Fennie Yuen’s Pursuit of Happiness

Fennie Yuen (袁潔瑩) used to have it all – fame, beauty, and youth. However, a disabling illness and a series of failed relationships brutally struck her down from the top, leaving her lost in limbo. Although life has dealt her a series of bad cards, the 44-year-old is surprisingly optimistic and unafraid to dream about her future.

At the top of her game during the 1980s and early 1990s, Fennie appeared in numerous films each year with the most popular stars of the era. She also diversified her career by releasing music singles and filming TVB dramas, a move that successfully raised her status within the entertainment industry.

Although her career sailed smoothly, her personal life seemed to have taken a a much rougher course. She was rumored with several partners during her three-decade-long career, most notably music composer Alan Tsui (徐日勤) and later socialite Yuen Ka Yan (阮嘉欣). Although her lesbian romance with Ms. Yuen outlasted media gossips and a long battle with an eating disorder, the couple separated in 2012 after seven years together.

Despite the pain, Fennie is willing to open up her heart and believes that she will eventually meet the right one. Even though she currently says no to marriage and children and is admittedly turned off by younger partners, Fennie expects her tastes to change and feels perfectly fine about it. “I still haven’t found the right person. Some of them are really old, and I don’t want to date someone younger either. But honestly, I just haven’t met the right one. Maybe my future partner will be someone whom I now find unsuitable.”

Getting a fresh start after a decade away from the spotlight, Fennie returns with a renewed focus and a more mature perspective about her art. Speaking about her preparation for Never Dance Alone <女人俱樂部>, she credits executive producer Eric Tsang (曾志偉) for helping her re-adjust to the filming lifestyle and shared some of the challenges she faced on the set. “When I first received [the script] for this character, I felt a little confused. I didn’t know anyone with this type of drama in their love lives, plus my character always cries. I am someone who would bring my emotions home, so I could only rely on my imagination to portray this character.”

Currently signed on with TVB as a per-series artiste, Fennie has given more thought to her on-screen career and has even considered taking her talent behind the scenes. While filming Never Dance Alone, she once suggested incorporating the stars’ personal stories into the show which sparked an interest in script writing. “Why not film our real life stories? I personally wouldn’t mind. It would be good if we can dramatize it. I think our stories would be even more interesting than the current plot. I’ve been through many things, and feel that now is the right time to share them with others.”

Source: Ming Pao

This article is written by Katrine for JayneStars.com.