Hong Kong star Carina Lau admitted on influencer Zhang Zetian’s podcast on January 13 that she lacks a defining masterpiece in her career, sparking discussions among fans and media. She attributed this partly to the difference in opportunities compared to her acclaimed actor husband Tony Leung, but emphasized that she enjoys the process of working and has achieved self-satisfaction.
In the podcast, Carina Lau openly expressed her lack of recognized milestone works and partly attributed this to insufficient luck. She believed that her husband Tony Leung always has access to top directors and scripts, while she has not had the same opportunities. On January 13, the topic “Carina Lau regrets not having a decent representative work” trended on Weibo.
Facing the so-called “regrets,” Carina Lau also suggested that there is no need to constantly compare oneself to others. She emphasized that she does not shortchange herself, enjoys the process of working, takes each role seriously, and ultimately reaches a state of self-recognition. She stated, “Being happy, taking work seriously, I have now achieved what I want, accepting that not everything is attainable in life.”
However, some netizens cited Carina Lau’s past works, noting her nuanced and layered performances, such as her roles in “Days of Being Wild,” “Intimates,” “He’s a Woman, She’s a Man,” and “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame,” for which she received prestigious acting awards.
In addition to her film accolades, Carina Lau has also received awards for her stage performances, such as winning the Best Actress award at the Hong Kong Theatre Awards in 2015 for her role in “Old Pals.”
Carina Lau’s mention of Tony Leung winning awards within a short filming period may reflect the unfairness actors face. Her lament of lacking a “representative work” also reflects actors’ pursuit of artistic benchmarks.
Carina Lau clearly sees Tony Leung as a benchmark. Tony Leung’s achievements in the Chinese film industry are almost unparalleled, having won numerous Best Actor awards and accolades at prestigious international film festivals.
Carina Lau and Tony Leung represent a complementary couple, with contrasting personalities but a harmonious relationship. In her conversation with Zhang Zetian, Carina Lau specifically mentioned Tony Leung’s introverted nature and social anxiety.
Carina Lau mentioned that Tony Leung has improved over the years and now joins her in social gatherings more often. She also talked about convincing him to star in the Marvel movie “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”
Although the couple does not have children, Tony Leung, who had been reluctant to play a father role on screen, unexpectedly portrayed the father of “Shang-Chi” in the movie. According to Carina Lau, she encouraged him to take on the role to introduce him to a younger audience.
Carina Lau also shared a touching side of Tony Leung, revealing that despite his reserved demeanor, he would handwrite apology cards during disagreements to resolve misunderstandings between them. She once disclosed on a mainland Chinese variety show that Tony Leung would write apology cards when he made mistakes, and she would jokingly show him a stack of these cards to tease and remind him.