Zoe Tay
| Zoe Tay | |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 鄭惠玉 (traditional) |
| Chinese name | 郑惠玉 (simplified) |
| Birth name | Tay Hui Gek |
| Born |
10 January 1968 Singapore |
| Other name(s) |
Queen of Caldecott Hill Ah Jie （阿姐） |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse(s) | Philip Chionh (m. 2001) |
| Children | 3 |
Zoe Tay (born 10 January 1968) is a former model and a Singaporean actress contracted under Mediacorp. She is regarded as the indisputable Queen of Caldecott Hill, often referred to by the media as "Ah Jie (阿姐)", or "big sister".
Tay is fluent in Mandarin, Teochew and Cantonese.
In 2014, a wax figurine was modelled after her by Madame Tussauds Museum, Singapore, and is currently on display in the museum.
Early life
Tay is the sixth of seven children born to Teochew parents. Her father worked at a pig farm in Lim Chu Kang while her mother was a housewife. Tay attended the now-defunct Kay Hua Primary School and later, Yuan Ching Secondary School, where she completed her O-level examinations. She studied design at the Baharuddin Vocational Institute.
Career
Tay started out as a model at the age of sixteen, being groomed by IMP International and stylist David Gan. In 1987, she was named Model of The Year. After Tay was crowned champion of the inaugural Star Search in 1988, she was offered a 3-year contract with the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), now known as Mediacorp. While Tay had initially disliked acting, she began feeling passionate for her craft after her role in Crime and Passion in 1991. Her breakthrough performance as a materialistic young woman in Pretty Faces catapulted her into stardom. Her popularity was affirmed with a Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste Award at the Star Awards every year for ten consecutive years since its inception in 1994. In 2004, she was the first actress to have been awarded the prestigious All-Time Favourite Artiste Award. Tay also won the Best Actress award for her role in The Golden Pillow.
Other than television dramas, Tay also forayed into films. In 2010, she starred opposite Hong Kong actor Kenny Ho in Love Cuts, playing the role of a terminally ill woman who has breast cancer. In 2013, she appeared in her first fully English-speaking role in Mister John with Irish star Aidan Gillen.
Tay has collaborated with many artistes in her various projects. Her on-screen chemistry with Li Nanxing in The Unbeatables and other serials has put them in the list of the Top 5 Best Onscreen Couples at the Star Awards 25th Drama Anniversary show. In 2015, she collaborated for the first time with her good friend and fellow veteran actress, Huang Biren, in The Dream Makers II.
Personal life
Tay is married to Philip Chionh, an RSAF pilot.[1] They were engaged in 1995 and held their wedding ceremony in 2001. They have 3 sons together: Brayden, Ashton and Nathan.
Filmography
Television
1988
- 窈窕淑女 My Fair Ladies
- 奇缘之怨偶天成 Strange Encounters II
1989
- 铁警雄风 Patrol
- 亲心唤我心 A Mother's Love
1990
- 出人头地 Finishing Line
- 壮志豪情 Navy
1991
- 最后一个大侠 The Last Swordsman
- 三面夏娃 Pretty Faces
1992
- 霹雳红唇 Ladies In Action
- 执法先锋 Crime and Passion
- 戏剧人生 Terms of Endearment
1993
- 暴雨狂花 Angel of Vengeance
- 卿本佳人 Ride The Waves
- 双天至尊 The Unbeatables
- 欢喜冤家 Happy Foes
1994
- 惊天大阴谋 Thunder Plot
- 爱情定金(电视电影) Love Dowry
- 聪明糊涂心 Truly Yours
- 一号凶宅 Shadow In the Dark
1995
- 潮洲家族 Teochew Family
- 甜甜屋(电视电影) Love Knows No Bounds
- 金枕头 Golden Pillow
- 杀之恋 (电视电影) Pointed Triangle
1996
- 妈姐情缘 A Different Life
- 双天至尊II The Unbeatables II
1997
- 101老婆之老婆柠檬茶 My Wife, Your Wife, Their Wives
- 富贵双城 Love in A Foreign City
- 长河 Rising Expectations
- 迷情专访(电视电影) The Scoop
1998
- 神雕侠侣 Return of the Condor Heroes
- 卫斯理传奇 The New Adventures Of Wisely
1999
- 另类佳人 Lost Soul
- 千年虫 The Millennium Bug
2000
- 家事 My Home Affairs
2001
- 世纪攻略 The Stratagem
- 大酒店 The Hotel
2002
- 加东Miss Oh Katong Miss Oh
- 双天至尊III The Unbeatables III
2003
- PCK Pte Ltd V 鬼马家族V
- 我家四个宝 Baby Boom
2004
- 跑吧男人 Man at 40
- 野蛮亲家 My Mighty In Laws
2006
- 闲妻靓母 Lady of Leisure
- 百万宝 A Million Treasures
2008
- 绝对佳人 La Femme
- 不凡的爱 By My Side
2009
- 双子星 The Ultimatum
2010
- 以爱为名 (电视电影) In the Name of Love
2011
- 阿娣 Devotion
2012
- 双星报喜Double Bonus
2013
- 玩味爱情(电视电影) Love & Other Bad Habits (telemovie)
- 志在四方 The Dream Makers
- 回味 (电视电影) Recipe (telemovie)
2015
- 你也可以是天使 You Can Be An Angel Too
- 志在四方II The Dream Makers II
2016
- 你也可以是天使ll You Can Be An Angel ll
Hosting
2001
- 真心真意郑惠玉
- 真心真意携手同行－柬埔寨之旅 With Heart And Soul - Cambodia Trip
2002
- 奇趣搜搜搜－印度之旅 Travel Hunt - India
- 歌舞欢腾迎新喜2002 Lunar New Year All Stars Variety 2002
- 一切由慎开始 Health Matters
- 真心真意蒙古之行 Journey Across Mongolia 2003
- 一切由慎开始II Health Matters II
- 惠眼看世界 Wonders of the World
- 真心真意莱索托之行 Journey Across Lesotho
2004
- 我爱我家之真情实录 Chronicles of Life
- 惠眼看世界II Wonders of the World II
- 阿姐有喜了 Zoe's Mommy Tips
2005
- 阿姐有个宝 Zoe's Treasure Trove
2013
- Ladies Nite 女人聚乐部
Film
1999
- 梁婆婆重出江湖(友情客串) Liang Po Po The Movie (special appearance)
2001
- 孩子.树 The Tree
2010
- 割爱 Love Cuts
2013
- Mister John
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Star Search 1988, Winner | N/A | Won |
| 1994 | Star Awards 1994, Top 5 Most Popular Actresses | N/A | Won |
| 1995 | Star Awards 1995, Best Actress | Love Dowry | Nominated |
| 1995 | Star Awards 1995, Top 5 Most Popular Actresses | N/A | Won |
| 1996 | Star Awards 1996, Best Actress | The Golden Pillow | Won |
| 1996 | Star Awards 1996, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 1997 | Star Awards 1997, Best Actress | A Different Life | Nominated |
| 1997 | Star Awards 1997, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 1998 | Star Awards 1998, Special Achievement Award | N/A | Won |
| 1998 | Star Awards 1998, Best Actress | The New Adventures of Wisely | Nominated |
| 1998 | Star Awards 1998, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 1999 | Star Awards 1999, Best Actress | Lost Souls | Nominated |
| 1999 | Star Awards 1999, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 2000 | Star Awards 2000, Best Actress | My Home Affairs | Nominated |
| 2000 | Star Awards 2000, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 2000 | Asian Television Awards 2000, Best Actress | My Home Affairs | Nominated |
| 2001 | Star Awards 2001, Best Actress | The Strategem | Nominated |
| 2001 | Star Awards 2001, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 2002 | Star Awards 2002, Best Comedy Performer | Katong Miss Oh | Nominated |
| 2002 | Star Awards 2002, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 2003 | Star Awards 2003, Best Actress | Baby Boom | Nominated |
| 2003 | Star Awards 2003, Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes | N/A | Won |
| 2004 | Star Awards 2004, All Time Favourite Artiste Award | N/A | Won |
| 2007 | Star Awards 25th Anniversary Show, My Favourite Actress | N/A | Nominated |
| 2007 | Star Awards 25th Anniversary Show, Screen Sweetheart | N/A | Won |
| 2009 | Asian Television Awards 2009, Best Actress | The Ultimatum | Nominated |
| 2012 | Star Awards 2012, Best Actress | Devotion | Nominated |
| 2014 | Star Awards 2014, Favourite Female Character | The Dream Makers | Nominated |
| 2015 | PPCTV Awards 2015, All Time Favourite Artiste Award | N/A | Won |
| 2016 | Star Awards 2016, Best Actress | The Dream Makers II | Nominated |
| 2016 | Star Awards 2016, Toggle Celebrity BFF Award | with Chen Hanwei | Nominated |