How Jack Neo overcame scandal to get Lifetime Achievement Award 16 years later
Nearly 16 years after a personal scandal threatened to derail his career, veteran filmmaker Jack Neo is still doing what he does best: making films that draw crowds and resonate with everyday Singaporeans.
Earlier this month, Neo was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Singapore Film Society, a milestone that underscores his enduring influence on local cinema.
In November 2025, he was also named Iconic Producer of All Time (Singapore) by Malaysia-based The Knights Award, which recognises outstanding achievers and businesses, further cementing his standing in the regional film industry.
How did he do it?
The answer may lie in Neo's ability to connect with audiences through his slice-of-life stories that everyday Singaporeans can see themselves in — of course, told with his distinct mix of humour and heart.
Neo, who made his directorial debut with Money No Enough (1999), went on to helm crowd favourites such as I Not Stupid (2001), Homerun (2003), I Not Stupid Too (2006) and Where Got Ghost? (2009), building a reputation for films centred on family, identity and social change.
A difficult chapter
Neo's career, however, has not been without controversy.
In 2010, he publicly admitted to an extramarital affair after then 22-year-old freelance model Wendy Chong told Lianhe Wanbao that she had been involved with him for two years. She had minor roles in two of Neo's movies, including Money No Enough 2 (2008).
Ms Chong had told Shin Min Daily News that she was thrilled to land her first big-screen role as a nurse in Money No Enough 2, adding that Neo later approached her, struck up a conversation and asked for her contact details.
She went on to claim that after one filming session, Neo offered her a ride home, during which they became intimate in his car.
According to Ms Chong, Neo was careful afterward to ensure there were no visible traces of the encounter, telling her that "no strands of hair should be found" and that the car seats had to be adjusted back to their original position.
Neo, who was 50 at the time, later held a tearful press conference to apologise.
His wife, Irene Kng, publicly forgave him but collapsed during the event.
The incident led to Mitsubishi Electric ending its endorsement deal with Neo, and his reputation took a hit.
That same year, actress and host Foyce Le Xuan, whose real name is Lim Hui Hui, alleged that Neo had made sexual advances towards her.
Neo did not confirm the claim, and Ms Lim later apologised in a 2013 interview with Razor TV, saying she had underestimated how "damaging" her accusations could be.
She also praised Neo for being an "irreplaceable director".
Yet the controversy did not mark the end of Neo's filmmaking career.
Two years later, he returned with Ah Boys to Men (2012), a military comedy that went on to become one of the highest-grossing Singaporean films of all time. Starring Joshua Tan, Maxi Lim, Noah Yap and Tosh Zhang, the film struck a chord with generations of Singaporean men who had experienced national service.
Reportedly the first feature film shot on Pulau Tekong, Ah Boys to Men went on to spawn multiple sequels and spin-offs — the latest being Ah Girls Go Army Again (2022) — cementing its status as a cultural phenomenon.
Beyond army comedies, Neo also explored other themes, including the struggles of ordinary families in Long Long Time Ago (2016), martial arts and masculinity in The Lion Men (2014), and more recently, anxieties surrounding artificial intelligence in I Want To Be Boss, released in January 2025.
I Want To Be Boss stars long-time collaborator Henry Thia as a man who buys an AI robot to help with household chores, setting off a chain of hilarious events.
Speaking at the Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony at Golden Village VivoCity on Jan 2, Neo reflected on what keeps him going.
"Every time my movie is released in theatres, I see many people, many families, coming to see it, especially the Chinese New Year films," said the Liang Po Po and Liang Ximei actor. "All of this encourages me."
While not all of Neo's films are critical darlings, they have consistently found commercial success — particularly during festive periods such as Chinese New Year.
More recently, in February 2025, Neo received online criticism about I Want To Be Boss, with netizens urging others not to catch it in cinemas.
Responding to the backlash, Neo said that every film requires significant time and effort, and called for respect for the filmmaking process.
"I released this movie after it went through many rounds of professional editing and critique. The movie is definitely not something that would make the audience want to leave the cinema halfway or fall asleep," he said in a livestream.
In an industry where personal scandals can swiftly derail careers, Neo's ability to continue working — and remain commercially relevant — stands out.
For Neo, a film's lasting value lies in whether it leaves audiences with something to talk about.
"Without a message, people leave feeling empty," said the 2005 Cultural Medallion recipient. "If a film has some message, at least after watching it, people can go out and have something to discuss."
