Television's ice queen, Rui En, is probably not someone you'd think would easily collapse into fits of laughter.

But the 32-year-old actress seems to have shed her aloofness for a more cheerful persona while filming her latest local Chinese drama, The Dream Makers.

Rui is taking on her most comedic role to date - that of a happy-go-lucky variety-show producer - and is relishing it.

"I love it. I had the best time; every day there was a (hilarious) situation...It was the happiest production ever.

"My character is so lively and jovial... I hope to take on more of such roles, it puts me in high spirits every day," said Rui, who was among the television stars present at Tuesday's press conference on The Dream Makers.

In fact, the role she plays is so peppy that fellow cast member Chen Liping jokingly described her as quite the "siao char bor" (Hokkien for crazy woman).

Rui was spotted giggling and slapping Chen on the arm repeatedly during Tuesday's event, held at Four Seasons Hotel - not the usual stuff ice queens do.

The Dream Makers, a 30-episode series premiering on June 24, is about the lives of the people working at a television station.

It also delves into the dark side of the entertainment industry.

The series features a star-studded cast, with big names like Zoe Tay, Chen Hanwei, Jeanette Aw, Qi Yuwu and Guo Liang. For many of these veteran actors, it's a case of role reversal as they play characters working behind-the-scenes in an industry they are part of.

For instance, Chen Liping plays the head of the drama unit, while Tay plays the head of the variety unit.

While Chen didn't share much screen time with good friend Rui, the seasoned actress found a "rare" connection with an actor she worked with for the first time - host Guo Liang, who plays her onscreen husband.

Touching on the chemistry she shared with Guo, Chen said:

"In the show, we play a married couple who are not on the same frequency and are unable to communicate.

"But as actors, we are on the same frequency and can communicate well. We didn't have to exchange many words, and we could get into the feel pretty quickly."

Long-time friends Tay and Chen Hanwei will once again reprise characters who have romantic feelings for each other.

Despite being good pals, the consummate actors had no issues and slipped into the roles with ease.

Tay said: "In recent shows we've acted in, we've been playing lovers. There's no pressure and it's really easy to discuss the acting with him."

The straight-talking Chen said that if they had been newbies, they might have felt awkward, but they are pros who have been in showbiz for 25 years - the same period they have known each other.

"We know we have to be professional, when we act we have to 'throw away' Chen Hanwei and Zoe Tay," he said.

However, if it comes down to something more intimate, say, a kiss or a bed scene, Chen admitted it might be a little awkward.

"But we've talked about it before.

When the time comes to (act such intimate scenes), we will do it," he added.

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