Malaysian star Lee Sinje at 49: ‘I feel better now than when I was younger’
Lee Sinje, who celebrated her 49th birthday in January, laughs happily when StarLifestyle mentions she will be turning 50 next year.
In person, the Kedah-born singer-actress who made a name in Hong Kong and Taiwan, looks fantastic even without a hint of makeup as she takes a seat for our exclusive interview.
When we ask her how old she feels, Lee says she doesn’t associate her age to a number.
“If we’re talking about my well-being, I actually feel better now than when I was younger,” she shares.
“Back then, I wasn’t as mature – I faced a lot of pressure and didn’t know how to handle relationships or the different challenges in life. I wasn’t truly happy.
“But now, I feel more emotionally stable and content. My fears have lessened over time, allowing me to fully embrace the present instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future,” Lee adds.
She’s learned not to criticise her life experiences “because life isn’t meant to be perfect” she says.
“There are good and bad sides… you have to embrace everything; only then can you live a full life.”
Our morning meeting is at an outdoor cafe of her choice in Kuala Lumpur overlooking a landscaped park and lake.
Taking in the vista, Lee immediately comments on the lovely weather before snapping a photo of the greenery.
Arriving a few minutes late, she orders chamomile tea and shares that she had Zoom meetings last night that ran past her usual bedtime.
“I sleep very early… about 10 and never later than midnight.”
Despite the later-than-usual bedtime, she still woke up early to ensure she fit in all her usual morning routines including doing yoga, meditating and sending her twin boys to school.
The actress is also a painter. In this photo are two of her works. Photo: Lee Sinje
The Malaysian star is married to Hong Kong filmmaker Oxide Pang, who, alongside his brother Danny Pang, co-directed her in the 2002 horror classic The Eye.
Besides their sons, Lee is also mum to Pang’s daughter from his previous relationship, whom she first met when the latter was just two years old.
To ensure her children have enough space to explore and grow, Lee has made Malaysia her base – travelling to various locations as and when work takes her.
Just days before our interview, Lee was in New York to attend the Tory Burch Fall 2025 fashion show.
This month, she’s set to fly off to Hong Kong to attend the 23rd Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF23).
After that, she’ll be in Taiwan for a film project and China to promote her starring role in a new Chinese film, After Typhoon.
Lee excitedly tells us that in this film, she finally gets to use her mother tongue, Hokkien, for her role, stating it gave a new form of freedom.
Later this year, Lee is set to make her Netflix series debut in The Resurrected.
“I juggle many responsibilities, including charity work and contributions to Buddhist art societies,” she says of her full schedule. (Lee co-founded Little Yellow Flower Foundation in 2007, a non-profit organisation, with three other celeb friends.)
The Eye is an important movie for Lee as it not only brought her awards and recognition, it introduced her to her husband. Photo: Handout
When we ask if she has more hours than the rest of us, Lee laughs and replies: “People always ask me that! Even one of my friends was curious about how I manage everything.
“Some artists shift their focus to family after having children, which is understandable.
“But for me, I can’t stop exploring the things I love. My passion gives me energy – it keeps me alive and motivated.
“I also love learning, and I believe that as a parent, especially as a mother, you still have to embrace your dreams.
“Independence is important. I never see taking care of my children as a sacrifice – I don’t use that word to describe anything I do. Instead, I approach everything with balance and positivity.”
Lee also attributes meditation as a tool to help enrich her.
“It teaches me how to focus. It has allowed me to observe myself deeply, and that practice of observation extends to how I see the world and other people.”
Living fully in the moment, Lee gives her undivided attention to what she’s doing: “I don’t think about anything else. If I am acting, I’m there 100%.”
Last year, filming took her to Bangkok, Taiwan and China for months, leaving little time at home.
“But when I am home, I dedicate time entirely to my family. I’ll take my parents, kids and husband on trips, and I make sure to be fully present in my children’s lives.
“When they’re at school, I use that time to focus on my own activities – painting, meetings and other things.
“And when they’re home, I’m with them, helping with homework and spending quality time together.”
Lee acknowledges she’s lucky to have a strong support system, with her husband stepping in when she’s away, her parents helping, and additional assistance.
“I believe children should not be raised solely by their parents.
“Instead, they should grow up in an environment where they can learn from others – whether it’s their grandparents or the people around them. It gives them more opportunities to explore and grow.”
The actress with her husband director Oxide Pang during a press conference in Malaysia for their movie ‘SleepWalker In 3D’ back in 2011. Photo: The Star
Exploring, learning and growing are something that come up a couple of times during our conversation.
Lee credits her carefree childhood in a kampung as the foundation for her belief that every moment is a chance to learn and inspire.
“When you love what you do, everything becomes an opportunity – to explore, to create, and to give back to the world.
“For me, learning is something I should do my whole life,” she says, as if it’s a given.
It’s a belief she’s proud to see reflected in her daughter as well.
Now 25, her daughter has found her own path as a teacher in Britain, working at a special needs school.
“I think it’s wonderful that at such a young age, she has already found a meaningful career – one that not only benefits her but also makes a real difference in others’ lives. I’m so proud of her,” she says, beaming.
Lee’s sense of curiosity has led her to explore multiple forms of creativity.
Beyond acting and singing (she staged a comeback concert in 2023, accompanied by a new album), Lee also writes (books and screenplays), paints (she’s held exhibitions of her artwork in 2019 and 2023), and produces (the docuseries Dear Child, How Are You? and the feature film Abang Adik).
“I think it’s just my nature,” says Lee, who recalls as a child, she’d spend her days running in the woods, fishing and climbing trees with her many cousins while her parents ran a small business.
“We spent our days playing, exploring, and discovering things on our own,” adds The Garden Of Evening Mists (2019) actress.
“I even remember making medicine out of plants when I got hurt.”
It’s that independence and her passion for art that made her say yes when Taiwanese star Sylvia Chang picked her from a talent search in Kuala Lumpur and took her to Taiwan.
“I wasn’t afraid. At 20, I went to Taiwan on my own. Fear wasn’t something that held me back.
“And even now, no matter what stage of life I’m in, I believe in having the strength to start something new.”
Some of her accomplishments as an actor include winning the Piper Heidsieck New Talent Award for Betelnut Beauty (2001) at Berlin International Film Festival, Best Actress at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards and Hong Kong Film Awards for The Eye (2002). She has been nominated four other times at Golden Horse Awards.
Lee Sinje was convinced into trying producing a film by ‘Abang Adik’ director Jin Ong. Photo: Lee Sinje
Since every chapter of her life has been about embracing fresh challenges, Lee has found a new passion working behind the scenes.
Currently, she’s embarked on her second producing duty on a film, after the successful outing with Abang Adik.
Like that film, Dead Tide is set in Malaysia, centring around people who are seen as outcasts in their community.
She teams up with Abang Adik director-producer Jin Ong (here as fellow producer) and director Kethsvin Chee.
Dead Tide tells of a man, who has served time in prison for murder, returning home to his fishing village after his father’s death. He hopes to find redemption, but others are still suspicious of him.
The film has been short-listed as one of the in- development projects for the prestigious HAF23, held as part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Industry Project Market, happening from March 17 to 19.
“It was Jin who suggested we submit the project (to HAF23).
“We weren’t sure if we would even get selected, but out of over 250 submissions from across the region, we made it to the top 25. That’s a huge and unexpected achievement,” she says.
At the same time, Lee admits that this is just the beginning for the making of Dead Tide – their main goal at the event is to meet potential investors from around the world who might be interested in their project.
At the three-day event, Lee’s team will get to showcase what they plan to achieve with Dead Tide. At the end, there will be an awards event where selected projects receive recognition and funding.
Other than securing funds for the film budget, Lee hopes to get feedback from investors and production companies.
“While we love this story and feel deeply connected to it, we need to see how others respond to it. That’s why we’re bringing a Malaysian project to an international platform – we want to hear different perspectives.
“Our goal is to create a story that, while deeply Malaysian, resonates with people globally. We want audiences from different cultures to connect with it on a human level,” she explains.
Lee Sinje with Hong Kong stars Sean Lau and Louis Koo at a press conference in Malaysia to promote the film ‘Out Of Inferno’ in 2013. Photo: The Star
Lee adds she was encouraged by the success of Abang Adik to continue to produce this type of story even though she was unsure of taking on the role of a producer at first.
“Abang Adik proved my instinct was right,” says Lee, recalling how it was Jin who approached her about producing the 2023 film.
“I thought, if a Malaysian director believes I can help him, why not? So I decided to support him however I could.
“Over time, I realised that my 20-plus years in the industry has actually given me valuable instincts, judgment, and connections that I could tap into.”
Another reason she wanted to become a producer is her desire to promote Malaysian stories.
“I grew up here, and I believe Malaysia is such a unique country – with its diverse cultures, languages and untold stories that don’t exist anywhere else.
“If we can write our own stories and turn them into films, we can share our perspectives with the world.”
But there are hurdles, she admits. “Of course, the film industry here isn’t very mature yet; there aren’t many investors willing to take risks on local productions.
“But I believe that if we keep pushing forward, we can build something meaningful for the future,” Lee says.
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