By Dear Straight People,
Veteran actor Steven David Lim is all grown up!
Best known for his role in the iconic Singapore TV series ‘Growing Up’, the openly gay actor was recently featured on the latest episode of DSP Presents, a Patreon exclusive podcast by Dear Straight People.
Being Bullied On ‘Growing Up’
During the podcast, Steven David Lim opens up about his time on ‘Growing Up‘, shedding light on a challenging period when he became the target of a co-star’s animosity.
Although he refrains from naming the co-star, he recounts the difficulties he faced on set, emphasising his pride in enduring the bullying.
I did learn a very big lesson on Growing Up.
That person stopped talking to me, made it quite difficult on set, which I endured and I’m very proud of myself for doing that.”
Steven David Lim
Steven reveals a particularly shocking incident where he suspected his co-star of attempting to have him fired.
In the show’s first season, Steven played the narrator, only to be replaced by an older ‘Tammy’ as the narrator in the second season. This change was apparently a result of a barrage of complaint letters received by the TV station regarding Steven’s performance, a phenomenon unprecedented in their other productions.
At the end of the first season, the TV station received so many complaint letters from ‘viewers‘ about me.
Fortunately, my agent stepped in and went; ‘Why don’t we contact these people and see if they are legit?’
Steven David Lim
The TV station also sensed the unusual nature of these letters, which did not align with typical viewer feedback.
I mean I wasn’t the best actor ever- I was really young. I think my acting was alright. Not the best but it was ok.
And I think they also sensed that this was out of the ordinary – these letters were not from viewers.”
Steven David Lim
Conflict On ‘Growing Up‘ Was An Open Secret
Steven further reveals that the conflict between the co-star and him was an open secret among the cast and crew.
The kind of animosity between us did not just stop there. It went beyond that.
Maybe to a certain extent, that actually did affect my career in the station.”
Steven David Lim
While Steven’s time on ‘Growing Up‘ was marred by his conflict with that co-star, he did have much more positive things to say about other cast members such as Lim Kay Tong and Jamie Yeo.
In the podcast, Steven even discloses how Jamie Yeo, who plays his younger sister Tammy, rallied behind him during the conflict.
DSP Presents: Steven David Lim
In the latest’s 40-minute podcast episode starring Steven David Lim, the Bangkok-based actor reflects on the rest of his career, from attending drama school in London to what it was like filming sex scenes in ‘People Like Us‘.
Additionally, Steven provides insights into his experiences and relationships (hooking up with fellow actors??) within the industry as a gay actor in Singapore during the 1990s.
Steven even opens up on the current state of his love life.
You can watch the full episode by joining Dear Straight People’s Patreon, where you will gain access to all the other podcast episodes, as well as other Patreon-exclusive content including films and articles.
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