Friday September 29, 2006 Hong Kong "Changing Times" Press Conference Celebrates HK's Return To China To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China next year, TVB has joined forces with China Central Television (CCTV) to film a sixty-episode series entitled "Changing Times". To mark this event, a special press conference was held in a hotel yesterday and as well as a special contract signing ceremony by TVB General Manager Stephen Chan and China International Television Managing Director's Aide Feng Run Sheng, the event was attended by cast members including Damian Lau, Gigi Wong, Michael Miu, Jessica Hsuan, Sheren Tang, Joe Ma, Charmaine Sheh, Myolie Wu, Ron Ng, Raymond Lam and Toby Leung. The series will be filmed in Hong Kong and the mainland as well as on location in Canada. The story is centred around the development of China's Motor industry and will be aired simultaneously on TVB, CCTV and many other Chinese channels around the world in October next year. Sheren plays a rich lady in the show and she sought out a jewellery sponsor especially for yesterday's event and she turned out wearing diamonds worth over $1 million. Asked whether she will be wearing her own items for filming, she says: "Jewellery is too expensive, so I hope to have a sponsor. As for clothes and shoes, then I may be using some of my own things." After working opposite Toby previously in "Men in Pain", Ron is happy that they will be able to build up their chemistry again quickly, but he does not know if they will have any kissing scenes yet. Talking of his limited Mandarin abilities and his earlier embarrassment, he is glad that all his lines will be presented in Cantonese. Toby's character will be spanning from her teens up to her thirties, showing different periods of her life, so she has had a special haircut for the show. Working with a strong cast and being the newest kid on the block, is she worried about the comments that she has been given this opportunity because of her father, TVB Drama Department Assistant Director Tommy Leung? She says: "I am used to it now, he is my father after all, so I can't cut all my ties with him." Recent magazine reports have suggested that Charmaine has split with her rumoured boyfriend Benny Chan, but when she was asked about this, she smiled: "We were never dating, so how could we split? I would like to know too, can you find out which magazine it was?" Asked if the reports stem from her not seeing him much lately, she immediately cut the question short and said: "I have finished now!". As for whether this news of their split means they will not be linked again in the press, she smiles: "It that so? If it is, that would be good. (Then people can go ahead and woo you?) So for their help, I should really thank the magazine." Charmaine says that she does have pursuers, but they are not very assertive: "I am not young any more and I do wish to date and get married. (Have your criteria changed for a partner?) Just the normal things a girl looks for, ambition and filial piety." Jessica has had her hair cut short for this series and she says frankly that she was a little reluctant to cut the hair that she has been growing for several years. Whilst working in Singapore, her old pet dog died from illness and she was faced with a death of a loved one for the first time in her life. She says: "I never imagined that it would be just five days after I arrived when I heard about his death. Fortunately, some people from an abandoned animal charity helped me to arrange his cremation and his ashes are stored at my home." Jessica's other dog, which is 14 years old is developing signs of senility so she is preparing herself mentally for his departure. Jessica herself has been suffering from illness recently because she has been diagnosed with helicobacter pylori, but she has been fighting this with medication. She says of her bad luck: "This is what happens when your zodiac sign is at odds with the gods." Asked if she will be reducing her output because of her health, she says: "I have already reduced my work over the last few years, just taking on 20 episode series and giving myself a rest every couple of months. Although this is a long series, there are plenty of other stars, so it should not be too hard. It is a rare opportunity to work with CCTV, so I have taken on this project." credits: tvbspace, takungpao, asianfanatics.
