Charmaine dinner with TVB exec

[The Sun 13/09/06]

Every year, there is always much competition and anticipation for TVB's "Best Actress" anniversary award and the conflicts for this year's award appears to have begun with Charmaine doing her own version of "Be My Guest" by inviting executives Stephen Chan and Virginia Lok out for a Japanese meal to help increase her chances of taking the award.


Comfortable in her position as one of the leading ladies at TVB, Charmaine is approaching her tenth year in the industry and although she has been nominated for the coveted award on many occasions, she has lost out every time. Last year, the battle between Kenix Kwok and Liza Wang reached boiling point, so she was resigned to not winning, but this year she is appearing to be a lot more forceful as she takes steps to secure her award.

Reports suggest that this year's shortlist will include Charmaine (Maiden's Vow), Sheren Tang (La Femme Desperado), Ada Choi (Dance of Passion), Myolie Wu (Lush Fields Happy Times) and Liza Wang (Pearl of the Orient). This year's anniversary series "Lush Fields" and "Pearl of the Orient" will be airing at the beginning of October and November respectively, so for Myolie and Liza, this will be a great opportunity so it is no wonder that Charmaine is not letting go so easily.


On Monday evening, Charmaine joined executives Stephen and Virginia at a Tsimshatsui hotel for a Japanese meal that lasted over two hours, where the three chatted away happily until they left at about 10pm. As Virginia waited for her driver, Stephen and charmaine kept her company as they continued chatting away in the street.

Asked about the meeting yesterday, Stephen emphasised that there is no favouritism: "We just all had some spare time! (Charmaine is the first of the leading ladies to invite you to dinner, will the others follow suit?) If we have time, we will meet for dinner and we show no particular favouritism. (Did you discuss the award?) The results for 'Maiden's Vow' that is currently airing are quite good and Charmaine will begin filming in October for 'The Changing Times', so there was no mention of any awards in this dinner date. (Are Charmaine's chances of winning high?) Her performance is outstanding, but everyone has a chance. We all know who the hot favourites are but the final results depend on the viewers' votes." He laughs that before there have been people trying to imitate him to get dates with female artistes and he was a little worried that he would be mistaken for a 'copycat Stephen', so he called Virginia out too. As for Charmaine, she smiles: "It is only September! It is a bit early! We just celebrated the good results for the show and went for a meal. Everything is still too early to say."

Translation credit to Em.

For goodness sake, Ms Lok have dinner with TVB artiste almost on daily basis. Wah, so many best actor and actress award to give out ah? (sarcastic). Isn't it too early to say who is going to win? Who knows, maybe there's a wildcard or two since it's still months before the anniversary. Anything can happen.

Maiden's Vow events news coming up. Also, full version of Charmaine's 蝶变 mv.