[2022.11.20] ANONYMOUS LETTER CLAIMS ACTRESS FORCED TO PERFORM IN THE NUDE

THE SPARRING PARTNER's special contract actress Suen Wo Hei claims that anonymous letter content is untrue

Philip Yung
courtesy of mingpao.com

The film THE SPARRING PARTNER (JING YI WUI LONG) has been a critical and commercial success. Its box office passed HK$ 20 million. Despite the good news, two nights ago an anonymous letter went viral online. It claimed that the production team forced two special contract actresses to perform topless in the film. Producer Philip Yung Tsz Kwong tried to disarm the bomb in light speed, responded to the accusations. Both actresses also have come out to clarify.

Two nights ago a facebook page released an anonymous letter that condemned THE SPARRING PARTNER team. It claimed to be from a worker from the team, citing that two special contract actresses (foreign and Mainland actresses) originally only needed to bare their back. However on the set they were requested to remove their tops and bottoms. They were unwilling, but due to the language barriers and on the set pressure they submitted. The set was not clear. The producer after the cameras stopped thought that they were wasting time by covering up. "They showed everything, any cover would be useless." Afterward he only gave them HK$ 500 more and was accused of exploiting the special contract actresses' dignity and rights.

The anonymous letter led to an overwhelming response. Some condemned the team's behavior, but some also questioned the content and the goal of the anonymous letter. THE SPARRING PARTNER producer Yung Tsz Kwong two nights ago rapidly responded on social media. He said, "I dare to say with certainty, the treatment of the actresses in the nude performance as depicted in the letter was absolutely untrue." He said that he personally contacted the scene's Chinese actress Suen Wo Hei. She is a body art model. Before the performance they already have an agreement, absolutely no coercion was involved.

Suen Wo Hei also on her personal social platform clarified that the content of the related article was untrue. She said that she spoke Cantonese so there was no language barrier. "During the shoot, my husband sat next to the director and the producer. If I really ran into anything unfair and unjust, I would stand out. I wouldn't need to have someone else speak up for me at this moment." Yung Tsz Kong thanked her for speaking up for the team. He also releases a conversation with another foreign actress Maria Smith, she said that she was not pressured and instead asked Yung Tsz Kwong who wrote the letter. Yesterday the facebook page that posted the anonymous letter issued an apology, citing that the responses from Yung Tsz Kwong and Suen Wo Hei were different from the source of the information. Due to the inability to provide solid evidence, it in order to avoid affecting even more people issued the apology.

In addition, director Ho Cheuk Tin at an audience appreciation event once said that when the box office exceeded HK$ 20 million he would release footage that did not make the movie. Yesterday he "paid the bill"; the removed scene was after the trial, two lawyers for the defense Louisa So Yuk Wa and Jan Lamb Hoi Fung chatted with the prosecutor Michael Chow Man Kin in the elevator. Lam Hoi Fung was gossiping with Chow Man Kin whether another case would charge "Bow Tie". So Yuk Wa said that she found an alternative treatment for Chow Man Kin's father and asked for HK$ 200,000. Finally Lamb Hoi Fung said, "Then you are better off giving me the 200,000."