Eleanor Lee, 27, says mum Quan Yifeng only gave her RMB100 (S$19) when she first moved to China at 15

Eleanor Lee feels like time has eluded her.

The daughter of Mediacorp host Quan Yifeng, Lee will turn 27 on Oct. 12.

Landing her first role at 15 in an Apple advertisement directed by Ann Hui, this marks her 12th year in the entertainment industry.

In an interview with Singapore Chinese-language media Lianhe Zaobao (Zaobao), Lee revealed that she occasionally feels like she is still 18 years old.

From her first role, she quickly took on other film and television roles in China, working from the get-go with veterans such as Leon Lai and Zhang Fengyi within the first two years.

She continued to star in several leading roles, such as in the web series "Problematic Restaurant" and "My Poseidon", and the web film "The Enchanting Phantom". 

Not a nepo baby

Lee told Zaobao that her mother Quan was relatively hands-off when it came to her.

While some may assume that being the daughter of a media personality might entail certain shortcuts, she said, her mother never "interfered" with her problems.

In fact, Lee claims, Quan never taught her anything about being on set or introduced her to directors.

This was so that she would learn how to deal with life independently.

She recalled how when she first moved to China, her mother only gave her a RMB100 (S$19) note.

Lee joked, "My mom is so bad at maths – I was going to stay there for one or two months, how could RMB100 be enough for food?"

Thankfully, though, her agent took her in and provided her with three meals a day.

Shedding the 'cute' label

Lee told Zaobao that during the initial phases of her career, she was seen as "cute" and repeatedly typecasted in "sweet" and "lively" roles.

Though she wished to push herself by taking on an "independent woman" role, and even auditioned for the role of a villain, she was rejected as her appearance was deemed a poor match.

It was only in 2024 when she was put on the set of "Within the Grip" that she was finally cast in a more mature role.

However, that came with its own challenges, as she was so accustomed to playing "innocent" characters by then.

She said that she sometimes found herself acting "too lively" on set, and had to constantly think about how to "remain composed".

The anti-China fiasco

In recent memory, however, Lee found herself attracting unwanted media attention.

While she was filming the drama "The Journey of Legend", an audio clip surfaced on Chinese social media of a woman saying "most Chinese nationals are idiots".

Netizens pinned it on Lee, and a deluge of backlash followed. Some asked her to "get out" of China.

The backlash was so intense that the team working on "The Journey of Legend" even considered using AI face-swapping technology to remove her likeness from the show.

Ultimately, however, the clip was found to have been fabricated by Lee's former assistant, who she sued for defamation.

Lee told Zaobao that it was the "lowest point" in her career.

What bothered her was the sense of guilt, she said.

Despite not being at fault, she felt sorry to her fans, supporters, and company who supported her, especially given that she did not land many roles during that period.

She felt like she had "disappointed" her mother and told her not to accompany her in Beijing in order not to worry her.

Till now, netizens occasionally leave negative comments on her social media posts, some of which are directed at Quan.

"I still want to protect my mother and I hope I can bring her honor."

She further that the incident gave her courage and allowed her to mature.

Lee ended the interview by admitting that she has "slowed down" for a while, and wishes to pick up more roles soon.

She is also cultivating her singing career, having released more than 20 singles and film and television theme songs.