In the movie “Confinement,” directed by acclaimed local director Kelvin Tong, 49-year-old actress Cynthia Koh takes on the role of Ah Qing, a nanny entrusted with the care of a newborn by Rebecca Lim’s character, in the psychological thriller.
Cynthia Koh’s character in “In Confinement” is that of a nanny who must take care of the infant. It’s a challenging role that required her to undergo pre-production training to handle the baby convincingly.
Cynthia Koh’s Personal Choice
In her personal life, Cynthia Koh has made a conscious decision to remain child-free. She spoke to The Straits Times and shared that it is already too late for her to become a mother herself.
Throughout the 2-week shoot of the movie, where she spent a lot of time with the baby, she revealed that she didn’t feel any yearnings to become a mother.
Although the thought of motherhood did cross her mind in the past, she said that she used to believe that childbirth was a responsibility for all women, but the practicalities of life led her on a different path.
The Challenges of Motherhood
Koh’s early plan when she was younger, was to start dating and potentially settle down around the age of 27. However, life had other plans.
Local men, she realized, were often in the early stages of their careers at that age, making it financially challenging to start a family.
She was also apprehensive about dating older men, fearing control or incompatibility. Time passed quickly, and before she knew it, the window for traditional motherhood had closed.
The Realization and Acceptance
Today, Cynthia Koh remains childless and single, having embraced her independent and fulfilling life. She keeps herself busy with work and by trying new experiences, effectively keeping away her loneliness.
She then reflected on her early plans and urged other women not to plan too much.
The idea of adoption did cross Koh’s mind at one point, but it was more of a fleeting thought than a concrete plan. Her focus shifted towards embracing her unique path in life.
In her early 40s, her mother suggested the possibility of getting pregnant using donor, a suggestion that Koh found amusing. She rejected the idea and said that she is already past the nagging stage and that it’s okay if she cannot become a parent.
The movie Confinement opens in theatres this Thursday (19 October).