SHE was voted Asia's Sexiest Woman by Malaysia's FHM magazine in 2002.

The label might conjure images of an imposing, sultry and 'exotic' Oriental beauty. But Taiwanese model-actress Kelly Lin is nothing like that.

The affable actress who grew up in California in a family of seven is the poised epitome of cool confidence, and opts to keep under wraps in a heavy leather jacket despite the sweltering Singapore heat when Life! met her last Tuesday at Jaegar-LeCoultre's flagship store at the Raffles Hotel Arcade. She has been the luxury watch-maker's spokesman since last year.

Speaking in English, the actress was chatty and amiable, but coy. Ask her a question that she cannot answer and she will post it back to you instead.

When questioned, she denied rumours of her dating Ken Chu of F4 fame immediately, and then broke into giggles.

'We're good friends,' she claimed.

'We see each other once in a while, but we have no time for anything else, you know.'

She has worked in film and television since 1999. Her talents were recognised in 2006 at the 26th Hongkong Film Awards when she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in After This Our Exile (2006), a father-son relationship drama starring Aaron Kwok.

Since then, she has worked on four other films: The Iron Triangle (2007), Boarding Gate (2007), Mad Detective (2007) and The Sparrow (2008).

Time is in short supply for this busy bee.

The 32-year-old has just finished filming Yearning, a film which is slated to be released in Hong Kong at the end of this year.

Her visit to grace Jaeger-LeCoultre's grand opening was a short one.

Lin told Life!: 'I arrived only last night and I'm leaving tomorrow morning to get back to work.

'It's my first time in Singapore and there's no time to look around.'

1. When rumours of you dating Ken Chu broke, there were reports that said your friends disapproved of the relationship. Do you let your friends' opinions affect your decisions in love?

I would respect the opinions of my friends and family, but because, after all, it's all about the two people involved, so no - I don't let them affect my decisions.

2. You're often portrayed as a confident and sexy woman by the media. How different or similar is that from you in real life?

I think I'm a tomboy when I'm not working. I'm more casual and I don't think I'm feminine at all compared to my other girlfriends. I never wear skirts or high heels when I'm not working. It's more comfortable. It's just that for work you have got to dress a certain way.

3. You're a model and actress. Which do you prefer and why?

I'm more of an actress. I don't do modelling so much anymore, unlike when I first started out in show business. And I love acting - it's something that most people would love to have a chance to experience. You learn many things as you play different roles. You get to experience different lifestyles.

4. You were named FHM's Asia's Sexiest Woman. What do you think is sexiest in a woman?

I think you have to feel comfortable about yourself, and you have to be happy from within. It's not about how you look. It's the attitude that makes you so much more sexy. My friends and family - when they're happy, I'm happy. I'm very happy right now.

5. You were born in Taiwan, grew up in California but most of your work is based in Hong Kong. At heart, are you a Taiwan girl, a Cali girl or a Hong Kong girl?

I used to be a Cali girl. You know how Cali girls talk like, 'Oh my god?!' I cannot imitate that anymore, but I used to speak like that.

I used to wear eyeliner and I was tanned. I would fry myself in the sun for five hours and my Mom would be like, 'You're dying, you know. You're going to have wrinkles', and I would tell her that's not true.

But I've been localised now. I'm a Taiwanese girl. I still have those traditional Chinese values. I have to get married, have kids after I get married, not before - hopefully, because you'll never know, right?

6. If you weren't an actress right now, what would you be?

I would like to be a psychiatrist. It's something that I've always been interested in. I like to analyse people, know what they are thinking. I think I'm a good listener.

7. Brains or brawn - which is more important to you?

That's a really tough one. Brains are important, but it's sad that society nowadays, when they look at you, they form an impression from appearances. It's not fair, but that's the way it is.

But I would probably keep the brains, because that lasts. When you're 50 or 60 years old, everyone looks the same. You'll have wrinkles and everything sags - all the same.

8. Complete this sentence: If I could live my life all over again, I would....

Take chances or do the things that I didn't do before, because I don't want to have regrets over something that I haven't done. A lot of people regret stuff because they've done it before, but for me it's the opposite.