What is it about this Taiwanese
temptress that has hypnotized a devoted following of fans, inspired
an encyclopedia of Internet photo galleries, or driven men to no
end? Perhaps the answer rests somewhere in between actress Hsu Chi's
ability to be naughty and innocent or wild and yet seemingly restrained.
Chi like actress Sharon Stone had worked on several obscure projects
until her big break which was in an erotic film. She was 'discovered'
by Hong Kong-based actor/producer Manfred Wong who saw one of her
erotic photo books while on a trip to Taiwan.
Like Ms. Stone, Hsu Chi did the
right thing by trying to reform her image and doing legitimate
roles and aligning herself with the right crowd, management, and
projects. Her transformation for sex siren from the adult film
genre into the realm of well-respected actresses is a line that
is usually not crossed in Eastern cinema. She established a name
for herself with her performance in "Sex and Zen II."
But it was her role in "Viva
Erotica" that made her a star. Hsu Chi's luminous performance
in "Viva Erotica" surprised many critics, and the actress
herself seemed overwhelmed when she subsequently swept the board
at every Chinese film award ceremony. When she won Best Newcomer
and Best Supporting Actress at the 1997 Hong Kong Film Awards,
she tearfully thanked her mother for supporting her in her choice
of career. Hsu Chi's performances in last year's box office smash
"Storm Riders."
In 1999, Chi co-starred opposite
famed martial arts master
and comedian Jackie Chan in the film "Gorgeous." Her
performance undoubtedly won over many critics and movie goers,
expanding her ever-growing clan of Chi followers. Recently, "Gorgeous"
has been shown on several cable stations in the United States.
Hsu Chi was also recognized at
Hong Kong's Golden Bauhinia awards and Taiwan's Golden Horse awards.
This critical recognition opened the door for her to work with
quality Hong Kong film-makers. She received excellent reviews
for her work on the anthology film "Love Is Not A Game But
A Joke," the directorial debut of regular Stanley Kwan script-
writer Yip Kam-hung.
Though not a singer herself, Hsu
Chi has been a 'special featured guest' at concerts held by Leslie
Cheung, with whom she performed in "Viva Erotica," and
Leon Lai. She has even travelled to Los Angeles just to make a
a concert appearance. Although she has earned the reputation of
playing the sex kitten roles, Hsu Chi has only starred in two
Category III films: "Sex And Zen II" and "Viva
Erotica."
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