Sing girls

Actresses who have starred alongside Stephen Chow are often known as "Sing girls".

"Sing girls" (Chinese: 星女郎; pinyin: xīng nǚ láng) is a nickname for actresses who starred alongside Stephen Chow, often as the main character's romantic interest.[1] Many are young, new actresses who go on to receive considerable media attention after appearing in one of Chow's films,[2] and their success is often attributed to the attention brought to them by Chow—Zhang Yuqi, for example, has been referred to as Chow's "protégée" after appearing in the 2007 film CJ7.[3] The Chinese word 星 xīng refers both to Chow's nickname 星爷 (Sing Yeh, "Grandmaster Sing")[2] and to 明星, the word for a star or celebrity.

Chow has not always chosen newcomer actresses to co-star with him; for example, Vicki Zhao already had a successful music and film career when she appeared as the female lead in Shaolin Soccer,[1] and Gong Li was already famous as an "Yimou girl" (谋女郎) for her frequent collaboration with director Zhang Yimou before she starred in two Stephen Chow films in the early 1990s. Many times, though, starring with Chow has been a "Sing girl"'s first major role and has kick-started her career, as King of Comedy did for Cecilia Cheung. Eva Huang and Kitty Zhang both gained considerable attention from media and netizens after appearing in Kung Fu Hustle and CJ7, respectively, even though their roles were relatively small (Huang's role had no lines at all).[1]

Kingdom Yuen appeared in numerous 1990s Stephen Chow films not as a lead female or romantic interest, but rather in minor roles as a comedic stock character.[4]

The youngest "Sing girl" is 7 year old Zhang Yuwen, who appears in Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons.[5]

List

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Zhang Yuqi became a well-known celebrity after appearing in with Chow in CJ7.
Karen Mok has appeared in five Stephen Chow films.
While most famous for her collaboration with Zhang Yimou, Gong Li has also starred in two films with Chow.
Sing girls
Name First appeared with Chow in Other films with Chow
Sharla Cheung[6] Faithfully Yours (1988) All for the Winner (1990), God of Gamblers II (1991), God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai(1991)**, Fist of Fury 1991(1991), Fist of Fury II 1991(1991), Fight Back to School (1991), Fight Back to School II (1992), Royal Tramp (1992), Royal Tramp II (1992), Fight Back to School III (1993), King of Beggars (1992), Hail the Judge (1994)
Nina Li Chi Dragon Fight (1989)
Vivian Chow The Unmatchable Match (1989)
Sandra Ng Thunder Cops II (1989) Love Is Love (1990), All for the Winner (1990), When Fortune Smiles (1990), The Magnificent Scoundrels (1991), God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai (1991), All's Well, Ends Well (1992), Royal Tramp (1992), The Lucky Guy** (1998)
Sibelle Hu Sleazy Dizzy (1990)
Vivian Chan Look Out, Officer! (1990) Royal Tramp (1992), Royal Tramp II (1992)
Ann Bridgewater My Hero (1990)
Teresa Mo Legend of the Dragon (1990) Magnificent Scoundrels (1991), All's Well, Ends Well (1992)
Monica Chan God of Gamblers II (1991)
Kingdom Yuen[4] Fight Back to School (1991) Justice, My Foot! (1992), King of Beggars (1992), Flirting Scholar (1993), The Mad Monk (1993), Forbidden City Cop (1996), God of Cookery (1996), The Tricky Master (1999)
Gong Li God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai (1991) Flirting Scholar (1993)
Chingmy Yau Tricky Brains (1991) Royal Tramp (1992), Royal Tramp II (1992), Lawyer Lawyer (1997)
Rosamund Kwan Tricky Brains (1991)
Athena Chu[7] Fight Back to School II* (1992) A Chinese Odyssey (1994)
Anita Mui[4] Justice, My Foot! (1992) The Top Bet (1991), Fight Back to School III (1993)
Brigitte Lin Royal Tramp (1992) Royal Tramp II (1992)
Michelle Reis Royal Tramp II (1992)
Maggie Cheung All's Well, Ends Well (1992) The Mad Monk(1993)
Christy Chung Love on Delivery (1994) Hail the Judge (1994), God of Cookery** (1996), All's Well, Ends Well 1997** (1997)
Ada Choi Hail the Judge (1994) A Chinese Odyssey (1994)
Karen Mok A Chinese Odyssey (1994) Out of the Dark (1995), God of Cookery (1996), Lawyer Lawyer (1997), King of Comedy (1999), Shaolin Soccer** (2001)
Anita Yuen From Beijing With Love (1994)
Gigi Leung Sixty Million Dollar Man (1995)
Carina Lau Forbidden City Cop (1996)
Carmen Lee Forbidden City Cop (1996)
Shu Qi The Lucky Guy (1998) Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons*** (2013)
Cecilia Cheung[1] King of Comedy* (1999) Shaolin Soccer** (2001)
Vicki Zhao[1] Shaolin Soccer (2001)
Eva Huang[1][8] Kung Fu Hustle* (2004)
Kitty Zhang[3] CJ7* (2007) Shaolin Girl*** (2008), The Mermaid*** (2016)
Lin Yun The Mermaid*** (2016)
*Film debut
**Minor appearance only
***Film produced or directed, but not acted in, by Chow

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 邱致理 (Qiu Zhili) (10 December 2007). "张雨绮亲述一夜成名:30秒搞定周星驰 (Zhang Yuqi's overnight fame: 30 seconds to win over Stephen Chow)" (in Chinese). 南都周刊. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  2. 1 2 许慧健 (Xu Huijian), ed. (9 June 2009). "从"翻版张柏芝"看女星整容是非 (From "New Cecilia Cheung", seeing if female stars are having makeovers or not)". 大洋 (dayoo.com). Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  3. 1 2 Boon Cheng (6 February 2008). "Stephen Chow's Play: CJ7". Straits Times.
  4. 1 2 3 Gendron, Yves (5 October 2004). "Yuen King-tan/Kingdom Yuen". Hong Kong Cinema: View from the Brooklyn Bridge. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  5. ↑ "揭秘《西游》最小星女郎 张煜雯喊星爷哥哥". Hunan TV. 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  6. ↑ Lanuque , Arnaud. "Sharla Cheung Man" (in French). Hong Kong Cinemagic. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  7. ↑ "Athena Chu Yan". LoveHKFilm.com. Retrieved 2008-10-03. External link in |publisher= (help)
  8. ↑ "Eva Huang feels grateful to Stephen Chow". China Daily. 29 May 2006. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
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