Kathy Chow Didn’t Enjoy Being Typecast in Early TVB Roles
Kathy Chow (周海媚) debuted 29 year ago and was highly promoted by TVB in the 1980s and 1990s. Shifting her career focus to China, Kathy’s work output slowed down significantly in the last few years, allowing her to enjoy a slower-paced life with her architect boyfriend in Beijing.
“I’ve been lazy for more than two years, but I feel fulfilled during this time. There are different feelings during different stages. This is my life,” Kathy said.
Kathy chose to reside in Beijing primarily because of her boyfriend, who is nine years her junior. Since Kathy’s boyfriend was a painter and calligrapher before studying architecture, he did not know about her past as an actress when they initially met. “He didn’t have a television set at his house.” Kathy explained, “After he found out [about my past], our relationship was already firmly established, which was a great feeling. In Hong Kong, this would never happen as many people know who I am.”
Although Beijing has a strong paparazzi presence, Kathy and her boyfriend do not mind. Kathy revealed, “Yes, there are [many romantic dates]. I remember our first picture together was in Beijing when it was snowing. We went to Meridian Gate and there was a statue inside. We took our first picture there. He then took me to Yanqing to see ice statues. It was my first time seeing them – they were beautiful!”
Kathy Admits to Being Unladylike
During her early TVB career, Kathy was often typecast in elegant roles. In reality, Kathy was very tomboyish and active. Although her father asked her to participate in the Miss Hong Kong pageant because “girls are prettiest when they are 18 years old,” Kathy believes that his secret motive was for her to learn how to be more ladylike.
“When I was young, I had short hair. I often got into fights outside the house. One time, my mother received a complaint: ‘Your daughter hit my son until he got a nosebleed!”
It was Kathy’s personality and desire to roam free that prompted her to end her management contract with TVB, where she felt she was often typecast in “good-girl” roles and did not have any breakthroughs. “As a newcomer, I cannot object and I would do my best in whatever job the company offered me.”
After ending her TVB contract at the height of her fame, Kathy filmed movies and television dramas in Taiwan, Mainland and Japan. “I wanted to find different opportunities, to challenge myself. This is my personality.”
Source: Sina.com
This article is written by Su for JayneStars.com.
Wow would’ve never imagined her being “tomboyish” from all the goody good character she places. She was one of my fav back in the days. Glad she’s feeling more free to do what she wants. She’s such a beauty~
I rmb her for some of her goody-two-shoe roles, but a lot were also really wacky! She has ample room to display her acting prowess because her characters had really funky jobs. Like the one she made with “Ah Taan” (cant rmb his english name right now) where she was a prostitute. And another one where she was a con artist with Cheung King Fai. Not many tvb actresses get those kind of creative jobs these days.
And yeah cant believe she’s such a tomboy either. Her face is quite deceiving.
Her wrinkles is showing. She must had aged gracefully!
Lol those are peach blossom wrinkles, meaning she’s still attractive to men even at her age. I have seen her recent travel commentary and OMG she looks so youthful. Her skin is so fair and her complexion is glowing. You can tell if someone is aging well by their skin tone. It’s not something you can hide easily.
Yes,she is aging naturally which is how it should be unlike those that use too much botox and other stuff.
Hey HeTieShou,
I notice you seem to have a thing against people who don’t age gracefully, just saying ;P
soooo is she coming back to film again? sniper stand off didnt do her justice hhaha
haha wouldnt imagine her as a tomboy”!she is beautiful! hope to see her back on TVB again one day!
She was great in EU!
Ahh… my TVB 1st love
Sehseh,
I thought you were a girl? Sorry if I mistakened you,for being a girl. Anyways,glad to see news of Kathy since I have not heard about her in awhile. There was already news years ago that said she was not feminine so I wonder why thus news came out again? Maybe there is no news about her?
No, I am a girl. I stanned Kathy, Noel Leung & Charmaine during TVB days. The 1st love I mean doesn’t have romantic connotations, just to describe that Kathy is my first TVB idol 😛
She does have some health & personal problems which hindered her filming in the past and she took hiatus for it. She seems to be adjusting to Mainland China life and I’m glad she found someone. I didn’t follow her progress after she left TVB, but recently she filmed a Mainland China drama with Fan Bing Bing.
Oh sorry! I thought you were referring to liking her romantically. I do follow her news and the last thing I heard was something about her burning down the kitchen in a house she rented in China. I heard the owner got really upset over that. I have not seen a series of her for long time. The latest one that I saw was Ao Jian Giang Hu with Ray,Yu Bo, and Yuki Xu which was made quite a few years ago.
Sehseh for a moment I was thinking you… are not a girl?! But then you are a woman!
Love her performance for Looking Back In Anger and The Breaking Point, two TVB blockbusters which rocketed Kathy Chow career.
TVB loves to typecast and its still doing it lol.