Actress Stephy Tang's Career Lows—Relied on Borrowing 49 Ringgit from Carlos Chan to Get Home

Stephy Tang clinched the Best Actress title at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards in 2025 for her role in 'Breaking Hell.' This year, she snatched the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards' 'Best Supporting Actress' with her seven-year-old film 'Goodbye UFO,' making it two consecutive years of honors—a grand slam in her acting career.

The 41-year-old accepted a remote interview with Lianhe Zaobao, reflecting on her nearly 19 years in showbiz and its ups and downs. In previous interviews, she shared about enduring prolonged career stagnation—periods without work—during which she and fellow actor Carlos Chan supported each other. Tang said: “We were broke and living far away at the time. We often had to borrow 100 HKD (about 49 Ringgit) from each other to pay for the ride home (whoever had a bit more would lend it to the other). But I never thought it was tough. Instead, having a 'comrade-in-arms' quietly striving by my side became a powerful source of strength for both of us.”

Unforgettable Praise from Sean Lau Ching-wan—Husband is Her Fortress
She highlighted three key figures and turning points in her acting life: besides Carlos Chan, she mentioned the renowned actor Sean Lau Ching-wan. Tang recalled, “It was only a one-day cameo as a psychiatric patient in the 2015 film 'Insanity,' with very little screen time, but I still visited a psychiatric hospital to observe real patients for the role. Later, Sean Lau and his psychiatrist friend watched the movie, and praised my performance as very convincing. That made me so happy!”

Lau's praise and validation allowed Tang, who was experiencing self-doubt, to settle her heart. She says, “Even if it's a small role, as long as you work hard and don't give up, someone will always notice.”

The third key figure, and perhaps the most important in her life—her newlywed doctor husband, Chow Tsz-on, whom she describes as her 'fortress.' At award ceremonies and celebration banquets, her husband was always lovingly by her side. The couple even shared public, sweet kisses, drawing envious gazes. Tang says their complementary personalities bring her tremendous support.

The Role of 'Mother' Feels Too Challenging—No Child Plans Yet
When filming romantic or intimate scenes, Tang always proactively notifies her husband out of respect, even though he never objects. Since marrying, she admits her mentality has changed—she’s learned to manage her time, put more effort into her family, and care for her husband’s emotions. Asked about baby plans, Tang candidly admitted it’s not on her mind for now.

“My husband and I have discussed this, but raising a child is an enormous responsibility—the role of 'mother' just seems too difficult! Haha!” For now, she wants to focus on her career. She and her husband may revisit the topic in the future.

Hopes to Try Zany Comedy & Tackle Stage Performances
With her acting recognized by awards, Tang observes the world feels shrouded by pessimism, and she hopes to do more comedies in the future, “because making people laugh is much harder than making them cry.” She’s open to wild transformations—like the outrageous landlady in Stephen Chow’s 'Kung Fu'—and welcomes even wilder, more exaggerated roles! She also wants to try stage acting, as she enjoys the process of unlimited trial and error in rehearsals—every bit of backstage effort gets condensed into one minute on stage, truly challenging the live performer’s skills.

Asked what advice she’d give newcomers or aspiring actors, having scaled both the lows and highs of her career, Tang paused to consider: “Now is the best, and also the worst of times. It’s the best because the internet is so advanced—learning anything is easy, and young people need not wait—opportunities can be created on their own. But the worst part is also the internet, which can be so destructive you need a really strong heart.”

Having been in the industry for nearly 20 years, Tang admits she’s still affected by harsh comments on social media. She once thought time would make her stronger, but even now, reading nasty remarks can still break her heart. So, her advice to newcomers: 'If you know a comment is going to be toxic, just don’t read it.' She also encourages them that if the road becomes too tough, it’s okay not to keep pushing blindly—'If it’s too hard to walk ahead, stop for a while, take a detour, even if it’s longer, as long as you ultimately arrive at a place where you’re comfortable. Don’t be too hard on yourself.'

The Singapore Film Society and Clover Films will jointly present the 'Her Story: Women of Strength and Resilience on Screen' film showcase, screening three selected films from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia from May 15 to 24 at Golden Village Plaza Singapura (GV Plaza Singapura), in their original soundtracks. The featured films include 'Goodbye UFO,' 'Whale Island,' and 'Mother Earth.'

The public can visit www.gv.com.sg for more information and ticketing.