{{short description|Singaporean actor (born 1976)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{family name hatnote|Heng|lang=Chinese}}
{{infobox person | name = Benjamin Heng | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1976}} | birth_place = Singapore | education = Singapore Polytechnic | alma_mater = | spouse = {{marriage |Michelle Ng |<!--unknown-->|2019|end=d.}} | children = 1 | occupation = {{hlist|Actor}} | other_names = Wang Zhiguo | years_active = 1999−present | module = {{Infobox Chinese |child= yes|hide= no |headercolor=lightblue | t = 王智國 | s = 王智国 | p = Wáng Zhìguó }} }}
'''Benjamin Heng''' (born 1976) is a Singaporean actor, known for starring in the romantic action film ''Eating Air'', the comedy film ''Lelio Popo'', and in the horror comedy film ''Zombiepura'', as well as in several television series, such as ''Anything Goes'', ''Durian King'' and ''Money No Problem!''.
==Early life and education== Heng was a student of maritime transportation at Singapore Polytechnic.<ref name = "Teo"/>
==Career== Prior to acting, Heng had worked as a waiter, a Mexican cook, a stagehand and in a watch factory. Heng made his acting debut by starring in Kelvin Tong and Jasmine Ng's romantic action film ''Eating Air'' in 1999.<ref name = "Teo">{{cite news |last= Teo|first= Pau Lin|date= 28 December 1999|title= Boy, there's something new in me|url= |work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He starred in the television series ''The Frontline'' in 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last= Koh|first= Kian Beng|date= 25 July 2003|title= Faster, and more action please|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Yong|first= Debbie|date= 26 March 2004|title= Four new starsHot for Channel U fansChinese DJ on air again|url= |work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> In 2004, he signed up with SPH MediaWorks after leaving Fly Entertainment. By then, he had appeared in the television series ''Brand New Towkay''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Yeoh|first= Wee Teck|date= 26 March 2004|title= I want to play really bad characters's Each with their own appeal|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He also starred in the television series ''Durian King'' and ''Money No Problem!'', which were filmed in July.<ref>{{cite news |last= Yeoh|first= Wee Teck|date= 16 July 2004|title= Don't be fooled by this photo|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> Later that year, he starred in the medical drama ''Heal And Be Healed''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Yeoh|first= Wee Teck|date= 27 October 2004|title= Are good actors the cure?|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He appeared in the 2006 romance film ''Love Story''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Yeo|first= Gerard|date= 29 November 2005|title= Kelvin Tong has a new love|url= |work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> In 2006, he used his retrenchment package from SPH MediaWorks and borrowed money from family members in order to open the Flowerbed Kitchen & Bar noodle eatery.<ref name = "Goh"/> The eatery's chef was former actress Deborah Sim whom he met on the set of ''Heal And Be Healed''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Teo|first= Pau Lin|date= 4 June 2006|title= Eating more than air|url= |work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> It closed in 2007, resulting in a "six-figure loss".<ref name = "Goh">{{cite news |last= Goh|first= Gerald|date= 14 November 2011|title= His real estate ambitions|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He starred in the 2007 horror comedy film ''Men in White''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tan|first= Jeanmarie|date= 5 June 2007|title= Ghosts talking rot raise few laughs|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref>
Heng rejoined Fly Entertainment under a three-year contract in 2008.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tan|first= Jeanmarie|date= 4 April 2008|title= Ben flies back to Irene's coop|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He starred in the comedy series ''Calefare''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Foong|first= Wei Wan|date= 26 September 2008|title= In search of fame and fortune|url= |work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He starred in the 2010 comedy film ''Lelio Popo''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Kwok|first= Kar Peng|date= 10 January 2011|title= These 'grannies' strive to jive|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He played a supporting role in the 2011 horror film ''Twisted''.<ref>{{cite news |author= 陈韵红|date= 20 July 2018|title= 连拍4鬼片 陈泓宇王智国 当鬼王 抢|url= |work= Lianhe Wanbao|location= Singapore|access-date= }}</ref> Later that year, he appeared in the sitcom ''Anything Goes'',<ref name = "Goh"/> as well as the television series ''Days When We Are Young''.<ref>{{cite news |author= 郑净友|date= 20 August 2011|title= 〈边缘父子〉户外会影迷年轻演员气势逼韩星4000粉丝失控总裁跌伤|url= |work= Lianhe Wanbao|location= Singapore|access-date= }}</ref> He also played a supporting role in the 2012 comedy film ''Dance Dance Dragon''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Kwok|first= Kar Peng|date= 19 January 2012|title= DANCE DANCE DRAGON|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He appeared in the television series ''The Recruit Diaries''.<ref>{{cite news |author= |date= 17 July 2013|title= 王智国越演越认真|url= |work= Lianhe Zaobao|location= Singapore|access-date= }}</ref> He appeared in the television series ''The Dream Job'' in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last= Soh|first= Joanne|date= 15 June 2016|title= HE SAYS DADS ARE 'BETTER COOKS' THAN MUMS|url= https://tnp.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/makan/good-chef-dad-chef|work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date= 1 October 2022|archive-date= 1 October 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221001021810/https://tnp.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/makan/good-chef-dad-chef|url-status= live}}</ref> He was featured in the special four-episode series ''On The Red Dot — In My Helper's Shoes''.<ref>{{cite news |last= Lee|first= Jocelyn|date= 16 February 2016|title= Close look, closer bond|url= |work= The New Paper|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> He starred in the 2018 horror comedy film ''Zombiepura'', which he co-produced.<ref>{{cite news|last= Lui|first= John|date= 25 October 2018|title= Long road to zombie film|url= https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/long-road-to-zombie-film|work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date= 1 October 2022|archive-date= 1 October 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221001063818/https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/long-road-to-zombie-film|url-status= live}}</ref> He appeared in the 2019 romantic comedy film ''When Ghost Meets Zombie''.<ref>{{cite news|author= 李亦筠|date= 16 June 2019|title= 本地艺人 王智国太太去世|url= https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/entertainment/story20190616-964894|work= Lianhe Zaobao|location= Singapore|access-date= 1 October 2022|archive-date= 1 October 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221001071743/https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/entertainment/story20190616-964894|url-status= live}}</ref> Later that year, he starred in the 2019 TV miniseries ''I'm Madam!''.<ref>{{cite news|author= 蔡欣盈|date= 17 September 2019|title= 庄米雪拍网络剧怕女演员晒黑 请员工帮她们撑伞|url= https://www.zaobao.com.sg/zentertainment/movies-and-tv/story20190917-989884|work= Lianhe Zaobao|location= Singapore|access-date= 1 October 2022|archive-date= 1 October 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221001073242/https://www.zaobao.com.sg/zentertainment/movies-and-tv/story20190917-989884|url-status= live}}</ref>
==Personal life== Heng was married to Michelle Ng, a former marketing manager, with whom he had one daughter.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 18 January 2011|title= Bundle of joy, bundle of bills|url= |work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date=}}</ref> Ng died on 15 June 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last= Ang|first= Benson|date= 20 June 2019|title= Wife of Singapore actor Benjamin Heng dies|url= https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/wife-of-local-actor-benjamin-heng-died-last-saturday/|work= The Straits Times|location= Singapore|access-date= 1 October 2022|archive-date= 4 October 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221004003456/https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/wife-of-local-actor-benjamin-heng-died-last-saturday|url-status= live}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row"|1999 |''Eating Air'' |Ah Boy | | |- ! scope="row"|2006 |''Love Story'' |The actor | | |- ! scope="row"|2007 |''Men in White'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2010 |''Lelio Popo'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2011 |''Twisted'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2012 |''Dance Dance Dragon'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2014 |''Filial Party'' |Director | | |- ! scope="row"|2018 |''Zombiepura'' |Lee Siao On | | |- ! scope="row"|2019 |''When Ghost Meets Zombie'' |Joe | | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row"|2001 |''Brand New Towkay'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2003 |''The Frontline'' | | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="3"|2004 |''Durian King'' | | | |- |''Heal And Be Healed'' | | | |- |''Money No Problem!'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2005 |''Tiramisu'' |Marcus | | |- ! scope="row"|2007 |''Parental Guidance'' |Matthew Seto | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2"|2008 |''Calefare'' |Hamsome | | |- |''Taste of Love'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2009 |''Goodbye Kucinta'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2010 |''Secret Garden'' | | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="7"|2011 |''Days When We Are Young'' | | | |- |''Dragon’s Inn'' |Assassin | | |- |''Fatherhood'' | | | |- |''Feast Fight'' | | | |- |''Point of Entry'' | | | |- |''We Are Singaporeans'' | |Game show | |- |''You're History'' | | | |- ! scope="row"|2012 |''The Diary of Amos Lee'' | | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="3"|2013 |''C.L.I.F. 2'' |Tang Yewcheng | | |- |''Journey With Me'' | | | |- |''The Recruit Diaries'' | | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="3"|2014 |''Koji Cooks'' |Koji Tan | | |- |''Mata Mata'' | | | |- |''Working Class'' |Nick Ong / Wee Kiat | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="3"|2015 |''118'' |Max Chan | | |- |''On The Red Dot — In My Helper's Shoes'' | | | |- |''You Can Be an Angel Too'' |Liu Yongming | | |- ! scope="row"|2016 |''The Dream Job'' |Peter | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2"|2017 |''Faculty'' | | | |- |''Meet the MP'' |Lester Bee | | |- ! scope="row"|2018 |''Mind Matters'' |Fang Zhengye | | |- ! scope="row"|2019 |''I'm Madam!'' | | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2"|2020 |''Classmates'' |Andy |TV mini series | |- |''Maisonette'' |Adrian |TV mini series | |- ! scope="row"|2022 |''Third Rail'' |Choy Boonwee | |<ref name=":0">{{cite web |author1=May Seah |date=3 October 2022 |title=In a hijacked MRT train, Rebecca Lim and Andie Chen play enemies not lovers for once |url=https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/rebecca-lim-andie-chen-third-rail-tv-drama-mrt-train-hostage-330456 |website=CNA Lifestyle |language=en |access-date=2 November 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031151921/https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/rebecca-lim-andie-chen-third-rail-tv-drama-mrt-train-hostage-330456 |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heng, Benjamin}} Category:Living people Category:Singaporean male film actors Category:Singaporean male television actors Category:1976 births Category:20th-century Singaporean male actors Category:21st-century Singaporean male actors