[Ta Kung Pao 24/02/07]

Janet Chow and Tracy Ip Promote TVB Oscars Coverage

The Annual Extravaganza that is the Academy Awards will take place next Monday in Los Angeles and TVB Pearl has once again won the sole broadcast rights to the show in Hong Kong. To mark the event, Tracy Ip, Janet Chow, Stephen Wong and Martin Lau took part in a special press event yesterday to promote the coverage and the related competition that is being held.

Janet indicates that she likes watching films and in the past when she was abroad, she would watch three or four movies in a week because she has a friend who works in the cinema, so she often got to watch for free. She says: "I remember in one year's Oscars, I had watched every single film that had been nominated. (How many of this years nominations have you watched?) Of course I have not seen them all, because some have not yet been released in Hong Kong."

Wearing her elegant black dress, Janet revealed that she has put on some weight on her arms and she explains that she had too much to eat over the new year. She smiles: "I had tried to lose some weight intentionally before the new year so that I could indulge myself in new year banquets and cake, so I have put on about 5 lbs, but I am holding back now, so I hope I can return to normal soon."

Tracy also appeared in a sexy black dress with a high split and revealed her rather curvy figure. She smiled when she heard this and said: "If you keep saying that you will make me blush. The dress is from the company and I have worn it once before. Maybe because it was made to measure by the wardrobe mistress, so it suits my figure very well."

Tracy says that she has eaten too much over the new year and she feels that she has put on some weight, even gaining a cup size, but she is not worried about people mistaking her for having breast enhancement because she is working every day and would not have time to go and have it done anyway. Moreover, if she did have a boob job, she would make them bigger! She says: "I feel my figure at the moment is okay and I will not worry too much about it being too thin or too fat, so I will still eat as I wish. (Your waist is still very slim though?) I have always kept it at around 25 or 26 inches, maybe the black dress gives an illusion of it being smaller." As the reporters did not believe her waist measurement, she measured it for them after the show and the result was actually 26 inches after all.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/24/UL-696541.htm
http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/24/UL-696540.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 24/02/07]

Frankie and Kenix Look to Mainland Markets

Frankie Lam and Kenix Kwok were interviewed at a radio station to promote their series "Ten Brothers" yesterday and although the ratings are not bad, there have been criticisms from some viewers who say that the brothers' costumes are weird and the soundtrack is good, but the images are not suitable. In response to this, the couple have a different view.

Kenix feels that in the hearts of children, they will find the brothers very cute and as this is a fantasy story, then it will not be appealing if it is not out of the ordinary. Frankie feels that he has gained many young fans from this series and earlier when he went to his friends home for dinner, there was a group of five or six year olds gathering around the television. Even the youngest four year old praised him for a great show! Asked why this fan thought he was so good, he explains that this 'daddy' will never shout at anyone, so the children like him especially.

Will they be filming for TVB again in the near future? Kenix says: "It depends on the role. I am going for quality not quantity." Frankie indicates that TVB did ask him to film a series for them, but he has already accepted a role on the mainland, so he had to turn them down this time. Asked if they are turning towards the mainland market, Kenix denies this, but says that they just want to try and open up more markets. The most important thing are the conditions and the script and she does not need to concentrate her work any more.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/24/UL-696530.htm



[Ta Kung Pao & The Sun 24/02/07]

Charmaine Learns to Cook for Hacken in 'Lady Iron Chef'

Movie "Lady Iron Chef" will be released in the second batch of new year films in Hong Kong on 8th March and this film stars Hacken Lee, Charmaine Sheh, Yumiko Cheng, Yuen Chau, Wong Jing and Liu Yang. In the film, Hacken plays the heir to a restaurant business and after a kidnapping, he manages to escape when he is rescued by Mongkok girl Charmaine. As Hacken's character is a rich boy, he grows tired of this life and he decides to experience life in the working classes.

In one scene, Hacken pleads with Charmaine to stay at her home overnight and originally she is very unwilling, but Hacken tempts her with $300,000, so she agrees and makes him some instant noodles, but as Charmaine cannot cook, they end up in quite a mess. In real life, Charmaine says that after filming this movie, she has decided to learn how to cook for real because Hacken keeps laughing at her, saying that if she cannot cook, then she will never marry. He also gave her the nickname of "Cook from Hell", so as a result, she has decided to learn to cook and clear her name.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/24/UL-696527.htm
http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070224/20070223230552_0000.html



[The Sun 24/02/07]

Fala Chen Receives Birthday Kisses from Four Handsome Men

Today is the seventh day of the new year, which is known as the People's Birthday and it also happens to be Fala Chen's 25th birthday. A group of friends gathered earlier to celebrate with her and they all presented her with a birthday kiss, leaving her feeling extremely high.

Celebrating her birthday in Hong Kong for the second time, her two good friends Leanne Li and Suki Chui joined up with Stephen and Francois Huynh, Eddie Li and Martin Lau to hold a surprise birthday party for her. They even prepared some new year fried dumplings for her to enjoy. During the party, they all took their turn to give her a birthday kiss, with the men blowing her a kiss, leaving her with lipstick all over her cheeks.

As it is also everyone's birthday in the Chinese tradition, they all wish for smooth progress in their showbiz careers and to have work every day. However, Fala is actually longing for a day off because she has not been able to rest properly for a while. She says: "I would really like to have a day's rest to buy ingredients and cook for my family. My parents have already given me a card and my mother said that when she was 25, she was already a mother, but I have become an artiste. Although everyone's destiny is different, I still feel that I am very fortunate." Fala also says that she is very touched to celebrate her birthday with so many friends: "I am so glad to have so many friends with me this year and this is something that is truly priceless."

http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070224/20070223230314_0000.html



[The Sun 24/02/07]

Yoyo Mung Loses Whenever she Gambles

As we enter the year of the Pig, Yoyo Mung hopes for success in her career and her romance and also wishes to spend more time with her family, showing what a filial daughter she is. When she was a child, Yoyo loved to eat her grandmother's mooli and yam cake and she would help to prepare the vegetables and make soup dumplings. With last year being an extremely busy one for her, she has already taken some leave from the company to spend time with her family.

Asked if she has been to visit boyfriend Ekin Cheng's family, Yoyo maintains the secrecy: "I will go and visit my friends, but in a big group." She also indicates that she never has any new year fortunes: "Every time I gamble, I will lose because I have no gambling luck. Usually I never win any lucky draws, but I will still take part and lose a couple of thousand dollars." Yoyo's most memorable new year was her tour of Europe last year: "Last year, I took a tour of Europe and I was tricked into going to Morocco, where I spent the new year in the hotel eating hamburgers! There was definitely no atmosphere, so it makes me realise how good it is in Hong Kong where the atmosphere is so strong."

http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070224/20070223230439_0000.html



[The Sun & Oriental Daily 24/02/07]

No Riches or Romance for Jessica this year!

As the saying goes, when your gambling luck is down, your love luck goes up, but this is not the case for Jessica Hsuan, who not only lost money at Mah Jong in the new year, there is no romance in store for her either.

Jessica, Damian Lau, Joe Ma and Raymond Lam were filming earlier for "The Drive of Life" and Jessica indicated that whilst playing mah jong with her family over the new year, she was the only loser to the other three people, losing over a thousand dollars. When asked if she has found romance as a result of this, she says: "I have no one in pursuit at the moment. (Have you bought any plum blossom for romance luck?) I did in the past few years, but it didn't work." As for whether her family are rushing her to get married, she immediately shook her head and denied this, saying that her family are very open-minded and tell her not to marry until she has found the right man. The scene they were filming was of Damian rolling down some steps after being hit by a car and although a stunt double was used for the scene, it was still rather ominous for the new year period. However, as actors the cast cannot be too superstitious.

Also, Michael Miu, Toby Leung and Sheren Tang were also back filming for "Drive" and they were all very pleased to have had a few days break over the new year. Sheren says: "I can finally be a normal person again and do all the new year traditions, such as having a reunion dinner, going visiting with my mother on the new year and meeting up with old friends and receiving lucky packets." Filming at a luxury villa, Michael laughs that this is a good omen and should bring fortune for the new year. He was happily handing out the lucky packets as he says: "I won $80,000 from quiz show 'Is that Right', then when I visited Andy Lau over the new year, I won another few thousand dollars, so I have been handing out lucky packets to everyone and buying dinner for the cast and crew, so I have spent about a six-figure sum so far. Bosco Wong visited me over the new year, but he came on his own. I will let him deal with his own rumours, but I gave him advice to keep people guessing because you need rumours in order to become famous."

http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070224/20070223230733_0000.html
http://orientaldaily.on.cc/ent/ent_a64cnt.html



[The Sun 24/02/07]

Leila Tong Hopes to Improve her Music and Wears Red for Good Luck

Currently busy filming in the mainland, Leila Tong has spent her new year working. Each artiste would like to find great popularity, but Leila is very down to earth and will not make wishes that are beyond her reach.

With her Indonesian heritage, Leila follows some Indonesian traditions for the lunar new year and her family will eat traditional Indonesian dishes, Indonesian salad and when her friends visit her, they will prepare a dish to share in a very atmospheric gathering. Each year, Leila will find something red and purple to wear: "As my horoscope lacks fire, then the fortune tellers suggest that I have to wear bright colours. I do like red and purple clothes anyway and my mother will buy me some red underwear for the new year!"

As for romance, Leila says that if she has it, she will be very happy, but she will not force it to happen. She feels that having too much romance luck is not necessarily a good thing so she will not wish for it carelessly: "My new year wishes are very simple. I wish for good health and smooth progress with my work. I will not think about too many wishes because it is better to be realistic. I would like to work hard to learn some music this year and I would like to learn to play the saxaphone again because I played when I was at high school."

Leila models designer Pacino Wan's latest designs for 2007 to tie in with the new year in red and purple. As well as the dragon and flowers design, there are also pandas on the skirt, which have a rather cheeky expression, quite a change from their normally calm and collected image.

(Trendy Dragon Top: $1,298 - Panda Skirt: $698)

http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070224/20070223225939_0000.html