Shaun Chen

{{short description|Malaysian actor and businessman (born 1978)}}

{{about|the Malaysian actor|the Canadian politician|Shaun Chen (politician)}}

{{infobox person

| name = Shaun Chen

| image = Shaun Chen (1) @ Celebrities Try to Spell Commonly Misspelled Words.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Chen in May 2017

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1978|11|3}}

| birth_place = Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

| nationality = Malaysian

| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|businessman|host|badminton player|model}}

| years_active = 2003−present

| partner =

| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Michelle Chia|2009|2011|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Celine Chin|July 2015}}

}}

| children = 2

| education = SMJK Chan Wa

| alma_mater = Institut Teknologi Pertama

| awards = Full list

| module2 = {{Infobox Chinese |child= yes|hide= no |headercolor=lightblue

| name1= Stage name

| t = 陳泓宇

| s = 陈泓宇

| j = Can4 Wang4 Jyu5

| p = Chén Hóngyǔ

| altname = Birth name

| s2 = 陈节隆{{cite web |title=艺人换名改运！ |url=https://www.uweekly.sg/showbiz/41624 |website=优1周 - UWeekly |access-date=6 September 2023}}

| t2 = 陳節隆

| p2 = Chén Jiélóng

}}

Shaun Chen (born 3 November 1978) is a Malaysian actor and former national badminton player who is based in Singapore. He started as a host for the variety show City Beat alongside Sharon Au, Jeff Wang and Fiona Xie. In 2003, he made his acting debut in True Heroes and Holland V.{{cite web |title=Kampung boy Shaun Chen finally makes good in Singapore |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/kampung-boy-shaun-chen-finally-makes-good-in-singapore |website=The Straits Times |access-date=27 April 2021 |language=en |date=25 May 2015}}

Chen rose to stardom when he received three awards at Star Awards 2015, winning the Rocket Award, Best Actor and his first Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes award.

Early life and education

Chen was born in Jelebu, Negri Sembilan, Malaysia.{{Cite web |last=Migration |date=2015-05-25 |title=Kampung boy Shaun Chen finally makes good in Singapore {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/kampung-boy-shaun-chen-finally-makes-good-in-singapore |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}} He is the youngest of seven children.

When Chen was 13, he went to Seremban to study and became a badminton player for the state. Although he tried for the national team, he failed to qualify for it. Chen subsequently earned a diploma in electronic and electrical engineering from a private college.

Career

Prior to coming to Singapore, Chen had worked in many jobs, electrician, car spray-painter, credit card and spectacle salesman model in Malaysia and appeared on billboards for Maxis.{{cite news|title=It's now or never|url=http://www.todayonline.com/CultureAndLifestyle/Television/EDC121009-0000005/Its-now-or-never|publisher=Today Online|date=9 October 2012}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Early in his career Chen was known for playing villains and earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination in the Star Awards 2006 for his role in CID.

In 2011, Chen starred in the top-rated drama serial Love Thy Neighbour.

=Breakthrough=

In 2015, Chen won the Best Actor award on his second nomination in the Star Awards 2015 ceremony for his role in The Journey: Tumultuous Times. That same year, he won his first Star Awards for Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes award as well as the Rocket Award.{{cite web|first1=Wei Chou|last1=Han|title=Jeanette Aw wins big at Star Awards 2015 Show|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/entertainment/jeanette-aw-wins-big-at/1793672.html|website=Channel NewsAsia|access-date=2015-06-06|date=20 April 2015}}{{cite web|title=Shaun Chen, Rebecca Lim win Best Actor, Actress at Star Awards 2015|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/entertainment/shaun-chen-rebecca-lim/1807972.html?|website=Channel NewsAsia|access-date=2015-06-06|date=27 April 2015}}{{cite web|first1=May|last1=Seah|title=Shaun Chen: Man of the moment|url=http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/television/shaun-chen-man-moment?singlepage=true|website=Today|access-date=2015-06-06|date=6 June 2015}} His multiple wins at Star Awards 2015 propelled him into becoming an A-lister.{{cite web |url= https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/kampung-boy-shaun-chen-finally-makes-good-in-singapore|title= Kampung boy Shaun Chen finally makes good in Singapore|last= |first= |date= 25 May 2015|website= Straits Times|publisher= |access-date= 25 May 2015|quote=}} Since then, Chen has played leading roles in blockbuster productions such as My Friends From Afar and Hero (2016 TV series)

In Star Awards 2018, he was nominated for Best Actor for the drama My Friends From Afar.

To date, Chen has gotten seven Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes, in 2015 and from 2018 to 2024.

Ventures

In July 2023, Chen invested a six-figure sum in The Gold Club, a high-end bar in Orchard Road's The Heeren.{{cite web |title=Shaun Chen, Who Doesn’t Drink, Is Now The Towkay Of A Whiskey Bar At The Heeren |url=https://www.8days.sg/entertainment/local/shaun-chen-towkay-whiskey-bar-heeren-gold-club-doesnt-drink-817106 |website=8days |access-date=12 August 2023 |language=en}}

Personal life

Born 陈节隆 (Chén Jiélóng), Chen adopted the stage name 陈泓宇 (Chén Hóngyǔ) when he started out in the entertainment industry in 2003.

Chen married his girlfriend of 6 years, Michelle Chia, in May 2009.{{cite web | url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/428231/1/.html | title=MediaCorp artistes Shaun Chen, Michelle Chia marry | access-date=27 December 2010 | publisher=Channel NewsAsia}} The couple confirmed their divorce on 27 April 2011 but insist they still remain friends.{{cite web | url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1125500/1/.html | title=Michelle Chia and Shaun Chen announce divorce | access-date=28 April 2011 | publisher=Channel NewsAsia}}{{cite news|title=Shaun Chen grapples with sorrow, six-pack abs and a new start|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainmentfeatures/view/1155579/1/.html|publisher=Channel News Asia|date=26 September 2011}}

In July 2015, Chen married his Malaysian girlfriend, Celine Chin. His relationship with Chin was not revealed until October 2015, when he announced that they were going to have a baby.{{cite news|title=Channel 8 star Shaun Chen has quietly remarried and is welcoming a baby girl in December|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/channel-8-star-shaun-chen-has-quietly-remarried-and-is-welcoming-a-baby-girl|access-date=2 November 2015|publisher=The Straits Times|date=25 October 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Goh|first1=Joanna|title=Shaun Chen to welcome baby girl in December|url=http://entertainment.toggle.sg/en/localbuzz/article/shaun-chen-to-welcome-baby-5802886|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151026141125/http://entertainment.toggle.sg/en/localbuzz/article/shaun-chen-to-welcome-baby-5802886|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 October 2015|website=Toggle|access-date=2 November 2015|date=25 October 2015}} They have two daughters.{{Cite web |title=Actor Shaun Chen welcomes second baby daughter |url=https://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/celebrity/actor-shaun-chen-welcomes-second-baby-daughter |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=TODAY |language=en}}

Filmography

=Television series=

scope="col" \|Year	scope="col" \|Title	scope="col" \|Role
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2003 \| True Heroes\|\| Zhang Hanliang \|\| \|
Holland V	Yu Hongzhi	\|
Always on My Mind (无炎的爱)		\|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \|2005 \| Heartlanders IV\|\| James \|\| \|
Yummy Yummy	Wu Shilong	\|
Love Concierge (爱的掌门人)		\|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2006 \| C.I.D.\|\| Lin Chenghui \|\| \|
The Beginning (原点) \|Fang Yucheng	\|
scope="row" rowspan="5" \|2007 \| Let It Shine (萤火虫的梦) \|\| Ma Zikang \|\| \|
Making Miracles (奇迹)	Kelvin	\|
Switched! (幸运星)	Qin Shixuan	\|
Fallen Angel (天使的烙印)	Ye Ziyang	\|
Live Again (天堂鸟)	Du Xiangyi	\|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \|2008 \| The Truth (谜图)\|\| Alex Su \|\| \|
La Femme (绝对佳人)	Liang Xingxiong	\|
Crime Busters x 2	Jiang Zaixi	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \|2009 \| The Dream Catchers (未来不是梦) \|\| Jiang Chengfeng \|\| \|
Your Hand in Mine (想握你的手)	Li Liqin	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2010 \| Happy Family (过好年) \|\| Chen Haojie \| \|
Unriddle	Luo Zhongxiao	\|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \|2011 \| The Seeds of Life (漁米人家) \|\| Luo Shicong \| \|
Love Thy Neighbour (四个门牌一个梦)	Ye Meng	\|
Kampong Ties (甘榜情)	Wang Lihai	\|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2012 \| Game Plan (千方百计) \|\| Zeng Junwei\|\| \|
Beyond X (X元素)	Qiu Hanxiang	\|
Justice in the City (庭外和解)	Qiu Jianzhi	\|
scope="row"\|2013 \| The Dream Makers (志在四方) \|\| Du Zhanpeng \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \|2014 \| Blessings\|\| Lian Wending \|\| \|
rowspan="2"\| The Journey: Tumultuous Times (信约: 动荡的年代)	Zhang Jia	\|
Hu Jia	\|
scope="row"\|2015 \| The Journey: Our Homeland (信约：我们的家园)\|\| Zhang Jia \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \|2016 \| The Dream Job (绝世好工) \|\| Li Junfeng \|\| \|
Hero	Zhou Fada	\|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \|2017 \|The Lead (第一主角) \|\| Xie Guanghui \|\| \|
My Alien Girlfriend (我的知星女友)	rowspan="2" \| Yang Tiansheng \| \|
My Friends From Afar	\|
scope="row"\| 2018 \| Blessings 2 (祖先保佑2) \|\| Lian Xuegeng \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \|2019 \| Hello From The Other Side (阴错阳差) \|\| Niu Junyang\|\| \|
While You Were Away (一切从昏睡开始)	He Zijun	\|
After The Stars (攻星计)	Zhang Guoyu	\|
scope="row"\|2020 \| Recipe Of Life (味之道) \|\| Qian Ruofeng \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="2"\|2021 \| Leave No Soul Behind (21点灵) \|\| Gao Zichen \|\| \|
I Want To Be A Towkay (亲家冤家做头家)	Mr Wu	\|
scope="row"\|2022 \|Healing Heroes (医生不是神) \|\| Zhu Jiacai \|\| \|\|
scope="row" rowspan="2"\|2023 \|Oppa, Saranghae! \| Liang Zixuan \| \|
My One and Only (只此一家) \| Andy Chua \| \|
scope="row" \| 2025 \| Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story (小娘惹之翡翠山) \| Zhang Jin Hai \| \| style="text-align:center" \| {{cite website\|url=https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/little-nyonya-spin-emerald-hill-mediacorp-tasha-low-zoe-tay-384141\|title=Star-studded The Little Nyonya spin-off in the works with Tasha Low, Zoe Tay, Chantalle Ng, Shaun Chen and many more\|publisher=Channel News Asia\|date=February 1, 2024\|accessdate=March 22, 2025}}

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \|Year	scope="col" \|Title	scope="col" \|Role	scope="col" class="unsortable" \|Notes	scope="col" class="unsortable" \| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference(s)}}
scope="row" \|2007 \| Men in White \|\| Ah Boon \|\| \|
scope="row"\| 2021 \| Daddy Day Camp \|\| Niu Haoyi \|\| \|

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" |Year

scope="col" |Title

scope="col" |Role

scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes

scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

scope="row" |2007

| Men in White || Ah Boon ||

scope="row"| 2021

| Daddy Day Camp || Niu Haoyi ||

Discography

= Compilation album =

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! English title ! Mandarin title
2017	MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 17	新传媒群星咕鸡咕鸡庆丰年
2018	MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 18	新传媒群星阿狗狗过好年

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! English title

! Mandarin title

2017

MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 17

新传媒群星咕鸡咕鸡庆丰年

2018

MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 18

新传媒群星阿狗狗过好年

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
Year	Organisation	Category	Nominated work	Result	class="unsortable" \|Ref
2006 \| Star Awards \| Best Supporting Actor \| C.I.D. {{small\|(as Li Chenghui)}} \| {{nom}} \|
2007 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{nom}} \|
2010 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{nom}} \|
rowspan="2" \| 2011 \| rowspan="2" \| Star Awards \| Best Actor \| Your Hand In Mine {{small\|(as Li Liqin)}} \| {{nom}} \|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{nom}} \|
2014 \| Star Awards \| Best Supporting Actor \| rowspan="2" \| The Dream Makers {{small\|(as Du Zhanpeng)}} \| {{nom}} \|
rowspan="5" \| 2015 \| PPCTV Awards \| Favorite Supporting Actor \| {{nom}} \|
rowspan="4" \| Star Awards \| Best Actor \| rowspan="2" \| The Journey: Tumultuous Times {{small\|(as Zhang Jia/ Hu Jia)}} \| {{won}} \|
Rocket Award \| {{won}} \|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}} \|
London Choco Roll Happiness Award \| Blessings {{small\|(as Lian Wending)}} \| {{nom}} \|
rowspan="3" \| 2016 \| rowspan="3" \| Star Awards \| Best Actor \| rowspan="2" \| The Journey: Our Homeland {{small\|(as Zhang Jia)}} \| {{nom}} \|
Favourite Onscreen Couple (with Rui En) \| {{nom}} \|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{nom}} \|
rowspan="3" \| 2017 \| rowspan="3" \| Star Awards \| Best Actor \| rowspan="2" \| Hero {{small\|(as Zhou Fada)}} \| {{nom}} \|
London Choco Roll Happiness Award \| {{nom}} \|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{nom}} \|
rowspan="2" \| 2018 \| rowspan="2" \| Star Awards \| Best Actor \| My Friends From Afar {{small\|(as Yang Tiansheng)}} \| {{nom}} \|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}} \|
rowspan="2" \| 2019 \| rowspan="2" \| Star Awards \| Best Actor \| Blessings 2 {{small\| (as Lian Xuegeng)}} \| {{nom}} \|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}} \|
rowspan="1" \| 2021 \| rowspan="1" \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}} \|
rowspan="1" \| 2022 \| rowspan="1" \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}} \|{{Cite web \|last=Auto \|first=Hermes \|date=2022-04-24 \|title=Star Awards 2022 host Chen Hanwei clinches Best Actor award {{!}} The Straits Times \|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/star-awards-2022-host-chen-hanwei-also-clinches-best-actor \|access-date=2022-04-25 \|website=www.straitstimes.com \|language=en}}
rowspan="1" \| 2023 \| rowspan="1" \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}} \|
rowspan="2" \| 2024 \| rowspan="2" \| Star Awards \| Most Hated Villain \| My One And Only {{small\|(as Andy Chua)}} \| {{nominated}} \|
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}} \|

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"

Year

Organisation