Zoe Tay on her roles: I have a phobia of sexy scenes

SINGAPORE - From portraying the Queen of Gamblers in The Unbeatables to acting as a successful career woman in recent TV drama The Dream Makers, Zoe Tay has played countless roles in over two decades in showbiz.

But there's a role that the 45-year-old Caldecott Hill Ah Jie (big sister in English) still feels uncomfortable with: intimate bed scenes.

At an interview yesterday to promote her latest Channel 8 telemovie, Recipe, Tay said: "I have a phobia of bed scenes and kissing scenes. I feel awkward if I have to act in them and I will break out into cold sweat."

She said: "It's not because I am an Ah Jie now, or because I am a mother and a wife.

"All along, I have resisted it. It's a mental barrier that I cannot overcome. Unless the plot strictly requires it, I will not do it."

Tay, who is married with three young sons, recalls her experience when she had to get physical with her lead actors in local movie Love Cuts (2010) and upcoming international arthouse film Mister John.

She said: "I remember I flinched when my male co-star hugged me, and I told him, 'Is it okay if you don't touch me?'

"I felt very scared.

"I even almost pulled out of Mister John's filming because I felt that I simply couldn't do it."

In the end, the kissing scene still took place under the guidance of British husband-and-wife indie directorial team Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor, who are helming Mister John.

"My co-star was very gentlemanly and we only did two to three takes for the kissing scene and it was quite a smooth process.

However, it was still very awkward having to kiss a Caucasian actor whom I barely know in front of so many crew members."

For her new acting venture, Recipe, Tay does not have to get physical with any of her co-stars.

Instead, the telemovie sees her as a chef and the daughter of a woman with dementia.

Commissioned by the Health Promotion Board, Recipe, which will air on Channel 8 on Sept 29 at 9pm, is helmed by renowned local director Eric Khoo and centres on the topic of dementia.

It also featues veteran artists Li Ying Zhu, Desmond Shen and Moses Lim as well as rising starlet Jayley Woo.

On taking up this role, Tay said: "Before I filmed this movie, I didn't know much about dementia. This show will help educate the public and raise awareness on the topic."

She also sang Khoo's praises, saying: "I've always admired his work. The moment I heard that he was on board, I agreed to do the movie immediately without even knowing what the exact plot was about. I hope I'll get a chance to work in Eric's other films in the future."

Recipe explores the relationship and tension between Grace (Tay) and her ageing mum who suffers from dementia.

In the telemovie, Grace struggles to juggle the stress of opening her new restaurant and caring for her mother, who has moved in to live with her family.

Close to mum

In real life, Tay is close to her mother whom she describes as introverted but hot-headed.

The MediaCorp actress speaks fondly of her, saying: "My mum loves to cook and she would always cook for our family. Sometimes, I will buy her handbags to make her feel happy. She doesn't like new clothes, but she likes it when I give her handbags as presents.

"My sons get along well with her too. They love her cooking and not mine, because I can't really cook."

Tay added that her sons do not enjoy watching the shows she is in because they are too young to understand the plot. Her oldest is eight and her youngest is three.

"They only get to watch TV on Fridays and Saturdays and they prefer watching kid-friendly shows."

Being in front of the camera most of the time for her job has also led Tay to think about maintaining her looks.

Tay said that she does not reject the idea of mild plastic surgery, but she does not have the courage to go under the knife.

She said:" "As an actress, there is a certain need to take care of how I look. I don't dare to do it now, but who knows, maybe in the future I will go for it."

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