原英文版
By Yannie Chan | Oct 23, 2014
Elena Kong Mei-yee
I lived in Wan Chai growing up. I lived near the cinema, and I would be tortured by the smell of grilled squid in the middle of the night.
My father loves watching movies. There weren’t any subtitles for English movies, and we would get a piece of paper introducing the plot. Everyone would read it intently before a movie.
I worked as a secretary. I was buying a sandwich for my boss when a model scout spotted me, saying “Your hair is long, and you look really pretty. Do you want to be a model?” I said, “Don’t you try to scam me.”
I gave him my boyfriend’s number. He kept calling for half a year, so I gave it a try.
I was an actress at ATV for 13 years. Those years were like a really long training course. I had to do everything, from choosing the costumes to preparing what to say on a variety show.
We worked just as hard as actors at TVB, but why did people recognize TVB actors and not us? Multiple people on the street called me “the mau lei [moron] from ATV.”
I quit when I couldn’t take it anymore. The period after I left ATV was the worst time in my life.
Two years later, I joined TVB. People recognized me right after my first series. I was suddenly not a mau lei anymore. You have to admire how powerful TVB is.
There is a lot of competition among actors in TVB. If you mess up, you won’t be cast in the next drama.
TVB dramas are more conservative. They want to try something more daring, but they have too much to lose. ATV dramas were much bolder. TVB has to answer to many advertisers.
In “Silver Spoon, Sterling Shackles,” I had to dance and seduce Damian Lau, and I wore black stockings. I really don’t understand why, but so many viewers were taken aback.
When you look me up online, you will come across the nickname “Black Stockings Yee.”
Some thought that [Damian and I] were too old for this seductive behavior.
I feel repulsed by these comments. If two people love each other, they can be over 80 years old and still dress sexy and seduce each other—it’s no one’s business.
It may seem that people nowadays are more open-minded, but many still think within a certain box.
In “Triumph in the Skies,” I played Heather, who dates a much younger man, and some viewers reacted very negatively, saying it was like “an old cow eating tender grass.”
Please, just look around you. It’s a common phenomenon. Are those viewers really of such low caliber?
But it’s a positive thing for my career. More people know me. Friends in their 30s and 40s said I have changed how women their age are perceived—we can be really hot as well!
I have no plans to get married. It’s amazing if you can stay with someone forever, but it’s very difficult. There are too many temptations.
I dreamed of finding the perfect guy, getting married and then having kids. But it almost never works out this way.
I was hurt from a previous relationship and I felt lost with my career. I had panic attacks and I was diagnosed with panic disorder.
Whenever I get panic attacks, I cry uncontrollably, I can’t breathe and I black out. My boyfriend always happens to be by my side. I feel like he’s been sent to be my angel.
Mood disorders are nothing scary. Many of my friends have mood disorders. You have to get along and learn to live with your disorder.
I used to have a very short temper. Simple things would tick me off back when I was at ATV. I would yell at people if they were slow to bring me my cup of water. I had emotional issues but I didn’t know.
I believe in Buddhism now. I don’t want to commit so many sins. I’m worried that I will be punished during my later years.
My boyfriend’s sister is [actress] Sandra Ng. We both put our feelings out there and enjoy a good laugh. She is very family-oriented. She takes good care of every member of the family, including me. If she’s in town, she always organizes a weekly family gathering.
Would I ever leave Hong Kong? I have asked myself that question. And I have emigrated to Toronto for a while.
Living abroad is definitely much more comfortable. There is plenty of physical and spiritual space. But it’s not my home. I feel like I’m only staying over at a friend’s place.
When I come back to Hong Kong after a long trip, I always go and eat a bowl of wonton noodles. Then I feel like I’m home.
Elena Kong is a spokesperson for the Hong Kong Festival, a charity carnival with traditional amusement park-style games. Oct 26, 3-9pm. Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Call 3176-6130 for ticket info or visit http://www.gp21.com.hk (Chinese only).
By Yannie Chan | Oct 23, 2014
Elena Kong Mei-yee
I lived in Wan Chai growing up. I lived near the cinema, and I would be tortured by the smell of grilled squid in the middle of the night.
My father loves watching movies. There weren’t any subtitles for English movies, and we would get a piece of paper introducing the plot. Everyone would read it intently before a movie.
I worked as a secretary. I was buying a sandwich for my boss when a model scout spotted me, saying “Your hair is long, and you look really pretty. Do you want to be a model?” I said, “Don’t you try to scam me.”
I gave him my boyfriend’s number. He kept calling for half a year, so I gave it a try.
I was an actress at ATV for 13 years. Those years were like a really long training course. I had to do everything, from choosing the costumes to preparing what to say on a variety show.
We worked just as hard as actors at TVB, but why did people recognize TVB actors and not us? Multiple people on the street called me “the mau lei [moron] from ATV.”
I quit when I couldn’t take it anymore. The period after I left ATV was the worst time in my life.
Two years later, I joined TVB. People recognized me right after my first series. I was suddenly not a mau lei anymore. You have to admire how powerful TVB is.
There is a lot of competition among actors in TVB. If you mess up, you won’t be cast in the next drama.
TVB dramas are more conservative. They want to try something more daring, but they have too much to lose. ATV dramas were much bolder. TVB has to answer to many advertisers.
In “Silver Spoon, Sterling Shackles,” I had to dance and seduce Damian Lau, and I wore black stockings. I really don’t understand why, but so many viewers were taken aback.
When you look me up online, you will come across the nickname “Black Stockings Yee.”
Some thought that [Damian and I] were too old for this seductive behavior.
I feel repulsed by these comments. If two people love each other, they can be over 80 years old and still dress sexy and seduce each other—it’s no one’s business.
It may seem that people nowadays are more open-minded, but many still think within a certain box.
In “Triumph in the Skies,” I played Heather, who dates a much younger man, and some viewers reacted very negatively, saying it was like “an old cow eating tender grass.”
Please, just look around you. It’s a common phenomenon. Are those viewers really of such low caliber?
But it’s a positive thing for my career. More people know me. Friends in their 30s and 40s said I have changed how women their age are perceived—we can be really hot as well!
I have no plans to get married. It’s amazing if you can stay with someone forever, but it’s very difficult. There are too many temptations.
I dreamed of finding the perfect guy, getting married and then having kids. But it almost never works out this way.
I was hurt from a previous relationship and I felt lost with my career. I had panic attacks and I was diagnosed with panic disorder.
Whenever I get panic attacks, I cry uncontrollably, I can’t breathe and I black out. My boyfriend always happens to be by my side. I feel like he’s been sent to be my angel.
Mood disorders are nothing scary. Many of my friends have mood disorders. You have to get along and learn to live with your disorder.
I used to have a very short temper. Simple things would tick me off back when I was at ATV. I would yell at people if they were slow to bring me my cup of water. I had emotional issues but I didn’t know.
I believe in Buddhism now. I don’t want to commit so many sins. I’m worried that I will be punished during my later years.
My boyfriend’s sister is [actress] Sandra Ng. We both put our feelings out there and enjoy a good laugh. She is very family-oriented. She takes good care of every member of the family, including me. If she’s in town, she always organizes a weekly family gathering.
Would I ever leave Hong Kong? I have asked myself that question. And I have emigrated to Toronto for a while.
Living abroad is definitely much more comfortable. There is plenty of physical and spiritual space. But it’s not my home. I feel like I’m only staying over at a friend’s place.
When I come back to Hong Kong after a long trip, I always go and eat a bowl of wonton noodles. Then I feel like I’m home.
Elena Kong is a spokesperson for the Hong Kong Festival, a charity carnival with traditional amusement park-style games. Oct 26, 3-9pm. Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Call 3176-6130 for ticket info or visit http://www.gp21.com.hk (Chinese only).
~
你是不是yo?
