Ann Kok reminisces about stunt accident that sent her to A&E and other memories from 30-year career

Back in 1993, a 20-year-old Ann Kok emerged as a finalist on local talent show Star Search and landed a contract with the precursor to Mediacorp.

Fast forward 30 years, and she has starred in numerous lead roles and been nominated for Best Actress at Star Awards multiple times.

She returned from a three-year acting hiatus in 2022 and even won her 10th Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes award earlier this year.

Ann, who turned 50 this year, looked back at her journey in an Aug 8 interview with Shin Min Daily News, and named Wok of Life (1999) and The Guest People (1997) as her favourites among the shows she's been in.

She also discussed the difficulties she's faced in her career.

"Once, I didn't go home for three days and three nights," she said about filming a period drama in the now-defunct Tuas TV World, adding that it was a long and arduous drive to and fro.

"I took the time to rest and nap on the bus. Of course, you could also sleep on the chairs on set, but they were quite dusty."

She also shared her experience filming the 1996 period drama Legend of the White Hair Brides, where she acted alongside Huang Biren and Lina Ng.

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"It can be said that the drama was full of disasters," she recalled. "We went to Xinjiang, China, to shoot for three months, and in the last three weeks, I had a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius."

She also suffered a stunt accident on set while filming the drama, where the wires suspending her came loose and she fell. She hit her head against a rock and suffered a sprained right hand and had to be sent to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.

Though she has won 10 popularity awards and will receive the trophy for All-Time Favourite Artiste next year, the Best Actress award is one that eludes Ann.

Nevertheless, she emphasised that she is "not acting to win awards".

She added: "I think every actor wants to win awards, but being shortlisted or winning is something that cannot be sought.

"The important thing is to act well in your own show and whatever happens, happens."

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drimac@asiaone.com