Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung’s ex-lovers now play TV grannies – what did these 10 Hong Kong leading ladies look like back in the day?
From James Bond and Kung Fu Hustle star Yuen Qiu to Leslie Cheung’s ex Teresa Mo and Mulan’s Cheng Pei Pei – here’s how 10 of Hong Kong’s most glamorous actresses have aged above the odds
There is plenty of room in the Hong Kong film industry for matriarchs, and the actresses who have taken up the mantle of these roles often have quite an impressive résumé.
Yuen Qiu, who everyone knows as the landlady from Kung Fu Hustle, was also in the 1974 James Bond film The Man with a Golden Gun. Cheng Pei-pei, the high-kicking girl from wuxia movies of the 60s and 70s, had a role in Disney’s live action feature Mulan. And Helena Law Lan, who is known for her role as the creepy old lady from the Thou Shalt Not Swear horror series, was once a spokeswoman in Hong Kong for YSL Beauty.
Two of the fabulous ladies on our list captured the heart of Hong Kong icons. Teresa Mo, who won Leslie Cheung’s love when he was in his early twenties, won best actress at the 37th Hong Kong film awards. Chow Yun-fat may have had a short-lived marriage with Candice Yu, but she went on to become a style icon and socialite in the 90s. Andy Lau’s good friend Deanie Ip also won the Coppa Volpi for Best Actress at the 68th Venice International Film Festival for her role in A Simple Life, starring alongside Lau.
Scroll down and see how glamorous all these ladies – who are now playing senior roles on the big and small screen – were in their heyday.
Lee Heung-kam
You may recognise her as dowager in many TVB dramas of yesteryear, but she was a beauty back in the day and a thespian of Chinese opera in Hong Kong.
Helena Law Lan
