[Ta Kung Pao 13/11/04]

The Wai Yin Women's Association has been selling charity draw tickets in TVB City's canteen for three days to raise moeny for the opening of their kindergarten that will need around $500,000 for the project. Current president Anne Heung was present to help sell tickets to her colleagues and fellow TVB artistes, with Sonija Kwok, Kevin Cheng and Nancy Sit all showing their support.

Anne indicates that as they had started selling a few days ago, most people had already bought them, but there was still quite a big response yesterday. When asked if she felt embarrassed selling to her colleagues, she says that she feels a little awkward, especially when some people do not have their wallets with them and just have their Octopus cards to buy their food with.

Sonija bought a ticket for $100 and she reveals that although she is from the Miss Hong Kong pageant, she has not joined Wai Yin because she has been busy filming and does not have time to take part in the activities. However, she says that if she has time later, then she will join because as it a charitable foundation, she can do things to give back to society. Kevin spent $200 on the tickets saying that he doesn't mind giving to charity because both Sonija and Anne are his good friends and he cannot upset either of them. Talking of his Shirley Yeung also helping to sell tickets, he stopped the reporters from asking questions saying: "There is nothing between us, like I have said!"

Nancy donated $1000 to buy her tickets and she said she had to show her thanks to the society for always being so community spirited, especially to single parent families. This kindergarten project will allow parents to drop off their children whilst they go to work and she believes that this will encourage people to have children. She feels that to bring up the next generation is everyone's responsibility and this should not be evaded. When asked if she would have any more children, she laughs: "Can you not see that I am taking 'calming tonic'? It means my heart has calmed and I no longer want any more children."

Nancy has recently had her relationship uncovered with a man much younger than her and with her boyfriend having just returned to America, has she told him that their relationship has been revealed? She smiles: "His family have already told him and at first he did not want to hide behind a mask, but I felt that we ought to let things settle down a little and he agrees that what I have done is right." Nancy says that there is a lot of pressure on her from this love affair, so she will try and keep it low profile. As for whether she will reduce her workload to work on her relationship, she says that her workload next year will be reduced, but not because of her romance. It is because of her health as she has filmed over 2000 episodes since her return nine years ago and even the TVB executives say that this is a record.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-11-13/UL-329164.htm
http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-11-13/UL-329167.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 13/11/04]

Jessica Hsuan was shooting for TVB's calendar cards yesterday and when asked whether she has prepared her gown and jewellery for the anniversary celebrations, she says that her outfit for this year has been chosen by her aunt in America and she has another outfit as a reserve. How much has she spent? She says: "It will not be expensive because I will only wear it once and it if is too valuable, it would be a waste. Anyway, I feel that the clothes should fit the person and not the person fitting the outfit, so as long as it looks good, then the price is not an issue."

As for her jewellery, Jessica says that she does not suit wearing too much jewellery as she prefers a cleaner look, so she will not be wearing too many items. Talking of the anniversary as a chance for the female stars to show off all their precious jewels, Jessica laughs: "If someone wears their 20 carats, then I will wear my own 0.5 carats! If that is not enough, I have my looks to make up for it. Actually I do have some contacts with jewellery sponsors, but if I was to wear millions of dollars of jewellery, I would be so scared that I would be trembling. Also with so much security protecting me, it would make me even more nervous."

Jessica says that she is too careful with her money to spend it on diamonds and she feels that buying jewellery that is too expensive is not a good idea because you can only wear it to big events and keeping it in a safety deposit box just makes you worry about it being stolen or damaged. She will not ask her boyfriend to buy it for her either because their relationship is based on love and not money and buying things with your own money is always the happiest thing.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-11-13/UL-329162.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 13/11/04]

"War and Beauty" has been very popular and the leading stars have all benefitted from endless offers of work since bringing them an increase in their income. 'Lady Yuk Ying' Gigi Lai is among these stars and has received many offers to be spokesperson for various products, including Shark Pills. Yesterday Gigi took part in an opening for a Squina beauty centre as a guest of honour and was praised for being beautiful, talented and having a very healthy image. Company boss Chan Siu Po says that she has watched "War" and become a fan of Gigi, whom she believes should win the award for most popular female lead and she hopes that Gigi will become spokesperson for her products.

Gigi admits that after taking part in "War and Beauty", she has received many offers of work, not only with clothing sponsorship that has saved her a lot of money, but also many advertising contracts under negotiation. With so much work has her income gone up as well? Gigi laughs that she has gained a lot of different fans and her income has risen. She says that all the actors in "War" have benefitted and had a rise in income. Gigi also reveals that she has earned nearly seven figures recently.

With so much more money, how will Gigi be using it? She says that she will invest in stocks and real estate in the hope that she can make even more money. She says that she has bought shares in the past and luckily has not lost money in the crash since 1997. With the markets rising again recently, she is interested in investing again. When the reporters joked that she is a mini tycoon, she says modestly that she is way off yet! However, she feels that as an artiste, she should show concern for current affairs and world situation so she will study the financial news.

When asked if she is dating, Gigi says that she has a businessman courting her at the moment, but she would not reveal any more. However, she says that she is not in the right frame of mind for dating right now because she is at another peak in her career and at first she thought about getting married as soon as she had finished filming for "War" but getting married is all about destiny.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-11-13/UL-329169.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 13/11/04]

Ron Ng and Mandy Cho were filming yesterday for "Courageous Kunlun" in a scene that told of Mandy threatening her father in exchange for him not to kill Ron by jumping into the water. When she faints in the water, Ron jumps in to rescue her and he gives her the kiss of life under water, taking Mandy's first screen kiss.

This is Mandy's first underwater scene and she was smart enough to wear a swimsuit underneath her costume. In order to make the scene as real as possible, she had to wear lead weights, but as the weights were too heavy, she was overcome by the water a little. She says: "Although this was harder than I imagined it to be, there were divers to double for me in some scenes and it was not too bad." Mandy did not have any kissing scenes in "Split Second", so when asked whether she has presented Ron with her first screen kiss, she laughs: "This is artificial respiration!"

When the reporters joked with Ron that he had taken Mandy's first screen kiss, he laughs: "Yes! (You seem to have taken many girls' first screen kisses! First there was Linda Chung, then now Mandy Cho and soon it will be Ella Koon.) This was arranged by the company, so I am thankful to them! (The company is good to you?) Yes, even my family says so because they say I can kiss every female co-star I work with! (You seem to get a good deal then?) Maybe it is they who get a good deal!" As for the rumours linking Ella with Jaycee Fong, Ron says he will congratulate her. Will he confirm this with her? He says that he does not know her very well at all.

With his promotion from TVB, Ron has been filming one series after another and has a packed schedule. After finishing "Courageous" today, he will begin work on "Hotel Turmoils". As the schedule is so packed, he will not have any time to rest and he had a small crash as he drove to work earlier that left him dazed for five minutes. He says: "At first I thought it was not too serious and that it would cost a few thousand dollars to repair, but then I found out that the steering column was twisted and it was very serious, so the repairs will run into tens of thousands. Luckily I have insurance."

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-11-13/UL-329161.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 13/11/04]

Bowie Lam and Yoyo Mung took part in a Christmas Foods Charity Event yesterday and they presented needy people with two baskets of tins and biscuits. Yoyo says that this is a very charitable event and she is very happy to take part. If she has the chance to help the elderly with voluntary work, then she will definitely tkae part. When she saw an old lady queueing up for free rice, she felt very sympathetic and so she often visits the charities for the elderly in the hope that she can help them.

In the past, Yoyo has helped old folks to clean and she found a lot of cockroaches around that scared her into screaming. She has also seen a lot of old people living very hard lives and she feels sorry for them so much that she ends up in tears. Later, some social workers told her that if she does not control her emotions, then she is not suited to be a volunteer, because this will make the old folks even more upset. With the approach of the TVB anniversary, Yoyo has discovered a polling site for "My Favourite Male Lead Role" on the internet and she has voted for Bowie Lam. Bowie has been busy rehearsing for the celebration and after many days of hard work, he feels happy with his performance and gives himself 70%, but hopes that he can make 100% on the night of the performance.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-11-13/UL-329160.htm



[Ta Kung Pao]

Sunny Chan was invited to take part in the Po Leung Kuk charity draw yesterday and this event should have been presented by the three Miss Hong Kong winners, but as they have to rehearse for their Anniversary performances, Sunny took their place instead. Sunny says that this is all for charity so he will not be receiving a fee for his appearance. Sunny will be going to Beijing soon to film for a forty-episode ancient drama with Sonija Kwok, where he will stay for three months before heading to Yunnan for a month. The story is about a band of couriers and there will be many action scenes. This trip to Beijing is mainly to capture some snow scenes.

Does this mean he will be apart from his wife for a few months? Sunny says that his wife is busy preparing for a concert and will be taking part in a stage musical next year. So will they not have time to have children? Sunny says that he will go with nature, but he hopes to become a father in the next two or three years. When the reporters joked that with them both so busy, they will not have time to 'make babies', he laughs that it is in progress. If sailors can have children, then he believes that can too. Although he will not be able to spend Christmas with his wife, he doesn't mind because he is a practical person and will often give surprises to his wife as he has already spoiled her. He says: "I even cook dinner for her, so she should be satisfied!"

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-11-13/UL-329159.htm