Jack Neo
Encyclopedia
Jack Neo Chee Keong PBM
, credited as Jack Neo on screen, is a Chinese Singaporean film and television actor, host and director
. He is best known for his cross-dressing
roles, as Liang Popo (literally: Granny Liang) in the 1999 film Liang Po Po: The Movie
and as Liang Ximei in the late 1990s television comedy show Comedy Night.
.
Neo started his career on television in 1980 and became one of the most successful and recognizable celebrities in MediaCorp
for his comedic roles on film and television - His two most notable cross-dressing
roles on film and television are that of Liang Po Po and Liang Xi Mei. Neo started directing features in That One Not Enough (1999) and he set up his own artiste management company, J Team Productions, whose members include comedians Mark Lee
, Henry Thia
and Johny Cheng.
Neo's films satirize
several aspects about Singapore in comical ways, including societal
issues such as negligent parenting and school corporal punishment, and foreign issues such as the water disputes between Singapore and Malaysia. Apart from his film and TV career, Neo has also recorded and produced a number of albums.
Neo received the Best Director Award at the Silver Screen Awards in 1998 for his short film and was also awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the following year in recognition of his contributions to Singapore's media industry. In 2004, Neo became the first filmmaker in Singapore to be honoured with the Public Service Award. He also received the Cultural Medallion
on 21 October 2005 together with musician Dick Lee
.
In 2008, Neo and Mark Lee bought the Singapore master franchise rights for Old Town White Coffee
, a coffee retail concept from Ipoh
, Malaysia. Their first store at Big Splash opened on 30 March in that year.
It is his second marriage.
, claimed that Neo initiated the affair. Neo attempted to break the affair but Chong threatened to hurt herself and the exposé caused shock-waves amongst the conservative entertainment circle of Singapore.
On 9 March 2010, additional reports were released about Neo having or attempting extramarital affairs with up to 11 women. He tried to ask actress-host Foyce Le Xuan and French student Maelle Meurzec for sexual favors, both unsuccessfully. On 11 March, Neo and Kng held a five-minute press conference, in which Neo admitted his mistake and asked the media to let him off. After that, Kng reiterated her love for Neo and also requested for the media to spare her.
Subsequently, his endorsement deal with Mitsubishi Electric Asia was dropped and TV advertisements featuring the director would be taken off air. Other advertisers, such as Bee Cheng Hiang and Goh Joo Hin are apparently adopting a wait-and-see attitude.[9]
Pingat Bakti Masyarakat
The Pingat Bakti Masyarakat was instituted in 1973. The medal may be awarded to any person who has rendered commendable public service in Singapore or for his achievement in the field of arts and letters, sports, the sciences, business, the professions and the labour movement.Recipients are...
, credited as Jack Neo on screen, is a Chinese Singaporean film and television actor, host and director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. He is best known for his cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
roles, as Liang Popo (literally: Granny Liang) in the 1999 film Liang Po Po: The Movie
Liang Po Po: The Movie
The movie Liang Po Po was directed by Jack Neo in 1999. It starred the comedian director Jack Neo himself, who cross-dresses as the titular old lady, which in English is translated as "Granny Neo".-Cast:...
and as Liang Ximei in the late 1990s television comedy show Comedy Night.
Biography
Neo, born Neo Chee Keong found his calling when at the age of 14, he wrote and acted in a comedy skit for Tanjong Katong Secondary SchoolTanjong Katong Secondary School
Tanjong Katong Secondary School, affectionately known as TK, is an autonomous co-educational school located in Katong. Before its autonomous status, the school was named by the Ministry of Education as the 'Best Non-Independent and Non-Autonomous Secondary School' in Singapore. TK was presented...
.
Neo started his career on television in 1980 and became one of the most successful and recognizable celebrities in MediaCorp
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
for his comedic roles on film and television - His two most notable cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
roles on film and television are that of Liang Po Po and Liang Xi Mei. Neo started directing features in That One Not Enough (1999) and he set up his own artiste management company, J Team Productions, whose members include comedians Mark Lee
Mark Lee (comedian)
Mark Lee Kok Huang is a Singaporean Chinese comedian, actor and film director. He works in MediaCorp and J Team Productions with Jack Neo. He is famous for, amongst others, playing the title role in Singapore's MediaCorp TV Channel 5 television sitcom Police & Thief as Lee Tok Kong, Phua Chu Kang...
, Henry Thia
Henry Thia
Henry Thia is a Singaporean actor who is probably best known for his roles in Money No Enough and Police & Thief as Hui and Georgie Gan respectively...
and Johny Cheng.
Neo's films satirize
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
several aspects about Singapore in comical ways, including societal
Culture of Singapore
Singapore was a part of British Malaya for many centuries. It was ruled by the Sultanate of Johor. In 1819, the British came to the Island and set up a port and colony. During British rule, the port of Singapore flourished and attracted many migrants...
issues such as negligent parenting and school corporal punishment, and foreign issues such as the water disputes between Singapore and Malaysia. Apart from his film and TV career, Neo has also recorded and produced a number of albums.
Neo received the Best Director Award at the Silver Screen Awards in 1998 for his short film and was also awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the following year in recognition of his contributions to Singapore's media industry. In 2004, Neo became the first filmmaker in Singapore to be honoured with the Public Service Award. He also received the Cultural Medallion
Cultural Medallion
The Cultural Medallion is a Singapore cultural award conferred to those who have achieved artistic excellence in dance, theatre, literature, music, photography, art and film....
on 21 October 2005 together with musician Dick Lee
Dick Lee
Richard "Dick" Lee Peng Boon is a Singaporean pop singer, composer, songwriter, and playwright. He is best known as a Singapore Idol judge, but often too as spokesperson for the New Asian generation....
.
In 2008, Neo and Mark Lee bought the Singapore master franchise rights for Old Town White Coffee
Old Town White Coffee
The Old Town White Coffee, OTWC is the largest kopitiam restaurant chain in Malaysia. Its main headquarters is in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.-Classic Dishes:*Old Town Nasi Lemak Special*Mee Java*Dry Curry Mee*Old Town Ipoh Chicken Hor Fun...
, a coffee retail concept from Ipoh
Ipoh
Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
, Malaysia. Their first store at Big Splash opened on 30 March in that year.
Personal life
Neo married Irene Kng in 1988 and they have four children, aged 6 to 19.It is his second marriage.
Extramarital affair scandal
In March 2010, a two-year-long extramarital affair between Neo and freelance model Wendy Chong was publicized and Neo admitted to the affair. Chong, who played a minor role in Neo's 2008 film Money No Enough 2Money No Enough 2
Money No Enough 2 is a Singaporean film written and directed by Jack Neo and produced by Neo Studios, Mediacorp Raintree Pictures and Scorpio EastPictures....
, claimed that Neo initiated the affair. Neo attempted to break the affair but Chong threatened to hurt herself and the exposé caused shock-waves amongst the conservative entertainment circle of Singapore.
On 9 March 2010, additional reports were released about Neo having or attempting extramarital affairs with up to 11 women. He tried to ask actress-host Foyce Le Xuan and French student Maelle Meurzec for sexual favors, both unsuccessfully. On 11 March, Neo and Kng held a five-minute press conference, in which Neo admitted his mistake and asked the media to let him off. After that, Kng reiterated her love for Neo and also requested for the media to spare her.
Subsequently, his endorsement deal with Mitsubishi Electric Asia was dropped and TV advertisements featuring the director would be taken off air. Other advertisers, such as Bee Cheng Hiang and Goh Joo Hin are apparently adopting a wait-and-see attitude.[9]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 12 Storeys 12 Storeys 12 Storeys is a 1997 Singaporean comedy film directed by Eric Khoo. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.-Synopsis:... |
Ah Gu | Actor |
| 1998 | Money No Enough Money No Enough Money No Enough is a Singaporean comedy film about three friends with financial problems who start a car polishing business together. Written by Jack Neo, directed by Tay Teck Lock and produced by JSP Films, the movie stars Neo, Mark Lee and Henry Thia... |
Chew Wah Keong | Writer, Actor |
| Hitman in the City Hitman in the City Hitman in the City is a Singaporean telemovie directed by Jack Neo, released in 1998.-Cast:*Mark Lee as Liu Fei*Patricia Mok as Linda*Henry Thia as Chen Lai Shun*John Cheng as Crow... |
Writer, Director, Narrator | ||
| 1999 | That One Not Enough | Writer, Director | |
| Liang Popo: The Movie | Liang Popo | Writer, Actor | |
| 2002 | I Not Stupid I Not Stupid I Not Stupid is a Singaporean comedy film about the lives, struggles, and adventures of three Primary 6 pupils who are placed in the academically inferior EM3 stream. Written and directed by Jack Neo, and produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures, the movie stars Xiang Yun, Richard Low, Selena Tan,... |
Mr Liu | Writer, Director, Actor |
| 2003 | Homerun Homerun (film) Homerun Chinese: 跑吧！孩子 pinyin: pǎo bà háizǐ) is a 2003 Singaporean Mandarin-language film. A remake of the award-winning Iranian film Children of Heaven, Homerun is a drama about two poor siblings and their adventures over a lost pair of shoes... |
Writer, Director | |
| 2004 | The Best Bet The Best Bet The Best Bet is a Singaporean film as well as a Singaporean television series. The film was written and directed by Jack Neo, and produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures. The film, with a different cast than the television series stars Richard Low, Mark Lee, Christopher Lee, Chen Liping and Joanne... |
Writer, Director | |
| 2005 | I Do I Do | Director | |
| One More Chance | Reporter | Writer, Director | |
| 2006 | I Not Stupid Too I Not Stupid Too I Not Stupid Too is a 2006 Singaporean film and the sequel to the 2002 film, I Not Stupid. A satirical comedy, I Not Stupid Too portrays the lives, struggles and adventures of three Singaporean youths—15-year-old Tom, his 8-year-old brother Jerry and their 15-year-old friend Chengcai—who have a... |
Mr Yeo | Writer, Director, Actor |
| 2007 | Just Follow Law Just Follow Law Just Follow Law is a 2007 Singaporean comedy film directed by Jack Neo, and starring Gurmit Singh of Phua Chu Kang fame, Fann Wong, Moses Lim, Samuel Chong, Lina Ng and Steven Woon. The title is a pun on the Singlish phrase "just follow lor", which means to comply with orders without questioning why... |
Doctor | Writer, Director, Narrator |
| 2008 | Ah Long Pte Ltd Ah Long Pte Ltd Ah Long Pte Ltd is a comedy film directed by Singaporean film director Jack Neo, starring Fann Wong and Mark Lee. Co-produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures, Scorpio East Pictures and Double Vision , the film was mostly shot in Malaysia, in the city of Kuala Lumpur, with a budget of S$1.2 million... |
Composer | Writer, Director, Actor |
| Money No Enough 2 Money No Enough 2 Money No Enough 2 is a Singaporean film written and directed by Jack Neo and produced by Neo Studios, Mediacorp Raintree Pictures and Scorpio EastPictures.... |
Yang Baoqiang | Writer, Director, Actor | |
| 2009 | Love Matters Love Matters Love Matters is a Singaporean film written and directed by Jack Neo and produced by Neo Studios, mm Studios and Grand Billiance.-Plot:... |
Writer, Director | |
| Where Got Ghost? Where Got Ghost? Where Got Ghost? is a Singaporean omnibus comedy horror film directed by Jack Neo and Boris Boo. This film is Jack Neo's first attempt with horror flicks.-Plot:... |
Yang Baoqiang | Director, Actor | |
| 2010 | Being Human | Waiter | Director |
| 2011 | Homecoming | Karen Neo | Actor |
| The Ghosts Must Be Crazy The Ghosts Must Be Crazy The Ghosts Must Be Crazy is a Singaporean film directed by Boris Boo and Mark Lee. It was released on 6 January 2011 for a sneak preview and was officially released the next day.... |
Executive Producer, Writer | ||
| 2012 | I Not Naughty | TBC | Writer, Director, Narrator |