Ivan Heng

Ivan Heng is a Singaporean actor, director, and cultural leader who is openly gay and one of the most influential figures in Southeast Asian theatre. Originally trained as a lawyer, he studied acting at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) before founding Wild Rice in 2000 — now one of Singapore's most important theatre companies — with a mission to champion bold, inclusive, and socially engaged storytelling. His work frequently foregrounds queer themes, gender fluidity, and political critique, including his celebrated performances in the title role of Emily of Emerald Hill, which he has reprised across multiple productions since 1999 as the first man to play the part. Heng has spoken publicly about his sexuality and married his longtime partner, Wild Rice executive director Tony Trickett, in London in 2014, after meeting him in 1996. He was awarded Singapore's Cultural Medallion, the nation's highest arts honor, in 2013. Through his directing, acting, and institution-building, Heng has become a cornerstone of Singapore's queer cultural landscape.