She caused a sensation in her breakout role in and as Anita, but with A Guilty Conscience, where she plays a woman accused of killing her own child, Louise Wong seems to have truly arrived. Faye Bradley caught up with the actress.
Anita (2021) catapulted Louise Wong into overnight stardom. Film scholars see a reflection of the Hong Kong spirit in the actress’ willingness to take risks and go the extra mile to be better at her craft. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Louise Wong made quite an entry at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards in April. Resplendent in rubies from the Chopard High Jewelry Collections, an Omega diamond-encrusted watch, and a shimmering, silver Georges Hobeika gown, the actress easily commanded the spotlight. Later, Wong switched to a tuxedo by Ralph Lauren. Her styling that evening resonated with her ambition to be versatile — as she had told a leading style magazine in a recent interview.
A professional model since the age of 16, Wong joined the ranks of Hong Kong cinema’s rising stars with her breakthrough role as the much-beloved Cantopop legend Anita Mui (1963-2003) in the 2021 biopic, Anita. She followed it up with a cameo in the hit comedy Table for Six (2022) before landing a starring role in A Guilty Conscience (2023). Starring Dayo Wong and Tse Kwan-ho, the mystery crime comedy film met with widespread critical acclaim and quickly became Hong Kong’s highest-grossing film. It also topped the mainland box office on its opening weekend.
Louise Wong in Anita (2021). (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Wong received nine nominations for her star turn in Anita, winning in 2022 Best New Performer at the Hong Kong Film Awards, Best Newcomer at the Beijing Student Film Festival, and New Performer of the Year at the China Film Critics Association Awards.
Landing the role of the iconic Cantopop star was no mean feat. When she got the news, Wong felt both grateful and tense. “Anita is such a legend. I knew it would be a big challenge,” she recalls. “I was so scared that I flew to Thailand and cried in a hotel room for two days.” Once reality had sunk in, Wong composed herself and got ready to face the challenge that lay ahead. “I believe they chose me for a reason, so I decided to try my best!”
Wong can see the parallels between herself and Mui. Both had humble beginnings and were raised by a single mother. Born in 1990, Wong grew up in a public-housing estate. Her parents split up when she was young. Wong’s mother was the sole breadwinner in a family of three. Much of Wong’s growing-up years was spent taking care of her little brother as a result.
A Guilty Conscience (2023). (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Big breaks
Her foray into acting wasn’t the result of long-term planning. As a teenager, Wong studied fashion design and modeled for a senior student’s final project. “She encouraged me to join a modeling competition, which I won, and that started my modeling career,” she reflects, referring to her crowning glory with Elite Model Look — the same competition that helped launch the careers of supermodels Cindy Crawford and Gisele Bündchen. Alongside working with major fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Shanghai Tang, Wong embraced the odd acting gig that came her way. Her audition for Anita was “the first time I had to act seriously”, she says. When she heard certain members of the casting team were moved to tears during her audition, Wong knew she had found her calling. “It was a magical feeling that made me want to pursue acting.”
Jack Ng, director of A Guilty Conscience, first met Wong on the set of Anita. “I used to have some reservations (about working) with international models, but my opinion changed the day I met Louise,” Ng says. He was taken by what he describes as Wong’s “sincere gaze”. To prepare for the role, Wong took singing and dancing lessons. “She worked hard, and her progress in half a year was impressive,” says Ng.
Released at a time when the pandemic was raging, Anita provided a welcome dose of nostalgia for local audiences. Wong’s physical resemblance to Mui helped make her an instant hit with long-time fans of the late icon. Dorothy Lau Wai-sim, assistant professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University’s (HKBU) Academy of Film, thinks it was a piece of “successful casting”, vindicated by Wong’s talent for breathing life into an iconic character. Besides, the HKBU academic points out, the arrival of Wong provided a welcome break from the familiar faces in the local industry.
“Wong represents a plausible link between Hong Kong actors of the late 20th century (exemplified by her credibility in the role of Mui) and the reemergence of local cultural power at present,” Lau says.
Kenny Ng Kwok-kwan, associate professor and the director of the Centre for Film and Moving Image Research at HKBU, agrees: “Wong’s perseverance to go against the odds in life, her openness to trying out new things and accepting new challenges, and her trajectory so far are a fitting illustration of the Hong Kong spirit.”
In a tuxedo at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards in April. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Playing by heart
In A Guilty Conscience, Wong plays a single mother wrongly convicted of killing her young daughter.
The dramatic buildup in the final courtroom scene which she shares with acting heavyweight Dayo Wong playing a defense attorney is a fine example of the level of expertise her role demanded. “Dayo’s performance guided my outburst of emotion,” the actress remembers.
Director Ng thinks Wong was perfect in that scene. “What I admired most about her was her determination when she acted. She was fierce, never complained, and used both her heart and brain.”
Empathy comes naturally to her. Wong says she owes it to her mother and grandmother. “They are strong and hardworking women, and I feel they gave me their strength,” she says.
Wong also idolizes Michelle Yeoh, who recently made history when she became the first Asian to receive the best-actress gong at the 95th Academy Awards. “I really admire Michelle’s talent, and I respect her fearlessness in following her dream to Hollywood, and creating such a huge impact as an Asian woman.”
When it comes to priorities, though, Wong puts family above all else. She shares a daughter, Affa, with an ex-boyfriend, and married actor-singer Sheldon Lo in 2020. “No matter how busy I am, I always find time for my family,” she says. “I’m still learning about work-life balance.”
Wong’s moviemaking journey has only just begun. Having taken on two leading roles in successful films in quick succession, she’s ready for her next challenge. “I think if I can play a more diverse range of characters and gain more experience, I’ll be able to improve much faster, and that will make me very happy,” she says.
Ng can see Wong going places. “I think one day when Louise does an action movie, the audience will love her even more,” he declares. “With her looks and heroic spirit, she is no less capable than male actors and may even surpass them. I’m looking forward to seeing Louise become a kung fu fighter.”
