Singaporeans' nostalgic fondness for local heritage and older housing estates made last year's Channel 8 blockbuster Hero a hit among local TV viewers.
And now the popularity of the drama set in Dakota Crescent has translated into seven nominations in the four major acting categories at the Star Awards.
The heartland drama is also up for Best Drama.
Its male lead Shaun Chen is up for Best Actor, female lead Jesseca Liu for Best Actress, Andie Chen for Best Supporting Actor, and four of the five Best Supporting Actress nominees are from the show: Aileen Tan, Bonnie Loo, Paige Chua and Pan Ling Ling.
Loo, 22, who played a girl who is forced to be a cleaner to help support her family, says: "Dakota Crescent has much sentimental value and there are plans for it to be demolished. Perhaps the audience have deep feelings for the neighbourhood and the drama evokes memories."
The estate in Mountbatten was built in 1958 and it will be making way as part of renewal plans for older public housing estates first announced in 2014, according to past Straits Times reports. Dakota Crescent residents were asked to vacate by Dec 31 last year (2016) to make way for new developments in Mountbatten.
Hero's 11 nominations led the pack.
The Star Awards nominations were announced on Monday (Jan 23).
Loo intends to re-enact a scene from the drama if she wins at the Star Awards. "I'll go to the Old Airport Road hawker centre to sing to commemorate the win," she says.
Another Hero actor, Chen Hanwei, is up for a record-tying fifth Best Actor prize, but for another drama, The Gentlemen.
If the veteran wins for his turn as a male chauvinist who becomes a confinement nanny, he will be equalling Xie Shaoguang's record of five wins.
Chen, 47, says: "I feel grateful. But I'm delighted to see that the younger generation of actors are also getting acknowledgement."
Star Awards will be held on April 16.
Additional reporting by Yip Wai Yee
LIST OF MAJOR NOMINATIONS
Best Drama Serial
C. L. I. F. 4
Fire Up
Hero
The Dream Job
You Can Be An Angel 2
Best Actor
Andie Chen (If Only I Could)
Chen Han Wei (The Gentlemen )
Pierre Png (The Gentlemen )
Shaun Chen (Hero )
Zhang Zhen Huan (The Dream Job)
Best Actress
Jeanette Aw (The Dream Job )
Jesseca Liu (Hero)
Rebecca Lim (You Can Be An Angel 2 )
Rui En (If Only I Could )
Zoe Tay (You Can Be An Angel 2)
Best Supporting Actor
Andie Chen (Hero )
Chen Shu Cheng (Fire Up )
Ian Fang (The Dream Job )
Jeffrey Xu (Peace & Prosperity)
Romeo Tan (The Dream Job )
Best Supporting Actress
Aileen Tan (Hero )
Bonnie Loo (Hero)
Paige Chua (Hero )
Pan Ling Ling (Hero )
Ya Hui (House Of Fortune)
Best Screenplay
Hero
The Truth Seekers
You Can Be An Angel 2
If Only I Could
The Gentlemen
