1968-05-16 ( 56 years old ) in Hong Kong, British Crown Colony [now China]
Born May 16, 1968 as Yau Suk-Ching, Chingmy Yau get her start in the entertainment industry by participating in beauty pageants. It was after her appearance at the Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant in 1989 (where she took the "Miss Photogenic" trophy) that she began to get film offers. Most of her early work consisted of her playing goody-two-shoes roles in romantic comedies until notorious film-maker Wong Jing took Yau under his wing -- and into his bed, even though he was married at the time. Yau became one of the queens of Category III (Hong Kong's version of the NC-17 rating, given to movies with high doses of sex and/or violence) films, through her roles in movies such as the deliciously sleazy Naked Killer (1992). However, unlike most Cat III actresses, she never appeared fully nude.
Rumors abounded that Wong Jing (who either directed or produced almost every film Yau was in at the time) had strict control over what Yau could or could not show. Despite Wong's restrictions, Yau continued to heat up the screen in her roles. She even lent a bit of "real" sensuality to the usually sexually tame Jackie Chan in 1992's City Hunter (where she sports almost the exact same outfit as worn by Lara Croft in the hit video game "Tomb Raider"). Gambling never seemed as sexy as when Yau combined kung-fu with wagering in God of Gamblers Returns (1994). Yau provided excellent comic relief (and got back a bit at the hounding Hong Kong press) as well as providing a nice bit of "eye candy" by portraying an annoying tabloid TV reporter in High Risk (1995). Despite her attempts to diversify her acting portfolio, she is still best known for her roles in ultra-sleazy exploitation flicks such as Raped by an Angel (1993).
The Hong Kong tabloid press is well-known for being rabid, especially towards actresses, and Chingmy Yau was no exception. Almost from the beginning of her film career, Yau was hounded by reporters claiming that she had slept her way into the film industry, and critics were always quick to cut her down. By 1997, when she publicly announced her and Wong Jing's breakup, no one was really surprised and most people expected her to retire outright. She has continued to work -- albeit at a much slower pace, now doing about one movie a year. But it seems as if Yau is following the lead of many other Hong Kong actresses who shot to fame and left just as quickly. She recently tied the knot to a fashion designer, and if the marriage goes well, she may never work again.
Movies
Left Right Love Destiny
1999-10-10
Hold You Tight
1998-05-14
Lawyer Lawyer
1997-07-31
Feel 100%... Once More
1996-12-21
4 Faces of Eve
1996-10-30
Bodyguards of Last Governor
1996-10-19
Street Angels
1996-06-07
Satan Returns
1996-05-17
Young and Dangerous 2
1996-03-30
Blind Romance
1996-01-04
I'm Your Birthday Cake
1995-11-18
Legendary Couple
1995-09-14
High Risk
1995-07-01
The Saint of Gamblers
1995-06-28
Lover of the Last Empress
1995-03-17
1941 Hong Kong on Fire
1994-12-29
God of Gamblers' Return
1994-12-24
Return to a Better Tomorrow
1994-07-14
Modern Romance
1994-06-30
The Modern Love
1994-04-21
Legend of the Red Dragon
1994-02-05
The Kung Fu Cult Master
1993-12-18
Ghost Lantern
1993-11-27
Boys Are Easy
1993-08-12
Future Cops
1993-07-15
Psycho Killer
1993-06-09
Raped by an Angel
1993-05-27
Legend Of The Liquid Sword
1993-03-11
City Hunter
1993-01-01
Millionaire Cop
1993-01-01
Naked Killer
1992-12-03
Royal Tramp 2
1992-09-24
She Starts the Fire
1992-09-17
Deadly Dream Woman
1992-09-10
Casino Tycoon II
1992-08-20
Royal Tramp
1992-07-30
Lee Rock III
1992-03-14
Truant Heroes
1992-02-20
Casino Tycoon
1992-02-20
Lee Rock II
1991-10-10
Lee Rock
1991-09-18
Money Maker
1991-05-22
Tricky Brains
1991-02-02
My Neighbours Are Phantoms
1990-04-26
The Romancing Star III
1989-12-21
Ghost Busting
1989-09-11
Happy Together
1989-08-19
Mr. Fortune
1989-03-23
Perfect Match
1989-03-17
They Came to Rob Hong Kong
1989-02-23
The Crazy Companies II
1988-12-15
How to Pick Girls Up!
1988-07-18
Mr. Possessed
1988-06-09
The Crazy Companies
1988-03-27
The Last Vampire
1988-01-01
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