30-year-old Malaysia-born actress Tiffany Leong died from cancer on 28 Dec. According to news reports, she was admitted to hospital on Christmas Eve after a relapse.
In July 2013, the former Mediacorp artiste was diagnosed with the hereditary disease multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndrome, where the endocrine glands are overactive or cause the formation of tumours.
In Tiffany’s case, the disease caused early stage liver cancer. That year, she underwent surgery and removed 60 percent of her liver. The surgery was successful, but she needed lots of rest and took a hiatus from showbiz.
Early this year, Tiffany returned to filming, but was forced to stop after an infection.
Here are 10 things you never knew about the strong-willed actress.
In 2005, Tiffany won the 1st runner-up position in the Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant and joined television channel Astro as a host. She later diversified into acting after her success in Malaysia as a host and model, and moved to Singapore.
She appeared in local and Malaysian productions such as La Femme, Code of Honour, The Quarters, and more. In 2007, she starred in Singapore-Malaysia co-produced drama Fallen Angel as the female lead alongside her doppelgänger Cai Peixuan (see next point).
In 2011, she was nominated for the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes at the annual Star Awards.
After news of her demise broke, many confused her with actress Cai Peixuan (better known as Bak Kut girl).
The two were good friends, and Tiffany passed away shortly after Cai left her deathbed. Cai felt that Tiffany chose to leave only when Cai was away as she didn’t want Cai to feel upset.
Fellow Malaysian actress Tracy Lee also bears resemblance to Tiffany. The two were also on close terms, and Lee also visited Tiffany together with Cai before Tiffany’s departure.
In a 2013 interview with InCinemas, Tiffany shared about two incidents where she got possessed.
She had her first encounter in Malaysia when she was filming for drama Code of Honour and suddenly had breathing difficulties. Her body stiffened and she was unable to move. She was later sent to the hospital and even four nurses were unable to hold a struggling and screaming Tiffany down. After her two possession encounters, Tiffany went through some rituals to ‘seal the body’.
Her family got more worried after her possession incidents and forbade her to take on projects with supernatural themes.
Tiffany’s original Chinese name was 梁丽芳 (Liang Li Fang), but was later known as 绰琦 (Chuo Qi). Tiffany said this change was because of her “involvement in the entertainment business”, but at least 4 fortunetellers have long urged her to change her name due to her affinity with the supernatural.
Nonetheless, she only changed her name 10 years after her showbiz debut, as she preferred using her original name since it sounded more intimate – her friends and family have been calling her by the name 丽芳. She added that the name Chuo Qi is merely an additional stage name for her and that she did not change her name.
In the same interview with InCinemas, the actress talked about the roles she’d like to try playing:
I’m actually interested in stylish roles. For example, Rui En’s character as a female police officer (in ‘C.L.I.F. 2’ – Courage, Loyalty, Integrity, Fairness, or 警徽天职 2). Another role I really wanted to try out would be a mortuary makeup artist. I feel that this occupation has a lot of stories to share through his daily work and with my “special connections”, I think it will be interesting taking up the role.
According to Zen Chong, who drove from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to visit Tiffany in hospital, Tiffany’s last wish was to eat cake.
She had no energy to talk, and spoke in soft whispers, but she tried to keep her eyes open so that she could talk to us. She also whispered something, but I couldn’t hear her at all. She then shouted really loudly, ‘I want to eat cake!’.
We told her that when she recovers, we will take her out to feast on good food. Who knew that when she fell asleep after an injection, she (would) never wake up…
Tiffany had acted with her long-time screen partner Zen Chong in over five dramas since 2007, in dramas such as Fallen Angel, Priceless Wonder, and The Quarters.
The two usually played partners onscreen, but their chemistry was just as good when they acted as a couple in Priceless Wonder.
Nonetheless, Leong lamented about how “painful” it was when she filmed a kissing scene with Chong. The two kissed for so long Chong’s hands were already roaming all over Tiffany’s back, but the director still refused to cut.
By the end of the ordeal, Tiffany’s lips were sore.
In an interview done in 2010, Tiffany revealed her wish to find a good guy and to be taken care of. She shared that she is self-reliant, but not independent, and needed someone in her life to watch over her and remind her of the little things in life — like eating. There was an occasion where she went without food for 3 days as she was busy with filming and completely forgot about eating.
Her ideal guy would be someone who has wisdom and is mature, whom she can learn from and communicate with her effectively.
Unfortunately, this talented girl left without having her happily ever after.
Despite her sweet looks, the beauty queen had no qualms about uglifying herself for her onscreen roles.
In Channel 8 drama The Quarters, Tiffany played a comical character in the form of a bucktoothed samsui woman named Mao Dawan. This role was a far cry from her usual portrayal of an heiress or career woman, and Tiffany considered that role a breakthrough for her. Although the buck teeth was uncomfortable, the actress professionally immersed herself in the role, and even so got carried away at times when delivering her lines that her buck teeth would fall out.
It was also through this show that Tiffany got to meet actress Zhou Ying, and the two soon became good friends. After Tiffany’s death, Zhou took to Instagram to deliver a eulogy:
Malaysian life magazine LifeTV.com.my paid Tiffany a visit after her successful operation on 7 October 2013. The optimistic actress even asked her fans, family, and friends not to worry for her.
She was grateful to be able to have a “Take 2” in life after her first operation, but her relapse two years later cruelly took her away.
The actress had a strong fighting spirit and didn’t cave in in the face of adversity. Instead, she took time off to recuperate so she could return to her first love – acting. She was unfortunately taken away at the young age of 30, but audiences would always remember her for her acting chops.
Rest in peace.
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Featured image via Hardware Zone
With reference to Kwong Wah, Wikipedia, Lollipop, STOMP, The Coverage
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