Singaporean actress Eleanor Lee denies ‘idiot’ Chinese comment: ‘definitely not what I said’

Singaporean actress Eleanor Lee has broken her silence on the online uproar related to a leaked audio clip allegedly of the 25-year-old making derogatory comments about Chinese nationals.

The furore began when a netizen claiming to be Lee’s former assistant released a 30-second audio recording on Chinese social media platform Weibo in April.

In the recording, a woman can be heard saying she is “doing this not for fame, but for money” and that “most people in China are idiots”.

Lee took to social media platforms Instagram, Weibo and Facebook on Saturday to clear the air.

“I’m sorry to have caused so much controversy and taken up public resources. I was very shocked when I heard the recording. This was definitely not what I said,” she wrote in the post.

The second-gen star – whose mother is Taiwan-born Singapore TV host Quan Yifeng and father is actor Peter Yu – said, “I’m now 26 and have spent close to half my life in China. Here, I’ve received many opportunities and have been able to shine in a career that I love. I have absolute love and gratitude towards this land.”