Most folks wouldn’t associate local TV sweetheart Rebecca Lim with the words “controversy” or “scandal”, but on February 12, the Star Awards 2015 Best Actress shocked her social media followers with a post saying that she was “retiring”, followed by an explanation that she wasn’t really quitting showbiz – she was just “endorsing the spirit of retiring” for an insurance company.
The aftermath included an outpour of both rage and support: while some slammed the marketing gimmick for being in poor taste and accused it of deliberately trying to mislead people, others – including Becks’ fellow artistes – said that she was just doing her job and posted words of encouragement.
Two weeks after the saga broke out, the 29-year-old actress posted a public apology on her social media accounts, saying, “Recently, I've been reminded that being an artiste comes with great responsibilities. I know I have upset many of you, including those dearest to me. Please accept my humblest apologies. I've taken to heart many lessons, and hope that you will be patient with me as I continue to learn and grow.”
While there were a handful of netizens who still did not take too kindly to her statement, most commenters assured her that they were behind her always. The hullaballoo also did nothing to rob Becks of a place in the Star Awards 2016 Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes nominations, which were unveiled on Thursday (March 3). However, only time will tell if she gets enough votes to walk away with her fifth consecutive win this year.
As fans count their blessings that Rebecca has not decided to bow out of the biz at the peak of her blossoming career, we take a look at other artistes who actually did retire (at least from showbiz) while still in the spotlight