SINGAPORE — Chinese-American actor-host Allan Wu's daughter, Sage Wu, 18, has been accepted to Stanford University and will start classes in September.

The proud dad, 50, penned a letter on Instagram to his daughter, whose mother — Wu's ex-wife — is local former actress Wong Li Lin, 50.

Wu wrote: "Seemingly a lifetime ago, when you were still mastering how to walk and gazing into the deep horizon donning only your tiny cardinal red undies, I wondered what would come of you in the years ahead.

"Now looking back, I can say it has been such a joy to watch you grow up and take on any challenge thrown your way athletically, artistically and academically. I know it hasn't been easy, but you've proven your mettle each and every time."

The Singapore-based star congratulated his daughter — who attended St Joseph's Institution International — on getting into the prestigious university in California, the United States, and said her hard work had paid off.

To conclude the Instagram post, he wrote: "Thank you for bringing me so much joy and purpose, and I hope one day you can be as proud of me as I am of you."

In a Zoom interview last Thursday (May 4) with entertainment portal 8days.sg, Wu said his daughter had applied in November 2022 to Princeton University in New Jersey and been offered early acceptance, but changed her mind after a visit to the Stanford campus.

He added that both he and Wong — who also have a 17-year-old son, Jonas — will be flying to California to help their daughter settle in before school starts.

The couple were married from 2003 to 2013.

While school fees are expected to cost about $120,000 to $130,000 a year, Wu said he had been saving up "for a long time for something like this, a time when (his children) are able to realise their dreams".

His daughter is also applying for scholarships and financial aid, he added.

Wu, an alumnus of the University of California, Berkeley, said: "There's nothing wrong with the schools here or in Australia or the United Kingdom. Everyone has their own preferences. I'm just being totally biased."

Referring to college education in the United States, he continued: "You will never get a more comprehensive college experience. It's not just the school, but also the people you meet, the sports, the fraternities. My happiest years and some of my best friends were the people I met in college."

ALSO READ: Allan Wu talks about parenting and how he is helping his daughter get into an Ivy League school

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