Local actors' 9-year-old daughter makes TV debut

The first scene she shot involved her talking to the lead character in a classroom setting, involving more than 20 cast members and extras.

But nine-year-old Kristen Lim, the daughter of local actor Darren Lim and former actress and host Evelyn Tan, said it was her worst experience during the filming of her first acting job.

She told The New Paper over the phone: "It was pretty scary and stressful since I don't have a lot of experience in acting. And I was mumbling my lines as well."

It took 17 takes before she got it right.

Kristen, the latest local celeb couple offspring who is getting her feet wet in showbiz, plays Xu Wen Wen, a good friend of the lead character Wang Xiaofeng (played by Ivan Lu), in StarHub's new local drama Jump Class.

The family-friendly series is about a boy who has the ability to travel between two worlds, with Kristen's dad Lim playing Xiaofeng's father.

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Jump Class is adapted from the comic strip of the same name by local comic artist Johnny Lau, the creator of Mr Kiasu.

It will premiere on E City (StarHub Ch 111/825) in March next year.

Although Kristen had a rough start for her acting debut, she said she got over the jitters and improved in her other scenes.

One of her best experiences was a scene where dancing was involved.

She said: "It was an outdoor scene and the sun was blazing hot. It was a fun scene for me, despite having to dance under the hot sun."

On a scale of one to 10, she rates her performance a seven.

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She said: "It's my first time acting, so I really don't know and I don't want to go too high."

Kristen added she tried out acting for the fun of it and her parents also wanted her to experience what it's like to work as an actress.

Tan told The New Paper that it was the show's producers who suggested to Lim that Kristen try out for one of the roles, after which she went through a successful audition process.

Lim said that he and Tan are always keen to have their children try out different activities. The couple also have three sons aged seven, five and one.

Said Tan: "It's a way to gain experience so that they will be able to make different decisions in the future."

When asked how she felt watching Lim act as another child's father on-screen, Kristen said she did not find it weird.

She said: "Whenever he comes home (from filming all his different shows), he would show us photos of him with his new 'daughters' and 'sons'."

Kristen, who has been homeschooled by Tan since she was seven, said: "I'm a very social person and acting in Jump Class was really fun as there's singing and dancing involved."

But don't bank on her following in her parents' footsteps just yet.

"I want to be a lot (of things) when I grow up. I want to be a singer, an artist or someone who cares for pets."

Neither does Tan wish for her only daughter to specialise in anything at such a young age.

"It's too early to tell. She should just be exposing herself to other activities in life. So I think acting could just be a hobby or 'holiday' thing for her at the moment."

I want to be a lot (of things) when I grow up. I want to be a singer, an artist or someone who cares for pets.

- Kristen Lim, nine-year-old daughter of actor Darren Lim and former actress-host Evelyn Tan, on her dream job.