Carina Lau

A veteran of East Asian cinema, Carina Lau cornered the girl-next-door market during the 1980s but later established herself as one of her Chinese homeland's greatest actresses thanks to a number of more challenging dramatic roles. Born in Suzhou, Jiangsu in 1965, Lau emigrated to Hong Kong aged fifteen where she gained entry into the actors training program at commercial channel TVB. After making her on-screen debut in "The Duke of Mount Deer" (TVB 1984), she played her future husband Tony Leung Chiu-Wai's half-sister in "Police Cadet" (TVB 1984) and appeared opposite action heroes Jackie Chan in "Project A Part II" (1987) and "Armour of God" (1987) and Chow Yun-fat in "Rich and Famous" (1987) and "Tragic Hero" (1987). Lau's career then skyrocketed following her appearance as wealthy heiress Sandy Ngai Chor Gwun in one of Hong Kong's most-watched ever series, "Looking Back In Anger" (TVB 1989), and she subsequently went onto receive the first of six Hong Kong Film Award nominations for her performance in "Her Beautiful Life Lies" (1989). During the filming of "Days Of Being Wild" (1991), one of her many collaborations with New Wave auteur Wong Kar-wai, Lau was kidnapped for several hours by four men working for a triad boss as punishment for refusing a particular film offer. Alongside her high-profile celebrity relationship, the ordeal transformed Lau into a permanent tabloid figure. But her impressive turn as vivacious cabaret dancer Leung Fung-ying in the aforementioned arthouse drama put the focus back onto her talents and after scene-stealing martial arts epic "Saviour Of The Soul" (1991), she continued to showcase her versatility with impressive performances as legendary Chinese actress Li Lili in Ruan Lingyu biopic "Center Stage" (1992), pop superstar Rose in cross-dressing comedy "He's A Woman, She's A Man" (1994) and call-girl Chung in offbeat romance "Gigolo and Whore" (1994). Following parts in the wuxia classic "Ashes Of Time" (1994) and James Bond pastiche "Forbidden City Cop" (1997), Lau once again attracted the attention of various awards juries with her measured portrayals of bisexual silk factory owner Wan in "Intimates" (1997) and prostitute Pearl in 19th Century epic "Flowers Of Shanghai." Appearances as Hon Sam's wife in the two "Infernal Affairs" sequels and an android in Wong Kar-wai's sci-fi-tinged "2046" (2004) saw Lau build further on her international profile. Lau then stepped in the shoes of Sarah Jessica Parker for the Hong Kong version of "Sex & The City" (HBO 1998-2004), "Sex & The Beauties" (2004) before winning rave reviews for her performances as unhappily-married Rose in the low-budget "Rashomon"-esque thriller "Curiosity Kills The Cat" (2006) and the Tang Dynasty Empress of China, Wu Zetian, in the blockbuster "Detective Dee & The Mystery Of The Phantom Flame" (2010). After receiving a Best Actress nod at Cannes for her turn as a rich housewife abandoned by her husband in slow-paced drama "Bends" (2013), Lau landed the lead role of Jia Ling in the big-screen adaptation of "Beijing Love Story" (2014).