The media darling of the moment and an A-list celebrity in her own right – the 26-year-old Mediacorp artiste recently scored a double win at the Star Awards – Joanne tells how she went from being loathed to loved:

On being slammed by the press when she was an industry newbie:
“I was very straightforward and I had my own opinions. (When all those negative reports came out about me) I became very defensive. I didn’t understand why people had to do this to me when I hadn’t done anything wrong.”

On what she took away from the experience:
“After a while, I learnt that if I stopped victimising myself and focused on bettering my craft, I would be less affected by what others were saying about me. Going through that ‘bad press’ period made me realise how important it is to treat people right. It’s not so much what you say, but how you say it.”

On not having any regrets:
“My friends told me that had I done and said things differently, I would have gone further than where I am right now, but the process mattered a lot to me and I wouldn’t have changed anything.”

On winning her two Star Awards (for best Actress and Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste):
“Winning meant a lot to me because it means that whatever I’ve been doing, I must be on the right track.”

On her newfound stardom:    
“I want to be happy as just Joanne and not as Joanne, the actress; I don’t want to only exist as a celebrity. Showbiz has taught me to improve myself as a person and not so much as an artiste that people see, because a true personality will eventually shine through.”

Get a copy of the July 2009 issue of Simply Her to read more about Joanne’s success (and beauty!) secrets. Simply Her, published by SPH Magazines is available at all newsstands now.