Fiona Xie at a Fendi fashion show
in Beijing. (Getty Images)
Fiona Xie is back in Singapore, but probably not for long.
After spending a year in Hong Kong and another in New York, Xie
is in town for her first public appearance since upping and leaving
the
MediaCorp blockbuster TV drama Together (当我们同在一起) at
the last minute two years ago.
She will be at a City Chain roadshow at
nex shopping mall in Serangoon on Saturday from 6:30pm, in
search of the Ultimate Shirtless Guy.
The former MediaCorp actress and host said in a phone interview
with The New Paper that she misses Singapore and still
sees it as her home.
"I get a fuzzy wuzzy feeling in my heart… I really miss my
family, Singapore, and the liveliness and warmth of people who
greet me like they've known me for 20 years," she said, adding that
she was surprised to find that Singaporeans tell her that they miss
her whenever she returns to visit.
While visiting friends in Australia before returning here
earlier this week, she said she was surprised to be recognised by
locals there as well (some of the food programmes she hosted with
MediaCorp had aired in Australia before).
What she's been up to
Since leaving Singapore, the 29-year-old took art, creativity
and fashion classes for personal interest in New York, and dipped
briefly into the property and commodities markets.
Before that in Hong Kong, she produced for
Tomasz Gudzowaty, a black-and-white Polish documentary
photographer, where she did everything from logistics to
applications for permits.
"The projects I did made me realise there are things I could do
besides acting and hosting, and also how much experience I have,"
said Xie, adding that being overseas presented a level playing
field.
"There was so much I could try and do, and it opened my eyes to
a lot of new opportunities and growth," she said.
At the time, she said she left in a bid to follow her heart and
in refusal to conform to societal expectations.
"When I made the choice to leave, I considered everything," she
said. "I have money saved up from working 10 years in showbiz,
which allows me to embrace life and travel."
Being in showbiz, she said, made her "wiser and more grounded"
as well.
"It's an uphill battle and I come out scarred but victorious. If
you clip my wing, I'll grow a new one and fly higher."
Xie also said she was never scared or insecure about her future
while overseas, saying that she believed nothing is impossible in
life.
"Whatever that comes, it will work out," she said. "You just
need to change yourself to suit the circumstances and nothing will
crush you.
"I do think of the future but I don't worry about it. Things
came along smoothly for me."
Star-for-hire; pregnant; living off a rich man in New
York?
Xie readily rebutted rumours that have been flying around about
her being a star-for-hire at private parties, leaving showbiz
because she was pregnant and living off a wealthy boyfriend in New
York.
On the star-for-hire rumour, she said, "Really? I haven't heard
about that before. That's odd, because it's libellous."
"Like it or not, female artistes are associated with these kinds
of things. I'm not angry but it's insulting," she added, asking why
she or other actresses like her would "go to such an extent to sell
out".
It's an uphill battle and I come out scarred but victorious. If
you clip my wing, I'll grow a new one and fly higher. Fiona
Xie
In an earlier interview, Xie also said that she used her own
money while staying in New York, and that she is not living off her
26-year-old Australian-American boyfriend, who is working
there.
Though the relationship is going well now, she doesn't seem to
have plans to get married yet.
"I don't know when I'll get married," she said. "When you are
happy, you don't need to set it in stone. I don't need that
validation, and paper doesn't mean bliss," she added.
Looking forward, Xie revealed she may be acting in a new movie,
but wouldn't share more details.