Reclusive former actor Xie Shaoguang opens public Instagram account

SINGAPORE – Former Mediacorp actor Xie Shaoguang opened an Instagram account on June 2 and has already garnered more than 1,700 followers.

His first post was a reel of himself with Ms Ivy Low, the chief of Mediacorp’s talent management arm The Celebrity Agency. It was captioned: “A reunion with an old friend that feels like yesterday.”

Many local celebrities – including actors Desmond Tan, Cynthia Koh, Ayden Sng, Chantelle Ng, Bryan Wong, Xiang Yun, Lin Meijiao, Priscelia Chan and Zhang Zetong – posted their greetings in the comment section of Xie’s post.

The public social media account came as a surprise as the 62-year-old is known for being reclusive.

Xie made his debut on local television in 1989 and was regarded as one of Singapore’s best actors. He was the male lead in many top-rated dramas in the 1990s, such as The Legends Of Ji Gong (1997), where he played the titular monk. He also played a paraplegic doctor in the critically acclaimed Stand By Me (1998).

The five-time Best Actor winner at the Star Awards retired from show business in 2005 and relocated to Malaysia. At one time, he was an ordained Buddhist monk. He also opened an animal shelter and later

became a chef in a vegetarian restaurant.

His last public sighting was

at a gathering in September 2023,

where more than 70 local veteran actors and backstage crew members reunited to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival.

It is unclear whether Xie has moved back to Singapore.