Top Hong Kong showbiz couple wed

Cannes best actor winner Tony Leung Chiu-wai and longtime companion Carina Lau got married at t the Uma Paro resort in front of about 100 guests in the Himalayan nation Bhutan on Monday 21st July, 2008. The wedding cost more than US$1 million, with the diamond ring worth some US$250,000. They have been a celebrity couple for 19 years. Guests included singer Faye Wong who performed for them on their special day. Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai also directed the ceremony. They were also introduced to Bhutanese royalty by fellow actor Eric Tsang. Other guests include Stanley Kwan and Brigitte Lin. The hotel was also heavily guarded to keep the paparazzi away.


Carina Lau Kar-ling (born December 8, 1965 in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China with family roots in Rongxian, Guangxi, China). She was especially notable in the 1980s for her girl-next-door type roles in films. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (Chinese: 梁朝偉; pinyin: Liáng Cháowěi; Cantonese Yale: Lèuhng Chìuh Wáih; born June 27, 1962.

VIA


Leung's credits also include "Infernal Affairs," which Martin Scorsese remade as "The Departed," and John Woo's recently released Chinese historical epic "Red Cliff." Leung won a best actor gong at Cannes in 2000 for In The Mood for Love and starred with Lau in Infernal Affairs. Infernal Affairs was Hong Kong's biggest box office hit in 2002 and scooped best film, best director and best actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards the following year.The film was remade by Martin Scorsese in 2006 as four-times Oscar-winner The Departed.

Lau, an actress, appeared in "Infernal Affairs II," "Center Stage" and director Wong's "Ashes of Time" and "2046." Leung has also starred in Ang Lee's controversial drama Lust, Caution.

In 2002 Carina found herself involved in a scandal that rocked Hong Kong for months. Eastweek Magazine, owned by Albert Yeung (head of EEG and manager of The Twins and Joey Yung among others) displayed a picture in it's Oct 30 Issue of a female Hong Kong actress in an obvious state of distress and topless. Though the face was pixillated over it soon became common knowledge that the person was Carina and that the picture was taken roughly 12 years before when she was kidnapped by some triad thugs. These Hong Kong movie people don't play around. They kidnapped her, photographed her, and apparently filmed her rape which has recently turned up being sold in VCD form on Hong Kong streets. But this wasn't done for kicks, or for money - but just to shame a famous person for, as of yet, unknown reasons. She was released unharmed. This isn't the only instance of this kind of thing happening in this industry. Andy Lau was threatened at gun-point to take up a movie project, and Amy Yip was also forced to go nude in a movie, or face disfigurement. And in the case of Carina, speculation has it that she offended an influential figure by pulling out of a movie role. The Hong Kong film industry commonly used the cut-throat Triad Gangs to make a point, or get things done in the late 80's and early 90's. The movie business was booming - they wanted in. As more information spilled out it was revealed that at the time of the kidnapping Carina was having a financial dispute with Yeung and much speculation arose that he was in fact behind the kidnapping and the photo and was now publishing it to embarrass Carina. The city and other actors were outraged and with the help of some other Hong Kong celebs, including Jackie Chan, the magazine was shut down - but as of yet the investigation into the kidnapping has not come up with anything. VIA

View blog reactions