Carina Lau
Carina Lau | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born | Carina Lau Kar Ling 8 December 1966 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China | ||
| Nationality | Chinese | ||
| Citizenship | Canadian | ||
| Alma mater | Kiangsu-Chekiang College | ||
| Occupation |
| ||
| Years active | 1983–present | ||
| Height | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Spouse(s) | |||
| Musical career | |||
| Genres | Mandopop | ||
| Instruments | Vocals | ||
| Labels | EMI (1994–1996) Carina Lau Studio (present) | ||
| Chinese name | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 劉嘉玲 | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 刘嘉玲 | ||
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Carina Lau Kar-ling (traditional Chinese: 劉嘉玲; simplified Chinese: 刘嘉玲, born 8 December 1966) is a Chinese actress and singer. She started her acting career in TVB, before going on to achieve success in films after 2nd year at the college. She was especially notable in the 1980s for her girl-next-door type roles in films.[1] She also plays Empress Wu Zetian in Tsui Hark's Detective Dee films, starting with Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame in 2010. She has won Best Actress awards at Hong Kong Film Award and Mainland China's Golden Rooster Awards, and nominated at Cannes Film Festival and Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards.
Her husband is Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai. Lau frequently appears in the Hong Kong fashion scene, and is a patron of many charities.
Early life[]
Lau was born in Suzhou, China, in 1965. She moved to Hong Kong at the age of fifteen, and joined TVB's acting classes. She holds citizenship from China and Canada.[2]
Career[]
Lau made her on-screen debut in The Duke of Mount Deer (1984). She skyrocketed to fame following her role as a wealthy heiress in one of Hong Kong's most-watched ever series, Looking Back in Anger (1989).[3]
Lau then expanded to films. She was nominated at the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress for her role in Her Beautiful Life Lies (1989). She received acclaim for her role in Days of Being Wild (1991), one of her many collaborations with film director Wong Kar-wai. Despite being embroiled in tabloid scandals, Lau's impressive turn as vivacious cabaret dancer in the film put the focus back onto her talent. She continued to showcase her versatility with impressive performances in martial arts epic Saviour of the Soul (1991), biopic Center Stage (1991), cross-dressing comedy He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994) and offbeat romance Gigolo and Whore (1994). Following parts in the wuxia classic Ashes of Time (1994) and James Bond pastiche Forbidden City Cop (1997), Lau once again attracted the attention of various awards juries with her measured portrayals of bisexual silk factory owner Wan in Intimates (1997) and a prostitute in 19th Century epic Flowers of Shanghai (1998).[3]
Her roles as Hon Sam's wife in the two Infernal Affairs sequels and an android in Wong Kar-wai's 2046 (2004) further increased Lau's international recognition. Lau then stepped in the shoes of Sarah Jessica Parker for the Hong Kong version of Sex and the City, named Sex and the Beauties (2004). She won rave reviews for her performances as unhappily-married Rose in the low-budget thriller Curiosity Kills the Cat (2006) and as Wu Zetian in the blockbuster Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010).[3] She received a Best Actress nomination at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as a rich housewife abandoned by her husband in Bends (2013).[4]
In 2016, she was one of the celebrities appearing on the Chinese reality show Up Idol. Since then, she has made guest appearances in other mainland reality TV shows. In June 2017, she, along with her husband, was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Other activities[]
She was executive president of Hong Kong's TVMART channel, but was replaced by the board after a loss of 40 million Taiwan Dollars.[5] She told the media that because she had no education, the decisions made by her had some negative influences on the company.[5]
Incidents[]
1990 abduction[]
In 1990, during the filming of Days of Being Wild, Lau was abducted for several hours, and topless photos of her were taken. At the time, local papers, through Reuters news agency, reported that Lau was kidnapped, though a police report was not filed.[1][6] It was believed that the man behind the kidnapping is Albert Yeung, a successful businessman with whom Lau was having a financial dispute. Tony Leung Chiu-wai has said that Lau never wanted to talk about what happened in those missing hours with anyone, including him.[7]
Lau revealed in 2008 that she was abducted by four men working for a triad boss, as "punishment" for having refused a film offer.[2] She said that she had not been taken advantage of during her two-hour ordeal.[8]
2002 East Week magazine photo incident[]
Naked pictures of Carina Lau were published in the 30 October 2002 edition of East Week (magazine), years after Lau was kidnapped by triads who punished her for refusing to take part in a film they were funding.[9][10]
The nude photos revealed the actress in distress. Massive protests and petitions were held by fellow Hong Kong entertainers, and media ethics by Hong Kong tabloids and gossip magazines were questioned.[10] The magazine was shut down in November 2002, only to be resumed in late 2003.[1][11] Mong, the publisher of the photo who is 52 years old as of 2009, received a 5-month jail sentence after pleading guilty in December 2008 to publishing obscene photos. Mong now lives in Beijing.[9]
Personal life[]
Lau had a relationship with Hong Kong tycoon from 1986 to 1988. They were engaged and lived together, until in April 1988 Hui announced their split. The media described it to be a failed attempt on Lau's part to marry into a wealthy family, when Lau said publicly they split amicably and she remains friends with Hui and his family. Hui is currently married to actress Michelle Reis from 2008.
She has been in a relationship with Tony Leung Chiu-wai since 1989. The couple married on 21 July 2008 at the Uma Paro resort in Bhutan.[12] The wedding itself cost more than HK$30 million and Lau's 12-carat (2.4 g) Cartier wedding ring is worth over HK$10 million. Guests included singer Faye Wong who performed for them on their special day. Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai also directed the ceremony.[13] The wedding created a media frenzy in Hong Kong, with companies spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to pursue the wedding party.[14]
There have long been rumours that Tony Leung and actress Maggie Cheung were romantically involved, which is a hot topic among media outlets in Greater China due to the three's celebrity. Leung and Cheung starred in the film In the Mood for Love together in 1999. The rumoured Lau-Cheung feud was put to an end in 2013 when Lau uploaded a photo of them together to social media.[15] Regarding the love triangle, Lau said in September 2016, during an interview on The Jin Xing Show that "she knows about the affair as much as the public does", and that "if he really likes Maggie Cheung, I'd be happy too. It's his decision."
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Naughty Boys | Bonnie | |
| 1987 | Project A Part II | Carina | |
| Rich and Famous | Lau Po-yee | ||
| Tragic Hero | Lau Po-yee | ||
| 1988 | The Romancing Star II | Fong Fong | |
| Profile of Pleasure | Miss Chu | ||
| City Warriors | Mak Ying-yang | ||
| Heart to Hearts | |||
| 1989 | Return of the Lucky Stars | Banana Tso | |
| China White | Yin-hung | ||
| Four Loves | Siu-guen | ||
| Her Beautiful Life Lies | Carole Chang | ||
| 1990 | She Shoots Straight | Huang Cha-ling | |
| Queen's Bench III | Ms. Chen | ||
| 1991 | The Banquet | Woman at dinner | |
| Days of Being Wild | Mimi/Lulu | ||
| Saviour of the Soul | Madam of Pets | ||
| My American Grandson | |||
| Center Stage | Li Lili | ||
| 1992 | The Night Rider | Laura | |
| Girls Without Tomorrow 1992 | Wa | ||
| Love: Now You See It... Now You Don't | Susan Chong | ||
| 1993 | Lord of East China Sea | Ms. Liu | |
| Lord of East China Sea 2 | Ms. Liu | ||
| Shadow Cop | Witty | ||
| Crazy Hong Kong | Shirley | ||
| Rose Rose I Love You | Pearl Chan/White Rose | ||
| Lover of the Swindler | Ling | ||
| Lady Super Cop | Wenine Chang Mi-hua | ||
| No More Love, No More Death | Ching-ching | ||
| The Eagle Shooting Heroes | Zhou Botong | ||
| He Ain't Heavy, He's My Father | Laura Watt | ||
| C'est la vie, mon chéri | Tracy | ||
| 1994 | He's a Woman, She's a Man | Rose | |
| Ashes of Time | Peach Blossom | ||
| Deadful Melody | Tan Yuehua | ||
| Gigolo and Whore | Chung Siu-hung | ||
| 1996 | Who's the Woman, Who's the Man | Rose | |
| Forbidden City Cop | Kar-ling | ||
| 1997 | Intimates | Wan | |
| 1998 | Love Generation Hong Kong | Maggie | |
| Flowers of Shanghai | Pearl | ||
| 2001 | La Brassiere | Samantha | |
| Cop Shop Babes | Mona Lui | ||
| 2002 | Mighty Baby | Samantha | |
| 2003 | Infernal Affairs II | Mary | |
| Infernal Affairs III | Mary | ||
| 2004 | 2046 | Mimi/Lulu, 2046 android | |
| Itchy Heart | Bing | ||
| Sex and the Beauties | Selina | ||
| 2006 | Curiosity Kills the Cat | Rose Feng | |
| 2010 | Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame | Wu Zetian | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | |||
| Showtime | |||
| 2011 | All's Well, Ends Well 2011 | Mona Tai | |
| 2013 | Bends | Anna | |
| Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon | Wu Zetian | ||
| 2014 | Beijing Love Story | Jia Ling | |
| 2015 | From Vegas to Macau II | Molly | |
| Cairo Declaration | Soong Mei-ling | ||
| 2016 | From Vegas to Macau III | Molly | |
| 2018 | Asura | ||
| A Beautiful Moment | |||
| Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings | Wu Zetian | ||
| In Your Dreams | |||
| 2019 | A City Called Macau | ||
| The Great Detective | |||
| Warriors of Future | |||
| 2021 | Dynasty Warriors | Master of the Sword Forge Castle |
Television series[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | |||
| 1984 | The Duke of Mount Deer | Fong Yee | |
| Police Cadet | Cheung Ka-man | ||
| Pau Ching Tin The Law Enforcer | Bao Ling | ||
| The Clones | Zhong Jieyi | ||
| Hero Without Tears II | Die Wu | ||
| 1985 | The Young Wanderer | ||
| Police Cadet '85 | Cheung Ka-man | ||
| To Each Its Own | Gu Ruishan | ||
| The Yang's Saga | Princess Chai | ||
| Take Care, Your Highness! | Suen Fuk-yu | ||
| The Middle Aged Fancy | |||
| Tough Fight | |||
| 1986 | The Feud of Two Brothers | ||
| Du Xinwu | |||
| The Turbulent Decade | |||
| 1988 | Naked Ambition | ||
| Lemon Husband | |||
| Police Cadet 1988 | Cheung Ka-man | ||
| 1989 | Shanghai Storm | ||
| Looking Back in Anger | Sandy Ngai Chor Gwun | ||
| Fate in Our Hands | |||
| 1990 | When the Sun Shines | Cameo | Episode 94 |
| 1996 | Once Upon an Ordinary Girl | ||
| Hua Zhi | |||
| 2000 | Showbiz Tycoon | Lui Mung-wah | |
| 2001 | My Love, Rose | ||
| 2005 | The Spring River Flows East | ||
| 2018 | The Destiny of White Snake | Queen Mother of the West | |
| 2019 | Eighteen Springs | Gu Manlu |
Discography[]
| Year | Album | Notes |
| 1994 | My Real Love (真情流露) | with Tony Leung |
| 1995 | Believe in Love (相信愛情) | |
| 1996 | Cooling Love (情冷卻) |
Awards and nominations[]
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Hong Kong Film Award | Her Beautiful Life Lies | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 1990 | Hong Kong Film Award | Days of Being Wild | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 1991 | Nominated | |||
| Golden Horse Awards | Nominated | |||
| Three Continents Festival | Won | |||
| 1995 | Hong Kong Film Award | Gigolo and Whore | Nominated | |
| 1998 | Intimates | Nominated | ||
| Golden Bauhinia Awards | Won | |||
| 2004 | Hong Kong Film Award | Infernal Affairs II | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Golden Horse Awards | Curiosity Kills the Cat | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Golden Rooster Awards | Won | ||
| 2011 | Hong Kong Film Award | Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame | Won | |
| Golden Horse Awards | Let the Bullets Fly | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Asian Film Award | Nominated | ||
| Asian Film Critics Association Awards | Nominated | |||
| Hong Kong Film Award | Nominated | |||
| 2013 | Cannes Film Festival | Bends | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2014 | Osaka Asian Film Festival Award | Won | ||
| Hong Kong Film Award | Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon | Nominated |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Media shakeup after topless shots", Cable News Network. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Clara Mak (19 July 2008). "Lau tells of kidnap". South China Morning Post.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Carina Lau". Hollywood.com. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Actress Carina Lau on the gamble that took her to Cannes". South China Morning Post. 8 October 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Carina Lau to be short-lived CEO". China Daily. 9 August 2005. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
- ^ "HK celebrities protest secret filming of pop star". Channel NewsAsia. 29 August 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
- ^ Karen Durbin (7 August 2005). "Still in the Mood for a Collaboration". The New York Times.
- ^ "Triads made me pose in the nude: HK star Carina Lau". The Straits Times. 13 July 2008. Archived from the original on 14 July 2008.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Editor jailed for publishing obscene photo of kidnapped actress", South China Morning Post. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Journalism requires ethics: expert", Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
- ^ "Hong Kong police arrest suspect in connection with racy star photos case. Associated Press", Sina Corp. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
- ^ Vivienne Chow (22 July 2008). "After 20 years, stars wed in royal style". South China Morning Post. p. C1.
- ^ "Royal treatment for bridal couple". The Straits Times. 22 July 2008. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- ^ "Actors' wedding leads to Hong Kong media frenzy". International Herald Tribune. 20 July 2008.
- ^ "高招 劉嘉玲 拉張曼玉逆襲 世紀合照 破13年僵局". Apple Daily (in Chinese). 25 November 2013.
- ^ Carina Lau at hkmdb.com
- ^ Carina Lau at chinesemov.com
External links[]
- Carina Lau at IMDb
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- 1965 births
- Living people
- 20th-century Chinese actresses
- 20th-century Hong Kong actresses
- 21st-century Chinese actresses
- 21st-century Hong Kong actresses
- Actresses from Jiangsu
- Actresses from Suzhou
- Canadian Buddhists
- Canadian expatriates in Hong Kong
- Canadian female singers
- Canadian film actresses
- Canadian people of Chinese descent
- Canadian television actresses
- Chinese expatriates in Hong Kong
- Chinese film actresses
- Chinese television actresses
- EMI Records artists
- Hong Kong Buddhists
- Hong Kong expatriates in Canada
- Hong Kong film actresses
- Hong Kong Mandopop singers
- Hong Kong television actresses