Jack Neo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jack Neo
Neo in July 2016
Born	Jack Neo Chee Keong (1960-01-24) 24 January 1960 (age 65) State of Singapore
Nationality	Singaporean
Education	Tanjong Katong Secondary School
Occupation	Film director film producer screenwriter host comedian actor
Spouse(s)	Irene Kng ​ (m. 1990)​
Children	4
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	梁志強
Simplified Chinese	梁志强
Hanyu Pinyin	Liáng Zhìqiáng
Hokkien POJ	Niû Chì-Kiông

Jack Neo Chee Keong (born 24 January 1960) is a famous filmmaker, comedian, and actor from Singapore. He is known for creating movies and TV shows that tell stories about everyday life in Singapore. His work often uses humor to talk about important social topics.

From 1983 to 2003, he was a full-time actor with Mediacorp. Many people in Singapore know him for playing funny characters. Two of his most famous roles were "Liang Po Po" (Granny Liang) and "Liang Xi Mei" (a homemaker). He played these characters on the popular TV show Comedy Nite.

As a director, Jack Neo has made some of Singapore's most successful movies. His films are also popular in Malaysia and Taiwan. One of his most famous films is I Not Stupid (2002). This movie used comedy to look at Singapore's education system.

Career

Early Life and TV Fame

Jack Neo's interest in comedy started early. When he was just 14, he wrote and acted in a comedy show for his school, Tanjong Katong Secondary School.

He began his professional career in television in 1980. He quickly became a star because of his funny roles. His most memorable characters were Liang Po Po and Liang Xi Mei from the show Comedy Nite. He often worked with other comedians like Mark Lee and Henry Thia. Together, they became a famous trio in Singaporean comedy.

Becoming a Filmmaker

In 1998, Jack Neo won the Best Director Award at the Silver Screen Awards for a short film. This inspired him to become a filmmaker. His first big movie was Money No Enough (1998), which he wrote and starred in. The movie was a huge success.

The next year, he started his own company, J Team Productions, to manage actors and create more films.

Film Style and Themes

Jack Neo's movies often use satire, which is a type of humor that points out problems in society. His films explore topics like parenting, school life, and relationships between countries in a funny and thought-provoking way.

For example, his movie I Not Stupid looked at the pressures of the school system in Singapore. Another film, Homerun, touched on the friendship and challenges between Singapore and Malaysia.

Awards and Recognition

Jack Neo has received many awards for his work. In 2004, he was given the Public Service Medal for his contributions to Singapore. In 2005, he received the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's highest honor for artists.

In 2014, the Madame Tussauds Singapore museum created a wax figure of him, showing how famous he has become.

Recent Work

Jack Neo continues to make popular films. In 2016, he released Long Long Time Ago and Long Long Time Ago 2. These movies tell the story of how Singapore changed from small villages to a modern country.

He has also made several movies in the Ah Boys to Men series, which are about young men doing National Service in Singapore. These films have been very successful. In 2024, he released Money No Enough 3 and I Not Stupid 3, continuing his famous movie series.

Personal Life

Jack Neo married Irene Kng in 1990. They have four children: three sons and a daughter.

In 2010, Neo faced personal challenges that were widely reported in the news. He made a public apology for his actions. This difficult time affected his career, and some companies stopped using him in their advertisements. He and his wife worked through the situation together.

Selected Works

Jack Neo has been involved in many movies, TV shows, and songs as a director, writer, or actor. Here are some of his most well-known works.

Popular Films

• Money No Enough (1998)
• Liang Po Po: The Movie (1999)
• I Not Stupid (2002)
• Homerun (2003)
• I Not Stupid Too (2006)
• Money No Enough 2 (2008)
• Ah Boys to Men (2012)
• The Lion Men (2014)
• Long Long Time Ago (2016)
• Wonderful! Liang Xi Mei (2018)
• The Diam Diam Era (2020)
• Ah Girls Go Army (2022)
• The King of Musang King (2023)
• Money No Enough 3 (2024)
• I Not Stupid 3 (2024)

Television Shows

• Comedy Nite (1990-2004)
• Liang Ximei series (2000-2002)
• The Return Of Liang Popo (2001)
• Happy Can Already! series (2016-2018)

Awards Highlights