[Ta Kung Pao, Ming Pao & The Sun 31/01/07]

Fala Arrives Late for Blessing Ceremony- Bernice Back in Hospital Again

TVB's new series "The Entire City Dances" held its Studio blessing ceremony yesterday and cast members including Steven Ma, Kate Tsui and Bernice Liu, who is still unwell arrived on time, but Fala Chen did not arrive until after the ceremony and she was only making her offerings whilst everyone else was already eating the roast pork,

Talking of her lateness, Fala seemed unapologetic and indicated that she knew the event started at half past three, but said: "I was just a little late. The traffic was very bad before and there were two dustcarts in the way. I had already left early." She then changed the subject, saying that she had been unwell earlier and has lost a little weight, probably due to the change in weather, but she has not been as bad as Bernice. Asked if she was afraid that she would be infected by Bernice, she says: "No, but I will be careful when I see her." Fala adds that filming for this series has been very hard work and as her dancing costume is quite close fitting, she has suffered some abrasion to her collarbone and she has blisters on her feet.

Bernice was still very hoarse yesterday and she says that she was suffering from fever again the night before and the producer had given her a day off to rest. She says that she has been ill for three weeks already and has paid three visits to the hospital in a week. As the Western medication is too strong for her, she has now started taking Chinese Herbal Medicine. She says that this series has been extremely hard work due to the dance rehearsals and it is even harder than filming an ancient series. Take yesterday, she was due to film 14 scenes and asked if she is able to do her kissing scenes with her flu, she says: "I have already filmed it with Steven after my first trip to hospital. He seemed to be fine, but he did cough a little afterwards. (Have you infected him?) No, he is fine because he has good foundations."

Steven indicates that with so many co-stars falling ill, he has been fortunate that he is still in good health. However, since his eye injury, he has been taking Chinese medicine and this has helped him build a strong body and defences. Asked if he will be recommending it to Bernice, Steven says he has not because her body is different. When he found out about the kiss scene with Bernice, Steven had taken precautions such as taking Vitamin C tablets and preparing toothpaste and a toothbrush. He didn't use it in the end though because he feels he does not have bad breath.

Since his injury to his eye, Steven says that he is still having problems focussing and he cannot look upwards with his eye, so his doctors are worried that he retina may have become detached. He has asked Mannor Chan and Bernice for advice because they have both experienced retina problems before. Steven says: "Some people think that this is nothing and some colleagues have questioned the severity and I think 'why don't you try it and see?'!! They don't know about the internal injury and side effects that I am suffering from." Steven feels his dancing is getting better as the show progresses and he has received praises from the instructor. He adds: "I will be going on tour with Joyce Koi later and I had planned to just sing, but now I can perform a dance as well."

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/01/31/UL-686143.htm
http://ol.mingpao.com/cfm/star5.cfm?File=20070131/saa01/mbf1.txt
http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070131/20070130231744_0000.html



[Ming Pao 31/01/07]

Ada and Gigi Cry Wolf on Set of Jewels Splendor

Ada Choi and Gigi Lai were filming in Happy Valley yesterday for TVB series "Jewels Splendor" and Ada was driving an open top sports car in a scene with Gigi in the passenger seat. Producer Chik Kei Yi was on hand to watch over proceedings. After speeding off, Ada reported to the crew on her two-way radio that she had bumped into another car in the street, causing the crew to become very nervous. When the found that this was a trick by the girls, they were forced to buy everyone a drink. When Ada and Gigi found out that the crew had fallen for it, they clapped their hands in excitement.

Ada smiles: "The car is not one of our own, but my head and my body is my own. The producer appears every now and then, there is no pressure from him and he trusts me a lot because I am known as 'Racer Choi'. I have even taken part in the Jackie Chan Cup, but I don't have much time to race any more. (Did everyone believe you then?) This is even better, now you have a story!"

http://ol.mingpao.com/cfm/star5.cfm?File=20070131/saa01/mbe1.txt



[Ming Pao & Ta Kung Pao 31/01/07]

Kenny Wong & Three Beauties Go Mongolian

Kenny Wong joined Leanne Li, Sharon Luk and Suki Chui at a 'Mongolian Celebration of the New Year' event at a shopping mall yesterday and they wore some traditional costumes. Kenny posed with a bow and arrow for the press and this was a first time wearing this type of costume for Sharon. She reveals that she was wearing some costumes similar to those worn by Gong Li in "The Curse of the Golden Flower" during filming for some Oscar promotional clips. So was this quite a sexy outfit then? She smiles: "It depends on how you look at it." She also says she hopes to apply for a sailing licence because not many girls can sail and she wants to be different. She also hopes to learn to do the splits this year as she wants to do some Latin dance and Chinese dancing.

As this year's Hong Thai Tourism Ambassador, Suki has never been to Mongolia before, but she does hope to go there and film. Asked what other places she would like to go to, she says: "I would like to go somewhere hot, because I am afraid of the cold. I would like to see the desert. (Are you not afraid of getting a tan?) Not really, I will depend on my whitening treatments." Does she plan to go with her boyfriend? Suki immediately says she will not talk about her boyfriend and she will be working on Valentines Day. Asked if the company is not allowing her to date, she says: "Work is more important." Suki has appeared in traditional costumes before, but she says her face was quite chubby then, as she had not slimmed down then. She thinks she looks much better now. She hopes that she will have the opportunity to film an ancient series and she smiles that she and the other girls look like concubines yesterday.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/01/31/UL-686145.htm
http://ol.mingpao.com/cfm/star5.cfm?File=20070131/saa01/mad1.txt



[Ta Kung Pao 31/01/07]

Claire Yiu Prepares Lucky Packets

This year is the first Chinese New Year as a married couple for Claire Yiu and Thomas Lam and as Thomas has a break on the first four days of the new year, they had planned to go away, but as this is their first year handing out lucky packets, they decided to stay in Hong Kong for the festival. They have also prepared a five figure sum for this, with the highest packets containing $1000, which will be given to their nephews and nieces.

Claire smiles: "I have ten younger cousins, so just giving them to my family is already quite costly. If 'The Entire City Dances' has not finished filming by then, I will have to give them out to the crew as well and that will take me over budget!" Asked if they are feeling the pinch, Thomas says: "After so many years of receiving, then it is time to give some back!" Claire had already given them out to the crew before she was married, but she says: "You can't scrimp in the first year. I would rather save a little from my shopping budget, but if I do give out too much, we will be going away to avoid the new year next year!" As well as handing out lucky packets, Thomas will be buying some plum blossom to increase popularity luck.

After their marriage, Claire and Thomas have been invited to attend many promotional events as a couple, but they say that the fee is less than if they attended on their own, because they would usually give a discount. During the new year, many mainland sponsors have offered them work and Claire says that she has put her fee up a little to a lucky number to help out with the lucky packets! Does she want to have a golden pig baby? They both say that they do not want this and Claire adds: "I will have a daughter in a few years time and she can marry a golden pig like Cathy Tsui. Patrick Tam's son is not bad, he is very good looking!"

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/01/31/UL-686133.htm