You just learn from the mess and move on: ex-beauty queen Ris Low

Four years ago, she went from hero to zero as she was crowned Miss Singapore World only to have the title stripped from her after news of her conviction for credit card fraud broke.

That aside, there was also the national ridicule over her poor command of English where she elevated “boomz” and “leonard preens” to the national lexicon. After that was a string of controversies over her being signed as a spokesperson for a condom brand and an infamous video of her banana peeling skills.

But in an interview with Yahoo Singapore on Thursday, the 28-year-old Low said she has more or less reached a balance in her life.

Dressed in a maxi-dress, she looked calm and composed during her 15-minute long chat at a studio along South Bridge Road.

“In life, sometimes you have no time for regrets, you just learn from the messes and move on,” she said as she carefully thought through every question before answering.

“You can never be smarter than the public or the government (with regard to the credit card fraud incident),” she said with a smile as she admits she is no longer as “flamboyant” as before.

Low, who also revealed she suffered from bipolar disorder which results in extreme mood swings, said she’s learned to cope with her condition with regular daily exercise.

She runs three kilometres a day and said she likes sports “with an objective”, such as “chasing after the ball or running the dog (a four-year-old female husky)”.

Career

Currently working as a bar waitress, Low spoke more comfortable when it came to the topic of her first-ever feature film, “Justice Devil”, due to be released later this month.

She stars as Ellen, a chainsaw-wielding mother looking for revenge over her murdered daughter in the Chinese-language slasher flick, which is directed by Harva and also features "Hentak Kaki’s" lead actor Michael Chua.

Personality-wise, Low said she’s quite different from Ellen as she is “more easygoing” and “don’t get bothered by a lot of stuff”.

Being quite a girly person and a self-proclaimed lover of all things pink, Low admitted it was a challenge to take on the role.

Particularly challenging was the filming of a rape scene, which she described as “embarrassing”.

“I got insecure of my own body, so I kept giggling and laughing,” said the former MDIS student.

But she eventually managed to deliver the part, which was shot semi-nude from the back, by “brainwashing” herself into being a victim of rape.

So is a career in acting next? She said she would definitely take the plunge if opportunities for more roles come about and one of her dream roles would be to act as a dancer, especially hip hop or exotic dance.

When it comes to affairs of the heart, Low said she is currently single after breaking up with her property agent boyfriend.

Communication is now the most important thing she looks for in an “ideal man”, she said.

Related stories:
First look at ex-Miss Singapore Ris Low’s debut film ‘Justice Devil’
Kumar dishes the dirt ahead of new show K by Kumar
Singapore Mandopop queen Stefanie Sun launches comeback after two-year hiatus