How Sharla Cheung excelled next to Stephen Chow during Hong Kong cinema’s 1990s golden age
Sharla Cheung Man’s cool glamour and movie-star looks were a feature of 1990s Hong Kong cinema. Here are some of her best films
Sharla Cheung Man was one of Hong Kong cinema’s most popular actresses in the early 1990s. A Shanghainese beauty with classic film-star looks, she focused on commercial dramas rather than art films and awards, leaving behind solid, unpretentious performances that have weathered well.
God of Gamblers (1989)
Playing Jenny, the wife of Chow’s character, Cheung sets the tone for the rest of her career by refusing to be diminished by the male lead’s effortless charm. After a short introductory prelude, she makes a stunning entrance alongside Chow at a gambling club, her 1980s power hair ensuring she commands just as much attention.
The actress does not get many lines in the film, but audiences were impressed by her sophisticated looks. It was becoming fashionable for Hong Kong’s female stars to look girlie on screen – but Cheung was most definitely a grown woman here.