[Ta Kung Pao 01/02/07]

Gigi Lai Arrives Late and Keeps Maggie Shiu Waiting

TVB's new series "Jewel's Splendor" was filming a scene yesterday in Yau Ma Tei market yesterday, where Gigi Lai and Maggie Shiu were buying fish. The shoot was due to start at 2pm and Maggie arrived on time, but Gigi was half an hour late and kept Maggie and the crew waiting around for her. Maggie waited in the fish stand for about an hour and some of the crew and press were so impatient that they began to lose their tempers.

Originally, the crew had asked the stall owner to hire the location for half an hour, but because Gigi arrived late, they had no choice but request the owner to let them have another half an hour. The shoot ended at around 5pm. Gigi did not seem overly rushed when she arrived, but she did explain herself to Maggie. The two ladies attracted quite a crowd to watch them film and they complimented Maggie for her beauty, but one middle-aged man muttered: "It's only Gigi Lai, I thought it was Connie Chan."

After the shoot, Gigi openly accepted questions from the press and asked why she was late, she said a little unhappily: "I had a shoot in the early hours of the morning already, how could I have been late?" She says that she was filming in Tuen Mun earlier in the day, but as she had to straighten her hair again for the next scene, this took time and she had been so busy that she did not even have time to go to the toilet. Asked if the schedulers had made an error, she says it has always been like that and they had already given her a time slot to fix her hair. When the press mentioned that the crew and stall owner was getting impatient, she said: "Really! There was nothing I could do. You will have to ask the director and producer about the timing problems." As for making Maggie wait, Gigi says that Maggie understands the reason behind it.

There have been rumours recently that as this film is being filmed in HD, then Gigi has had to reapply her make-up five times in an hour. She says that the director's requirements are quite strict due to the HD filming and to ensure there are no blemishes on her face, then even if she does not reapply the make-up herself, then the make-up artist will do it for her. However, she has not had to have any special skincare regime and the less make-up she wears the better because she would like her face on the screen to be as close to reality as possible. She does have to cover the bags under her eyes though.

As for the man who was expecting Connie Chan and was disappointed when he saw her, Gigi smiles: "Well, Connie is much greater than me. The housewives in this area must all be Connie Chan fans!" Maggie Shiu seemed worried about press questions about the reports suggesting she has been 'without love' for eight years and rushed off after the shoot.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/01/UL-686708.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 01/02/07]

Ron and Shirley Deny Meeting 'Hungry Wolf' in Guangzhou

Having just returned from a promotional tour of Chongqing and Xian, Ron Ng and Shirley Yeung promoted their new series "The Brink of Law" on a radio show yesterday and as the show enters the climactic point, they urged the viewers not to miss it.

Having been on a non-stop trip recently, there were earlier reports that when they were in Guangzhou, Shirley was surrounded by a pack of 'hungry wolves' who wanted to touch her. Asked if she was afraid, she explained: "Maybe it was a camera angle problem, but the event was a very healthy one and that magazine is not one that is very accurate because they say I was just singing, but I also had other jobs such as openings and a laying a foundation stone. The job was found for me by the company, so I am confident in them."

To avoid too much focus on her, Shirley says that Ron was actually surrounded by a lot of his fans and some were so excited that they burst into tears. Ron says that maybe it was because they were in a new development area that very few artistes go to, then the fans were especially emotional and he jokes that the fans were probably crying because they had see Shirley. Asked if he would do anything that the fans asked of him, Ron says that they just wanted simple things like having their photo taken with him, so of course he would do that. Did any of the fans want a kiss? He says immediately: "No, even if they did, I would push them away politely."

Often appearing together recently for promotions, are they afraid of raising gossip? Shirley says confidently that she does not worry about this and ron agrees that there will be no rumours between them

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/01/UL-686703.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 01/02/07]

Steven Ma Promotes Child Sponsorship

Steven Ma and Candy Chea were filming a promotional film for World Vision's Child Sponsorship scheme and Steven indicates that he has been working with the charity as a volunteer now for three years and he feels that this is very meaningful work: "To be able to do something for charity and take part in the sponsorship scheme and help needy children, it gives me a very strong feeling in my heart."

Steven says that if you drink one less cup of tea or coffee a day, then you can use the money saved to sponsor a child, giving hungry children and their families to overcome their difficulties, so why not? Stephen started sponsoring children a few years ago and when he could not visit them after his horse accident, the children sent him letters asking how he was and their mother made him a pair of decorated silk insoles. When Steven received these presents he was very happy and says: "These gifts are very valuable to me because this represents their thoughts of me."

Steven and Candy have worked together for three years and they feel it has been a cherished time. Steven says: "It feels very familiar working with Candy and we built an understanding when we worked together three years ago." Candy adds: "Steven has a lot of feelings with his lines and we co-operate very well and we are getting on better each time."

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/01/UL-686704.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 01/02/07]

Sammul Braves Six Hours in Cold for a Tattoo

Sammul Chan is currently filming in Hengdian for "The Last Princess" and in the show, he plays a lovelorn Opera Actor who falls in love with the last princess of the falling empire and as a result, he loses his voice after an attack and in order to make a living, he has to work as a boxer, a coolie, a constable and even a gangster leader.

In order to play this role, he had to bear the freezing cold and sit without a top on for six hours whilst the tattoo artist painted a fake tattoo onto his back. After this, he was extremely stiff from the cold and was very uncomfortable. Sammul says that this series has brought him a lot of 'firsts' and 'mosts', but he is enjoying the experience. It has been the hardest, most tearful, most lovestruck and most satisfying experience.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/01/UL-686710.htm



[UDN.com & Other Sources 30/01/07]

Jessica's Lucky Charms: Red Underpants and Short Hair off the Face

In her series "Dicey Business", Jessica Hsuan played a compulsive gambler and aside from her mad gambling, she was always laughing and screaming and pulling endless silly faces. Off the screen, Jessica smiles that she does not have very much gambling luck and loses 9 out of 10 times. Even her side-business selling fruit juices that she invested in with Miriam Yeung did not succeed and so she has focussed her attentions on her acting instead.

On their promotional visit to Taiwan, both Jessica and Bosco indicate that they have never won any of the lucky draws at the TVB Anniversary, but Jessica is a firm believer in Feng Shui and every year, she will invite a master to check her home. However, she is worried about people thinking that she is overly superstitious, so she does not put too many lucky charms out. Jessica shares her lucky omens from the series, saying: "If you do not wear some red underwear, then you should bring a pair of red knickers or a handkerchief with you. Also your luck will improve if you have short hair that does not cover your face."

Bosco says that when he was filming for "Dicey Business", he watched the film "God of Gamblers" at least 10 times and he often imagines himself with his hair slicked back like the star of the film as he feels it would be good fun.

Bosco has been busy working every day recently and usually only has just 4 hours sleep a day. At the new year, he will have three days off from TVB and he smiles: "In these three days, the only thing I have to do is sleep, sleep and sleep." Jessica will spend the break playing Mah Jong with her father and mother."

At a visit to a restaurant earlier, they had prepared for a feast, but Bosco wolfed down a pack of duck tongues that he had been given by a fan at the hotel and this left him with a sore throat, so he could not eat too much and could only sigh at missing out.

Chinese article posted on Jessica Hsuan Forum