The character arc of Michelle Chong

A life drawn by Character Arc from the public record

Born on 22 April 1977 in Singapore. Between then and now sit the Elle Actress of the Year award in 2008, a Highly Commended comedy award the same year, seven months of sabbatical leave in 2011 to set up Huat Films, the film Already Famous which she directed, wrote and starred in, Left Profile in 2012, Singapore's Academy Awards entry in 2013 and a restaurant in 2015. The line below draws the story so far, in order.

Tap the line to pluck it. Hover or tap any mark for its card. Drawn from the public record of her life; the sources are at the foot of the page.

Who is Michelle Chong?

She took seven months.

She worked as an actress, comedian and host, and in 2008 won the Elle Actress of the Year award and a Highly Commended Best Comedy Performance award at the Asian Television Awards, both for her portrayal of Beh Li Choo, a butcher in the Peranakan dramedy Sayang Sayang. Winning a comedy award for playing a butcher is a good description of the kind of performer she is.

In 2011 she took seven months of sabbatical leave to set up her own film company, Huat Films, and produced her first film as director, screenwriter and actress. Already Famous starred her alongside the Taiwanese singer Alien Huang, with other local performers appearing in cameos. She left Mediacorp in 2011, and the sabbatical turned out to be the end of the job rather than a break from it.

Already Famous was chosen as Singapore's entry for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards in 2013. She started the artiste management agency Left Profile in 2012, which manages her and others, and she has produced, written and directed three mainstream films. In 2015 she worked with the actress Cynthia Koh, the former radio presenter Daniel Ong and three other partners to open Mischief, a 180 seat restaurant at the Esplanade.

The moments

Michelle Chong's timeline.

The 2000s

4 Dec 2008

Two awards for a butcher

Milestone, and it changed everything. Two awards in one year, for playing a butcher.

The 2010s

1 Jan 2011

Take the sabbatical

Crossroads, decided.

The paths laid out: take the seven months, taken, or stay on screen. Already Famous was chosen as Singapore's entry for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards in 2013.

Jun 2011

Seven months of leave

Milestone, and it changed everything. Seven months off, to build the thing that replaced the job.

Sep 2011

She left Mediacorp

Milestone, and it changed everything. The sabbatical turned out to be a departure.

Nov 2011

Already Famous

Milestone, and it changed her direction. Directed, written and acted in, by the same person.

Jun 2012

Left Profile

Milestone, and it changed her direction. An agency of her own, managing herself and others.

Sep 2013

Singapore's entry

Milestone, and it changed everything. A first film, sent to the Academy Awards as a country's entry.

Jun 2015

A restaurant at the Esplanade

Milestone, and it changed her direction. A hundred and eighty seats, with five partners.

The line reaches today still adding to itself, which is why it is drawn now rather than at the end. What it has set moving began as a sabbatical: seven months meant as a pause, spent building the thing that replaced the job she was pausing from.

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Michelle Chong: frequently asked questions

What people ask about her line.

What is Michelle Chong's character arc?

A television career that won her two awards in 2008 for playing a butcher in a dramedy, then seven months of sabbatical leave in 2011 to make a film. She left Mediacorp the same year, and the film became Singapore's Academy Awards entry in 2013.

Why did Michelle Chong leave Mediacorp?

She took seven months of sabbatical leave in 2011 to set up her own film company, Huat Films, and produced her first film as director, screenwriter and actress. She left Mediacorp the same year to run Huat Films and the media agency Left Profile.

What film did Michelle Chong direct?

Already Famous, her first as director, screenwriter and actress, starring her alongside the Taiwanese singer Alien Huang with local performers in cameos. It was chosen as Singapore's entry for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards in 2013.

What awards has Michelle Chong won?

The Elle Actress of the Year award in 2008, and a Highly Commended Best Comedy Performance award at the Asian Television Awards the same year, both for her portrayal of Beh Li Choo, a butcher in the Peranakan dramedy Sayang Sayang.

What businesses does Michelle Chong run?

The production house Huat Films, set up during her 2011 sabbatical, and the artiste management agency Left Profile, started in 2012, which manages her and others. In 2015 she opened a 180 seat restaurant, Mischief, at the Esplanade with five partners.

How many films has Michelle Chong made?

Three mainstream films, which she has produced, written and directed. The first, Already Famous, was chosen as Singapore's entry for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards in 2013, having been made during and after a seven month sabbatical.

Where does this timeline of Michelle Chong's life come from?

From the public record. Character Arc drew every moment on this line from the sources listed at the foot of the page, and the kind and weight of each moment are our editorial reading. Michelle Chong isn't a Member of Character Arc and has no connection with it, and no feeling is attributed to her.

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Sources

Michelle Chong, English Wikipedia biography, filed under living people.
Asian Television Awards and Elle Singapore award records, 2008.
Singapore's Academy Awards Best Foreign Film submission, 2013.