Local actress who entered showbiz at 60 and starred in many Jack Neo movies, dies aged 88
Ng Jingjing, who acted in many Jack Neo’s movies, died aged 88 on April 6, 2024.
PHOTO: Obits.sg, The New Paper
PUBLISHED ONApril 08, 2024 8:14 AMByYeo Shu HuiSingapore actress Ng Jingjing, whose real name was Ng Suan Loi, died on Saturday (April 6) aged 88.
She was best known for acting in several of local director Jack Neo's movies, including Long Long Time Ago, I Not Stupid Too and Money No Enough 2.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News in a report published yesterday (April 7), Jingjing's daughter Ke Pinfeng (transliteration), 68, said that her mother had a minor spinal surgery recently and was initially recuperating well.
They had also travelled to northern Malaysia on March 29 for four days of family gatherings and had a good time.
Ke told reporters: "Last Thursday at about 11pm, our helper called us and said that our mother was suffering severe asthma. She had taken medication three times but still had breathing difficulties. So I called the ambulance immediately."
She added that Jingjing had heart palpitations and a high fever, but was conscious when she was warded at the emergency department for the night. However, her condition worsened on Saturday afternoon and she was sent to the intensive care unit, where she later died.
In an interview with China broadcaster CCTV in 2019, Jingjing revealed she entered showbiz only at 60 years old, sharing that she had always been interested in performing and dreamed of being an actress since she was young.
However, to make a living for her family, she set aside those dreams and turned to working as a seamstress and was a hawker selling fried banana fritters at one point.
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When her children had grown up and had their own family, Jingjing signed up for an acting class in 2006 and entered showbiz.
"One day when I returned home from filming a commercial, I told my husband, 'I went for filming and felt very blissful'," Jingjing told CCTV then.
She also said she had spinal problems, but insisted on continuing to act whenever the opportunity was offered to her. "I would never acknowledge that I was getting old. I only understand my own body better now, such as being unable to walk far or stand for too long. That's all."
Ke told Shin Min during the interview that her mother's favourite movie was Long Long Time Ago and during the filming period, Jingjing would travel to Ipoh every two to three days and return home with local snacks such as beh teh saw biscuits for her family.
She added that the actors from Long Long Time Ago paid their respects at Jingjing's funeral service on Saturday and said that she was a very hardworking actor.
"We were always supportive of her as long as she was happy. She always stood by her words and was strong and hardworking," Ke shared.
Jingjing's wake is held at Blk 546B Woodlands Drive 16 and her funeral proceedings will take place on April 10.