Rebecca Lim stars in new drama with 'good friend' Ian Fang post-scandal, says it wasn't awkward

When Ian Fang's steamy DMs with local actress Carrie Wong were leaked, actress Rebecca Lim found herself in the eye of the media storm.

That was because the 34-year-old was rumoured to dating Ian even though both parties have maintained that they're just good friends. When asked by local media for a comment then, she revealed that both of them hadn't seen each other in a while and she hoped that her "good friend Ian is okay".

The duo are now starring in the upcoming Mediacorp Chinese drama A Jungle Survivor and share at least one scene together. Was it awkward to act opposite each other then, in light of the scandal from a year ago?

Speaking to AsiaOne in a phone interview recently, Rebecca mused: "Everybody has been speculating [about our relationship] for a really long time but actually, it hasn't been awkward at all.

"In fact, I'm very glad to have this opportunity to work with good friends in the industry because there are very few good friends in the industry."

This reunion has also been a long time in the making as it's been four years since both starred in the same drama, which was the 2016 Channel 8 drama The Dream Job.

"I'm very happy to see him mature, not just as an individual, but as an actor as well. Even though he didn't have many scenes in A Jungle Survivor, he also composed the theme song. I always hold him in high regard because he's very talented," Rebecca said, adding that she treasures his friendship and it is "a shame that we didn't have that many scenes together".

When asked who else she considers a "good friend" in the industry, Rebecca mulled over it and named her style team, her assistants, and local actor Romeo Tan.

Coincidentally, Romeo is also part of the cast of A Jungle Survivor and having the three of them reunite for this show made it a fun experience for Rebecca. The trio's last show together was the 2013 law drama Sudden.

[[nid:506868]]

"That's why it was fun because the three of us were finally together in the same show after eight years. We've kind of seen each other grow and we're happy for each other's growth in some way. It was a nice reunion of sorts after so many years."

Conspicuously missing from her list of good friends is former bestie Desmond Tan who admitted — for the first time — on meWATCH's Hear U Out that they fell out over a misunderstanding. However, he was hopeful that they would "talk it out one day".

When asked about this separately, Rebecca said she didn't watch that episode of the talkshow and didn't want to jump to conclusions.

"There's nothing for me to clarify because my conscience is clear. Whatever that had happened was so many years ago," she said.

ALSO READ: She's one of the top female celebs in Singapore, but Rebecca Lim says she doesn't need to be called Ah Jie

In A Jungle Survivor, Rebecca plays Ruoqi, an innocent housewife whose simple life is shattered when she realises her husband Yongxi (Pierre Png) is carrying on an affair with his subordinate Olivia (Felicia Chin).

In an attempt to salvage her marriage, Ruoqi returns to the corporate world and takes up a job in the same company as the adulterous couple, and encounters a myriad of office politics, schemes, and characters.

The 20-episode drama — which also stars Xiang Yun, Patricia Mok, Romeo Tan, Zhang Zetong, Guo Liang, and Chen Shucheng — will be available on demand for free on meWATCH from Nov 9, and also on Channel 8 every weekday from Nov 11 at 9pm.

ALSO READ: Patricia Mok returns to dramas after 7 years, says she was rusty during filming

bryanlim@asiaone.com