[Ta Kung Pao, Oriental Daily & The Sun 31/10/04]

TVB's Anniversary Exhibition arrived at a Tseung Kwan O shopping mall yesterday where many artistes played games with the viewers and promoted forthcoming events. Among the stars present were Cerina De Graca, Sharon Chan, Heidi Chu, Maria Chan and "Virtues of Harmony" cast members Nancy Sit, Kingdom Yuen, Louis Yuen, Michael Tse, Johnny Tang and Joyce Chen.

Nancy has been making some suggestions to TVB recently, saying that many overseas tourists have expressed a wish to visit TVB City, but have never had the chance. With many travel agencies in Singapore and in the Guangdong province having mentioned this to Nancy, she feels that this is a win-win situation so she will make the suggestion to TVB Chiefs Chan Chi Wan and Lok Yik Ling to maybe allow foreign tourists to visit TVB City. Nancy laughs: "There are many people in different countries who watch TVB productions and just tourists from Guangdong who are issued travel permits are planned to number 80 million. Even if they just have to pay $10 to enter, there will be a substantial income. They can also use this to promote TVB's productions as well as Hong Kong tourism, so it will be rewarding in many areas."

Nancy says she will be taking part in a comedy version of "War and Beauty" [Em: "War and Cruelty" ???] alongside Lydia Shum, Eric Tsang and Nat Chan, but Liza Wang and Carol Cheng are still considering it and have not yet confirmed. To this, Nancy says: "They are probably afraid of Eric, so they are holding back on confirming. I am afraid of him as well, but because I feel it is quite apt and cute, then I will continue even though I am afraid." As for the original female cast, they will guest star in the sketch as maids, except for Maggie Cheung who may not be able to make it back for the event, due to filming in Shanghai.

It was also revealed that the MC's for the anniversary show will consist of six female and four male stars, likely to be Lydia Shum, Liza Wang, Carol Cheng, Priscilla Koo, Sonija Kwok, Kate Tsui, Nat Chan, Eric Tsang, Shek Sau and Tang Chi Fung. In order to make the stage especially sparkling, the female MC's will be wearing sponsored jewellery totalling a massive $100 million. Producer Lam Ka Wing says: "Apart from Priscilla having her own sponsors, we will be looking for sponsors for the other five ladies." He also reveals that there will be no singers helping out at the anniversary as all the acts will be carried out by TVB artistes themselves.

Maria Chan and Sharon Chan were met with some mishaps during yesterday's event as Maria accidentally showed part of her bottom during an egg treading game and Sharon was met with the audience calling out the name of her rumoured boyfriend Timmy Hung.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-10-31/UL-323927.htm
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20041031/20041031004806_0003.html
http://orientaldaily.com.hk/ent/ent_a57cnt.html



[Oriental Daily & The Sun 31/10/04]

Having been in Hong Kong for nearly six months now, Linda Chung is used to living alone now and as for celebrating her first Halloween in Hong Kong, she plans to attend a Halloween party dressed as Catwoman and is very excited about this. She adds that she hopes to meet her very own Spiderman at the party.

Linda tried on a number of costumes when deciding what to wear to the fancy dress party including a princess, which and devil costume, but she wants most to go as Catwoman. She says: "I think that Catwoman is able to pack a punch. Don't be fooled by my normal refined exterior, I am quite a fighter and can run very fast, so when I go home late at night, I don't need anyone with me." She says that she takes time to get to know people, so even after being in Hong Kong for so long, she has not found any true friends yet.

At the age of 20, Linda has never dated anyone yet. She says: "There was one guy in the past who I nearly ended up dating, but because I had to enter the beauty pageants, we did not have time for dates and nothing happened. We are still friends and in a way that is better, but I do hope that Catwoman will find her Spiderman." She continues: "My ideal spiderman has to care for me, have family values and not go out all the time because I am a very family orientated person and I would like to find someone who is the same. I know it will be difficult, so when I find him, I will treasure him." Even though Linda has grown up abroad, she still holds very traditional values!

http://orientaldaily.com.hk/ent/ent_a66cnt.html
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20041031/20041031003149_0003.html



[Ta Kung Pao Special Report 31/10/04]

After his arrest for drug possession, Roy Chow seemed to have ended his career in showbusiness, but conversely, the incident has brought him to the attention of the viewers and raised his popularity, so there is never a definite good or bad in things, it just depends on how you face up to them.

Thinking back to what happened, Roy is no longer angry as he says peacefully: "I cannot deny that this was not a good thing, but everyone can learn from my example and realise that drugs are a bad thing. Recently, I have been invited by the social workers to share my experience with other people to bring a positive message and I feel that this makes me happy as it is so meaningful." As well as hoping everyone realises the negative effects of drugs, he also hopes that young people will be like him and face up to the consequences of their wrongdoings because hiding is not a way of overcoming the issues.

Roy's series "Shine on You" has finished airing and he gives himself 60% for his performance, only just passing the test. He explains: "I feel that my performance was not natural enough and even a little revolting." During filming, he had watched the playbacks and at the time he felt it was fine, but when it was aired and he watched himself again, he felt that he could have been more natural. Maybe after so long, he has already improved and so he feels that his previous performances were no longer up to scratch.

Hailing from a musical background, Roy has never been trained in acting, so how did he tune his acting ability? He laughs: "No special training really, just practising my expressions in the mirror and muttering my lines to myself. I think I must have seemed like a schizophrenic." Talking of the show having many seasons actors such as Bobby Au Yeung, Michael Tao, Kenix Kwok, Paul Chun, Woo Fung and Ching Ho Wai, did Roy take the chance to learn from them? He says: "Of course I did! (Who do you most admire?) They each have their strengths, but Bobby's control of his emotions is the most breathtaking experience for me. For example if he has to film a sad scene, he can be laughing and joking and happy as can be off set, but as soon as the director calls for the take, then in less than ten seconds, he can be totally absorbed into the scene and it is amazing. However, I do understand it will take a lot of time and experience before I get to this standard."

Roy also find that all these veterans have scripts that are scribbled all over because they are full of continuity notes, such as expressions, props and costumes to avoid the scenes not following on from one another. Roy has tried to copy this habit and do his homework to help him to enter his character more easily.

In the past, the love of Roy's life was his music, but after this experience, he has been bitten by the acting bug: "My interests used to lie mostly in music because it can all be controlled by me, but after filming this series, I am starting to learn the basics of acting and it has become another interest of mine, so I hope to be able to continue filming more series in the future. (Will you develop acting into direction and want to become a director in the future?) I am not skilled enough to be a diretor, I am actually more interested in cinematography because if the shoot is done well, then even just a few seconds can be very powerful." However, for the foreseeable future, Roy's ambition is still to have his an album that is entirely his own. Although he is yet to achieve this and does not know when he can achieve it, but he is willing to wait for this day to come.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-10-31/UL-323917.htm