Chen Tianwen (born 28 May 1963)[1] is a Singaporean actor.

Chen Tianwen
Chen at the Star Awards 2017
Born (1963-05-28) 28 May 1963 (age 61)[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1984–present
Spouse
Bao Xiaohui
(m. 2014)
Children1
AwardsStar Awards 1997:
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese陳天文
Simplified Chinese陈天文
Hanyu PinyinChén Tiānwén

Career

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Chen was educated at the now-defunct Serangoon Garden Secondary Technical School. He joined the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (now Mediacorp) after completing the 5th artiste drama training class and made his debut in 1984. He is contracted to Mediacorp, starring in many Chinese-language Singaporean dramas shown on MediaCorp Channel 8 since the 1990s. He has also starred in Singaporean movies including Ah Boys to Men, Ah Boys to Men 2, Ilo Ilo, The Lion Men, The Lion Men: Ultimate Showdown, Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen, Mr. Unbelievable, Lulu the Movie and Take 2.

Chen holds a black belt in taekwondo[2] and his martial arts background led to him being cast in many Wuxia dramas in the 1990s and as characters with fight scenes in other drama series.[citation needed] He is also a member of the Singapore Celebrity Soccer Team.[3]

The Straits Times remarked that Chen's "much-praised understated turn" in the Cannes Film Festival award-winning film Ilo Ilo put him in the spotlight once again.[4]

Chen hit the headlines again when two parody music videos he starred in, went viral. The first, titled "Unbelievable", was "lauded" for the nonsensical line "I so stunned like vegetable" [sic], drawing the attention of Time magazine,[5] while the second, "Sandcastle in My Heart", in which Irene Ang also starred, did not become as popular as the previous one. Both videos are a parody of popular Chinese MVs in the 1970s, particularly the work of Singaporean singer Huang Qing Yuan.

Personal life

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Chen told Channel NewsAsia that he and Bao Xiao Hui, a Mongolian,[6] were married in May 2014.[7] The couple had a son named Genghis Chan, who was born on 12 June 2015.[8]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2012 Ah Boys to Men Mr. Jin, Aloysius' father
2013 Ah Boys to Men 2
Ilo Ilo Lim Teck
2014 The Lion Men Master He
The Lion Men: Ultimate Showdown
2015 Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen Mr. Jin, Aloysius father
Mr. Unbelievable Eric Kwek Hock Seng
2016 Lulu the Movie Brad Pit
2017 Take 2 Di Tie

Television series

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1984 The Awakening
Youth (年轻人之奎笼恋歌) Wang Xiaoda
1985 The Young Heroes (少年英雄) Chen Tiezhu
Unyielding Butterflies (铁蝴蝶) Meng Chuqiao
Man from the Past (大侠吴三奇) Wu Sanqi
1986 The Sword and the Song Zhao Guangyi
First Step (踏上征途) Li Jianhui
Men of Valour (盗日英雄传) Yue Feng
1987 Moving On (变迁) Zhuang Rongguang
1988 Ups and Downs (婚姻保险) Deng Qianfan
Teahouse in Chinatown (牛车水人家) Chen Defu
The Last Applause (舞榭歌台) Shen Desheng
Airforce Wu Hongfa [9]
1989 Turn of the Tide (浮沉) Gu Yongsheng
Magic of Dance (鼓舞青春)
1990 Navy (壮志豪情) Xie Wenhuai
Village Hero (大吉传奇) Zheng Tong
1991 Legend of a Beauty (一代天骄) Ye Feng
The Last Swordsman (最后一个大侠) Liu Sheng Ci Lang
Private Eyes (妙探智多星) Gao Guangyi
Behind Bars (铁狱雷霆) Feng Lingzheng
1992 Woman of Substance (悲欢岁月) Hong Hui
1993 Web of Deceit (鹤啸九天) Zhu Zihe
The Great Conspiracy (莲花争霸) Nan Gongjian
Endless Love (未了缘) Yu Jiahui
Angel of Vengeance (暴雨狂花) Wang Jiahui
Heavenly Beings (再战封神榜) Hu Jiansheng
1994 Silk and Romance (情丝万缕) Shao Wenxuan
Challenger (勇者无惧) Li Jin
Thunder Plot (惊天大阴谋) Li Baoluo
Men on the Edge (帮会1889)
Young Justice Bao (侠义包公) Di Qing
1995 The Shadow Mission (地下猎人) Lin Hanbiao
Heavenly Ghost Catcher (天师钟馗)
Heartbeat (医胆仁心) Lin Yuanda
1996 Life on the Line (魂断四面佛) Superintendent
Kung Fu Master 1996 (掌门人1996) Chen Zhi
1997 Sword and Honour (铁血男儿) Zheng He
The Royal Monk (真命小和尚) Iron Bucket
The Gods Must Be Rich (财神到) Pai Guwang
1998 Legend of the Eight Immortals The Evil Dragon
The Royal Monk 2 (真命小和尚之十二铜人) Iron Bucket
1999 From the Medical Files 2 (医生档案2) Zhou Yuhui
Back to School (摩登状元) Liao Guoren
Out to Win (步步为赢) Xu Mingquan
Legends of Ne Zha (莲花童子-哪吒) Shen Gongbao
2000 The Legendary Swordsman Tian Boguang
Luan Shi Pian Xia (乱世骗侠)
2001 The Hotel Raymond Boo
Beyond the Axis of Truth Li Zeyuan
My Genie (我爱精灵)
2002 Kopi-O II Shen Jianren
No Problem! (考试家族)
Bukit Ho Swee Feng Sidong
2003 A Toast of Love Wu Guanghui
Holland V Gao Tianxiang
Health Matters 2 (一切由慎开始2) Lin Xiangfeng
2004 Devil's Blues (叛逆战队)
A Child's Hope 2 (孩有明天2)
Man at Forty Wang Shaoqi
Double Happiness William
Double Happiness II
2005 The Dragon Heroes Xiang Hai
2006 Love at 0°C Liao Qunfang
CID Li Fuzhong
Magical Hands (猜心妙手)
2007 Kinship 2 Chen Anxin
Kinship
Mars vs Venus Ah Wu
Let It Shine Lin Youwei's father
2008 Love Blossoms Lu Gua
Love Blossoms II
By My Side Andy
2009 Mr & Mrs Kok (妙探夫妻档)
My School Daze Ma Guoliang
2010 Happy Family Dong Jingxing
New Beginnings Chen Congming
No Limits Ou Yingxiong
Unriddle Chai Dexing
2011 On the Fringe Luo Biao
2012 Unriddle 2 Hei Tian
Poetic Justice Huang-ge
It Takes Two Opposition Party Lao Cai
2013 Sudden Chen Huiwu
Disclosed Zhang Youguo
2014 Yes We Can! Jiang Wen
118 Zhang Tiancheng
2015 Life Is Beautiful Albert Zhang
2016 Don't Worry, Be Healthy Hong Maoqiang
The Dream Job Zhang Mingde
C.L.I.F. 4 Zhao Xuewei
K.O. Li Chengda
Hero Guan A-li
118 II Zhang Tiancheng
2017 Eat Already? 2 Pineapple Head
2018 Mind Matters Lu Liangsheng
Life Less Ordinary Curry Puff
VIC Security Guard Cameo
Heart To Heart Wu Liang
2019 Hello From The Other Side (阴错阳差) Da Niu
Hello From The Other Side - Its Time (阴错阳差 – 时辰到) Cameo
C.L.I.F. 5 Lucas Chew
The Good Fight (致胜出击) Yan Dongshan
2020 My Guardian Angels (单翼天使) Ye Jinquan
A Jungle Survivor (森林生存记) Dong Suncheng
Super Dad (男神不败) Ah Jin
Mister Flower (花花公子) Zhu Guodong
2021

Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories@Job Haunting

Heng
Key Witness (关键证人) Li Tianyun
Watch Out! Alexius (小心啊!谢宇航) Li Taibai
So Old yet So Young (心里住着老灵魂) Wu Lihao
2022 Dark Angel (黑天使) Fang Zhengde
Soul Doctor (灵医) Wu Zhenhe
You Can Be An Angel 4 (你也可以是天使4) Liu Zhihai
In Safe Hands (守护星) Qian Caishun
2023 Cash on Delivery Qian
Whatever Will Be, Will Be House owner Dialect series &
Cameo

Discography

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Compilation albums

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Year English title Mandarin title
2009 MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 09 新传媒福牛迎端年
2013 MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 13 新传媒金蛇献祥福

Awards and nominations

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Year Organisation Category Nominated work Result Ref
1997 Star Awards Best Supporting Actor The Royal Monk
(as Tie Tong)
Nominated
Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 10
1998 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 20
2000 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 20
2001 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 20
2002 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 20
2010 Star Awards Unforgettable Villain Love Blossoms II
(as Lu Gua)
Nominated
2013 50th Golden Horse Awards Best Supporting Actor Ilo Ilo Nominated
2016 Star Awards Best Supporting Actor 118(as Zhang Tiancheng) Nominated
Best Evergreen Artiste Nominated
Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 20
2017 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 20
2021 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 30
2022 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Top 20 [10]
Star Awards Most Hated Villain Mister Flower

(as Zhu Guodong)

Nominated [11]
2023 Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b "Chen Tian Wen". Mediacorp. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  2. ^ Auto, Hermes (1 August 2021). "Actor Chen Tianwen goes viral on TikTok with behind-the-scenes stunt clip | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  3. ^ Celeb Bios Archived 29 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Accolades". The Straits Times. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  5. ^ Regan, Helen (16 April 2015). "'I So Stunned Like Vegetable' Could Become a Thing After This Video". Time.
  6. ^ "Chen Tian Wen celebrates his son's first month". 8 Days. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Ilo Ilo star Chen Tian Wen to become a dad". Channel NewsAsia. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Chen Tian Wen welcomes baby boy". Channelnewsasia. 12 June 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  9. ^ "每集长75分钟 《空军》六片集 是六部迷你电影". Lianhe Wanbao (in Chinese (Singapore)). 25 February 1988. p. 13. Retrieved 8 November 2023 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. ^ "Star Awards Top 40 Most Popular Artistes revealed; Brandon Wong gets first nomination". sg.style.yahoo.com. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Star Awards 2022: Chantalle Ng and Xu Bin nominated for Favourite CP, Top 40 Most Popular Artistes revealed". AsiaOne. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
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