5 Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant queens turned movie and TV stars, from In the Mood for Love’s Maggie Cheung and TVB legend Anita Yuen, to Fallen Angels star Michele Reis and Ada Choi

Dec 15 , 2021

From Maggie Cheung to Michele Reis, these Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant contestants went on to become major actresses. Photos: hk.aboluowang.com, @zhangmanyuofficial, @michele_monique_reis/Instagram

Every year since 1973, the Miss Hong Kong pageant has spotlighted fresh faces, many of whom were eager to enter the entertainment industry. We’ve seen a countless number of contestants make the leap from beauty pageants to gracing the small and big screen. Regardless of whether they took home the crown or not, these lovely ladies have wowed us with their on-screen performances in television programmes and films.

Here are five Miss Hong Kong contestants who went on to become big-time actresses!

Maggie Cheung Man-yuk

Maggie Cheung was the first runner up of the 1983 Miss Hong Kong pageant. Photo: hk.aboluowang.com

Competing in the Miss Hong Kong pageant in 1983, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk was placed second in her year and also won the title of Miss Photogenic. Despite not winning the pageant, Cheung also represented Hong Kong in the 1983 Miss World pageant and landed the semi-finalist spot.

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Two years after Miss Hong Kong, Cheung starred as May in the Police Story film series alongside Jackie Chan and reached overnight stardom. However, she aspired to break out of being typecast for “clumsy” and “weak” roles like her character May, reports china.org. She later worked with Wong Kar-wai in As Tears Go By, marking the beginning of her many collaborations with the iconic Hong Kong director.

Maggie Cheung starred alongside Tony Leung in In the Mood for Love. Photo: Universal Pictures

In 1991, Cheung’s performance in the film Centre Stage earned her the best actress award at the Berlin International Film Festival. The 57-year-old star also won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in Clean.

Anita Yuen Wing-yi

Anita Yuen was the winner of the 1990 Miss Hong Kong Pageant. Photo: k.sina.cn

At 18 years old, Anita Yuen Wing-yi competed in the Miss Hong Kong pageant in 1990. Not only did Yuen win the competition that year, she also took home the award for Miss Photogenic. The following year, Yuen represented Hong Kong in the 1991 Miss Chinese International pageant, ultimately taking first runner up.

After winning Miss Hong Kong, Yuen signed with TVB and appeared in several television dramas such as State of Divinity, The Monkey King and more. Soon after starring in her first film The Days of Being Dumb in 1992, Yuen gained recognition within the industry as a rising actress. The 50-year-old star’s performance in the film earned her an award for best new performer at the 12th Hong Kong Film Awards.

From Beijing With Love starring Stephen Chow and Anita Yuen. Photo: Handout

Arguably, Yuen is best known for her role as Min in tear-jerker C’est la Vie, Mon Chéri, but she’s been in a variety of different films. Not only has she worked with the late Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing in He’s a Woman, She’s a Man, but she also worked alongside comedy king Stephen Chow Sing-chi in 1994 comedy From Beijing with Love as Siu Kam.

Charmaine Sheh Sze-man

Charmaine Sheh was the second runner up in the 1997 Miss Hong Kong pageant. Photo: ent.sina.com.cn

After graduating with a degree in hotel management from the International Hotel Management Institute in Switzerland, Charmaine Sheh Sze-man returned to Hong Kong and competed in the 1997 Miss Hong Kong pageant. Landing in the second runner-up spot, Sheh signed with TVB and began acting.

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When the 46-year-old actress got her start in 1999 television drama The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain, she received criticism for the quality of her acting skills and her “chicken voice”, reports Jayne Stars. She also recalled the troubles she faced on Chinese variety show Shining Talk last year, saying that she struggled with immersing herself in her role, as it was her first experience in acting.

Charmaine Sheh starred as Consort Xian in 2018 hit historical drama Story of Yanxi Palace. Photo: 林千LinQian/Weibo

Sheh was also candid about being burnt out over the years as she found success at TVB, disclosing that she once didn’t sleep for five days and four nights due to her filming schedule, reports Jayne Stars.

However, she received plenty of praise for her performance in 2018 hit historical drama Story of Yanxi Palace as the villainous Consort Xian, a court concubine who becomes manipulative after her mother’s death. She received comments like “even her fingers are acting”, reports Jayne Stars.

Michele Reis

Kicking off her showbiz career as a part-time model at age 14, Michele Reis went on to win the 1988 Miss Hong Kong pageant, and also won Miss Chinese International Pageant in the same year. Like Cheung, Reis also competed in the Miss World pageant in 1988.

Similar to other beauty queens, Reis signed a contract with TVB and initially acted in television programmes. She’s best known for starring in 1993 drama The Legendary Ranger alongside Leon Lai. While Reis may have only starred in a handful of dramas, her filmography is extensive.

Michele Reis and Takeshi Kaneshiro in Wong Kar-wai’s Fallen Angels. Photo: Block 2 Pictures and Jet Tone Contents

Reis has been in her fair share of iconic Hong Kong films, such as the The Legend of Fong Sai-yuk franchise, Royal Tramp II and Young and Dangerous 4. The beauty queen has also worked with Wong Kar-wai, starring in 1995 film Fallen Angels alongside Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Ada Choi Siu-fan

Ada Choi was the second runner up in the 1991 Miss Hong Kong pageant. Photo: ent.sina.com.cn

Taking part in a modelling contest held by TVB at 15 years old, Ada Choi went on to compete in the 1991 Miss Hong Kong pageant in 1991. Taking the title of second runner-up, Choi then signed an acting contract with TVB.

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Making her television debut in 1992 with Revelation of the Last Hero, Choi gradually made herself known in TVB, even earning a position as one of the fa dans – a term for very popular actresses between the mid 90s until the mid 2000s.

Ada Choi played the role of Empress Xiaojingxian in Chinese drama Empresses in the Palace. Photo: 电视剧后宫甄嬛传官方微博/Weibo

Choi then starred as Empress Xiaojingxian in 2011 hit historical drama Empresses in the Palace and was praised for her performance. Aside from appearing in over 13 Chinese dramas, Choi has also turned her focus on variety shows, revealing her sense of humour to viewers.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Before working with Wong Kar-wai, Cheung starred in Police Story opposite Jackie Chan while Reis appeared with Canto-pop star Leon Lai The Legendary Ranger
Yuen starred in Stephen Chow’s action spy comedy From Beijing with Love, and Sheh found success at TVB and in historical drama Story of Yanxi Palace