Selena Tan (born 29 July 1971) is a Singaporean executive producer, director, writer, actress, businesswoman and former lawyer. She is best known as one of the cabaret trio, the Dim Sum Dollies. In 2000, Selena founded Dream Academy, which produced a variety of performance shows.
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Early life
Tan was born in 1971 in Singapore, to army officer Lieutenant Colonel Charles Tan, of the Singapore Armed Forces, and gold broker Daisy Lim. As the eldest of her siblings, she had two brothers and two sisters. She studied at Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, Raffles Junior College and graduated with a law degree from National University of Singapore.
She started acting at age 14 and was taught by the late theatre actress and director Christina Sergeant.
Tan also appeared in school productions and community theatre pieces until her undergraduate years. She also acted in plays and performances while working full-time as a general litigation lawyer.
Career
Tan left the legal profession in 1997 to fully immerse herself full-time in the local arts and entertainment scene.
In 1998, Tan staged her own standup with Selena Exposed! Theatre company Action Theatre subsequently restaged Selena Exposed! for its comedy festival in 1999 and reinterpreted her piece as Broadway Baby Kailan. Dr Low Guat Tin, then a teacher-trainer director with the National Institute of Education (NIE), was so impressed with Selena's performance in Broadway Baby Kailan that she invited Selena to stage a show for Teachers' Day – The Other Side of the Teacher's Table. The three-night show enjoyed mild success.
In 2000, Tan utilised her life savings to set up Dream Academy, an independent arts and entertainment company. Dream Academy has since produced the Crazy Christmas series, Happy Ever Laughter, Broadway Beng, Meenah and Cheenah, The Hossan Leong Show, Kumar's standup comedies at the Esplanade and later the Dim Sum Dollies in 2002.
In 2011, Tan opened a restaurant known as Daisy's Dream Kitchen, showcasing her mother Daisy Lin's Peranakan Cuisine in Singapore. It is currently located at the Tamasek Club. In 2022, Tan set up an affiliated stall known as Daisy's Dream at Urban Hawker in New York City, a hawker center that sells Singapore-themed dishes. She manages the restaurant and stall along with her mother and brother, Roy.
Personal life
Tan has been married to lawyer John Pok since 2005. They have one son.
Filmography
Film and television
Rogue Trader (1999)
Under One Roof (1999-2003)
I Not Stupid (2002)
Homerun (2003)
Daddy's Girls (2004-2005)
I Not Stupid Too (2006)
Just Follow Law (2007)
Gone Shopping (2007)
Rojak (2016)
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Shotgun Wedding (2022)
Up Against It (2026)
I Not Stupid 3 (2024)
Theatre
Godspell (1993)
Into The Woods (Singapore Repertory Theatre) (1994)
Ang Tau Mui (1995)
Sing to the Dawn (1996)
Chang and Eng (Action Theatre) (1997)
Kumar: A Life Alive (1997)
Selena Exposed! (1998)
Ah Kong's Birthday Party (1998)
Broadway Baby Kailan (1998)
Kumar: A Life Alive (1998)
The 2nd Broadway Baby Kailan (1999)
The Other Side of the Teacher's Table (1999)
Medicares (2000)
PS21 + Positive Signs (2000)
Maybe Knot (2000)
Cabaret: A Single Woman (2002)
Animal Farm (2002)
Pillow Talk (2002)
Dim Sum Dollies® in Steaming! (2003)
Animal Farm (2003)
The Revenge of the Dim Sum Dollies®! (2004)
Chang and Eng (2004)
Wanton Me (2004)
Animal Farm (2004)