How Fennie Yuen went from Happy Ghost idol to serious actress for Ringo Lam and Tsui Hark
A popular Hong Kong actress in the 1980s and 90s, Yuen started in teen comedies like the Happy Ghost films before pivoting to dramatic roles
Here, we discuss Yuen’s primary roles with film historian Frank Djeng, who interviewed the actress numerous times to accompany the Shout! Factory Blu-ray releases of her major films.
Yuen had a different image from the other female stars of the era. What was her appeal?
Yes, she was different. She represented the rebellious side of Hong Kong teenagers, but she was not so rebellious that she would be taken for a “bad girl” or a triad girl.
Sara Lee Lai-yui’s character in School on Fire is very rebellious indeed and looks like she could do something evil. But even though Yuen’s character has a feisty attitude, you can see that deep down inside, she is still a good girl who wouldn’t do anything awful.
She is actually a good student in her films, and she gets good grades, even though she is a rebel. Teenage girls at that time identified with her.