. Her first role, in the film Liang Po Po directed by Jack Neo, was to star as herself. 2001 was a memorable year for her, as she was given the main lead actress role in the film The Tree, in which she portrayed a mother suspected of murdering her husband. Other actors who starred in this film are the Golden Horse Best Actor Francis Ng and local actress Phyllis Quek.

Tay has contributed to charity organizations by performing in a large number of charity fund-raisingbenefits.

Tay was voted in the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artists for the tenth consecutive year in 2004. She, along with Li Nan Xing and Chew Chor Meng, was also given a special award, All Time Favorite. She is the first actress to receive this award.

Recent years

Zoe Tay gave birth to her first baby, a boy named Brayden, on 24 February 2005 at Thomson Medical Centre. During her pregnancy, Tay shifted her career focus from acting in films and serials, and hosted sevaral educational programs aimed at pregnant women.

In early December 2005, she had her first situation-comedy role since her pregnancy, Lady of Leisure, opposite Singaporean actor, Edmund Chen. In this serial (broadcast on 29th April 2006), she portrayed a fashionable and modern woman who was once a magazine editor.

Notes

1. ^ "Celeb Bios", MediaCorp Studios, n.d.. Retrieved on January 21, 2007.
2. ^ "Set/9344/story.html Zoe's Story", MediaCorp Studios, 7 January 2000. Retrieved on January 21, 2007. She is married to pilot Philip Chionh and has a son, Brayden.
3. ^ "TelevisionCity/Set/9344/story.html Zoe's Story", MediaCorp Studios, 7 January 2000. Retrieved on January 21, 2007.
4. ^ "html Zoe's Story", MediaCorp Studios, 7 January 2000. Retrieved on January 21, 2007.
5. ^ "TelevisionCity/Set/9344/story.html Zoe's Story", MediaCorp Studios, 7 January 2000. Retrieved on January 21, 2007.

Publications

• 1995 : Zoe's Pictorial (Being the first actress to launch a coffee table book)
• 2004 : "A Toast to Life" (Exclusive 2005 calendar that was in production during her pregnancy)

Discography

Albums

• 1996: 10th Anniversary Zoe Tay (E.P.) (十分…郑惠玉)
• 1998: Thank You 十分。。。感谢）

Filmography

Television programmes

• 1988: My Fair Ladies Fu Guihua (窈窕淑女)
• 1988: Strange Encounters II (奇缘之怨偶天成)
• 1989: Patrol (铁警雄风)
• 1989: A Mother's Love Yi Ning (亲心唤我心)
• 1989: Finishing Line Ye Bei (出人头地)
• 1990: Navy Series (壮志豪情)
• 1990: Friends Next Door (我爱芳邻)
• 1991: Crime and Passion (执法先锋)
• 1991: The Last Swordsman Hongxiu (最后一个大侠)
• 1991: Pretty Faces BoBo (三面夏娃)
• 1992: Ladies In Action Ni Jie (霹雳红唇)
• 1992: Terms of Endearment (戏剧人生)
• 1993: Ride The Waves (卿本佳人)
• 1993: Angel of Vengeance Yanling (暴雨狂花)
• 1993: The Unbeatables Long Jia Jia/Luo Qi Fang (双天至尊)
• 1993: Happy Foes (欢喜冤家)
• 1994: Thunder Plot Le Shan (惊天大阴谋)
• 1994: Truly Yours Qi Meihua (聪明糊涂心)
• 1994: Shadows In the Dark (一号凶宅)
• 1995: The Teochew Family Cai Mei Na (潮州家族)
• 1995: Golden Pillow Zhou Xiaodan (金枕头)
• 1995: Women From Shun Tak (妈姐情缘)
• 1996: The Unbeatables II Luo Qi Fang (双天至尊II)
• 1996: Love in A Foreign City Yu Shu Ting (富贵双城)
• 1997: My Wife, Your Wife, Their Wives (101老婆之老婆柠檬茶)
• 1997: Rising Expectations Yu-Mei (长河)
• 1998: Return of the Condor Heroes Lu Er-Niang (神雕侠侣)
• 1998: The Legend of Wisely Bai Su (卫斯理传奇)
• 1999: Lost Soul "Yu Ying"(另类佳人)
• 1999: The Millennium Bug Huang Si Jie (千年虫)
• 2000: My Home Affairs Zhang Xiao Tong (家事)
• 2000: The Strategem Ye Kai Shuang (世纪攻略)
• 2001: The Hotel Biyu (大酒店)
• 2002: Katong Miss Oh Miss Oh (加东Miss Oh)
• 2002: The Unbeatables III Luo Qi Fang (双天至尊III)
• 2003: Baby Boom Kim (我家四个宝)
• 2003: Phua Chu Kang Ting Ting <Guest Appearance>
• 2004: Man At 40! Jian Jie (跑吧!男人)
• 2004: My Mighty In-Laws Yao Mei Mei (我的野蛮亲家)
• 2006: The Perfect Wife Yue Liang (闲妻靓母)
• 2006: A Million Treasures Bai Xing Xing (百万宝)

Films

• 1999: Liang Po Po Zoe Tay <Guest Appearance> (梁婆婆重出江湖)
• 2001: The Tree Guo Mei Feng (孩子树)

Television films

• 1994: Love Dowry Min(爱情定金)
• 1995: Love Knows No Bounds Xiu Hui (甜甜屋)
• 1995: Pointed Triangle Shi Jia(杀之恋)
• 1997: The Scoop Joey (迷情专访)

Awards and nominations

• 1987: Model of the Year
• 1988: Star Search Champion
• 1992: Friday Weekly Year Most Popular Artiste (TV Group) Champion
• 1993: Star Awards Top 5 Most Popular Female Artistes
• 1994: Star Awards Top 5 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Star Awards Most Popular Actress
  • Friday Weekly Most Popular Artiste (TV Group) Champion
• 1995: Star Awards Top 5 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Star Awards Most Popular Actress
• 1996: Star Awards Top 5 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Star Awards Best Actress
  • Friday Weekly Most Popular Artiste (TV Group) Champion
• 1997: Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Lime Magazine Favourite Local Actress
  • The New Paper Babe of the Year
• 1998: Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Star Awards Special Achievement Award Winner
  • The New Paper Babe of the Year
• 1999: Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • The New Paper Babe of the Year
• 2000: Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Nominated for Asian TV Awards Best Actress
  • The New Paper Babe of the Year
• 2001: Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Star Awards Malaysia Most Popular Actress
• 2002: Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Star Awards Most Popular Female Artistes (Malaysia)
• 2003: Lian He Zao Bao Favourite Asian Idol 2003
  • Star Awards Most Popular Female Artistes (Malaysia)
  • Star Awards Most Popular TV Partners
  • Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes
  • Lime Magazine Favourite Local Actress
• 2004: Star Awards All-Time Favourite Artiste Award (First Female Artiste to receive this award)
• 2005: The New Paper Turn-off of the Year
  • The New Paper Booby of the Year
• 2006: The New Paper Si Bui Suey of the Year

External links

• Celebs Biography for Singapore Artistes
• Fanfare
• MediaCorp's English Forum
• Singapore's Media Station
• Zoe Tay Online