Asian Entertainment News & Celebrity Gossip

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-fai, best known for his role in The Lover, has been ordered to pay US$5,120 as damages to a bus driver after a car accident.

The award-winning actor was initially sued for $410,000 by Chong Pui-kin, the driver who claimed that Leung assaulted him. The judge however ruled that the 2002 attack was ‘grossly exaggerated’

La dee da, here we go again. Getting to be ‘old hat’ this opening a festival thingee…
First Wong Kar-Wai came to a little town called Cannes and opened up a quaint little film festival there with his first foray into English speaking cinema called My Blueberry Nights. An art house film with a commercially viable Hollywood cast.

Now word has trickled out that Academy Award winning director Ang Lee’s new movie Lust Caution will be the opening movie of the 64th Venice Film Festival according to festival director Marco Muller. The cast includes Hong Kong veteran actor Tony Leung (Liang Chaowei), Taiwan pop singer Leehom Wong (Wang Lihong), and Chinese mainland newcomer Tang Wei, all of whom are expected to go to Venice at the end of August.

The movie is now in post-production in New York. Ain’t it grand that Asia is gaining the much needed attention it deserves. Film festival openings in Asia, Europe and in due time, the United States of the Americas!

Carina Lau is staying away from Taiwan for half a year to keep her distance from her billionaire admirer, Terry Gou.

The China-born, Hong Kong-based star is known to make private visits to Taiwan regularly to meet friends there. But Lau, who was linked to Gou late last year, has reportedly said she will not go there for six months – apparently to avoid more tabloid talk of them.

Lau has said yes, however, to a role in Taiwanese theatre director Stan Lai’s play, Like Shadows, which will be performed in Taiwan in December.

Gou, 56, told the media in March that he was serious about the 41-year-old actress.

But last month, Lau and her actor boyfriend, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, 44, attended the Hong Kong Film Awards hand in hand in a show of unity. Later, she said of their relationship: “We’re like a family.” [StarCentral]

As DaDump reported to you yesterday, Chow Yun-fat and John Woo didn’t harbor any grudges for Chow leaving the cast of Red Cliff at the last moment. Now the movie publicist is announcing that Chow has tentatively agreed to return to Woo’s new Chinese epic.

John Woo must be wondering: will the musical chairs ever end? That’s because the film has gone through a dizzying and embarrassing round of casting changes before a single reel has been shot.

At the outset, the two big stars of “Red Cliff,” about an ancient Chinese battle, were Chow and former Cannes best actor winner Tony Leung Chiu-wai, who were slated to play the general Zhou Yu and strategist Zhuge Liang.

Leung first dropped out, saying “Red Cliff” came too closely to his last movie and was replaced by Taiwanese-Japanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro. Then Chow followed, saying he got the movie’s script late, an allegation Woo’s producer has disputed.

In the first unexpected development, Leung, sympathetic to Woo’s predicament, agreed to return to the movie to take Chow’s old role as general Zhou. Now Chow wants back in too, after a round of negative press that has given the impression that the Hong Kong actor was behaving like a prima donna.

Confused yet? Find out more about this continuing saga that is already infinitely more entertaining than any script can come up with! Read the rest of this entry »

Director John Woo led his star-studded crew from “The Battle of Red Cliff” to meet with the media for the first time on Thursday.

Most members from the film’s star-heavy cast, including Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, Chiling Lin, and Zhao Wei, showed up at the press conference in Beijing to talk about their characters in the film.

The historical epic film keeps making headlines as filming encounters its own twists and turns.

At first, Cannes-winning actor Tony Leung announced his quitting before shooting had started in mid April, but later he returned to take on the role dropped by another Hong Kong big name, Chow Yun-Fat.

Chow Yun-Fat was reported to have left the cast just one day after shooting had begun, citing what reports describe as “various reasons.”

Besides its star-studded cast, the production team, led by John Woo and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” art director Timmy Yip, are also keeping movie-goers tantalized. [Cri]

He’s baaaack….

If the film is half as good as the behind the scenes goings on of the upcoming The Battle of Red Cliff, then this is going to be one heck of a film!

In the ongoing game of cinematic musical chairs, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, who quit director John Woo’s “The Battle of Red Cliff” last month, will rejoin the $70 million production following co-star Chow Yun-Fat’s sudden departure earlier this week, producer Terence Chang said on Thursday.

Leung previously was cast in the role of Zhuge Liang, but quit in March due to scheduling conflicts only to be replaced by actor Takeshi Kaneshiro.

“Leung’s one of the best actors working in Chinese cinema today, I’m so glad that he’s coming back to the production,” said producer Terence Chang. Asked if the film’s shooting schedule had been affected by the rapid series of cast changes Chang said, “Nothing is affected because we have so many characters in the story and it’s so complicated, one actor will not affect the production.”

A two-part production based on a decisive battle fought in China’s Three Kingdoms period (220-280AD), the film is Woo’s first Chinese language film after more than a decade. [HollywoodReporter]

Back in the day when egos didn’t get in the way….

Maybe the Beatles had their hand on the pulse of society in the 60s but things certainly have changed since they proclaimed in their shaggy hairstyles that “Money can’t buy me love!”. If you’ve been following the saga of Taiwan widower gajillionaire Terry Gou and his ostentatious courting of Carina Lau , Hong Kong movie star Tony Leung’s long term partner (Click Here to read about it), and his very flirtatious dalliances with young, beautiful models such as Taiwan’s Lin Chiling, then you might be reminded of another stateside tycoon.

According to Forbes magazine, Gou has a net worth of US$4.3 billion while this other hair challenged businessman is worth US$2.9 billion.

Lots of money, publicity seeker, a penchant for beautiful women, and wandering eyes… Yes, DaDump sees some comparisons between The Donald and The Terry. Do you?

Mr. Hair Comb-over himself hanging with the ladies

Money can get you Lin Chiling as a dance partner too….
watch those “Roman” hands, Gou!

Check out some more pics of The Terry after the jump…

Read the rest of this entry »

The object of a Bizarre Love Triangle

The rumor mill is in full swing as to the status of Hong Kong actress Carina Lau’s relationship with longtime partner, Tony Leung. After 17 years of being together, the press is swirling around the proclamations and antics of Taiwan billionaire, Terry Gou. The widowed billioniare announced that he is looking for a wife and has told reporters that Lin Chi-ling and Carina Lau, 41, are possibilities.

The Taiwan tycoon recently admitted that his feelings for Carina Lau are genuine and serious. Nevertheless, according to the Taipei Times, one of Taiwan’s most minted men nevertheless shared the love by flying Lin Chi-ling in his private jet to host one of his company’s parties.

Find out more about Gou’s indecent proposal towards Carina Lau after the jump!
Read the rest of this entry »

Cannes best actor winner Tony Leung Chiu-wai has worked with some of the top directors in ethnic Chinese cinema, and he says Taiwan’s Ang Lee is the toughest.

Leung worked with mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou on “Hero,” fellow Hong Konger Wong Kar-wai on several movies, and just finished shooting Lee’s spy thriller “Lust, Caution.”

Asked to compare the three directors, Leung said, “director Ang Lee’s demands are the strictest.”

“He has high expectations for himself, so he has very high demands for actors. He hopes you can deliver 200 percent. It’s tougher for the actors when they shoot and prepare for their roles. Ang Lee asks you to do things that are impossible,” Leung said. “But when you accomplish something that resembles what he asked for, you feel that it’s a very big achievement.” [IHT]

Maggie Q

Some of your favorite stars came out last night to celebrate the inaugural Asian Film Awards as part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival. A touch of glam, high voltage Asian/ International star power, a “Host” who won the hearts of the real HK hosts, and some much needed fun. Who do you think made DD’s Best Dressed?

To see the stars arrive in style with more pics,
head on over to the other side after the jump!

Read the rest of this entry »