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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film
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Anita Yuen Wing-yee kisses her best actress trophy while Tony Leung Chiu-wai shows off his best actor prize at the 14th Hong Kong Film Awards. Post stories about the entertainment careers of Yuen and Leung were among our most popular celebrity profiles with readers in 2023.

Most read of 2023: Hong Kong’s Audrey Hepburn, a sex bomb with US$250,000 breasts: your 7 favourite celebrity profiles

  • A profile of Anita Yuen, known as the Audrey Hepburn of Hong Kong cinema, struck a chord with Post readers – as did one on real-life Cinderella Isabella Leong
  • Our story about Amy Yip, a Hong Kong sex symbol of the 90s, was also well read, as was our profile of Japanese-Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro

Looking back at 2023, a series that shone a spotlight on major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades proved popular with readers. Profiles of Isabella Leong Lok-sze and sex bomb Amy Yip Chi-mei in particular struck a chord.

1. Girl power

In May, Richard James Havis profiled Anita Yuen Wing-yee, known as the Audrey Hepburn of Hong Kong cinema, who made her mark playing forthright women.

She also had a reputation for being difficult to work with and sparked a 22-year feud with martial arts star Jackie Chan, but for director Peter Chan Ho-sun her acting overrode all that.
Read more here.
Isabella Leong promotes her stage comedy with Jim Chim Sui-man. Photo: SCMP

2. Isabella Leong’s charmed life

In August, the Post took a look at the Cinderella story of Isabella Leong, who passed up Hollywood to have children with Richard Li Tzar-kai, the younger son of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing.

The Macau-born actress had been on track to break into Hollywood after starring in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor alongside Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li and Brendan Fraser.
Read more here.
Amy Yip on a film set. She insured her breasts for US$250,000. Photo: SCMP

3. A Hong Kong sex bomb

In April, we recalled how Amy Yip, Hong Kong sex symbol of the 90s, made her mark in erotic films without ever baring all – and insured her breasts for US$250,000.

Yip starred in soft-core porn films such as Erotic Ghost Story, Robotrix, and the 1991 cult classic Sex and Zen, and during her career was a favourite of the paparazzi, something she enjoyed. “Since I was 15, I have wanted people to stare at me in the streets,” she once said.

Read more here.
Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in a still from “Happy Together”. Photo: Jet Tone Production

4. Tony Leung Chiu-wai in the picture

Tony Leung Chiu-wai was named best actor in the Asian Film Awards on March 12 this year, the ideal time for the Post to take a look back at some of its coverage of him, featuring both the highs and lows of his career.

We recalled what the actor said about that gay sex scene with Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing in Happy Together, Wong Kar-wai’s advice on acting, and how Stephen Chow Sing-chi got him into the entertainment business.

Read more here.
Chow Yun-fat and Jodie Foster in a still from “Anna and the King”. Photo: SCMP

5. Chow Yun-fat’s American story

American producers woke up to Chow Yun-fat’s potential after the success of Hong Kong action film The Killer, and he moved to Hollywood to try his luck there. In January, we considered why his early Hollywood hopes were dashed.

Read more here.

6. A different side to Sammo Hung Kam-bo

For decades, Sammo Hung was a force in Hong Kong cinema, wearing many hats: actor, producer and martial artist. In November, we recalled some of the less well known facets of Hung’s life and career.

Read more here.
Brigitte Lin and Takeshi Kaneshiro in a still from “Chungking Express”. Photo: Jet Tone Production

7. A man of mystery

In July, Ashlyn Chak wrote about why Japanese-Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro, one of the “most good-looking” actors in Hong Kong cinema and star of some of Wong Kar-wai and Peter Chan’s best films, is such a man of mystery.

Read more here.
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