PUBLISHED ONBYYeo Shu HuiCarrie Wong had to step away to take a breather in between filming the upcoming local film Ah Girl in 2024.
That's because the 32-year-old local actress, who marked her silver screen debut in this film, plays a toxic mum to the child protagonist Ang Swee Swee (played by newcomer Ong Xuan Jing).
She told AsiaOne in an interview on Nov 2: "The filming process was very heartbreaking for me, because I believe no child should ever go through this kind of manipulation and gaslighting from adults... I feel that this is horrible...
"There were a lot of scenes where I had to take a breather outside because I wanted to cry but wasn't supposed to [as my character], but I felt very guilty and heartbroken towards Xuan Jing, so I had to go out and rest for a while before coming back."
She recalled a scene where her character Mummy threatens and gaslights Swee Swee to apologise for something that wasn't her fault. Xuan Jing was only seven then.
Carrie said: "Xuan Jing just stared at me and started tearing up, and I also wanted to cry. [Director Ang] Geck Geck told me I had to be firm and it was really very difficult for me.
"I don't understand how someone can treat a child like that... I personally feel very depressed by the whole scene."
Set in Singapore in 1994 and inspired by Geck Geck's childhood, Ah Girl tells the story of seven-year-old Swee Swee who is caught between Mummy and Ah Pa's (James Seah) separation, while protecting her younger sister Ah Tian (Sydney Wong), navigating childhood and carrying various big emotions she has no words for.
To bond with Xuan Jing, Carrie would have conversations over meals with her and her mum during filming in Malaysia.
"I bonded with her mum as well. Xuan Jing is very close to her and she tells her mum everything... She was a little shy initially but opened up to me after that. I tried to observe her relationship with her mum and it helped on set," she added.
Carrie also shared that observing Xuan Jing and Sydney on set as first-time actors got her reflecting on her own performance as well.
"A lot of people asked me if I had given them advice and taught them [acting] on set, but I would say it's the other way round," she elaborated.
"Their emotions and reactions were genuine, and it was their most raw performances that were captured on screen because they don't know what acting is. If they are having fun, they are genuinely having fun. If they are crying, they are really crying because of their emotions. There's no performance inside.
"When I looked at them, I wondered if I had neglected this point after a decade in showbiz. Because we have been doing this for so much on a daily basis for years and in different productions and sometimes, we tend to neglect what is most important and valuable, which is the rawness of our emotions.
"I enjoyed watching them on set, including how they read the script and analyse the scenes."
Carrie had conversations with Geck Geck, who has cut off contact with her mum, to prepare for the role and learnt her character is insecure and constantly seeks validation from others.
As she does not accept such behaviour, Carrie took some time to understand the role and justify her actions.
She added: "I believed James' and my characters are also struggling adults who are trying to navigate life and there are a lot of things they don't understand. They didn't manage to find a way to properly communicate with their children.
"I hope this film could be a takeaway for young couples or couples who are planning to have children in the future, to always remember to listen to their children genuinely, and communicate with them properly to understand their wants and needs."
Understanding the difficulties that Swee Swee — and also Geck Geck — experienced while growing up also helped Carrie to be more appreciative of her own parents.
She shared: "I grew up in a very healthy and happy family. My parents were very supportive in whatever I wanted to do. They let me try new things, explore on my own and let me learn, and when I fall, they will always be there to back me up.
"I've always had the courage to try new things because I know I won't be alone; my voice was always heard while growing up. I can't imagine someone like Swee Swee, who has to grow up in an environment where she is more mature than an adult, her voice is not heard, and she has to protect her younger sister. It's very heartbreaking for me."
Ah Girl is well acclaimed at various film events, including winning Best ASEAN Film and New Voices Award at Bangkok International Film Festival, as well as receiving three nominations — Best New Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best New Performer — at the upcoming 63rd Golden Horse Awards.
At the 37th Singapore International Film Festival Silver Screen Awards on Oct 31, it also received the top prize Best Asian Feature Film.
On the recognition they received, Carrie said she didn't think so far ahead when filming began in 2024 as she just wanted to focus on playing Mummy well.
As this was the first time she acted in a film, she had to get used to the different production and filming styles, including going through more rehearsals with Xuan Jing and Sydney, getting familiarised with hand-held camera works and the slower pace in filming each scene.
Carrie has had a good year in 2026, including receiving All-Time Favourite Artiste at Star Awards 2026 and the release of her cross-border thriller drama Kidnap Game also starring South Korean actor Lee Joon-gi and Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi.
Reflecting on the year as well as her hopes for 2027, she said: "I think it's a very productive year. I got to experience many new things, which was what I've always wanted as an actress. Playing roles such as Mummy in Ah Girl as well as [Janice Lau] in Kidnap Game were new challenges that helped me grow as an actress. I am very thankful for the opportunities and I hope the audience will enjoy the movie and series.
"For 2027, I just wish I can continue to try new things, roles I have never portrayed before, including a villain or a character with a very different image. I think the audience has a fixed image of me and I hope to be able to play a role that doesn't look like me at all. I think that would be fun."
Ah Girl opens in Singapore cinemas on Nov 19.
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