Biography

This lively and funny Vidz host doesn't need an introduction. Annabelle Francis looks set to give MTV babes like Nadya Hutagalung and Sonia Couling a serious run for their money.

Age: 20

First major role: As Julie, the babelicious disco-dancing girlfriend of rich boy, Richard (played by Fame                            Awards winner Pierre Png) who exacts sweet revenge by winning a dance competition                            with her beau’s arch enemy, Ah Hock (Adrian Pang) after Richard cheats on her.

Education: The St. Joseph’s Convent alum was weaned, since the age of seven on a diet of children and                    young adults’ sketches put up by local drama company, Act 3.

Parentage: Eurasian musician father and Indonesian mother

Penchants: Trip-hop and other alternative genres of music as well as acting --- no prizes for guessing why                    she’s the hot-hot-hot host of Vidz, the music video programme for trend-conscious teens.

Quotable quote: On slapping co-star and latest heartthrob, Pierre Png in the movie, Forever Fever: "It felt                            good, very good. I’m not a feminist but it was like justice for women. A lot of girls get                            cheated by their boyfriends…It was like, this one’s for the women, man!"

Outstanding talent/s: She has tried her hand at being an actress-scriptwriter-director and most recently, a                                  singer with the all-girl band, Pabby Love. They sang a cover of 'Le Freak' for the                                  soundtrack of Forever Fever.

Hobbies: Singing, although she doesn’t want to launch into a full-fledged singing career because it might put                 her in the ranks of "some frivolous girl who does everything".

Coming attractions: It’s not confirmed but she could be making a comeback in the Forever Fever sequel…

Who is she: Anna Belle Francis needs no introduction. She is the definitive babe of the year whose very name gives every babe-hungry male sweaty palms. VJs Nadya Hutagalung and Sonia Couling may have made their mark on the MTV-hosting scene but Anna Belle is poised to be a serious contender, what with her fancy footwork in Glen Goei’s disco-dancing movie, Forever Fever.

However, behind the glamour-puss image lies one level-headed go-getter who harbours the ambition of running her own talent-scouting company in the near future. Taking a serious view to the longevity of her career in the entertainment industry, Anna Belle is adamant about not having the flash-in-the-pan label thrust on her slender shoulders.

Together with her band-mates Pamela Oei and Beverly Lim Morata from the all-girl trio, Pabby Love, Anna Belle sang a cover version of 'Le Freak' for the Forever Fever soundtrack but she insists that music is a sacred arena that she would venture into only when she feels ready for it, "Singing is something I do out of love, but I would only do it when I’m ready. If there’s one thing I want to avoid, it’s being seen as some frivolous girls who does everything."

The 20-year-old actress-cum-host of popular local music video programme, Vidz hammed it up in her shocking-pink polyester dance-frock and pointy gold stilettoes for her debut movie role as Julie in Forever Fever but off-screen, Anna Belle is no greenhorn to the glittery world of showbiz.

In fact, entertainment is in her blood as her musician father plays the drums while her aunt, Irene Francis was a popular singer in the ‘70s. Her family members’ colourful lives back then gave her some valuable insights into her predecessors’ lifestyles. In fact, the actress who was ‘discovered’ by local singer-songwriter, Dick Lee while doing a voice-over of a cartoon character for a promotional sketch of the Japanese comic, Sailor Moon was able to draw on her parent’s clubbing experiences during the mini-skirted-bell-bottomed era:

"I made many calls to the States where my father is now staying and he told me to look in this cupboard or that cupboard for pictures. I could see that (my parents) were really happy; they lived a really colourful life in the ‘70s and they could do whatever they wanted to!"

Anna Belle’s Eurasian father and Indonesian mother are separated leaving this spunky girl to live on her own but she is quick to point out the advantages of being independent, "Living alone means that you have to be responsible for a lot of stuff like paying your bills on time and even fixing the pipes when they start leaking!

"Of course it was difficult at first but I’ve gotten used to it and I’ve learnt to be more responsible because my parents are not here with me."

Her fan-mail from diehard followers of Vidz are plentiful and she tries to answer them when she can spare the time. Anna Belle admits that apart from the usual letters begging for song-requests, there are some people who look to her as a confidante.

"I don’t play Aunt Agony to people who write to me but I try to do my best within my means. Life can be a bit better if you look up; you just have to find a positive side to everything."

Apart from penning words of comfort to some of her troubled fans, this busy entertainer who has literally grown up with Act 3 still tours with the drama company to schools and shopping centres to put up sketches for younger audiences. The pretty actress whose beauty tip includes abstaining from water and yeast-made products like bread before an important performance, has acted in plays like the locally-scripted Makanplace and adaptations from the classic, Robinson Crusoe.

Not content with merely breathing life into a script, she has tried her hand at writing and directing plays for young people. Some of her favourite plays deal with ever-popular themes of dysfunctional families and the ways in which young people deal with their personal demons and family problems.

Her acting career has risen meteorically since Forever Fever was released in May. Director Glen Goei spotted her snapshot while he was browsing through some portfolios in Music and Movement, Anna Belle’s casting agency and invited her for an audition in his $1.5 million movie venture.

Asked which was her most memorable experience while shooting her debut movie, Anna Belle chattered about the side-splitting laughs she drew with her skin-tight leotards and over-the-top makeup. But her favourite part had to be the climatic scene where she slapped heartthrob and 1998 Fame Awards winner, Pierre Png:

"When I finally slapped (Pierre) really hard, everybody cheered, especially the women! It was like: this one’s for the women, man!"

But has she ever slapped a guy in real life? This feisty stunner replied without hesitation, "Oh yes! That was all personal. Before I did the scene, there was this tight feeling in me because I had to remember all that. But after I slapped (Pierre Png), it felt so…so satisfying!"

So guys, better keep those roving eyes in check. Looks like this drop-dead gorgeous babe ain't gonna take it lying down! 



How she came to fame

The Singapore-born-London-based director spotted her photograph in Music and Movement and asked her to audition for a part in his movie which was inspired by his recollection of the disco fever in the ‘70s. In the film, Anna Belle portrayed a rich and glamorous dancer, Julie, who hangs around a group of disco-frenzied young adults. "My character is everything I’m not! She has travelled everywhere, she’s rich and really spoilt," chuckled Anna Belle who confessed that she has had to make quite a few sacrifices since she started living on her own.

The chatty girl recounted an incident where she had to slap a co-actor across the cheeks who starred as her two-timing boyfriend in Forever Fever, "I couldn’t do it the first few times but when I finally slapped him really hard, everybody cheered, especially the women! It was like: this one’s for the women, man!"

When asked about her plans for the future, the youthful presenter confessed that she would like to start a company of her own, preferably in talent-scouting. "I’m always hungry for new things, to learn new things." 





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