Timeless Elegance: Jojo Goh on living her best life

After beginning her journey in the entertainment world as a finalist in the 2006 Miss Astro Chinese International pageant, Goh has built a career portraying dynamic and resilient female characters. She brought grit to the role of Nancy in the adrenaline-fuelled Duan Nagho Bogho, wisdom and depth as Sammi in The Hidden Dragon, and embodied fierce determination as Mulan in Padu, a film celebrating the national women’s basketball team’s triumphant 2015 SEA Games victory.

Goh recently wrapped up work on Emerald Hill, a highly anticipated spin-off of the beloved Singapore drama The Little Nyonya. Set to premiere in early 2025, the serial shifts focus to a Peranakan family in Melaka. Goh admits it was her most demanding role yet. Stepping into the intricate cultural and emotional world of the character challenged her as an actress in ways she hadn’t experienced before.

“I initially didn't like the character. I didn’t like her mindset. As an actor, you need to love the character to play it well. It made me question why I felt that way. The producer then talked to me more about the character, explaining that she’s a woman who likely cries herself to sleep every night without anyone knowing. That conversation changed my perception. The whole process inspired me to be more introspective, which has been good for me (as an actress).”

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This maturity comes with age too. Goh is in her 40s despite looking decades younger. “I never think about age! I stopped counting after 35, although 40 was certainly a milestone,” she laughs. “I don’t see it as a big deal. I have so much more to achieve, so I don’t have the time to worry about growing older. But I would say that ageing has made me more conscious about spending my time well.”

Indeed, Goh has reached a point in her life where she is beginning to reconsider her priorities. What does quality time mean to her? How is it different from her younger days?

“I’m always doing something but in the last year, I have been wanting to slow down. I’m not under pressure because of age but I’ve been thinking about how I want to spend the next chapter of my life. I need to think about this more seriously.”

Nevertheless, Goh has always prioritised her health and wellness. She is into all sorts of sports. She hits the gym for strength training. She plays paddleball. She is a yoga enthusiast. She even enjoys free diving.

“Your body will tell you what it needs. Age gives you that awareness, which is great. I love learning new things, so perhaps that’s why I’m always trying something new,” she says.

Here are the lessons that she plans to bring with her into 2025. “Professionally, I’d like to land a role that really makes me feel like I’ve come full circle as an actress,” she muses. “I want to maybe learn to play one complete song on the piano. I may even finish writing a script.”

She is not shy to admit that she dreams of winning a best actress award on the world stage. “Fingers crossed,” she laughs. 

Goh stares into the distance, lost in thought. “Personally, I believe that you should be someone you like. Ultimately, that’s what matters the most. Be honest about your good and bad points. Be someone you would like to spend time with. If you don’t like who you’ve become, make the changes without making yourself feel bad about it.”

The conversation soon shifts to the topic of luxury as we exchange notes about the Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette 31, whose diminutive size fits her wrist perfectly. “I love how luxurious it is without being too flashy,” Goh enthuses.

For Goh, luxury is more than just beautiful things. “I’ve always felt that luxury is the the freedom to make your own choices. I often use this example: having the option to choose between a bike or a car is luxury. If I now have the luxury to choose the roles I want to take on, and I’m really grateful for that.”

Goh embodies the kind of wisdom and grace that only comes with experience—an understanding of time, both its fleeting nature and its value. Whether she’s conquering challenging roles, embracing new hobbies, or reflecting on the trajectory of her life, Goh does so with a blend of determination and self-awareness that is as inspiring as it is refreshing. As she looks ahead to the future, balancing career ambitions with personal growth, Goh remains unapologetically herself: a woman who knows her worth, savours her freedom to choose, and carries her journey with elegance.

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