The Girl Who Will Be Queen

Welcome to the era of REBECCA LIM, who’s gone from Crime Watch calefare (yes!) to Queen-in-waiting of local TV (seriously, it’s gonna happen). She tells us about her days as a Star Awards seat-filler, her lack of aversion to the word ‘retirement’, and why Ian Fang could be her King… in 10 years.

- Jonathan Fam

Rebecca Lim wants to be the future Queen of TV. Okay, technically, it’s ’cos we asked her point blank if she thinks she has what it takes to be Queen. And Becks, looking almost regal with her crown of voluminous hair, pauses for a bit and avers, “I would like to think so.”

It’s a rare moment of self possession for the actress, so famously down-to-earth and humble that she probably thinks a simple pat on the back is an act of hubris. “I think if you keep saying ‘No, no, no’, it’s really never going to happen,” she continues. “Or you’re never going to go anywhere. If you aim for the top, maybe you can come in second or third, which is good enough. So there’s no point being not confident all the time.”

Well, Becks has every right to be confident. With the Seven Princesses busy doing their own thing these days, like being a mother (Joanne Peh), taking a break (Rui En), gallivanting all over the world (Fiona Xie), and falling in love (Felicia Chin), Becks has become the biggest, most in-demand star on TV. Seriously, turn on the telly and she’s there. (You Can Be An Angel 2, her new drama with OG Queen Zoe Tay, is airing on Ch 8 now). This is, without a doubt, the era of Rebecca Lim.

She’s now as popular among tweens and millennials (though the hipsters may be reluctant to admit it), as she is with Gen X-ers, who’ve watched her since her Miss Singapore Universe days in 2005. She has won almost every acting award she’s been in contention for in the region — Best Actress and Supporting Actress at the Star Awards, Best Actress at the Asian Television Awards, Asian Star Prize at the Seoul Drama Awards — but is still surprised that people think she can act. (Oh come on, Rebecca!) This May, she’ll headline her first blockbuster,