For those who were all hyped up to see Xie Shaoguang face off against Chen Hanwei for Best Actor at Star Awards this year — sorry to disappoint. It’s not happening.
The nominations for the performance categories at Star Awards 2026 were revealed earlier today (Feb 26), but to our surprise, the 64-year-old actor’s name — who made his anticipated showbiz comeback in 2024 — was nowhere to be seen on the list.
Prior to this, viewers were harbouring high hopes that Shaoguang would be nominated for Best Actor with his highly-lauded role as Huo Yan in Mediacorp drama The Gift Of Time. He played an arrogant tycoon whose life takes a drastic turn after being diagnosed with cancer.
Fans were also looking forward to seeing Hanwei and Shaoguang vie for the trophy at the ceremony, which will take place on Apr 19 at The Theatre at Mediacorp.
Hanwei currently holds the record for the most Best Actor wins at Star Awards — he has seven, by the way.
He surpassed Shaoguang, who secured five wins before leaving the industry in 2005. Shaoguang held the record for 15 years until Hanwei broke it in 2019.
This time, Hanwei, who starred opposite Shaoguang in The Gift of Time, was unsurprisingly nominated for Best Actor again, setting him up for a potential eighth win in the category.
In light of the unexpected news, Shaoguang personally took to his Instagram to explain his decision this afternoon.
“I have always carried a heart full of gratitude. Star Awards once gave me encouragement and affirmation in my acting career,” he wrote in his caption.
“I deeply understand what these awards mean to every fellow artiste who is still climbing the path, they are a testament to sweat and perseverance.”
He acknowledged that winning an award is “a ladder for them to step towards their next opportunity.”
While Shaoguang appreciates the chance to meet audiences again last year through The Gift of Time, he still holds on to his choice of stepping away from the limelight.
“I am already in a semi-retired state. I would rather the spotlight be left to the outstanding actors who are actively working now, so they may have more opportunities to shine,” he said.
He added that the success of a role is never the work of one single person and that “every team member behind-the-scenes team is indispensable”.
“If the character has lived up to expectations, the credit belongs to the team’s professionalism and dedication,” he said. “I wish all my colleagues continued progress and hope they will contribute even more wonderful work to the performing arts.”
8days.sg has since reached out to Shaoguang’s manager, who confirmed that the actor will not be attending the awards ceremony, even as a guest.
They also clarified that Shaoguang had “declined participation in Star Awards prior to the nomination process”.