Monday, May 3, 2010

Felicia Chin goes from 'Princess' to business student



SINGAPORE : Change, as someone once said, is the only constant in life. And for Felicia Chin, that statement couldn't ring any truer.

During her thank-you speech at the recent Star Awards, Felicia mentioned that this year's edition could be her last. This, of course, led to media speculation about her future in MediaCorp. It was reported that the actress was going to further her studies, but she neither confirmed nor denied anything.

However, in our Labour Day interview with Felicia, the 25-year-old cleared up the air. "It's true that I'm going to study but it's also true that I'm not leaving the entertainment industry totally," she said.

Felicia said that although her announcement at the Star Awards was made on the spur of the moment, her intention to further her studies has been on the cards for over a year.

"I didn't say (what I said) on purpose. I guess onstage you have a lot of emotion ... And it was a mixture of emotions that made me say that. I didn't expect that kind of interest.

"I didn't plan to say anything because not all replies from the universities are back yet, so things aren't really confirmed. But news leaked out, so here I am."

Felicia said she has applied to do business studies with several universities both abroad and in Singapore and she expects term to start in the second half of the year.

"Why business? To be frank, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and business somehow attracted me," she explained. "It is a little interest of mine to start my own business next time. I just hope people still remember and support me when that day comes along!"

And she's not afraid of unwanted attention from her fellow students. "Actually, I think I'll welcome that, because I've been away from school for so long, I'll probably need their help!" she said laughing.

"I don't think I'm that affected by (such attention). And I don't expect that to happen every day. After a while, they'll all get back to their own lives and it'll be like, 'Oh Felicia, she's just another student in our school.'"

While Felicia admitted that returning to school would be a big change for her, she also said it would be an exciting new step. "It's not easy to leave a comfortable environment, but you have to take new challenges in your life," she said. "I joined Star Search when I was 18. I never planned to be a 'Princess' or the next 'Ah Jie'. I had no expectations and no acting experience. And slowly, I came to embrace it and like it," she said.

"I'm very thankful that the seven years in the company have given me a lot of opportunities and they really took care of me. I'm really grateful for that, and for all those who helped me along the way - even those who were critical of me. Everyone helped me to be a better person."

And, no, her decision to hit the books again wasn't affected by her other "Princess" cohorts Fiona Xie, Dawn Yeoh and Jesseca Liu flying the coop.

"It's time for me to do something new," she said. "I hope that people don't misunderstand. I still like acting and I'll still try to fit it into my studying schedule. Who knows what will happen in the future? I think change is not a bad thing. That's exciting, isn't it?"

Still, she vowed she would continue her passion for acting.

"I mean, I get to try a new environment, but at the same time I believe that I'll still have chances to pursue my passion for acting ... I guess that's fair enough," she said. "I'm not leaving the entertainment industry - I do hope to be on screen in the not-too-far-away future!"

Credit to channelnewsasia

No comments:

Post a Comment