TVB News World - Asian Entertainment News Daily

Yesterday Aaron Kwok Fu Sing as Longines elegance image ambassador attended a tennis award ceremony. Oxide Pang Shun revealed that perhaps he would ask his girlfriend Lynn Xiong (Hung Doi Lam) to work on THE DETECTIVE III, Sing Sing revealed that she was very mean and joked that she should play a cop lady role. When asked whether Lynn was more tender, Sing Sing said that he did not know how to answer.

Sing Sing said that his THE DETECTIVE II (B+ JING TAM) made over 20 million at the Mainland box office and successfully broke THE DETECTIVE (C+ JING TAM) record. "I am very happy, I hope its Hong Kong release also performs well. This film isn't a big investment, but it is a quality film with a lot of effort put into it. The most important is for the box office to rise, which both the cast and the crew are happy about!" As for THE DETECTIVE director Pang Shun earlier at the celebration did not eliminate asking Sing Sing's girlfriend Hung Doi Lam to perform. Sing Sing said, "I feel for work it is fine, work is work! (What role would you like her to play?) Cop lady! Earlier she has been Sassy Girl, actually she is pretty mean! (Is Lynn normally more tender?) I don't know how to answer!"

In addition, speaking of viewer praise of Sing Sing's body in the bathing scene and request to extend it, Sing Sing said. "Actually Pang Shun and I are familiar, so it won't be. This film was shot in Thailand, according to the story it's acceptable!" When asked whether THE DETECTIVE III (A+ JING TAM) would have a bathing scene, he responded, "I believe a more special story has to be thought up, more special than THE DETECTIVE II!"

In addition, Pang Shun two nights ago went with Ciwi Lam Sze Man to a Mongkok cinema to thank THE DETECTIVE II viewers and answer viewer questions. A viewer praised the director for making the Kwok Fu Sing bathing scene very pretty but it was too short. The director agreed to make it again next time. Lam Sze Man also represented one of the actors Izz Tsui Ching Hei and presented a hammer to the director, wishing THE DETECTIVE II to break THE DETECTIVE box office record. Pang Shun pointed out that this film after ten days in release in the Mainland passed 20 million at the box office and broke THE DETECTIVE's 6 million box office in Hong Kong. Thus at the end of the year he would make THE DETECTIVE III (A+ JING TAM) with the addition of four new characters. Would he ask Hung Doi Lam to perform? Pang Shun said that he could consider that, but both professionally and personally he would have to ask Sing Sing for his opinion. Would he have time to have a child with wife Angelica Lee Sinjie? He joked that child making only required the right mood, making a movie needed three months but making a child could be very fast and did not need three months.

Sources: takungpao, singtao
Translated by: hktopten

With TVB heavily promoting Kate Tsui (徐子珊), she was often rumored with her co-stars. Earlier, Kate was romantically rumored with Forensic Heroes 3 <法證先鋒 III> co-star, Ron Ng (吴卓羲). Currently, Kate was filming Lives of Omission "潛行狙擊" with Bosco Wong (黃宗澤) and shared passionate love scenes together, making it quite unpleasant for Bosco’s girlfriend, Myolie Wu (胡杏兒).

Since Myolie and Bosco were often separated due to their work schedule, their relationship had allegedly lost its spark. Myolie and Kate were both heavily promoted by TVB. Shockingly, they also became love rivals!

In Lives of Omission, Bosco portrays a triad boss with a crippled leg. Wearing a black leather jacket, he possessed the air of a triad head. In one scene, Kate was chatting with a rich, wealthy man. Becoming jealous and possessive instantly, Bosco rushed forward and warned the man to stay away from Kate.

Afterwards, Bosco and Kate shared a passionate kiss. With Bosco biting her lips, Kate had a pleasurable expression on her face; perhaps their onscreen romance had turned into real-life romantic sparks? Despite several outtakes in their kissing scene, Bosco and Kate remained in good spirits and smiled for the camera.

Kate Tsui: “The Man Butcher”

Leon Lai- After filming a commercial with Leon Lai (黎明) in 2005, Kate was romantically rumored with Leon, which caused her popularity to rise significantly.

Charles Chan- Kate was once rumored with TVB majority stakeholder, Charles Chan. Afterwards, Kate moved into a luxury home. However, Kate denied the rumors.

Kenneth Ma- After partnering with Kenneth Ma (馬國明) in Speech of Silence "甜言蜜語" in 2008, Kate was rumored to pursue Kenneth, attracted by his good man image.

Lai Lok Yi- Kate and Lai Lok Yi (黎諾懿) were well-received as a couple in Moonlight Resonance "溏心風暴之家好月圓". Allegedly, both Kate and Lai Lok Yi were interested in each other.

Ron Ng- Partnering in Forensic Heroes 3 together, Kate and Ron’s romantic rumors continued to grace tabloids, despite both parties denying love sparks.

Source: Tom.com
Translated by: JayneStars

Although Johnnie To Kei Fung has attended the Cannes Film Festival many times, he said that this time was the most special. "I came here six times in nine years. Previously every time I was busy with promotion. This time I attend as a jury member and I am the most relaxed.(Chinese films this year disappoint?) Easing up a little is good. Films of recent years are too heavy with commercial flavor, a balance of business and art would be a little better."

Ah To also said that France has contributed a lot to Hong Kong film preservation. "Hong Kong later will have a Tsui Hark film retrospective, I can't believe some scenes that were edited out of a films 30 years ago could be found in France. Those cut footage was very valuable and very meaningful."

Source: on.cc
Translated by: hktopten

The WU XIA team arrived in Cannes on May 12. The first arrival Takeshi Kaneshiro (Gum Sing Mo) was surrounded by reporters as soon as he stepped out of the airport. A reporter almost fell while backing up, Gum Sing Mo immediately went to help; later, director Peter Chan Ho Sun and Sandra Ng Kwan Yu stepped out holding hands. The media made fun of them as an "intimate young couple". Chan Ho Sun even said in great spirit, "The best is this word young, Kwan Yu's favorite one to hear". First time in Cannes, Li Xiaoran seemed to be curious about everything. Donnie Yen Chi Tan and wife Cissy Wang arrived later. Leaving his heroic armor behind he pushed the luggage cart like he was on vacation.

Chan Ho Sun after working for 18 hours straight boarded a plane for France with the self proclaimed "young assistant" Ng Kwan Yu. As soon as they landed, he turned on his phane and received several dozen "congratulations" text messages as TWC purchased WU XIA's global rights other than Asia and France. TWC boss and Miramax founder Harvey Weinstein was known as the "Oscar maker". He has always been cautious with his investments but almost hit every time. His film distributions won 61 Oscar statuettes, including KILL BILL, THE KING'S SPEECH, and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. During the contract signing, he said without any pretense, "I bought WU XIA just for the Oscars!"

This was Chi Tan's second time in Cannes. He and his wife arrived from Milan to Cannes on the 12th. When they left the airport, Mainland and French media were waiting. Before going to Cannes, Chi Tan accompanied his wife to shop like crazy in Milan. With two rare days to be with just his wife, they cherished the time. After arriving in Cannes Chi tan will begin an intense work itinerary and with very limited time to go out with his wife. Chi Tan said, "I will stay in Cannes for 4 days and return to Hong Kong on the 16th, on the 17th I will have to fly to the Mainland for work. I really like Cannes, but I don't have time to properly visit, which is somewhat regrettable."

Sources: takungpao, singtao, on.cc
Translated by: hktopten

The Jacob Cheung Chi Leung directed new film REST ON YOUR SHOULDER (GEIN SEUNG DIP) starred Gigi Leung Wing Kei, Chen Kun, Kwai Lun-Mei and Jiang Yiyan and even promoted with a display at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The poster was unveiled and two screenings were held. REST is a love story between 1 man and 3 women, with a lot of special effects. In comparison to the martial art films that are promoted at the Cannes Film Festival, it featured its subject's uniqueness.

Cheung Chi Leung praised all four leads' performances, which left people with a deep impression. They worked on a fresh and beautiful romantic film that was very rare. Cheung Chi Leung said that the new film will be released at the end of June.

Source: singtao
Translated by: hktopten

Source: Takungpao

Translated by: hktopten

Bosco Wong and Chrissie Chow were at Cheung Sha Wan recording for Kitty Yuen and King Kong's TV food show "Neighborhood Gourmet" and attracted a large group of residents. Bosco found out he had too cook shrimp when he arrived and claimed that his clothing matches with shrimp. Chrissie said she's only there to eat.

Bosco is skilled at cooking, and criticized rumored girlfriend Myolie Wu's cooking. He said: "She doesn't know how to cook, it's like a pile of poo. Sometimes her cooking improves, she's best at cooking hot pot. She needs to learn from cooking goddess Kitty Yuen. (Reduce her score?) Take her time to learn, the kitchen is a mountain that cannot have two tigers. I cook both Chinese and Western dishes."

It was said that TVB has an outline story for the "Triumph in the Skies" sequel. Bosco hopes the original cast can be part of it and also understands it's hard to get Francis Ng back after so many years: "How about Anthony Wong, both series have two big Film Kings and it be good if Film Queens guest star too." As for Sammul Chan, who had already left TVB, his role is replaced by Raymond Lam, Bosco said it's just a rumor and the decision is made by the executives. It depends on the story before deciding if Bosco and Myolie are going to be a pair.

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

The 2011 Forbes Chinese Top Celebrities List released yesterday. Andy Lau is first on the list earning 139 million RMB last year, Jay Chou is second and Faye Wong is third. Late last year, Faye held her concert tour where every show was a full house, she earned nearly 118 million RMB and makes her in the lead for female stars. However, among the celebrities, basketball player Yau Ming is still the richest with 229 million. There were a 100 artists from all over China in on the list and together they made a total of 3.9 billion RMB. There are 55 male artists and 45 female artists on the list.

For the female stars, Zhang Ziyi is the highest ranked after Faye Wong. She takes the 7th rank (74.5 million RMB) and Fan Bingbing is in 9th (51 million RMB). For male stars, Donnie Yen is in 6th place (nearly 126 million RMB), Jet Li in 8th (nearly 151 million RMB), Eason Chan in 18th (about 66 million RMB), Jacky Cheung in 19th place, Chow Yun Fat in 29th place, Aaron Kwok in 30th, and Raymond Lam in 71st place. The married couple team Nicholas Tse and Cecilia Cheung takes 23rd and 26th place.

Source: Mingpao
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

Him Law and Irene Wong were modeling for a hang bag brand's Autumn Collection. Because of the hot weather, Him was dripping wet in sweat under his leather jacket. He reveals that he is currently shooting new movie Love is the Only Answer and will have kiss and bed scenes with Charmaine Sheh.

Yesterday Him was dressed in a leather outfit under the 32 degree C weather and didn't have the opportunity to show off his chest. Him joked that he already accepted swimwear shows and will show his muscles for the show then. He frankly said that doing these shows is difficult. Recently, Him is shooting for new movie Love is the Only Answer with Charmaine Sheh and Alex Fong. The three of them are in a love triangle, Him reveals that he will soon have kiss and bed scenes with Charmaine. Asked if he's afraid of rumors spreading between them? Him said: "I did think before... collaborate with Charmaine, she's a TV Queen, very challenging." Later he greatly praised Charmaine is very easy to get along with, they chat on the set. Asked if he has asked about Charmaine's rumors recently? He laughed: "No, should not ask too much about her personal matters, we should have mutual respect."

Source: Sina Entertainment
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

Following the rumors with Ron Ng, Kate Tsui gets labeled as the 'butcher' on a magazine report. The article said when she was shooting with Bosco Wong, the acting turned real. The day before, rumored girlfriend Myolie Wu denounced the report as "crazy" on Weibo. She strongly supported Kate and casted her vote of trust to Bosco. She said: "Can you please not stretch [the story] so crazily?"

Last night, Myolie was recording for Steven Ma's show Apprentice Chef and discovered on Weibo the speculations that she got plastic surgery. Reporters requested to touch her chin, which got Myolie a little upset. She said: "I went home, and lost a lot of energy today. Before I entered the studio to record the show, reporters said that my chin got a lot sharper and they wanted to touch it first before taking pictures. That moment, I was really shocked, of course I did not let the reporter touch me and that time I was pulled into the studio. I believe the news will say that my conscience is guilty, I know I shouldn't let these nonsense news get to me, just pull my nose and get through it, but I thought for a moment. If you thought that my chest is really fake, then do I need to let you touch it too?"

Source: Mingpao, The Sun (image)
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

Shu Qi in A BEAUTIFUL LIFE not only cried the most in her film career but also drank the most. In the first scene at the karaoke she had to keep drinking, accidentally entered the male bathroom and vomited on the back of Liu Ye who was relieving himself.

To Shu Qi, she was able to handle the drunk scene. However when she had to jump on Liu Ye's back she almost lost her life. Because Liu Ye was tall, jumping onto Liu Ye's back was already somewhat difficult. After the jump she had to fall onto the concrete ground, which made the scene even more difficult. In another scene Liu Ye took Shu Qi home and Shu Qi forced a kiss on Liu Ye. Shu Qi joked that she felt like a mad woman as she grabbed Liu Ye to kiss, but Liu Ye kept pushing her away hard. Because Liu Ye had to appear to be a gentleman, Liu Ye had to look unwilling. Liu Ye said, "This was contrary to what I was thinking. I would push away a pretty woman like Shu Qi? The director is treating me too well?"

Sources: takungpao, mingpao
Translated by: hktopten

Leon Lai Ming yesterday worked on a Community Chest fund raising program and he rowed against another Community Chest director Wong Wing Kwong for charity. Although Leon humbly said that he did not have a knack for the event and only practiced for six hours, he was able to win.

Leon yesterday wore a wind breaker to the race. After the race he was covered in sweat. Luckily he was able to win. At the finish line he even intensely asked fans whether he won. After he learned that he won, he said, "Actually whoever won it doesn't matter, the most important is everyone supports Community Chest." Leon also said that although yesterday was hot it was already child's play. He recently has been working on WHITE VENGEANCE (HONG MOON YIN) in Beijing, everyday he had to wear 40 to 50 pounds of clothing and even a fake beard for the production.

Sources: takungpao, mingpao
Translated by: hktopten

Michelle Yeoh, recently assuming the status of "Global Traffic Safety Ambassador", has been frequently attending different countries to promote traffic safety. Promoting traffic safety news, she openly said that road safety is very important. If done well, in 10 years, 5 million people can be saved. She has also filmed a documentary regarding road safety. Speaking about many celebrities recently involved with driving under the influence, she expressed never driving under the influence; people must be responsible for themselves, why drive after drinking? As long as there is one accident, there will be an entire life of suffering and regret, why not follow the rules? Being happy is right, but it is necessary to have a happy mentality and not do silly things. With regards to some people who suggest driving under the influence of alcohol and driving after consuming drugs leading to a lifelong termination of a driving license, Michelle believes that a lifelong termination of a driving license is very severe, but people's lives are very precious. One time of carelessness can cause people to lose close relatives; if this is the only means to make people not drive under the influence, she also approves of a lifelong termination of a driving license.

Also, Michelle has finished filming her new movie in February, playing the role of Aung San Suu Kyi. However, the movie will not release until September. Before filming, she once met with Aung San Suu Kyi and even had a meal together, feeling that the other party was a very strong and opinionated person with principles, like an auntie.

Source: Sohu
Translated by: starlightcolors @ AsianFanatics

Steven Ma was recording for his hosted show Apprentice Chef the night before yesterday and invited good friend Tavia Yeung as his guest. Tavia is suffering from gastritis, but still went on the show. This time, Steven clearly took good care of Tavia. Initially Steven and Tavia were both to perform cutting stir-fired pork into thin slices, but in the end Tavia's knife wasn't used because Steven was afraid of an accident. As to Tavia going on the show despite being ill, Steven joked: "Tavia is pretty good, she really is worth to marry. If she can enter the kitchen or not, I don't know, but she is after all my good little sister." Tavia said: "This time I'm risking my life to come record for this because I have gastritis, and I'm still very sick at this moment. (Not afraid of getting diarrhea?) I only have gastritis, not the stomach flu. Not necessary diarrhea, just at most I might vomit."

Source: Mingpao
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

TVB Siu Sang Ron Ng shoot with a group of young artists in TVB series Yes Sir Sorry Sir. Already in his early 30s, Ron felt that distance from the younger artists when he was shooting with them and also made him remember the times when he was still studying. He said when he was studying, the school rules were very strict and compared to the newer generation, it is totally different. Ron exposes a time when he once had a crush on a girl older than him, but at the time because he was young, he did not dare to meet her and lost the chance.

When speaking of his current life, Ron is recently surrounded by rumors. For no apparent reason he is linked with Kate Tsui and Sire Ma. Ron frankly said that he is only good friends with Kate and had started collaborating with her 6 years old. He witnessed her grow and now they became 'brothers'. He said: "I see how her personality is like, we have the same manager, so naturally we have more chances to collaborate. In private life, if she speaks, I would listen! But we don't talk about guys, of course if she tells me, I will listen because I'm curious too! (Will you two become lovers?) I'm an interesting person, if I like the girl, it has to be the first feeling. I have been friends with Kate for so many years and still no feel, so I don't think so!"

Hope to make girlfriend public

As for Sire Ma, Ron expressed that they have collaborated in one series and the rumor is really boring. And how about Viann Zhang who had once been to his house? Recently, they have been said to have matching outfits and shoes, Ron said he has always been innocent: "The shoes were sponsored! As for the clothes, it's the same few brands here and there! Aiya, can actors not have female friends? Can't sit next to each other? This is basically set, so now I will try my best not to go out with girls alone, but if I do like a girl, I will make it public. (Even if the girl is in the industry?) When you like her, you will not care, I believe in feelings."

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

Toby Leung and Pierre Ngo are a bickering pair in TVB new series My Sister of Eternal Flower. On screen they appear like a mature couple, extremely sweet, but turns out that this is their first collaboration. Toby exposed that Pierre is a person who takes things slowly, she had to take the initiative to get things going.

Toby recalls the start of shooting, except for when the cameras were rolling, Pierre did not speak much otherwise. Off cameras, Pierre often had his earphones on listening to music and careless about anyone around him. Later, Toby approached him and smacked his earphones off, she laughed: "We play a couple, how can we not communicate, so when we took the car out for outdoor scenes, I deliberately sat next to him and talked about anything. The first question was, what kind of music is he listening to? Then after the conversation started, he was ok! Then we quickly got to know each other more." At this time, Pierre was sitting besides Toby and laughing nonstop, and claimed that he's a shy person. Also, he was afraid people would misunderstand, so he rarely takes the intiative. Unexpectedly this time he encounters the Western-like girl Toby and the two sparked immediately.

Toby sweet talked and expressed that she was excited to collaborate with her senior Pierre. she exposed that she personally has a list of artists that she wants to collaborate with and Pierre was third on the list. She said: "In fact, we had the opportunity a few times before, but because of surgery, we missed it. Luckily this time we were able to collaborate and during this period, I learned ab lot from him! Such a benefit, and we became friends too!"

Although in real life, Toby and Pierre already have their other halves, they are still very affectionate. They both expressed that they have not reported to their other half. Also, they chose a love song together to use while they shoot romantic scenes. They would listen to the song during the scene and get into character with it. Toby said: "This method works, I was very into character for this period of time, I really thought I was dating Pierre, one time Joel Chan saw and teased us by asking if we had to be so sweet! This means we were a success!"

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

Wayne Lai, Maggie Cheung, Kate Tsui, Aimee Chan, Edwin Siu and Jessie Shum attended the Forensic Heroes III end of filming feast. Earlier, Sheren Tang criticized TVB for not willing to invest in their productions and the poor treatment of their artists, Wayne said: "Sheren has always been a serious person, she's tough love and it's good to point out suggestions. She is just concern about the production and there will always be room for improvement." About Amigo Chui getting fired by TVB? Wayne said: "I admire his speaking skills and fast reactions. (Cleverness gets harmed by cleverness?) It's a pity, but as a public figure, really have to be careful."

Also, during pictures Kate and Maggie were very polite, Kate modestly said: "Have to yield my seniors. (Ron Ng didn't come to avoid you?) He is in Mainland filming."

Maggie was asked about the two rumored couples, Ron Ng and Kate Tsui and Aimee Chan and Edwin Siu. She said: "In the series, both pairs are very matching. Wayne and I lost it all! We can't have any rumors!" Reporters said Aimee and Moses Chan are the actual pair, Maggie laughed: "No! She and Edwin are matching!"

Article: Sheren's criticisms on TVB's treatment and productions

Source: Singtao

Sheren Tang criticized TVB that it's miserable shooting their series and TVB does not know how to value real talents. Besides the low wages, they are reluctant to invest in quality productions. When asked if TVB's wages are too low? Sheren said: "Definitely!" When asked if there are many Siu Sang and Fadans welcoming that? She said: "That's why so many are leaving TVB, but Hong Kong does not have any other TV station." Even two-time TV Queen doesn't get a raise? Sheren said: "TV Queen is given out by them, they can even reduce the wages! I once joked, 'TVB gives me an award, you want them to give a raise, are you crazy?'"

Sheren also complained about No Regrets sloppy set, she said: "Look at No Regrets, how can you believe it's during the war period in Guangzhou? We can only be at TVB city, and they would push some chairs or tables over, sprinkle some ashes and call that war! When I see the scene where we were at the police station, I would get angered. Basically, they (TVB production crew) are not willing to spend money on the set and costumes. They think they can rely on the actors to hide this fact."

Facing a wave of artists leaving, are you warning TVB? She said: "I'm doing this interview because I hope we can tell the people in business what we truly need and hope to be respected. TVB does in fact have a lot of talents, but the company does not value them. 'TVB can still live without anyone', We have heard this comment since we debuted. I hope the new boss will create a new light. One of the bosses is a devout Christian, so I do have some hope. Doing business, they already have the money, and if they treat TVB simply as a business, then that would be miserable and I hope they really do want to make TVB better."

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

Ada Choi was expected to due on May 17th, but the day before, Ada already started feeling pain and gave birth to her baby daughter 6 days early at Canossa Hospital. Ada once had a wish to personally experience the natural process of giving birth, but in the end it was not successful and the doctor had to give her a C-section to help her. Ada's baby daughter was born at 5:11pm, weighing 9 pounds and 4 ounces. Her name is Zoe Cheung Chor Yee (張楚兒). Yesterday Ada wrote on Weibo announcing the good news and posted a family photo!

A mother for the first time, Ada felt that the approach of a new life was very amazing, while her husband and father Max Zhang was so happy while carrying the baby, he couldn't stop smiling. He describes his daughter as a strong female because when she first came out, she did not have any loud cries, her hands and feet are thick and solid. Ada chose Canossa Hospital, where many other actresses went into labor there too, like Kelly Chen. It costs the least, starting from HK$100,000 and up.

A May 11, 2011, 5:11pm birth

Yesterday at 5:30pm, Max came down to the hospital's entrance for interviews with the media. A father for the first time, he first thanked everyone for the concern and then bowed. He appeared very excited as he said: "Both mother and daughter are safe. Our baby girl is born, Ada was admitted to the hospital last night, her expected due date was May 17th. Earlier, the magazines reported it all wrong, I saw that her stomach was so big already, so I bought her into the hospital to prepare, it was such a coincidence, eventually our baby girl was born on May 11, 2011 at 5:11pm. She is 9 pounds, 4 ounces and I believe is the heaviest baby in the entire hospital."

Accompanying Ada into the delivery room, Max watched Ada in labor and really felt that being a mother is not easy. He will treat his wife better and when the nurse carried their baby to them, Max's eyes were filled with tears, while Ada already started crying in joy. Asked who the baby looks like? Max said: "She has dad's mouth, and mom's hair. She is a beauty. (Gave her a name?) Ada wants to give her a single character, I want her name to have a "Chor" (楚) in it because I want my daughter to clearly understand the God's truth and in the end, we decided to give her the name "Chor Yee" and English name is Zoe. Her name represents a meaningful life."

Ada's mother already went to visit her in the hospital, asked Max if both parents already visited? He said: "Everyone that should come already came. (When will Ada be discharged?) Not that fast, I won't be working yet, spend some time with her first. (Ada is going to be a full-time housewife?) She cannot settle down like that... let her rest first, I think she'll come back to acting!"

FRIENDS VISIT ADA AND CONGRATULATES NEW PARENTS

At 7pm, Nick Cheung visited Ada at the hospital. The two became good friends after shooting Secret of the Heart, Nick said: "After visiting Ada and seeing her baby girl, perhaps she just gave birth, the baby and mom looks exactly the same. (Give her baby caring tips?) We talked about it before. (What's your gift?) Later, wait until she leaves the hospital. We known each other since Secret of the Heart, and now we both have our own babies!"

Cecilia Cheung: "Congratulations! I wish her success in losing the weight after birth and is prettier than before. Her baby is healthy and happy." She also urged Ada that it is not suitable to start eating supplements after birth, especially fish maw and bird's nest. She said: "This is purely personal opinion because fish maw will cause the wound to stiffen, next time when she gives birth again, it will be hard for surgery. Also, for the first 7 days, it is best to breastfeed because these 7 days is very important for mother and baby. Other things, let nature take its course, eat light and it should be okay."

Ada's best friend and already a mother, Monica Chan said: "Should just let the new parents enjoy the happiness together as a family!" Earlier when Monica visited Ada, she was very emotional and cried: "The baby is very cute, she is 100 times prettier than on camera. I congratulate Ada and Max for becoming parents from the bottom of my heart. I also wish baby grow up fast and becomes a beautiful girl!"

Ada's "big sister" Mary Hon saw the baby and was extremely happy: "Baby is very healthy, very cute. However, it is hard to tell who she looks more like when she's so tiny. Health is the most important, the new father is very happy and smiled nonstop."

Cindy Au: "Congrats! (Baby is over 9 pounds?) Wah, very lucky and as expected. Earlier when we had dinner with Ada, I saw she had long arms and legs, baby will inherit mom's genes. (You will be due soon too!) Since I have experience, I'm not as anxious as the first time."

On Weibo:

Eileen Yeow: "Congrats! So happy, give a kiss to Baby and Ada for me, yeah!"

Koni Lui: "Congrats! A new little life is so fantastic!"

Macy Chan: "Congrats! Who does baby look like? No... whoever she looks like mother or father, she will be beautiful! Congrats to you all as a family!"

Others include: Sonjia Kwok, Leila Tong, Tavia Yeung, Hacken Lee Athena Chu, Leanne Li, Timmy Hung, Astrid Chan, Sammi Cheng, Liza Wang, etc..

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU

6 Years in the Mainland, Sheren Tang reveals her life experiencesBefore the whole ‘leaving the nest’ phenomenon occurred, Nan Dou Daily’s reporter had researched in depth the situation that TVB’s artists face on a consistent basis. In order to fight for opportunities to perform, to earn money and make a living, or to realize their dreams, the artists must compromise with a company that requires them to work 24 hours a day for years on end, yet with a salary that is only a quarter of what Mainland artists make. There is no competition in the HK television industry and with TVB being the ‘main player’ in the entire region, the artists have no other choice. To this day, this miserable plight has not seen any improvement.



With the rapid expansion of the Mainland television industry, many HK television artists have flocked to the country in hopes of earning more money. With an almost guaranteed rise in social status, attractive wages and working conditions, and seemingly easily attainable fame and fortune, it would be hard for someone not to long for this type of life. With an increasing number of TVB artists ‘leaving the nest’ in favor of a career in Mainland China, the phenomenon shows no signs of subsiding. But is life in Mainland China as easy as some believe? How about the different environments and cultures that exist and the necessity of working with entirely different production teams? The competition in the Mainland brings with it a whole different set of pressures.



Sheren Tang has always been one who is not afraid to speak her mind. In a candid interview, Sheren reveals her experiences working in Mainland China, which has brought with it much pain and countless tears, yet at the same time, she enjoys the happiness that freedom brings. As for fellow TVB fa dan Charmaine Sheh, Sheren has some words from the heart that she would like to share with her.





R = Nan Dou Daily’s Reporter

S = Sheren Tang





How big is the salary gap between Hong Kong and the Mainland?



R: There are reports that TVB asked you to film a costume drama in May with actor Moses Chan, but because you had already accepted Mainland drama <<Qing Cheng Xue>>, you declined TVB. Between the two, why did you choose the Mainland drama?



S: First of all, I have to clarify one thing – I have never ‘declined’ a TVB drama. To me, ‘decline’ means that you agree to film the drama at first, then go back on your word later. I never agreed to film that drama in the first place, so it is not considered ‘declining’. Producer Nelson Cheung had asked me whether I had any room in my schedule for him, but at that time, he did not have a script available to give me – in fact, there wasn’t even a story synopsis available, so I had no clue whether the character would be suitable for me or not. If you talk about ‘declining’ series, I actually ‘decline’ [Mainland] producer Yu Zheng’s series more than I do TVB’s, yet he still continues to seek me out for his productions. In fact, he was the first one who asked me to film a series for him in the March to May timeslot.



R: So is it like what the HK Media reported, that producer Yu Zheng offered you three times your salary at TVB – a price of 100,000 yuan per episode – that attracted you to accept?



S: Salary rumors that you hear in the Media are oftentimes not true.



R: But producer Yu Zheng told me earlier that for a Hong Kong artist to make 100,000 yuan per episode in the Mainland is already the best rate in the field and that your salary already exceeds this amount.



S: I am not the type to reveal these types of personal details, so how do they (the Media) know how much money TVB gives me?



R: I once interviewed TVB’s labor union chairman Lau Shun On, who stated that for first-line siu sangs and fa dans such as Charmaine Sheh, Moses Chan, to be able to earn 20,000 to 30,000 HKD per episode is already pretty good. Do you agree?



S: Sure, if one is able to earn that amount, of course it’s good! But it’s very hard!



R: For a first-line siu sang and fa dan, they can’t even get 20,000 to 30,000 HKD per episode?



S (laughing grimly): Hahaha…I don’t want to talk about money. If you use money to measure the two regions, there is a huge difference!



R: Do you feel that TVB generally offers salaries on the low side?



S: Absolutely!



R: Then why do so many siu sangs and fa dans – including yourself – accept this?



S: Well, that’s why a lot of artists won’t film TVB series now and decide to leave! In HK, there aren’t any other TV stations that actively produce TV series, so if you want to keep your career in HK, there is no choice. It is a market issue.



R: Throughout all these years, TVB never increases the salaries of its artists? How about in your case, even after 2 TV Queen awards, you still never got an increase?



S: TV Queen is an award given by TVB, so they may even require that I reduce my salary! I once jokingly said: ‘Ha? TVB gives you an award and you still increase your rate? Are you crazy?’ Why do people leave? I believe it’s because in every industry, people want to have the freedom to choose – whether it’s a sense of satisfaction, salary, work environment, etc. – they want to be able to choose the best option for themselves. I hope that people don’t readily believe all the rumors about prices, salaries, and such – it’s inappropriate for the Media to portray the prices in the 2 regions as Heaven versus Hell.





Is the Mainland television industry truly ‘Heaven’ for Hong Kong artists?



R: When people talk about the Mainland TV and film industries, the first thing they say is that money is especially bountiful.



S: That’s certainly true.



R: Producer Yu Zheng claims that close to 100 million yuan was invested in the series 《倾城雪》and that each episode alone costs 2 million yuan to make. In comparisons, with TVB reducing its budget for productions, what types of troubles does that bring to the artists and the series?



S: It wasn’t until I came here (to the Mainland) that I realized there is such a huge difference between the quality of the landscape (sets) between TVB and Hengdian productions. Just take a look at the sets here – the large houses and gardens that the workers painstakingly decorate and design. Every flower, every patch of grass, every piece of furniture – there’s feeling to it all. It makes me feel like I am truly living in that time period!



But as soon as you return to TVB City, the horizon is immediately narrowed. Just to use <<No Regrets>> as an example – how is it possible for people to believe that the series takes place in chaotic, war-torn Guangzhou? We are only able to film in TVB City – everything is so bright and clean there, even all the clothes look new. They believe that toppling a few chairs and sprinkling dust around represents ‘war-torn’! Whenever I watch the scenes that we filmed at the police station, it makes me angry. Why is it that we look as though we are doing a stageplay? We’re supposed to be in an external environment, but the sets have no three-dimensional feel at all – in fact, it looks like just a plain board. Sometimes, it gets very frustrating: I put all my effort into acting out a scene, but the ‘board’ behind me doesn’t cooperate, then isn’t all my effort in vain? The root of the issue is really that they [TVB’s production people] never want to invest money on sets and costumes – they believe that relying solely on the artists’ performances can cover up all the inadequacies, but they don’t realize that the audiences are a lot smarter now. Also, the production costs for <<Rosy Busines>> was more than for <<No Regrets>> -- the subject matter and content of <<No Regrets>> was larger scale and grander, yet less attention was paid to it from a production and costs standpoint, which makes the disparity even more apparent.



R: Producer Yu Zheng claims that he gave you a better script, better character to portray, a big crew, and custom-made clothing worth tens of thousands of dollars a piece. Is that truly how it works filming in the Mainland?



S: Can’t really say it like that completely. I’ve also participated in Mainland series where the production team doesn’t provide suitable costumes for the artists and we need to go out and buy them ourselves. I remember there was 1 series where I was supposed to play the daughter in a wealthy family who dresses very elegantly, but the production team only gave me 3 ‘old woman’ outfits that didn’t even fit me physically – the worse thing is that these were qi paos [Chinese-style long dress]! You know that with qi paos, it’s very hard to buy suitable fitting ones – usually they have to be custom-made. But with the series already started shooting, it’s impossible to have the outfits custom-made all over again! It’s situations like this that makes being an actor very painful and sometimes, it makes you not even want to continue with it.



R: So in reality, not all of the Mainland production teams are evenly matched?



S: Correct! To tell you the truth, not all production teams are like the ones for 《倾城雪》who are willing to spend a lot of money on costumes. If I hadn’t experienced it for myself, I probably wouldn’t believe it either. In the Mainland, there are definitely all different ‘levels’ of production teams. There were 2 teams that I collaborated with in the past that made me want to cry!



R: Why? Was it one of those ‘bad ending’ situations?



S: No, it wasn’t that. The filming process itself for the series was very painful. The production team that I mentioned earlier that couldn’t even get the costumes right – well, apparently, they can’t style hair correctly either. I had to take money out of my own pocket to hire a hairstylist from HK to come and re-do my hair for me. And in another production team, the hairstylist spent 3 ½ hours and still could not figure out how to style the hair (it normally only takes 1 ½ hours). One time, because the hairstylist was inexperienced, I figured I’d get up extra early (at 2am) and give her a little more time to do my hair so that filming can still start on-time, so I arrived at the studio at 6am. But the production team was not appreciative and didn’t care that I had to get up extra early – they started requesting that I start at 6am every day! Instead of admitting her inexperience and working on fixing it, the hairstylist told me to just get up at 2am every morning to accommodate her! Sometimes, it just gets you really angry and frustrated at how unprofessional these people are – they don’t understand at all that the most important thing for an artist is to be in a good mental state so we can be alert and perform well. You know what’s funny? The ‘big boss spent a lot of money to invite us over to film his series, yet he hires a bunch of unprofessional workers to frustrate us and turn a good situation into a bad one. If that’s the case, then why spend so much money to invite me over here?



R: Did this happen several years ago, or is it recent?



S: Pretty recent. I only started filming in Mainland a few years ago.



R: Have you encountered many unreasonable and unreliable production teams in Mainland?



S: From 2005 until now, I’ve filmed very few Mainland series every year, because at one point, I was very scared. The situations that you may encounter aren’t things that you can just lock yourself in a room and cry over it. Sometimes, while filming at the studio, you get to the point that you just break down and cry in front of everyone. I think it could be because of the difference in cultures between HK and China. In HK, I’m very familiar with TVB’s environment, so at least there, I don’t have to worry about someone trying to oppress me or cheat me, but in the Mainland, it’s very different -- there truly are all sorts of people here who will do things that you never thought they would do. I’ve encountered situations where my contract outlined specifically the hours that I would be working, yet I am still forced to work overtime. One time, I had just gotten off the plane and a production team sent a car to pick me up, but it was a very old, run down car that ended up breaking down on the freeway – yet, the team told me that I still have to report to work immediately and find a way myself to get there!



At the time, I was new to the Mainland market and figured that I had to be nice – plus I’ve always believed that if you respect people, they will respect you in return. So I tried to go reason with the person, but then I discovered that the person doesn’t care to reason with you – instead, they rudely brush you off or lie to you…at that point, you start to feel very disrespected. Some of my Mainland friends tell me that I should just ignore the person, disappear to my room, and insist on only working 12 hours – no point in trying to reason with them! When I first hear this, I thought to myself – is it really necessary to be that way? Later on, I slowly learned how the culture works over here and adjusted to it. The lesson I learned is that sometimes, when filming in the Mainland, you need to act like a ‘big shot’ (laughs) – otherwise, your dignity could get taken away!



I also learned other ‘tricks of the trade’ as well – for instance, once a contract has been signed and your working hours have been established, you cannot just work overtime arbitrarily because then you set the precedence and they will expect you to do it every time. One time, someone wanted me to work extra hours, so he said to me ‘a contract is dead, but a person is alive’ – the second time he tried to force me to work extra hours, I hung up on him, then I called his boss and told him never to send someone to talk to me like that again, otherwise, I’m quitting. After 2 years of ‘battles’ in the Mainland, I finally learned to be more ferocious and not let people upset me anymore.



R: Several years ago, there were reports that when Sonjia Kwok came to the Mainland to film, the conditions were really bad. One time, the production teams didn’t even have sanitary facilities available and she had to ‘take care of matters’ by a mountainside. Have you experienced similar situations?



S: Yes – I’ve especially encountered situations where there are no changing rooms and I had to go hunt for a place to change my clothes for the next scene. I finally found an old container truck that was really messy and dark and changed really quick – but then when I returned to the production team, they complained that I ‘took too long’ and was delaying production! Was it really my fault? Why is it that the production team never feels that they are at fault? As actors, we have to invest emotions into our performances too – if every day, before we even start filming, we have to deal with all these frustrating situations, it’s easy to go crazy!



R: Anthony Wong has also criticized certain Mainland production teams in the past for being unprofessional. It looks like many collaborations between HK artists and Mainland production teams often start out rocky.



S: Initially, it’s hard to adjust, but I feel that it’s understandable because the film and TV industry in China had become prosperous all of sudden rather than gradually. Like with Hengdian for example – with 40 production teams here all at once, how are they able to train up so many professional people in such a short amount of time to handle the various positions? No matter how pretty the ‘hardware’ is, it doesn’t mean that the ‘software’ can always accommodate. So basically, you have to make your choices very carefully and when you’re in an environment that you’re not familiar with, you have to be extra vigilant – for example, choose to work with big companies, choose good scripts, or if you know another artist in the same series, find out from him/her how the behind-the-scenes crew is….if you blindly explore without having some idea in mind, it’s hard to avoid painful experiences.



R: With a few years of experience here now, do you think the situation has improved?



S: I still feel that there are all types of people here. All I can say is that when I’m filming at TVB, there are unhappy situations, but there are also happy ones. At TVB, I don’t have to deal with those types of people – I don’t have to go from one production team to another to ‘get to know’ different types of people from all walks of life. At TVB, it’s the same people who have been there for years – not complicated at all. Oh, and TVB doesn’t ‘force’ you to do overtime because you don’t get to sleep anyway! Hahaha!





Is filming at TVB truly like ‘living in Hell’?



R: Filming at TVB is still a very exhausting job though, right?



S: It’s been like that for years already – it’s not like someone put a gun to your head and force you to film series for them, you don’t have to do it – but in all of HK, that’s the only TV station that will give you series to film. Back when we were filming <<Rosy Business>>, we would consistently start filming at 7am in the morning at an offsite location until about 3 or 4pm, then return to the studio to continue filming onsite until 3 or 4am in the morning. By the time we get off work, it is already dawn. After a short rest, in which you usually only have time to go home and take a shower, you have to return to start another day of work. Everyday, instead of studying the script, artists are trying to think of ways to combat their sleepiness – with this type of environment, how is it possible to have quality productions? One of my Aunts in the U.S. asked whether we had labor unions and why can’t they do anything? I joined the Artists Guild years ago, but they’re not much help in these types of situations – the labor unions are not ‘official’. I feel that it’s very difficult in general for Chinese people to unite together to fight for something. I’m the type who dares to ‘fight’ for things and dares to say “I won’t do it”, but then you have 20 people who say “I will do it”, then that makes me the lone dissenter. If I’m constantly standing apart and saying “I won’t do it”, then I’ll become ‘troublesome’.



R: Recently, a lot of HK artists and media organizations have been criticizing TVB.



S: Sometimes, I do feel it’s unfair. HK isn’t entirely bad – just like in China, not all of the production teams are good, it’s just that you have more of a choice. Take Sunny Chan for example – after his son was born, he didn’t want to be away from home too much, so he chose to stay in HK and film HK series. Others may feel that they need to earn enough money to take care of their families and are up to the challenge of something different, so they come to the Mainland. Making a living in the Mainland is also very difficult and there are a lot of sacrifices that you have to make. In both HK and China, there are both good and bad – it really depends on what you want in life. As artists, we also have to face reality – after all, the Mainland market is definitely way bigger than the HK one. If you want to have the freedom to choose your own scripts, choose which production team to work with, or want ‘new sparks’ in your career, it’s definitely necessary to leave HK.



R: Bowie Lam also recently ‘separated’ with TVB. He said that he constantly hopes for a good script, but most of the scripts he gets at TVB, he needs to personally change or rewrite himself – he often has to change the stuff that doesn’t make sense and turn it around to become more interesting. When you were at TVB, did you ever encounter this type of situation? Dislike it?



S: I’ve been doing that kind of thing (changing scripts) at TVB for a long time already! In fact, oftentimes I write the script myself! Actually, as artists, we do empathize a bit with the scriptwriters, even those who are known for ‘flying papers’ [TN: ad-lib dialogue / scripts on the fly]. We understand that they aren’t given enough time and it affects their creativity. A good script requires a lot of time to create, but nowadays, the writers are really just going through the motions – the company would give the writer an ‘idea’, then tell them ‘go home and write it out for me!’. It’s hard to be creative when you’re asked to do this everyday without resting. Not allowing you to settle down and clear out all the ‘old ideas’ from your head before working on a new script – it’s hard to come up with new stuff….in this type of hard-pressed situation, it’s hard to produce quality work.



R: Is it true that when TVB asks you to film their series, a lot of times they don’t even give you a story synopsis?



S: <<War and Beauty>>, <<La Femme Desperado>>, <<The Family Link>>, <<Rosy Business>>, <<No Regrets>>...all of them – I never saw the script prior to accepting the series. Sometimes they’ll give us the script a month before the start of filming, other times, they won’t give it to us until a few days before. Oftentimes, I have them tell me the basic plot of the story and who will be writing the script, then I decide whether I will film the series or not – it’s definitely a gamble! For instance, after collaborating with scriptwriter Cheung Wah Biu on the series <<Rosy Business>>, even if he asks me to film <<No Regrets>> without having a script yet, I would still accept it because I have faith in him.



R: If after you receive the script, you are disappointed, you still agree to film the series?



S: Then it will be like Bowie Lam’s situation – you try your best to ‘save’ the script and it ends up getting constantly changed.



R: When filming Mainland series, do you receive the complete script prior to filming? How is the quality of the script?



S: The good thing about filming in the Mainland is that the market is huge, so you can choose between many different scripts – but good quality scripts are very few. In the Mainland, I oftentimes don’t receive the script prior to making the decision either – usually there is only a synopsis because a lot of artists generally are willing to accept a series after reading the synopsis. I’ve encountered many instances where I end up not accepting the series because we are not able to come to consensus on the storyline. If I had to ‘gamble’ on accepting a series when certain factors are unknown, I’d rather do it at TVB than in the Mainland – at least it’s safer and I don’t have to worry about dealing with complicated people.



R: Does the ‘flying papers’ situation occur with Mainland productions?



S: Yes, it’s the same….so it’s not fair to only criticize TVB for it. In fact, in the Mainland, it’s not just ‘flying papers’, it’s also ‘flying notices’ – for example, the agreed upon start time is 10am in the morning, but then at 2am in the morning, you receive a phone call that the start time has been changed to 6am. This kind of thing doesn’t happen at TVB because if the time is changed last minute, even if the artist is willing to do it, there are a lot of other factors (such as the filming location, etc.) that may not be able to accommodate. Not like here in Hengdian – the artists are already here (at the hotel in Hengdian), so it’s easy to just knock on the door and wake them up.





Adapted to life in the Mainland? Are there obstacles to development and growth?



R: On the poster for《倾城雪》, you are standing in the upper corner, whereas the younger Mainland artists are standing in the middle. Oftentimes, HK lead artists who film in the Mainland end up taking on supporting roles only and sometimes may not even stand out to audiences. What do you think about this?



S: I want to say that everyone chases after different things. I’ve never thought about this question – even when I look at the poster, it doesn’t come to mind. When I was at TVB, I was already doing lead actress roles at 18 years old – at the time, I didn’t have to put in much effort to get there. The stereotypical lead actress is pretty, kind-hearted, loving and righteous, has a perfect personality, etc. – I’ve already passed the stage of chasing after these types of things. To truly be able to portray a character who doesn’t need to have a lot of scenes but can still attract the audience’s attention to herself and those around her – it’s difficult. If you are able to let go of the “I won’t film unless it’s a lead actress role’ concept, you’re able to put everything out there – at that point, you’re able to portray any type of role.





R: A lot of TVB artists who go to the Mainland usually film idol series or ancient (wuxia, pre-modern) series. The truly ‘first-line’ Mainland series -- such as the grand family ethics series, war-themed series, adaptations of the Four Classic Novels of Chinese Literature, etc. – rarely include HK TVB artists. How do you feel about the limitations in terms of characters placed on HK artists in the Mainland?



S: It’s normal. If you truly want to participate in an authentic Mainland-themed grand production, you need to thoroughly understand the life and culture here, sometimes even plant your roots here. For us (HK artists), it’s very difficult – it’s almost like we’re a group of immigrants who come here only to film a series or two, then return to HK after that. This is why it’s so important to ‘know yourself’ – you need to know your own strengths and weaknesses and don’t force things. I actually don’t mind having these limitations. In order for me to truly open up new horizons in such a huge market, I have to excel in my field of expertise and comfort zone – plus I must be able to live the life that I want to live…after all, I wasn’t born to act!



R: What about your life here in the Mainland makes you feel especially warm and happy?



S: Whenever I film in the Mainland, I have a very close assistant who helps me out a lot, which makes me feel very comfortable. In HK, it’s impossible for your personal assistant to live close to you, but in the Mainland they are right there with you! I’m the type of person who, in the drama world, I become very engrossed in what I’m doing, but in the real world, I don’t pay a whole of attention to myself. Back in HK, I barely have time to sleep, let alone look after my own health! But here, because of her (points to her assistant Little Bell), not only do I get a healthy breakfast every morning, I also get all the vitamins and nutrients that I need because she is so good about reminding me whenever the time comes for me to take them. I’m very fortunate to have her.



R: I heard that in addition to filming, you also have time to play tennis?



S: Compared to filming at TVB, life here is a blessing! With the current series I’m filming here, I start work at 8 or 9am every morning and usually get off work by about 7:30pm. The latest that I’ve gone was until 10 or 11pm and even then, I’m able to get a good night’s sleep. On days when I get off early, I usually go get a massage, or sometimes I meet up with my ‘daughter’ in the series and go to the local sports facility for a game of tennis. Or sometimes I would invite a few friends who I usually never get a chance to meet up with in HK to dinner and we would just chat. Of course, there were times when I would go to the local supermarket and pick up some stuff. It’s quite a happy life!



R: Here in Hengdian, the lifestyle is different from HK – the traffic is not that great and there aren’t a whole lot of places to go. Do you think that the lifestyle may be too boring or too simple here?



S: No, I feel very comfortable here. I remember not too long after <<War and Beauty>> aired in HK and I became popular, I bought a ‘mansion’ that had a gym, an indoor swimming pool, and other amenities. At the time, I was extremely busy and was travelling a lot, so of course, with such a big house, I had to worry about the security. A couple years later, I came to the Mainland to film a series and lived in one of the hotels in Hengdian. One particular Sunday, I slept in until I naturally woke up, then turned on the television to watch a program. After that, I felt a bit energetic, so I went with my assistant to the garden downstairs for a walk – the scent of the flowers and the fresh grass was very sweet and I felt very happy and content. My assistant asked me whether it’s truly that difficult to live such a contented life and to be honest, it is -- I lived in my ‘mansion’ for 4 years in HK and was always rushing around so much that I never got the chance to even set foot in my garden. At that moment, I reflected on a lot of things – that day in Hengdian, I only spent a couple hundred dollars and was able to feel such a sense of contentment and joy. I started asking myself what was the purpose of earning so much money, rushing around to the point of not being able to enjoy the things around me? If I can find such happiness living in a hotel in Hengdian, why do I need such a grand, expensive ‘mansion’ in HK?



After that experience, everytime I returned to HK, I would feel a lot of pressure. I remember last year, when I was filming <<The New Princess Pearl>> in the Mainland, I would have to return to HK occasionally for the promotional events for TVB’s <<No Regrets>>. I always felt so stressed because it felt like I had a million things that I had to get done in 1 day. As soon as I boarded the plane to return to the Mainland to continue filming, I instantly felt relaxed and without pressure. The more I film in the Mainland, the more I feel like I don’t want to go back to HK. I hate when the HK Media say that we (HK artists) leave for the Mainland because we want to earn lots of money – in reality, we are actually saving our own lives. Our health is our life – some people may argue that our acting career is our life as well, but the reality is, if we ruin our health by filming non-stop day and night to the point that we can’t do it anymore, all TVB is going to do is replace us with a younger, prettier newbie who is willing to work those types of hours. Actually, those of us who leave are not special – it’s just that we see an alternative path for ourselves and realize that staying in HK is not the only option. I’m very lucky in that as soon as I started in the industry, I was already doing lead roles – but that also means that I’ve had even less time for sleep in my life and had endured much more pressure than others who may have started later. And with the low salary, I don’t have much to show for all those years of pressure.



Back in those days, I was filming 4 series a year, just like Charmaine Sheh is doing now – I feel that I’ve given all of myself, both physically and mentally, to this industry and all I got in return was fame. It’s the same situation with Raymond Lam right now too. True, they are able to earn a lot of money, but in the scheme of things, money is just a ‘filler’ for when your soul is feeling empty. I’ve asked myself in the past why I chose such a career – you sacrifice your lifestyle, your family, your free time, your holidays…I felt like a bought-out machine – constantly running and moving, but without any dignity.



R: Do you feel that Charmaine Sheh chose to leave TVB because of the same reasoning?



S: Actually, many years ago, I had already talked to Charmaine about it, but at the time, we didn’t know each other very well. It’s impossible for an artist not to settle down and reflect on their lives at some point and to experience the world around them. If you are cramped up in a narrow space for a long period of time and do the same routine things over and over again, you are never going to grow as an artist. That’s why starting in 1991, I would only sign per-series contracts with TVB – it was the only way for me to get my life back. So with Charmaine’s case – well, to be honest, after having sacrificed 13 years of your life in exchange for a peak in your career, it’s definitely time to change your life a bit…after seeing the same scenery for so long, it’s not a bad thing to change environments!



R: Producer Yu Zheng once said that in Mainland China, the only female HK artists who truly have market potential are you and Charmaine Sheh. But if the series is bad, even if you or Charmaine are in it, there may still be difficulty selling it. With more artists heading North, do you feel that there will be more competition and pressure now?



S: Of course! It doesn’t matter how popular you are in HK – when you arrive in the Mainland, things are completely different! Going from a place that has only 7 million people to one that has over 10 billion people – plus there are already many capable actors in the Mainland, many of whom are even better than us. So we have to work even harder to develop our strengths and overcome the weaknesses.





Is there anything you want to tell TVB and those who will be leaving the company?



R: Towards the artists who are preparing to enter the Mainland TV industry, do you have any words for them?



S: I see the Mainland television industry right now as very similar to the HK movie industry in the 90s – a lot of people are willing to invest, but most of them are wealthy people who don’t know anything about movies. Because of the abundance of money, the artists’ status rise sharply and their salaries become very high, however this does not mean that they are truly talented or are willing to put in the effort. So when they come here, they should try not to use ‘money’ to determine their ‘status’, as this could be very dangerous. It could be hard though because the environment promotes it. Bottom line is that if the Mainland market collapses suddenly, anything could happen – the only guarantee is one’s own talent.



R: How about your former employer TVB? Based on the current trends, do you hope to see a change in the company?



S: In the past, we foolishly believed that for a TV station to have so many people employed, it’s reasonable to film day and night – the moment the filming stops, then there’s no money. So based on this thinking, we would ‘bite the bullet’ and conform to the routine. But then after I started filming in the Mainland, I realized that even with time spent preparing the script and coordinating the artists, working only 12 hours a day to film a 30 episode series is not that much slower than the amount of time that TVB takes to film the same number of episodes. So obviously, since there is a way out of the ‘filming 24 hours a day’ predicament, why not take it? If I were to spend my entire life focused solely on making money and allowing myself to be stifled, I wouldn’t be able to become an actress with depth who is able to move audiences with my performances.



R: With so many people leaving, do you think it will be a warning to TVB?



S: The reason I accepted this interview is because I hope that industry people will truly understand our (actors/actresses) needs and also give us respect. It’s true that a lot of talented people came out of TVB, but unfortunately, the company does not cherish its talents. From the time I started with TVB, I’ve been told repeatedly: “No one is indispensible; TVB won’t topple just because they don’t have so and so”. Most of the artists willingly and wholeheartedly stay with the company for many years and only leave because they truly can’t handle it anymore physically or they are truly unhappy. Here in Hengdian, there are a lot of people who got their start at TVB – also, the production teams are always in need of talent. TVB still has some talented people left – if they choose to stay there and not leave, then the company really needs to learn to cherish them.



R: After this ‘leaving the nest’ situation settles, will TVB have fewer and fewer talented people?



S: Whether it’s the case or not, you guys are able to see it. I hope that with the new bosses, there will be a new environment. One of the new bosses is a devout Christian, so I feel that there may be some hope. From a business perspective, they already have a lot of money, so if they turn TVB into purely a business venture, then that would be a shame. Hopefully, they don’t just look at money and instead, are truly sincere in wanting to improve the company – if that’s the case, then there is definitely still hope for the company.



Source: Sina Entertainment

Translated by: llwy12 @ AsianFanatics

Charmaine Sheh had always been surrounded by rumors. Recently she was rumored to have been involved in a relationship with a married man. A magazine report (Next Magazine) said after she met businessman Tony Shiu, his wife expressed she wanted to divorce him because there was a third person in their relationship. For no apparent reason, Charmaine is drawn into the family affair. This time, Charmaine did not just sit back and didn't care, yesterday she, Tony Shiu and his wife jointly signed a statement and issued it to the media. In the statement, they expressed the rumor created something out of nothing and started something without any evidence. When Charmaine accepted an interview, she expressed that this third person accusation is just too serious, so she must clarify.

Charmaine/Tony statement

Yesterday afternoon, Charmaine and Oskasia Company's board member Tony Shiu and his wife signed a joint statement expressing that the media has been irresponsible and wrote untrue stories. The rumor critically damages the reputation of all three parties - Charmaine, Tony and his wife. They reserve the right to take legal action.

Magazine Cover of report

Regarding the rumor between her and a married man, Charmaine said: "Tony and I have known each other for a very long time, we are just normal friends. (You really attract rumors?) Every time, they write it like it's real, I feel that this time it is necessary for me to come forward and clarify because it is very damaging and cannot just let it go. This time, it involves the reputations of three people, I am very unhappy about this. (Do you know Tony's wife?) Initially I didn't know her, but after this report, we became friends. (Is Tony getting divorce?) I am not sure."

Also, Charmaine was shooting in Kowloon by a fruit store last night for new movie Love is the Only Answer. In the scene, Charmaine had an upset expression as she watches Tat Dik and C AllStar member 'On Jai' fight over Evelyn Choi. During filming, suddenly a flying cockroach appeared and scared Charmaine so much she turned pale. She quickly dashed into the store.

Source: Oriental Daily, Mingpao, TVBChannel
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU