'I'm really looking forward to it': Jeanette Aw on making acting comeback as lead in drama series

Jeanette Aw is no stranger to the spotlight.

The former Mediacorp actress, who rose to fame for her role as Yueniang in "The Little Nyonya," has long been a household name in the local entertainment scene.

After stepping away from full-time acting in 2017, Aw pivoted to explore new passions, from launching her own artisanal patisserie Once Upon A Time, to producing content for her YouTube channel J Unscripted.

Now, the 46-year-old is making her return in a lead role in the upcoming local drama series "Highway to Somewhere".

Different from previous acting roles

Speaking to Mothership, Aw shared that she was convinced to join the project after reading the script.

She said:

"This role is quite different from the usual roles [I play]. She's a married woman and her relationship is on the rocks.[What] I feel really attracted me was that emotional depth. It's not the usual outward kind of performance."

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Aw shared that the experience so far has been surprisingly manageable, even after years away from acting in a long-form drama.

“When I was doing dramas [full-time], it was always very packed. We could film like 18 hours a day or even more. And it was [a daily affair]. But for this production, they actually tried to schedule in like day offs for us, which I think is great."

Familiar and new faces

While "Highway to Somewhere" marks her full return as a lead, Aw has made brief appearances in other projects over the years - most recently in the critically acclaimed series "Emerald Hill".

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Reflecting on the experience, the actress found it a refreshing contrast to work with newer faces in the industry.

"When I did my cameo in 'Emerald Hill', I actually had some scenes with the younger ones as well. So that was quite a nice experience to be able to interact with them and to see what the new industry looks like," she mused.

"Highway to Somewhere" sees her working alongside familiar co-stars Romeo Tan and Nick Teo.

The series is slated to air in March 2026.

She added:

"It's been [about] six years since I was involved as a lead [in a full-length drama]. So I'm really looking forward to it, and I hope that the audiences will too."

Top image via Jeanette Aw on Instagram