Star Awards 2026: Emerald Hill bags 11 wins, 4 actors to receive All-Time Favourite Artiste next year

The 31st edition of Star Awards 2026 was held today (April 19) at The Theatre at Mediacorp.

Special guests and award presenters included Chinese actor-singer Luo Yunxi, Hong Kong stars Julian Cheung, Ada Choi and Bowie Lam as well as Taiwanese host Kevin Tsai and actor Jasper Liu.

The night saw four stars - Guo Liang, Desmond Tan, Paige Chua and Ya Hui - receive their tenth Top 10 Most Popular Artiste award, slating them to receive the All-Time Favourite Artiste Award next year.

Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story (2025) took home a whopping 11 awards, in categories including Best Drama Serial.

This year, Nick Teo bagged his first-ever Star Awards win in the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes category. Both the 36-year-old and his actress wife Hong Ling, who also received the accolade in the female category, teared up over his new milestone.

Andie Chen ultimately went home empty-handed again. The 40-year-old was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and MyPick! The Most Hated Villain for his role in Fixing Fate as well as Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes.

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Previously, he was nominated Best Actor in 2012, 2017, 2024 and 2025. He was also nominated seven times for Best Supporting Actor since 2011, and in the running for Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes five times previously.

Below are the winners for 2026.

Performance Category

Best Actor

Desmond Tan brought home Best Actor for his dual roles as twins Yuan Yingcai and Yuan Yingjie in Devil Behind the Gate (2025). He previously won the accolade for the first time in 2018 for When Duty Calls.

Best Actress

Jesseca Liu bagged Best Actress for her role as Li Shuqin in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story. This marks the 47-year-old's first win in the category after six nominations in 2006, 2007, 2017, 2022, 2023 and 2025.

Best Supporting Actor

Tyler Ten won Best Supporting Actor for the first time for his role as Bai A'li in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story. He also won the Most Popular Rising Star award.

Best Supporting Actress

Chen Liping won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Ah Zhu in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story. Though she did not attend the ceremony in person, the 60-year-old greeted the audience through a video message.

Best Rising Star

Gladys Bay won Best Rising Star for her role in the 2025 drama Under the Net.

The 29-year-old was the runner-up of Star Search 2024 and most recently made an appearance in the new K-drama Absolute Value of Romance.

Young Talent Award

The Young Talent Award went to child actress Ivory Chia for her role in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story, where she played the young version of protagonist Zhang Xinniang.

The nine-year-old made her screen debut in 2022 drama Love at First Bite, playing the younger counterpart of Chantalle Ng's character.

Popularity Category

Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste Awards

• Chantalle Ng (fifth win)
• Chen Biyu (fourth win)
• Chen Ning (fourth win)
• Denise Camillia Tan (third win)
• Ya Hui (tenth win)
• Gao Meigui (third win)
• Tasha Low (fourth win)
• Paige Chua (tenth win)
• Hong Ling (fifth win)
• Hazelle Teo (first win)

Top 10 Most Popular Male Artiste Awards

• Marcus Chin (sixth win)
• Richie Koh (third win)
• Benjamin Tan (third win)
• Xu Bin (seventh win)
• Nick Teo (first win)
• Shaun Chen (eighth win)
• Desmond Tan (tenth win)
• Jeff Goh (fourth win)
• Ayden Sng (first win)
• Guo Liang (tenth win)

Most Popular Rising Stars

The Most Popular Rising Stars award went to Tyler, Juin Teh and Zhang Zetong.

Actress-host Juin, who teared up on stage while giving her acceptance speech, spoke more about her first win to media backstage: "I would often doubt myself. And every time I did, someone would give me trust and a place to prove myself - including #JustSwipeLah and WonderShop...

"Sometimes you just need to prove yourself and you'll know that you're capable. I think this is an award that allows me to believe in myself."

The 35-year-old admitted that she told people daily to cast votes for her. In doing so, she felt "thick-skinned", and people would send her videos of them voting for her.

All-Time Favourite Artiste Awards

All-Time Favourite Artiste is awarded to artistes who have won a cumulative 10 Top 10 Most Popular Artiste awards.

This year, the trophies went to actors Romeo Tan, 41 and Carrie Wong, 32, who is the youngest recipient of the accolade. Preceding her is Joanne Peh, who received the honour two weeks before her 34th birthday in 2017.

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Programme awards

Best Programme Host (Entertainment and Infotainment)

Guo Liang - Star Awards 2025 Award Ceremony

Best Audio Personality

Dennis Chew

Best Infotainment Programme

Pedal On For Love

Best Short-form Entertainment Programme

Yes 933 Comedy Series

Best Original Song

Echoes of Petals from Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story

Best Radio Programme

Love 972 - Breakfast Quartet

Best Microdrama

Woke Up In The 60s In My Grandma's Apron

Best Drama Serial

Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story

Best Entertainment Programme

Emerald Hill - Our Hillside Moments

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MyPick! Favourite CP

Zetong, 32, and Tasha Low, 33, were awarded the MyPick! Favourite CP award for their roles in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story. They played Zhang Xinniang and Huang Zuye respectively.

Last year, Zetong also won the same award but with Chantalle for their roles in Hope Afloat (2024).

MyPick! Most Emotional Performance

Jesseca, 47, won Most Emotional Performance for her role as Li Shuqin in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story. Last year, she also won The Show Stealer for her role in Unforgivable (2024).

MyPick! The Most Hated Villain

Chantalle, 30, clinched her sixth MyPick! award in a row, winning The Most Hated Villain for her role as Zhang Anna in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story.

MyPick! The Show Stealer

My Pick Awards! The Show Stealer this year went to Ivory for her role in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story. The nine-year-old played the younger version of the drama's protagonist Zhang Xinniang.

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Bioskin Most Charismatic Award

Tyler Ten

BYD Favourite Male Character Award

Desmond Tan as Yuan Yingcai/Yuan Yingjie in Devil Behind the Gate

BYD Favourite Female Character Award

Tasha Low as Zhang Xinniang in Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story

Chan Brothers My Star Guide Award

Dennis Chew

Chan Brothers Favourite DJ Group

The Daka Show

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kristy.chua@asiaone.com

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