Talk about a drama series plot twist.

Shock win

Veteran actress Jin Yinji emerged as one of the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes at the Star Awards 2018.

This is the first time in her decades-long acting career she has picked up what is considered the most prestigious prize given out annually in the local media circle, typically reserved for younger, up-and-coming artistes.

Her shock victory on Sunday evening, April 22, is all the more shocking given how she spilled the beans on being on the receiving end of Mediacorp's alleged mistreatment just less than a year ago.

The popular grandma

The win shocked her peers that night as well, who proceeded to kiss air and hug the actress who will turn 72 this year.

Jin then gave an emotional speech, where she said she wouldn't have dreamt of being on stage to receive such an award.

This was her speech, translated:

Thank you, I’d never dream of my life beginning only at 70 years old. Really, I didn’t prepare any speech.

[Guo Liang cut in to shush the crowd: "Listen to Jin Jie speak, please be quiet."]

Thank you everyone. So, there are still so many audience who love me so much. It is really difficult to get up to this stage. I’ve acted 30 years, but I’ve not ever thought of making it up here. As long as I can attend this ceremony, I’m already very happy.

Getting to know the actors and actresses who acted as my sons and daughters in the dramas I’ve acted in with together is the most blissful thing in my life.

This time, I succeeded in leading a travel tour. I also don’t know what else should I say now. I still want to thank the company for allowing me to act in so many different roles in the past 30 years.

For personal issues and difficulties that I cannot settle/ overcome, I’ve already let go. Wah, getting this award is really something that I’ve never dreamt of in my life.

Thank you! Thank you to those make-up artists, cameramen and soundmen... as well as the props team these 30 years.

I’ve always wanted to thank you guys but didn’t have the chance to do so. Thank you! Thank you my family, my son and daughter. Lastly, to my grandson: “Grandma received an award leh!”

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How Top 10 male and female artistes are chosen

Apart from Mediacorp artistes, this year’s award nominations also comprise of artistes who have worked with Mediacorp on a project basis in the last year. The move is part of Mediacorp’s push to recognise the contributions to local television more broadly, and also to evaluate local artistes based on their merit, notwithstanding of their contractual backgrounds.

Each year, a poll of 1,000 people representing a wide demographic of Singapore’s population, conducted independently by an accredited market research company, is used to identify the Top 20 Male and Top 20 Female artistes.

The slate is then wiped clean and the results of the final Top 10 Male and Top 10 Female artistes are based solely on public voting.

This year, 50 percent of the final results will be derived from this pool of 1,000, while the other 50 percent will come from the telepoll and online voting results.

Background

In a farewell interview with Lianhe Zaobao last year, Jin spoke of her three-decade long career and the circumstances of her supposed termination at that time by Mediacorp.

She had apparently been offered a new contract at one-third her current remuneration rate.

However, Mediacorp subsequently clarified some comments Jin referred to were about an incident that happened more than 10 years ago.