As a child, local actress Meixin loved to hold talent competitions together with her elder sister, performing in front of their mum.
The 39-year-old, also known as Macy, told AsiaOne in an interview recently that she never thought she would be an artiste because the idea seemed too distant and it would not be easy to get into the industry.
However, as Meixin believes, everything happens for a reason.
While studying at Institute of Technical Education (ITE), she did part-time modelling and when she graduated two years later, she was scouted by her former talent management agency and stepped into the spotlight aged 19 as an actress and singer.
She shared: “I met a lot of very good actors and directors who guided me along. To me, while acting needs a bit of talent, we shouldn’t over rely on it and not work hard after that. Otherwise, we wouldn’t gain experience and do better.
“I believe I’m not afraid to act in front of the camera, that’s why I can act very naturally. Of course, being natural is one thing, but I also needed to have skills which the directors would teach me… The most important thing is to not be afraid or feel awkward to act. Just do what the director wants us to do and we will be okay.”
She released two singles, A Moment and Loving You, both in 2007 and a studio album titled Ai Zhe Ni in 2010. Meixin revealed she has plans to get her music on Spotify.
Expanding acting career to China
Under the mentorship of Chinese comedian-businessman Zhao Benshan, whom Meixin met early in her career, she also had the opportunity to expand her acting career to China.
She said she was influenced by the 68-year-old’s comedic talent, which helped her later when she acted in local director Jack Neo’s movies The Diam Diam Era (2020) and its 2021 sequel, adding she is still in contact with Benshan, who has mostly retired from showbiz.
In 2009, Meixin appeared in the Chinese Republican comedy series Guangdong Gentleman, as well as microdrama A Starry Night, which also stars Taiwanese actor Fan Chih-wei, Singaporean singer Kelly Poon and China-based Korean-American singer-actor Nathan Lee Seung-hyun.
According to a joint press release by then-Media Development Authority (now Infocomm Media Development Authority), and SMRT in 2009, A Starry Night is the first Singapore-China subway drama produced through a collaboration and was broadcast simultaneously in trains and train stations in Singapore and seven Chinese cities.
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Meixin believes working in China cultivated her patience and endurance, including waiting to film her scenes and surviving the weather, especially winter.
Benshan had wanted her to stay in China to continue with her career, but Meixin, then 22, had other plans: “I didn’t dare to stay alone in China. My Mandarin skills were not the strongest, so I thought I should just return to Singapore. I also missed my family.”
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Returning to school at 23
Despite her passion for acting, Meixin returned to Singapore then because she faced severe pressures from her management.
She shared: “My former management company was very strict and I had a difficult time. While I had learnt a lot from them, at the time, I just thought I wanted none of this anymore.”
She added she was restricted from going out with her friends and had to be very careful with her speech, among other alleged constraining factors and emotional blackmail.
Because of that, Meixin believed she suffered from depression at the time.
She recalled: “I cried every day and didn’t dare to do so in front of my family members. When I returned home, I would run into my room and weep.
“I am a resilient and positive person, so it definitely had to be something difficult for me to become like this.
“I am also someone who treasures relationships. When my dedication to the company was met with strict control, I felt very disappointed.”
Meixin only found release when she decided to quit: “When I decided I didn’t want to be an artiste anymore, I was finally able to relax and I didn’t have the feeling of wanting to cry anymore.”
At 23, Meixin returned to school to study interior design.
However, she never really left acting. She was offered a supporting role in Chinese drama Veteran (2014), which she accepted and did part-time distance learning while filming for around three months in China.
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Diverging career path into IT sales
After graduating a few years later, Meixin, then 27, still had a keen interest in acting and contacted local production company Wawa Pictures, who offered her opportunities, including in local dramas Crescendo (2015), Fire Up (2016) and The Queen (2016).
However, after all she had experienced, Meixin was looking for more stability in her life and thus took on jobs with a regular income, including at her sister’s cleaning business.
She revealed to us that since about seven years ago, she has been working full-time in IT sales for a system integrator company, selling business solutions to companies.
She explained: “Sometimes I think it’s right for me to join the IT industry… I still love acting, I really enjoyed it when I performed a scene or a character to the right extent, and I get a great sense of fulfillment.
“But sometimes, I also feel that acting cannot be a stable source of income in the long run. In addition, there will be younger actors entering the industry, our acting range may get narrower and other various factors. So, I decided to try out a different career path.”
She added that her parents, now in their 70s, retired about 10 years ago, and the financial responsibilities fell on her and her elder sister.
These days, she takes leave from work to act, including in upcoming local dramas Brighter Days (2026) and Where There’s A Will (2027), with her company’s support.
For her showbiz career, she is managed by TCP Artistes.
She said: “At my age, I just want to do my job well, which is to portray my characters well. I enjoy the process of acting and the rewards from it, including knowing how it’s filmed and the character’s ending.
“I think that’s the most important thing I should do… doing what I love.”
While she believes she may not stay in this industry for as long as local actresses Xiang Yun and Jin Yinji, who have acted for over four decades, Meixin still sees herself acting for the next 10 years.
“I hope to have the opportunity to retire faster and travel the world, but it also comes with meeting a target first. My target is to have passive income before I say goodbye [to work],” she laughed.
‘The most important thing is just to be happy’
Outside of work, Meixin enjoys a makeup-free day, spending time with friends, jogging and going to the gym.
We asked if she’s met her Mr Right and she revealed she is single.
“I let nature take its course. I used to think that as I get older, I should find someone quickly to settle down with. But I also know that if I rush [to get into a relationship], I may not find someone suitable.
“Now I take it easy; if there’s someone suitable, then okay. Even if there isn’t anyone, there’s also no need to be fixated on it.”
She also enjoys spending time with her niece, who turns nine this year and whom she’s cared for since her infancy, calling herself the girl’s second mum.
Meixin added: “I think I am very fortunate, and everything really happened for a reason. I was filming Mediacorp’s drama Babies on Board (2018) when she was born. In the series, I had to perform midwifery and learnt to carry babies and all that.
“I was good at it, because my niece was still a baby… I felt my maternal instinct came naturally while acting as well. I think this is something that cannot be acted out as it can only happen when you have a child at home. So, I am really grateful to her.”
On what she looks forward to in the future, Meixin said: “At this moment, I just wish for my family to be safe and healthy and live longer. My parents have aged; I hope to have more time to accompany them and be filial to them.”
As for her showbiz career, she revealed she still writes her own lyrics occasionally and has plans to release a song dedicated to her niece.
She also hopes to have opportunities to film in China, as well as win a prestigious acting award to make her family, Benshan and TCP Artistes proud.
Meixin added: “These days I only look towards being carefree and happy. Life is short, how many more 10 years do I have? The most important thing is just to be happy.
“I really think we shouldn’t be so affected by external factors and just do what we love in the best way possible.”
Meixin will be seen next in local drama Brighter Days, which premieres in August, airing weekdays at 9pm on Channel 8. Her next series Where There’s A Will, is expected to be released in March 2027.
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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com
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