Local director Jack Neo revealed the cast for his new Chinese New Year movie I Want To Be Boss in a lensing ceremony held recently.
The event was announced in two Instagram (IG) posts by the 64-year-old's production company JTeam yesterday (Oct 7).
In the first post, actors Aileen Tan, Henry Thia, Dawn Yeoh, Yang Guang Ke Le, Zhang Shuifa, Terence Cao, Maxi Lim and Jae Liew were seen taking photos with the production team in front of a landed property.
The cast list features familiar names who have worked with Jack before. Henry and Patricia Mok, who was earlier announced to be involved in the movie, have been with Jack since Comedy Nite in the 1990s. Maxi was one of the leading men in the Ah Boys to Men franchise from 2012.
A separate post features a Reel taken during the lensing ceremony, where Jack, the actors and the production team conducted prayer rituals and cut a roast pig.
Aileen, 57, who acted in Jack's period movie series Long Long Time Ago 1 and 2 (2016), said: "We are working together again after eight years. We hope that we can bring more surprises and joy to audiences."
She also made an IG post later and wrote: "New team, new combination, new surprises, looking forward to creating new sparks. Making the audience laugh out loud during the new year! Heng Ong Huat!"
Yang Guang Ke Le, who starred in Jack's Ah Girls Go Army 1 and 2 (2022), expressed her joy to work with him again.
"I am back on the big screen after three years! Congratulations on the official commencement of filming for the 2025 new year movie I Want To Be Boss. Looking forward to this movie, it should be tiring and very fun! I hope everyone can support us. See you in the cinemas!" the 27-year-old wrote in her IG post.
Jae, 34, who acted in Jack's I Not Stupid 3 (2024), also wrote in her latest IG post: "Super grateful for the opportunity to embark on this new journey with this team. All the best!"
Shuifa thanked Jack for the opportunity to return to acting in his IG Story.
The 57-year-old included a quote, believed to be by Jack, in his Story: "Shuifa left showbiz for many years and is acting in my movie upon returning to the industry, and in an important role. You watched his performances on television in the past. If you think about how he can still make a return to acting at his age, you would also be surprised by his performance."
"I represent my mother to thank you from the bottom of my heart," Shuifa wrote in response.
Jack shared with Lianhe Zaobao last month that the story will centre around artificial intelligence and the daily lives of Singaporeans. He also acknowledged that the time for filming is "tight", as Chinese New Year period would begin from Jan 29 next year.
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