2023 has undoubtedly been an eventful year for Singaporean actor Mark Lee.
The star of movies such as ‘Where Got Ghost’ and the ‘Money No Enough’ series just recently returned after spending weeks abroad filming.
Now, he has marked a new career milestone with a nomination for Best Asian Actor at the Septimius Awards, the Netherlands’ equivalent of the Academy Awards.
Source: Mark Lee on Instagram
Lee received the nod for his leading role as a pimp in the 2022 film ‘Geylang’.
News of Lee’s nomination garnered widespread attention after his wife, Ms Catherine Ng, posted a congratulatory post on Instagram.
The post featured a montage of Lee’s scenes in ‘Geylang’ along with a screenshot of his name on the Septimius Awards’ list of nominees.
Ng wrote that she “couldn’t be prouder” of her husband, and called the nomination a testament to his talent.
She also wrote that regardless of whether Lee wins the award, he has already achieved “something incredible” by being nominated.
Finally, she expressed hope that the nod will serve as a “stepping stone” towards a brighter and more prosperous future for her husband and his career.
Described as an international award ceremony, the Septimius Awards takes a unique approach to selecting nominees for Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Film.
According to its official website, these three awards are divided according to continent. As such, each category has subcategories for Asia, Europe, Africa, America, Europe, and Oceania.
Source: Septimius Awards
Nominated alongside Lee are actors from other Asian countries such as India, Indonesia and Iraq.
The award ceremony will take place in the Netherlands on 26 Sep. However, Lee told Lianhe Zaobao in an interview that he would not be able to attend.
He cited a packed schedule as the reason, saying that he has upcoming shoots and behind-the-scenes preparations, as well as rehearsals for a musical.
“It’s a pity I can’t go. I think it would have been a valuable learning opportunity, as I’ve been to the Golden Horse Awards and really want to go to another international award ceremony,” said Lee.
Despite feeling some regret over missing the show, Lee remarked that he still finds it all a great surprise.
Furthermore, Lee revealed that he did not submit his name for nomination.
Rather, he was shortlisted by the festival’s jury after its members watched the film.
Reflecting on what may have taken place, the 54-year-old speculated that the jury was perhaps curious about Singaporean cinema and watched the film as a result.
“Maybe after seeing the movie, they felt my performance met their standards and that clinched my nomination,” he mused.
Ultimately, Lee is grateful to the jury for appreciating his performance in the movie.
‘Geylang’ tells the stories of a prostitute, a pimp (Lee), a gangster, a doctor, and a politician, whose fates become intertwined over the course of one night in Geylang.
Source: @marklee4444 on Instagram
Apart from Lee, the mm2 Entertainment production stars Sheila Sim, Shane Mardjuki, Gary Lau, and Patricia Lin.
MS News congratulates Mark Lee on this momentous nomination and wishes him all the best in the upcoming award ceremony.
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Featured image adapted from @marklee4444 on Instagram and Instagram.
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