Myolie Wu (胡杏兒) debuted in the industry through the 1999 Miss Hong Kong pageant. Winning favorable reviews in her early supporting roles, Myolie has maintained her position as one of the station’s most popular leading fadan in the past ten years. Although Myolie has been leading in TVB dramas since 2003’s Survivor’s Law <律政新人王>, it took her nine more years to obtain formal recognition as a leading actress – Myolie won her first TVB Best Actress in 2011, for her performance in Curse of the Royal Harem <萬凰之王>. She also won TVB’s My Favorite Female Character award for her performance in Ghetto Justice <怒火街頭>. TV King vs. Film King Subsequently, Myolie was cast in Rosy Business 3: No Reserve <巾幗梟雄之諜血長天> in late 2012, starring opposite three-time TV King Wayne Lai (黎耀祥). Myolie also starred alongside Film King Francis Ng (吳鎮宇) in Triumph in the Skies 2 <衝上雲霄II>, which has just completed its run of 41 episodes on September 8. On her thoughts in working with the two actors, Myolie said, “Both Wayne and Francis are acclaimed actors, but both of them have extremely different approaches towards acting. Maybe it’s because Francis has more experience in filming movies, so he usually encounters more unexpected situations. Francis would usually change the scene’s dialogue depending on the situation. It made the acting experience more realistic for the rest of us, so when working with him, one must pay extra attention. “As for Wayne’s style, he tends to follow the script. Although he didn’t really give me much advice for my acting, he is very serious. He is completely in the mode when the camera rolls, and it really helps the other actors get into their roles as well. I think he’s a very charismatic actor. Although there is a large age gap between us, I develop a relationship with him at the end of [Rosy Business 3].” On Her Roles In order to be completely in character, many actors would cultivate their time in exploring their characters’ background and personality. Myolie also grows very attached to her characters, but the 33-year-old actress expressed that she tends to add a bit of her own personality into her roles. “Regarding Summer [in Triumph in the Skies 2], when filming first started I took the initiative to suggest that my character should not have too much dialogue. It better suited my character’s background and personality. It really was my first time portraying such a character. There are a lot of emotional scenes. My character was someone who shows her personality through emotion, and not dialogue. “The director wanted me to cut my hair short as it was fitting for my character. At first, I didn’t really want to because I didn’t think it was necessary to change my image for the drama, but in the end, everyone decided that it was best if I did chop it off. Now that it’s over, I have been slowly growing it back. After all, I prefer long hair more.” Myolie’s role as the secret agent Cheung Kei Sang in Rosy Business 3: No Reserve was also another emotional ride for her. “After going through life and death situations, she becomes a very depressing character. Because of the story’s different historical setting, getting in character required a lot of imagination on my part. Although I know my performance will definitely be compared to Sheren Tang’s (鄧萃雯), and I will be asked about my confidence on winning the Best Actress award, I shouldn’t care too much about it. I don’t want to put more pressure on myself. I have to concentrate on my performance so I will have no regrets.” Myolie admitted that shooting for the emotionally-demanding No Reserve had took a great toll on her mental and physical health. Throughout most of the filming period, Myolie suffered through insomnia, but she has been feeling much better lately. Myolie understood that resting is important, and plans to take a long break from work in October. She also expressed that it may be the time for her to search for a new love. “In the past I was someone who was rather impulsive, but the experiences I have gained in the industry really changed me to become someone much more calm and steady. Besides, I am someone who easily puts pressure on myself, so now I must learn to lessen the stress. In terms of my relationship life, I will take the initiative to meet new friends, but it all depends on fate. I don’t think a flash marriage will happen with me – it’s a big responsibility, and it puts a lot of pressure on people. I’m not that kind of a person anymore.” Myolie added that aside from her acting jobs, she would also spend time on learning how to invest on estate properties. “My schedules are always packed, so I really don’t have time to learn about buying stocks. They are risky. I feel that investing in real estate is much safer.” “If I have time, I’ll rather spend it watching movies or traveling, to completely relax. I’m actually planning for my trip to Europe right now. I really like the environment there.” Creds: ihktv
