Star Awards 2025: Top 10 winner Hong Ling says family, and not work, is her priority now

After winning the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes award, guess what were the three things running through Hong Ling's mind?

The 30-year-old Mediacorp star, who was also nominated for Best Actress for playing an ill-fated policewoman in Unforgivable, brought home her fourth Top 10 trophy at the Star Awards on Sunday (Jul 6).

When Hong Ling happily pranced on stage to receive her award from guest presenter Chow Yun Fat, he surprisingly pulled her towards him.

According to Hong Ling, he whispered to her: "You know there's a song called 'Cai Hong Ling'". Basically, poking fun at the actress' name. 

Needless to say, Fat Gor's unexpected gesture made her night. 

"I thought: 'Eh, he's really so friendly. He joked with me after hearing my name. I was quite happy because I was the only one who got that interaction," she said to 8days.sg.

She revealed that she was starving as she didn't have dinner and she couldn't wait to have a post-win feast.

"I'm going to eat Haidilao. I also want McSpicy and McNuggets. But not all in the same night lah. I'm going to stagger, one day eat one," she laughed.

On the topic of celebrating, how is she planning to thank her fans?

"Every time I win, I'll take them out for a meal to reward them. This is fan-service, but I don't know where I would bring them. I'll let them decide," she shared.

We jokingly asked if she would be game enough to cook for them, and Hong Ling surprisingly liked that idea. 

"Nick and I just got a new house. Though I don't want to reveal our address, but that's a very good idea, maybe I can cook for them because I enjoy cooking," she said. 

Speaking of Nick (Teo, her husband), would Hong Ling have to comfort him given how he went home empty-handed again this year? "I don't think so," she said. "This voting thing is really so tough. Even I'm not confident I can win! I think he can try again. There's always next year". 

She's also unbothered about being arguably the 'high-achiever' in their relationship because their priority now isn't work.

"Our priority is family, so work is secondary. It's not as important," she said. 

It's been a tough year for Ling, whose mum passed away in February this year. She also suffered a miscarriage 11 weeks into her pregnancy in the same month.

We asked if she was hoping to win an award and that it must feel like a morale boost. 

"Honestly, no. This year, I surprisingly wasn't yearning for an award that much because I realised there are too many things going on. Plus I've been going overseas very often and was working a lot, so I was very distracted," she said.

She also wasn't hopeful she was going to win anything.

"I thought it was going to be [like in 2023] when I didn't get Best Actress. I also didn't get into the Top 10. After losing Best Actress this time, I told myself: 'Okay, maybe that award won't be mine," she said.

Ling said she gave up hope getting into the Top 10 when the eighth name was called. Hers was the ninth name to be announced.

"When I really got it, I was so happy!" she said.

Was she disappointed about not getting Best Actress again though? 

In case you forgot, she was also a hot favourite for the award two years ago when she was nominated for Your World In Mine.

"I actually harboured hopes of winning for Your World In Mine but this time I didn't. In my heart I knew, I didn't do that well in this show. The audience may not be able to tell but we know it ourselves," she said.

"Though many people liked the role I played, even 8days.sg predicted that I would win. I was very touched when I saw it because I didn't even think this role would get nominated," she added. 

This story was originally published in 8Days.