Former Miss Hong Kong second runner-up Ng Yan Hei (formerly known as Ng Man Yan), after battling breast cancer for three years, sadly passed away in the early hours of the 9th at the age of 51. She was known for her candidness and outspoken personality. With her passing, her showbiz legend and personal feuds have once again become the focus of attention.
The story most talked about during Ng Yan Hei’s lifetime was her “casino connection” with superstar Leon Lai. While filming the movie “Love in the City” on location in Nepal, Ng Yan Hei almost lost all her casino chips. Just when she was at her lowest point, she ran into Leon Lai, who was on a winning streak. He gallantly said he would “change her luck,” then used her last remaining coins to place bets, miraculously turning her fortunes around. Afterwards, Leon Lai casually shared that he made a living this way while studying in the UK, causing Ng Yan Hei to praise him as a down-to-earth and loyal “real gambling god”, totally unlike a typical superstar.
Ng Yan Hei was also deeply impressed by Cecilia Cheung, who co-starred in the same movie. Ng Yan Hei once admired how beautiful Cecilia Cheung looked without makeup and how naturally talented her acting was—she could cry on cue in emotional scenes. When Ng Yan Hei asked for her secret, Cecilia Cheung confessed with a touch of sadness: “When you think about having to support your entire family by yourself, you’ll cry.” This left Ng Yan Hei feeling both sympathetic and admiring of her.
Ng Yan Hei’s straightforwardness brought dramatic turns to her career. In 2007, she publicly questioned top model Kathy Chow on a program, saying it was “blatant lying” to deny having plastic surgery. As Kathy Chow was a favorite artist of renowned director Wong Jing, he was enraged and immediately issued a “blacklist order,” vowing never to work with her again. This storm resulted in Ng Yan Hei, once flooded with acting offers, being effectively frozen out for 13 long years—not until 2020 did she return for a cameo in the series “Wonder Women”. As for being labeled the “Plastic Surgery Miss Hong Kong” by the public, she could only respond helplessly that, for being on camera and due to fate and superstition, she was willing to be an open guinea pig. Now that she is gone, her candor and feuds have come to a close.
News source: hush! Star News