Cha Shao-kwong (born 15 September 1961), professionally known as Xie Shaoguang, is a Singaporean actor, chef and former monk best known for acting in many Chinese-language television series produced by MediaCorp Channel 8. He was prominently a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 1989 to 2005. He re-signed with MediaCorp on 5 September 2024, citing possible future projects. Widely regarded as one of Singapore's best actors, Xie received five Star Awards for Best Actor, a record that he held for 15 years for the most wins in that category before being surpassed by Chen Hanwei in 2019.

Career

Since the start of his acting career in 1989 in the television series A Mother's Love (亲心唤我心), Xie has received numerous accolades, including winning the Star Awards Best Actor award five times and the Best Supporting Actor award twice since the ceremony's inception in 1994. One of his most notable roles is the Chinese folk deity Ji Gong in the 1997 television series The Legends of Jigong. In 2005, Xie formalised his plans to retire from the entertainment industry when he decided not to renew his contract which expired in September the same year, although his intention to quit has been made known years earlier. He said that after retirement, he would be living in Malaysia, where he planned to open a refuge for stray dogs and cats. His last screen appearance was in the television series Baby Blues, which ended its run on 9 September 2005. After a 12-year hiatus, Xie made a short official media appearance on 14 October 2017 to conduct acting classes for younger actors. Xie has stated he would return to acting, if there is a role that can persuade him to do so. In 2024, he signed with The Celebrity Agency seeking for new acting roles after being persuaded by his former manager, Ivy Low who's now the head of the management agency.

Personal life

Since leaving the entertainment industry, Xie has kept a low-profile; he has refused all requests to appear in public events or on screen, including an invitation by Singaporean director Anthony Chen to star in the award-winning film Ilo Ilo. Xie moved to Permas Jaya, Malaysia, where he was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 2013. In 2014, Xie opened an animal welfare centre, Animal Paradise, in Pekan Nanas, Johor. In 2016, Singaporean media reported that Xie renounced his monkhood and had become a head chef in a vegetarian restaurant. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic happened, he moved back to Singapore.

Filmography

Television series

Film

Variety show hosting

Awards and nominations