Singaporean actress Rui En has earned the label of being 'difficult' due to objections regarding kissing and rape scenes.

Singaporean actress Rui En does not wish to perform kissing or intimate scenes on screen; she also objects to appearing in rape scenes. She made this stance clear to producers right at the beginning of her career. However, her decision to maintain personal boundaries led to negative comments about her in the industry. The actress alleges that while male actors have also imposed similar conditions, she faced far more criticism simply because she is a woman.
Rui En shared her experiences during an interview on YouTuber Aiken Chia’s show, "Heart to Heart." Having worked in the entertainment industry for over two decades, she revealed that she has always felt uncomfortable with kissing and intimate scenes. Her objection to rape scenes is even stronger; consequently, she decided early on not to accept roles that required such scenes.

Labeled as ‘Difficult,’ ‘Demanding,’ and a ‘Diva’
Rui En explained that whenever a script contained objectionable scenes, she would ask producers to either remove them or film them differently if possible. She alleges, however, that her refusal to compromise on this stance led to a negative professional perception of her.
She noted that there were one or two senior male actors who had set similar conditions, yet she was the one labeled as "difficult," "demanding," and a "diva" because she is a woman.
In Rui En’s experience, an actor taking a clear stand regarding their comfort and personal boundaries can be viewed as a professional complication—an attitude she found particularly concerning when applied to female actors.

‘Why Must Women’s Trauma Be Depicted?’
Personal discomfort was not the only factor behind her decision to avoid intimate scenes. Rui En also questioned the conventional tendency to portray the abuse, suffering, and mental trauma of women on screen. She questions why a female character's trauma must be repeatedly highlighted to make her acceptable to the audience or to evoke sympathy. She also questions the necessity of sensationalizing experiences—which are deeply painful for many in real life—merely as fodder for entertainment.
Her stance makes it clear that she gives careful thought to storytelling methods and the necessity of specific scenes when portraying women's experiences on screen. Her objection is not simply about performing in a particular scene; rather, she is concerned with *how* a female character's suffering is depicted.

Firm on her boundaries since the start of her career
Before entering the acting world, Rui En began her career as a model at the age of 18. She later gained recognition in Singaporean television dramas and the music industry.
Throughout her long career, despite taking on diverse roles, she has remained steadfast in her decision not to perform in kissing or rape scenes. She publicly stated her position on this matter as early as 2011.
At that time, she objected to a co-star describing a specific scene in a series as a rape scene. She wrote on her blog that she had even been told bluntly that her acting career would not progress if she maintained such conditions.
According to Rui En, the scene in question involved an attempt to force-feed medication to a blind character and the stroking of her face and hair while she was unconscious; she disagreed with characterizing it as a rape scene.

Wants to support others beyond acting
Rui En does not wish to limit her identity solely to that of an actress. In 2021, at the age of 40, she left her management agency to work independently. Since then, she has used social media as a platform to share her experiences and discuss mental health.
She believes that if sharing her own experiences and feelings helps someone else feel less lonely, that in itself is significant. Throughout a career spanning over two decades, Rui En has frequently spoken about her work style and personal boundaries. Her experiences raise a significant question within the entertainment industry: does an actor—particularly a woman—face heightened criticism when setting work conditions based on her own comfort and values?