Athena Chu (born Chu Yan; 25 October 1971)[1] is a Hong Kong actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Zixia Fairy in A Chinese Odyssey (1995).
Athena Chu | |
|---|---|
 Chu in 2008 | |
| Born | Chu Yan 25 October 1971 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Chinese name | |
| Chinese | 朱茵 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Zhū Yīn |
| Jyutping | Zyu1 Jan1 |
Early life and education
editChu was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Her father was a mathematics teacher who later started a business with her mother.[1]
Chu attended The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 1990 to 1992, during which she hosted children's shows on the television station TVB.[2][3]
Career
editAfter graduating in 1992, Chu made her film debut in Fight Back to School II (1992), which earned her a nomination at the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer.[2] Chu started to attract public attention with her interpretation of Huang Rong in the remake of Wuxia drama The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1994).[3]
Chu worked again with Stephen Chow in A Chinese Odyssey (1995). The role of Zi Xia (also known as Daisy Fairy) shot Chu to widespread fame in Hong Kong and parts of Asia.[4][3] Another one of Chu's most notable films is The Boss Up There (1999). Her portrayal of a drug addict who finds God earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the Golden Horse Film Awards.[5][2]
Regarded by many as a sex symbol,[6] Chu has generally been cast in flower vase roles. She even made two appearances in Wong Jing’s Raped by an Angel series.[2][1] However, her role in Whispers and Moans (2007) won her recognition, despite not being nominated for any award.[7]
Chu was the first Hong Kong actress to be nominated at the International Emmy Award for Best Actress, for her role as a disabled but inspirational women who overcomes all odds in the television series Wall-less World (2010).[1]
After a five years hiatus from the entertainment industry since 2011, Chu announced her comeback in 2016 with three upcoming films.[8]
Personal life
editChu began dating singer and actor Paul Wong of Beyond since 1998; and married him in 2012. Chu and Wong have a daughter Debbie (b. 2012).[9]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | To Miss with Love | 逃學外傳 | Lai Man-si | |
| Super Lady Cop | 超级女警 | Yoki | ||
| Fight Back to School II | 逃學威龍2 | Sandy | Nominated-12th Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer | |
| 1993 | Once a Cop | 超級計劃 | Annie Lee | |
| 1993 | Taxi Hunter | 的士判官 | Yan | |
| Tom, Dick and Hairy | 風塵三俠 | Pearl Chan | ||
| Vampire Family | 一屋哨牙鬼 | Chu Lee-mei | ||
| 1994 | Lantern | 燈籠 | Fong | |
| Easy Money | 先洗未來錢 | Sisi Li | ||
| 1995 | Shaolin Kung Fu Kids | 笑林老祖 | Sister Lam | |
| Trouble Maker | 蠟筆小小生 | |||
| Remember M, Remember E | 那有一天不想你 | Chui Ching | ||
| Cupid Love | 七月俏佳人 | Ching-ching | ||
| A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box | 西遊記第壹佰零壹回之月光寶盒 | Purple / Lin Zixia | ||
| A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella | 西遊記大結局之仙履奇緣 | Lin Zixia | ||
| 1996 | The Feeling of Love | 重慶愛情感覺 | Ah Yin | |
| Hero of Swallow | 神偷燕子李三 | Chinny | ||
| 1997 | Ah Fai the Dumb | 天才與白痴 | Man-man | |
| 1998 | Temptress of a Thousand Face | 千面嬌娃 | Sherry Wong | |
| Tricky King | 超級整蠱霸王 | DKNY / Yandy | ||
| Step into the Dark | 夜半無人屍語時 | Faith Ching | ||
| Shanghai Affairs | 新唐山大兄 | Sin | ||
| The Love and Sex of the Eastern Hollywood | 愛在娛樂圈的日子 | Yue | ||
| Take Five | 對不起，幹掉你 | |||
| Raped by an Angel 2: The Uniform Fan | 強姦2 制服誘惑 | Po-man | ||
| The Conman | 賭俠1999 | Ching | ||
| 1999 | The H.K. Triad | O記三合會檔案 | ||
| The Boss Up There | 生命楂Fit人 | Fong Hei-tung | Nominated- 36th Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actress | |
| Raped by an Angel 4: The Raper's Union | 強姦終極篇之最後羔羊 | Po-man | ||
| Horoscope 1: The Voice from Hell | 生人勿近之問米 | Jojo | ||
| 2000 | Love Correction | 緣份有Take 2 | Emma Lau | |
| Conman in Tokyo | 中華賭俠 | Karen | ||
| 2001 | Stowaway | 驚天大逃亡 | Kam Lan | |
| Never Say Goodbye | 有人說愛我 | Jean | ||
| 2002 | Chinese Odyssey 2002 | 天下無雙 | Amour Amour | guest star |
| Time 4 Hope | 二人三足 | Cindy | ||
| 2003 | Shiver | 心寒 | Sammi Mok Sum-yi | |
| 2004 | Sex and the Beauties | 性感都市 | Kwan Tak-han | |
| Love Is a Many Stupid Thing | 精裝追女仔2004 | Chu Yan | guest star | |
| 2007 | Whispers and Moans | 性工作者十日談 | Coco | |
| 2010 | Just Another Pandora's Box | 越光寶盒 | Purple Cloud | guest star |
| The Aroma City | 芳香之城傳奇 | So Ling-fong | ||
| Let Love Come Back | 讓愛回家 | Ng Fan | ||
| 2011 | Scary Market | 嘿店 | Hui Zi | |
| 2017 | Once Again | 二次初恋 | Ye Lan | |
| 2018 | The Lingering | 古宅 | ||
| TBA | Ambans | 驻藏大臣 | Dawa Yingzong |
| Year | Title | Chinese title | Role | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Romance Beyond | 都市的童話 | Ding Dang | TVB | |
| The Chord to Victory | 少年五虎 | Yeung Suet-lai | TVB | ||
| The Legendary Ranger | 原振俠 | Wan-choi | TVB | ||
| The Edge of Righteousness | 龍兄鼠弟 / 追日者 | Suen Ho-ho | TVB | ||
| 1994 | The Legend of the Condor Heroes | 射鵰英雄傳 | Wong Yung | TVB | |
| 1997 | Wars of Bribery | 廉政行動組 | Chiu Wing-yee | TVB | |
| Tears in Heaven | 蒼天有淚 | Xiao Yujuan | |||
| 2000 | The New Shaolin Temple | 新少林寺 | Princess Haotai | ||
| Kaixin Jiuhao | 開心就好 | Susie | |||
| The Duke of Mount Deer | 小寶與康熙 | A'ke / Chen Yuanyuan | TVB | ||
| 2002 | Xiao Shiyilang | 蕭十一郎 | Shen Bijun | CTV | |
| Palm of Ru Lai' | 如來神掌 | Tu Xuehua / Sun Biyun / Sun Jinling | ATV | ||
| 2003 | Nannü Zidian | 男女字典 | Kelly | PCCW | Network drama |
| 2005 | Eonian Hero | 逐日英雄 | Xiang Wanting | ||
| 2006 | Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain | 雪山飛狐 | Yuan Ziyi | ATV | |
| 2007 | Baoxue Lihua | 暴雨梨花 | Lu Huanong | ||
| 2008 | Gorgeous Adventure | 華麗冒險 | Amy | ||
| Yiqian Di Yanlei | 一千滴眼淚 | Shen Xinyi | |||
| 2010 | A World Without Walls | 沒有牆的世界 | Tai Mung | RTHK | television film , Nominated International Emmy Award for Best Actress |
| 2011 | Twin of Brothers | 大唐雙龍傳之長生訣 | Fu Junzhuo / Fu Junyu |
Discography
edit| Year | Title | Chinese Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Earthquake | 地震 |
| 1997 | Glass | 玻璃 |
| 1998 | Ti Ti Ta | 踢踢踏 |
| 2002 | Let's Jump | 跳起来 |
| 2003 | Possession | 迷恋 |
| 2004 | Attitude | |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Sitting pretty". South China Morning Post. 30 October 2011. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
- ^ a b c d "Athena Chu Yan". LoveHKFilm.com. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ a b c "Fairy lady -- Athena Chu". CCTV.com. 28 May 2007.
- ^ "Welcoming back, Zixia Fairy". China Daily. 20 March 2017.
- ^ "《THE BOSS UP THERE》(1999) 100′". Media.org.hk.
- ^ "HK Selects Its Sexiest Stars". China.org.cn. 13 October 2004.
- ^ "Stars who brushed shoulders with HK Film Awards". China Daily. 11 April 2014.
- ^ "Athena Chu happy to be back in showbiz". Yahoo News. 15 January 2016.
- ^ "黄贯中复工报喜：已与朱茵注册结婚 女儿重6斤". NetEase (in Chinese). 25 October 2012.
- ^ "Athena Chu". imdb.com. Retrieved 2010-03-16.
- ^ "Athena Chu". chinesemov.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-16.