This Sunday night, fans will finally find out if their weeks of fervent voting for Star Awards 2015’s Favourite Male Character, Favourite Female Character and Favourite Onscreen Couple was enough to boost their idols to the top.
It’s been quite an intense and interesting race since balloting kicked off in late February, with sudden and sometimes surprising shifts taking place when we least expect it (remember when first-time Favourite Male Character nominee Zhang Zhen Huan was catapulted from #5 to #1 in week two?). Jeanette Aw, who proudly led the Favourite Female Character polls for a while before surrendering her position to Rui En, also proved that until the results are announced at Show 1, nothing is certain.
While things seem pretty static for the time being, with the latest results as of March 16, 5pm remaining exactly the same as last week’s, the game is far from over, as voting only ends on April 19 at 9pm. Until then, we’ve put on our prediction hats to try and guess which artistes will be crowned in their respective nominated categories, as well as who stands the best chance at winning the Rocket Award, an honour reserved for the “most improved” artiste in the past year.
Read on to find out what we think, and remember to keep those votes coming in. After all, the outcome is in your hands.
Favourite Male Character
Hot favourite: Zhang Zhen Huan (Gao Guo Tian from World at Your Feet)
He may have missed out on a Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes nomination, but the Sichuan native can rest assured that his supporters still have his back. After faring dismally in the first update (he was literally at the very bottom of the rankings), fans pulled up their socks and propelled him to first place the following week, where he has taken up residence ever since.
With such a gung-ho pillar of strength holding him up, we don’t think anyone will bat an eyelid when Zhen Huan is the one who takes the stage on Sunday night to accept his very first Favourite Male Character trophy.
Dark horse: Elvin Ng (Wu Wei Xiong from World at Your Feet)
Just as they’re rivals in love in World at Your Feet, Elvin and Zhen Huan are also vying fiercely for the Favourite Male Character title. While Zhen Huan has clearly been proven to be a force to be reckoned with, let’s not forget that Elvin boasts an impressive track record with a total of three Favourite Male Character wins since the award was introduced in 2010, which means the odds could turn in his favour at any moment.
Further evidence of a possible overturn can be seen in the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artiste weekly results: upon learning that their beloved was unceremoniously excluded from the rankings last week, his fans quickly rallied to push him back in – and they succeeded. These elves (a name for his devotees) aren’t kidding around, y’all.
Favourite Female Character
Hot favourite: Rui En (Qiu Xue Qing from Against the Tide)
Need we say more? Despite a rocky start in the rankings, Rui En’s ardent admirers eventually picked up the pace to propel their queen to the leading position, where she has not budged from. With that fact, coupled with her status as the artiste with the most Favourite Female Character wins (she won three consecutive times from 2011 to 2013), we’d be fools to question the well-loved actress’ popularity – and the power of her very passionate fan base – or to deny the very high possibility that she’ll be presented with her fourth accolade in two days.
Dark horse: Jeanette Aw (Hong Ming Hui from The Journey: Tumultuous Times)
Since the initiation of Favourite Female Character in 2010, it’s always been a close fight between Rui En and Jeanette, and this year is no different. After enjoying a strong start in the polls, one of the newest All-Time Favourite Artiste inductees experienced an unfortunate fall from grace earlier this month when her alpha female post was abruptly usurped from her.
Is it game over for her? Not if her army of voters gathers their strength to push her ahead to reclaim her spot, which, if her previous two victories are any indication, is a highly likely occurrence.
Favourite Onscreen Couple
Hot favourite: Zhang Zhen Huan & Jeanette Aw (Gao Guo Tian & Mo Yu Qing from World at Your Feet)
This one is a pretty straightforward no-brainer thanks to the consistency this pairing’s supporters have shown since the very beginning. While there were ever-so-slight changes in the lower half of the rankings, the chemistry between Zhen Huan and Jeanette’s sporty duo clearly charmed enough fans to keep them planted securely in the number one spot week in and week out.
Dark horse: Romeo Tan & Rebecca Lim (Liu Jun Wei & Zhang Xue Qin from Yes We Can)
“Double R” may have been perpetually stuck at number two, but we can’t wipe out the possibility of their voters springing a surprise attack before the official results are announced. Could Rebecca be the first female artiste who is not Rui En or Jeanette Aw (the past four awards in this category have always gone to either of them in various fictional couplings) to strike gold? Well, if you’d like to see that happen, you know what to do.
Rocket Award
Hot favourite: Shaun Chen
Last year’s Rocket Award recipient Priscelia Chan proved that it ain’t just newbies who will walk home with the prize. This is why our money is on Malaysian-born Shaun, who made his acting debut in 2002 but started showing brand new signs of leading man material in recent years.
Not long after his Best Supporting Actor nominated performance in 2013’s The Dream Makers, Shaun blessed viewers with his impressive portrayal of a time-travelling pastry chef in Blessings the following year, before taking on the role as a good-natured hooligan in The Journey: Tumultuous Times, which landed him a Best Actor nod at this year’s show.
In short, he’s the comeback we didn’t see coming, but it was a return that blew us away, which is why we can see Shaun taking the stage when this accolade is given out on Sunday night.
Dark horse: Shane Pow
The youngest of the 8 dukes has displayed a vast improvement in his career this past year, both in terms of resume-building opportunities as well as his showcase of talent and versatility, proving just how much potential the young artiste is oozing.
In 2014, the former Manhunt finalist flaunted his blossoming flair for variety in his first three hosting gigs (Cheap & Good, Style Check-In and Project SuperStar), as well as made his movie debut in Ms J Contemplates Her Choice (complete with a steamy car scene that unfortunately ended his five-year relationship). The firsts don’t stop there: last month, Shane finally scored a Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes nomination, and things have been looking good for him in the rankings since week one.
All that, combined with his involvement in Channel 8’s most-watched drama of 2014 Three Wishes, puts him in just as good a position as Shaun to bag the Rocket Award.
Catch Star Awards 2015 - Prelude every Friday from April 3 to 24, 10.30pm on Ch8
Catch Star Awards 2015 Show 1 Awards Ceremony on April 19 (Sun), 7pm, LIVE on Ch8
Catch Star Awards 2015 Show 2 Walk of Fame on April 26 (Sun), 5pm, LIVE on Ch8
Catch Star Awards 2015 Show 2 Awards Ceremony on April 26 (Sun), 7pm, LIVE on Ch8
Catch Star Awards 2015 Show 2 Post Show Party on April 26 (Sun), 10.30pm, LIVE on Ch8
In addition to seeing your favourites pick up a trophy and shine in their finest gowns and suits, keep your eyes peeled for these international artistes, who will be adding some glitz and glamour to Show 2 as guest presenters: Karen Mok, Ella Chen (from S.H.E.), Ekin Cheng, Calvin Chen, Guo Shu Yao, Grasshoppers (Cao Meng), Daisy Fong (Fang Xin), Plungon (Hao Jiao Xiang Qi), Ivana Wong, Jerry Lamb, SaSa, Zeng Guo Cheng, Chung Hsin Ling and Choi Hao-ran.