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MANDY: "I believe not many people can remember that I entered the industry through Miss Hong Kong. I remember that time, I didn't have much courage, it was my mother who encouraged me to participate in the contest. I didn't feel strongly about it at all and I was afraid my boyfriend wouldn't like it. However, he was actually very supportive, but I still had a lot of mix feelings while I was running for Miss HK. First, I wasn't someone in the limelight, I just focused on my own training. I was so silly to think, "don't let me win" because if I won, then I would have to give up my relationship. I basically didn't know how the entertainment circle is like. Everyone just has their attention on the popular contestants and I was considered the dark horse. Perhaps because that year they had a lot of dance performances and I had a dance background, so I was able to pick up faster than others and gain more confidence. The moment before the winners were announced, I kept telling myself, please don't say my name, but in the end Kayi Cheung won. I think it was well deserved for her because she has very high EQ.
Starts out Discouraged
After Miss HK ended, I entered the TVB Artistes Training Class, but I started out very discouraged. I saw the three Miss HK winners were dressed so beautiful, doing goodwill activities and gaining experience. It turns out this feeling I had was envy, I really envied them. I started from zero, and I began to think if I had won the title, I could probably get famous faster and my future in this industry will be brighter. Luckily, I quickly adjusted my mentality and soon after, TVB made arrangements for me to join the acting crew and officially start my acting career.
I started working day and night, my schedule wasn't fixed and I had less time to be with my boyfriend. I used to spend the majority of my time with him, but since the filming schedules were unfixed, I couldn't just leave work and go out to play. Slowly, we began having more conflicts and also my family financial issues got worse and worse. Although we tried to rescue the relationship, it eventually didn't work out. I thought to myself, not unless I quit! I felt very contradicting, the relationship was dragging for some time. I knew career and love cannot coexist, so I made a very hard decision, that was to end our 4 year relationship and focus entirely on my career. It is harsh, but I had no other choice!
Would Make Same Decision Even Had to Choose Again
Back to single life, I actually felt like I lost a heavy burden. I could concentrate more on work and didn't have as much to worry about. I didn't have to worry about [my boyfriend] being unhappy because I had a kiss/intimate scene with someone else. There was no longer distractions, I could concentrate more on my character, so even if I had to choose again today, I would have done the same thing, choose career over my relationship without hesitation. I'm not cold-blooded, I just think since I chose to pursue an acting career, I should focus entirely on it. I cannot let other things affect me. I enjoy the sense of accomplishment my work brings me, so I sacrificed my relationship and had absolutely no complaints because a relationship requires engagement by both parties. It is mutual accommodation, and not full of complaints!
In the past few years, I've been very lucky. I was given many good roles where I could really develop on, such as "Aam Chun Mui", "Kwan Yee So" and more recently, "Lai Sui Mui". To the audience, the roles gave off different feelings and seeing everyone discussing about it, whether if its compliments or criticisms, to me, it is all just opinions. This year I've been flattered as the hot favorite for "Most Improved Actress" award. Awards are important to artists because it gives us certainty, of course I hope to get it!
Thankful of Poon Ka Tak for "Aam Chun Mui" Role
Just in a blink of an eye, it has already been 5 years since I've debuted. Counting it all, I've been in many many series. Although I was never the first lead, many producers still treat me really well and give me a lot of opportunities. Just like producer Poon Ka Tak, he is definitely my "Pak Lok" (person identifying her talents) because he was the one who casted me in Suspects in Love, where I gained audience recognition for "Aam Chun Mui". Then it keeps going, like The Hippocratic Crush and Divas in Distress, I had lots of room to develop in both roles. Aside from work, we still meet to catch up. My relationship with him is like mentor and friends. When I encounter a problem I can't resolve, I ask for his advice."
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