Fiona Xie makes $500k

[Reporter]

channelnewsasia.com - Fiona Xie quits acting to pursue photographic career

Fiona Xie quits acting to pursue photographic career

SINGAPORE : Singapore actress Fiona Xie has announced that she will leave MediaCorp for Hong Kong to pursue a career in photography.

This revelation quashes rumours that she is leaving because she was pregnant or has become a kept woman.

"The rumours are so ludicrous that I don't even feel hurt. If I wanted to become a kept woman and leave the business, I would have left eight years ago," she said, explaining that she had gotten a number of sleazy propositions when she was fresh in the business.

Rumours started flying in July after Xie abruptly withdrew from Channel 8 drama serial "Together" citing "personal reasons" and then totally disappeared from our radar. She was recently seen hosting food documentary series "Singapore Flavours" which debuted on Channel U last month.

The 27-year-old actress explained in an interview published on this weeks's 8 Days magazine that she did not set out to avoid the media but was simply weary of the complications speaking to them would bring.

As for the "personal reasons" for rejecting the role, Xie said she could not find her character's voice though she admits that she gave it up partly because of her Australian-American boyfriend.

According to the actress, her boyfriend did not like the script as it contained too many kissing scenes, so she turned it down.

"He wanted me to ask for amendments to the script so I have less kissing scenes. I know that is impossible but I don't want him to be unhappy," she explained.

Xie's 23-year-old squeeze is an enigma. They first met on the set of Kelvin Tong's supernatural thriller "Rule #1" in 2007 and have been dating for a year, and he is reportedly an art enthusiast who lives like royalty in Hong Kong, but everything else about him remains a mystery.

The actress who has been dubbed one of MediaCorp's Seven Princesses, was named Best Newcomer in her first year and was twice voted one of the top ten most popular actresses by viewers at the annual Star Awards.

Her decision to drop everything and base herself Hong Kong will force her to bid goodbye to her annual salary of about S$500,000. However, it will afford her greater control over her life and gives her the freedom to choose what projects she wants to do.

She said that while she is concerned that this loss of income might affect the livelihood of her mother and her younger brother, Dylan, who is sill studying, she is determined to get a fresh start in Hong Kong. The actress, who had recently embraced Christianity, has no regrets.

"What's the good of being in a place that brings out your worst?" Xie said.

"I left to truly experience living," she added. "To get rid of the cocoon, and to spread my wings!"