Back in 2006, David Gan, celebrity hairstylist and A-list
star confidante, daringly touted Felicia Chin as the Next
Big Thing. The self-proclaimed “mother” of Mediacorp’s
creme de la creme must now be puffing up with pride
as his latest muse ascends the ranks at Caldecott Hill.
The 24-year-old actress was only one of three of
Mediacorp’s “Seven Princesses” who made it into the
Top Ten Most Popular Female Artistes lineup at Star
Awards 2007. And she also snared the coveted Screen
Sweetheart accolade for this decade at the awards’ 25th
Anniversary Special.
So, what is it about Felicia that puts her ahead of the
rest of the pack? You get an inkling of what makes her so
special – and successful – when you meet her in person.
Dressed in a tunic top and ankle boots and wearing
light makeup, Felicia isn’t as much a head-turner as your
fresh-faced girl pal: that exuberant smile, that sparkle in
her eyes, that chummy demeanour – what’s not to like?
“You want a sweet?” she offers. Indeed, the current
media darling certainly knows her way around people’s
hearts – which is perhaps her winning formula.
Not just book smart
When you see how Felicia punctuates every other
sentence with peals of girly laughter, and fiddles with
her hair in-between questions, you can’t imagine the
affable starlet as a straight-A, triple-science student and
national softball player from top schools like Tanjong
Katong Girls’ School and Victoria Junior College.
Although she secured a place to read Arts and Social
Sciences at the National University of Singapore, Felicia
opted for a stab at stardom after winning the Star Search
competition in 2003.
Such a waste of a young girl’s smarts, some said,
but looking at how far she’s come – given all the young
artistes she’s up against – it’s clear Felicia knows a thing
or two about staying in the game.
And she’s not easily flummoxed by tough questions.
She puts her hand lightly on yours as she throws her
head back, chuckling, and hemming and hawing. When
you probe further, you sense that she is searching for the
right words.
