(UPDATED)
Showbiz enthusiasts keen on staying abreast of the latest in 2023’s celebrity happenings might be delighted to learn that this year brings forth not just heartbreaks but also budding romances.
Stepping into this spotlight is Iris Lee—a film producer and a budding screenwriter/ director/ editor.
Now, she finds herself attached to a new label: the girlfriend of Filipino-Chinese actor Xian Lim.
As whispers of their incipient relationship intensified around Valentine’s Day 2024, let’s get to know this showbiz personality some more.
EARLY LIFE
Born on June 1, 1991, Iris Charmaine Lee is the daughter of Filipino mother Linda Lee and a Chinese father.
Her Instagram reveals a close-knit family, including two older sisters, Peidi Lee and Liane Shaira Lee, as well as younger sister Celine Arian Lee, a rising star in the local visual arts scene.
EDUCATION
Iris pursued her passion for film by obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Film, Cinema, and Video Studies at the University of the Philippines Film Institute, also known as the UP Film Institute or UPFI —UP Dilliman’s film school.
Her college years were marked by active involvement in various organizations, particularly the UP Cineastes’ Studio, where she served as the org’s vice president for academic year 2013-2014.
She also took on the post as editor-in-chief for campus paper Splice Magazine, and became an active member of UP Advertising Core, UP Flag Football Club, and UP Chinese Students Association.
She was also invited as the muse of Beta Epsilon Fraternity, a brotherhood of engineers, in 2008.
WORK
Post-graduation in 2015, Iris embarked on a remarkable journey, starting as the managing editor for megastyle.ph under One Mega Group for a full year starting June 2016 until June 2017.
Since October 2018, she has been a pivotal part of Viva Communications, Inc., serving as the senior associate producer.
Iris’s responsibilities span across pre-production, post-production management, program production, script development, creative pitching, and budgeting.
PROJECTS
Among her most notable works as producer are Sisters Forever (2018), Deleter (2022), Iskandalo (2022), Erotica Manila (2023), Hello, Universe! (2023), Araro (2023), Stalkers (2023), Ganti-Ganti (2023), and High on Sex (2023).
Apart from producing, she also directed and wrote the screenplay for the short film Bird Day in 2016.
Also included in her filmography: Ninja Party (2015) and My Rebound Girl (2016), for which she was credited as a writer.
HOBBIES
Growing up from a multicultural background, traveling became a part of Iris’s life, jetsetting back and forth from cities like Shanghai, Taipei, and Manila.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Iris also shows deep passion for arts, culture, and nature.
As a testament to her adventure-seeking spirit, she commemorated her 30th birthday on June 1, 2021, with a daring freediving expedition, plunging to a depth of 30 meters — a symbolic gesture representing each year of existence on the planet.
She captioned the reel: “A METER FOR EVERY YEAR I’VE WALKED THE EARTH”
RUMORED ROMANCE
Xian Lim has allegedly moved on from ex-girlfriend of 12 years, Kim Chiu, with the 32-year-old Iris.
Iris and Xian’s professional collaboration traces back to the first-ever VivaMax series, Parang Kayo Pero Hindi in 2021, where Xian and Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa took on lead roles.
It wasn’t until December 2023 though, when the twosome were caught up in rumors about being in a relationship, gaining momentum when they were spotted together at a motorcycle riding school a day before Valentine’s Day.
In a photo uploaded by Watanabe Riding Development on Facebook on February 13, 2024, Xian and Iris are seen with friends including OPM singer JK Labajo and beauty queen Dia Mate, who also happen to be in a rumored relationship themselves.
While the photo itself looked harmless, netizens couldn’t help but notice Xian’s left arm on the shoulder of Iris, who was also holding Xian’s hand.
The viral photo made the rounds on social media almost two months after Xian confirmed his breakup with the It’s Showtime mainstay host in December, the same month he started being linked to Iris.
Rumors about Xian and Kim’s breakup started after netizens noticed that Kim went on a solo trip in October.
XIAN CONFIRMS RELATIONSHIP WITH IRIS
For Esquire PH’s cover story in May 2024, Xian gives an exclusive interview, covering his attitude when it comes to entering relationships, moving on from his high-profile breakup with Kim, and commencing a new chapter with Iris.
Xian says of the media buzz around split with Kim: “It’s just all over the place and I think, ang dami nang dagdag, ang dami nang bawas. Naglabas naman kami ng statement to clarify things.
“Of course, we have so much respect for our supporters. And yung na-build namin over the course of 12 years. But things in life happen.”
He adds, “The unexpected happens and we broke up. It just pains me na maraming hearsay, maraming dagdag-bawas sa kuwento.”
To finally put theories and assumptions to rest, he then confirms, “Yes, I’m seeing Iris.
“Just to clear everything, to clear all the speculations. We are seeing each other and we are very happy.”
The Love. Die. Repeat. lead actor also stresses the fact that their relationship only began after finalizing his breakup with Kim.
He explains: “Una sa lahat, Iris is a talented filmmaker. She’s my producer and she’s also my creative partner. These are the things that I want to clarify.
“Number one: that there was a third party [involved in the breakup with Chiu]. There’s no third party. That’s it. That plain and simple.
“Another rumor: when I see my friends—the people who are the last to even care about these things—kino-congratulate na ko.
“They say, ‘Congratulations on the marriage in New York!’ And I’m like, no, I am not married.
“And there’s also this one absurd article, or a thing said about me, that I have been living with someone for years na daw. The only people I live with is my mom, my lola, my lolo.
“These are the things na, parang, it’s just so absurd and it’s just…why?!”
He concludes his revelation by ultimately sticking up for Iris: “Things happen in life that we’re not going to be able to control. And as much as we don’t want it to happen, life happens.
“And it just pains me na parang may mga taong nadamay. That just really saddens me and that’s very unfortunate.
“Ang busy-busy ni Iris, ang busy-busy ko. She has a lot on her plate, and I have a lot on my plate.
“And, you know, she doesn’t deserve all that flak. We don’t deserve that because all the things na people are saying, there’s no truth to any of it.”
