Ayden Sng, snubbed at Star Awards, renews contract with Mediacorp

Up-and-coming actor Ayden Sng, who was snubbed at the Star Awards in April, has renewed his contract with Mediacorp.

Despite rumours that the 27-year-old was quitting show business after he wasn't nominated in any category, he confirmed on Wednesday (June 2) that he is here for the long haul.

In an interview with entertainment website 8 Days, he said: "I can only say that I give my word to those who support me that I will try my very best to find a way to stay (in this industry) no matter how challenging it is for me."

He admitted he had been disappointed that he was not up for any awards, but added it was not a factor in deciding to stay or go. He first signed with Mediacorp in 2019, leaving his corporate career behind.

He said: "It takes a longer time for me to acclimatise and get used to what is expected of me and it was wearing down on me a bit, so while those feelings might propel me towards rethinking my journey in this industry, it's not related to the Star Awards."

However, he has become so addicted to acting that quitting was not an option.

"I should call it 'drama addiction'," he said. "Towards the end of filming for Recipe Of Life, the executive producer, who's like my mentor, told me, 'Ayden, you've become addicted'.

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"I got to take on a lot of challenging scenes in the second half of the drama, and the more I did it, the more enraptured I was by acting."

He also mentioned his ambition to venture beyond Singapore.

"I want to reach a point where I can open my eyes to different scales of production and see how far acting can go. For example, there's method acting, which is not a common thing in Singapore, because the roles here don't really require it, but there are Hollywood and Chinese productions that do."

He said: "I don't know if I'll get there, but it's something to look forward to and it reminds me not to settle for what I think is good acting."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.