SINGAPORE – Local actor Timothy Nga died on Monday at the age of 49.
His death was announced by his sister in a post on Instagram on Tuesday. No cause of death was specified in the post.
The Singaporean, who was also an executive coach, emcee and director, started out working in the IT industry in the 1990s, but began acting professionally in 2003, fuelled by a passion for telling stories.
In theatre, he has performed many times with local theatre companies such as Wild Rice, The Necessary Stage and the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT).
He acted in The Jungle Book, a 2009 production by SRT’s The Little Company. He was also the lead actor in the SRT play Caught (2019), where he played Beijing artist-activist Lin Bo.
Ms Charlotte Nors, 56, managing director of SRT, told The Straits Times in an e-mail: “We are deeply saddened by Timothy’s passing. He was a kind and very gifted actor, and we mourn the loss of such a treasured collaborator.”
Other productions he starred in include Frago (2017) and A Language Of Their Own (2012).
He also appeared on local television, in Channel 5 dramas such as This Land Is Mine (2021) and Lifeline (2005 to 2007), as well as the superhero series Zero Hero (2011 to 2013), which aired on the now-defunct children’s channel Okto.
In Zero Hero, he acted as Lenny Wong, the husband of Mimi Wong, played by local radio deejay-actress Vernetta Lopez.
Lopez, 49, told ST: “It is so shocking. Tim was always gentle, kind and generous of spirit. We weren’t close but he was always just the nicest, sweetest, gentlest guy. That’s how I will always remember him. My condolences to his family.”
His Lifeline co-star Gurmit Singh, 57, shared Nga’s obituary on Instagram and wrote: “Gone too soon. Rest in peace brother. Will miss you always.”
Local actress Amy Cheng, 53, posted on Instagram a throwback photo of her and Nga taken during Deepavali in 2012.
Nga also starred in movies like Anthony Chen’s Wet Season (2019) and the indie film The High Cost Of Living (2006), which won the Best Feature Film award at the 9th International Panorama of Independent Filmmakers event in Greece. In addition, he performed during the 2011 National Day Parade, singing the song In A Heartbeat with former actress Sharon Au.
