Xiang Yun, 63, to act as mum of Li Nanxing, 60, in upcoming local drama 'The Leftovers'

Despite only a three-year age gap, veteran actor Li Nanxing, 60, will act as the son of actress Xiang Yun, 63, as they reunite in Mediacorp's soon-to-air blockbuster drama trilogy, "The Leftovers".

Nothing new: Xiang Yun

Set in the year 2037, "The Leftovers" chronicles the state of humanity after a volcanic eruption severely pollutes the environment and leaves the society of a fictional island dealing with skyrocketing rates of organ failure among its citizens.

Li plays the main role of a disgraced doctor, who is determined to advance his research on artificial human wombs and lab-grown organs.

Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao, Xiang Yun brushed off any suggestions of awkwardness about the pairing.

"I've played mother to many other actors, even Wang Yuqing," the veteran actress quipped.

Wang Yuqing is a 64-year-old Singaporean actor who appeared in dramas like "Kinship", "The Peak" and "Making Miracles".

Rare pair up

While both Li and Xiang Yun are both seasoned thespians in the acting scene, they rarely starred alongside each other, besides once in the 1987 drama, "Airforce".

Xiang Yun commented that Li was a "legend" during the golden age of Singapore show business in the 1990s.

At the same time, her career took a backseat due to motherhood.

As a result, fate had not brought the two together until "The Leftovers".

"Until now, he's still a 'legend'. He really hasn't aged," Xiang Yun said of her co-star.

Li similarly shared that having to call the 63-year-old "mom" was the least of his worries.

Instead, the most challenging scene was having to work with a four-month-old infant, Li said, according to Zaobao.

Star-studded cast

"The Leftovers" will also star 57-year-old Zoe Tay, who plays Li's boss.

Jessica Liu, 46, will also appear in the show.

Filming is currently underway, and season one of "The Leftovers" will premiere on Channel 8 and meWatch in October 2026.

Top image via Lianhe Zaobao