[2013.04.03] TONY LEUNG OUT CHOK TONY LEUNG

courtesy of on.cc

Frequent Best Actor winner Tony Leung Chiu Wai is only a dark horse this year

Is Best Actor Tony Leung Ka Fai trying to catch wind of his chances?

Best Actress nominee Sammi Cheng is confident and hopes to win with Johnnie To's ROMANCING IN THIN AIR

Zhou Xun faces possible vote split with two nominations

With numerous Best Actor nominations Lau Ching Wan is happy about THE BULLET VANISHES one  because he likes the character of justice

Best Actor nominee Nick Cheung is calm and composed

VULGARIA's self proclaimed Best Actor rookie Chapman To and Best Supporting Actress nominee DaDa Chan

Sammi Cheng puts on Piaget diamond jewelry sponsorship for the program shoot

LOVE IN THE BUFF Best Director nominee Pang Ho Cheung and Best Actress nominee Miriam Yeung

Elanne Kong and Sammy Sum are both newcomers.  She is the LOVE LIFTING Best Actress nominee and  he is the LAN KWAI FONG 2 Best New Actor nominee
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 32nd Hong Kong Film Award will take place on the 13th at the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Center. Earlier the Best Actor and Best Actress nominees Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Chapman To Man Jat, Lau Ching Wan, Sammi Cheng Sau Man, Miriam Yeung Chin Wa, Zhou Xun and Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam dressed up and put of Piaget sponsored diamond jewelry for the program photo shoot.

Online opinions felt that this year the Best Actor will be the battle between the two Fais, COLD WAR (HONG JING)'s Leung Ka Fai and NIGHTFALL (DAI JUI BO)'s Cheung Ka Fai. However Leung Ka Fai was seen as the favorite, his explosive deputy commissioner Lee Sir received wide praises as suitable, not excessive, completely left Aaron Kwok Fu Sing in the dust; Cheung Ka Fai in NIGHTFALL was exaggerated and a little hard for some to watch.

Favorite Leung Ka Fai did not feel any pressure but did not feel that he would certainly win Best Actor. He said, "My advantage is I never think about it, this way the confidence would be even greater. When I watch other people's performance I always feel it's outstanding, when I watch mine I would have a lot to pick apart. Experience has taught me that as long as I am nominated, my acting has already been recognized." VULGARIA (DAI JOOK HEI KET)'s first time nominee To Man Jat just wanted to be a part of it. Like Leung Ka Fai he did not dare to think too much.

The 25th Hong Kong Film Award Best Actress with PERHAPS LOVE (YU GOR OI), Zhou Xun although has been recognized as a good actress who has been able to capture viewers' hearts with each film performance, this time she has two nominations with THE GREAT MAGICIAN (DAI MOR SHOOK SI) and THE SILENT WAR (TING FUNG JEH). Many felt that she would be like Cheng Sau Man at the 21st Hong Kong Film Award as 3 nominations FIGHTING FOR LOVE (TUNG GUI MUK YAU), LOVE ON A DIET (SAU SUN NAM NUI), and WU YEN (CHUNG MO YIM) split her votes and she lost to FOREVER AND EVER (DEI GAU TIN CHEUNG0's Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga).

This year everyone instead thought Sammi had a chance, citing that she carried the entire film in ROMANCING IN THIN AIR (GO HOI BUT JI LUEN II). The character had more potential, her acting was mature and moved people to tears. It was drastically different from her past silly lady characters; Sammi's main rival was LOVE IN THE BUFF (CHUN GIU YU JI MING)'s Yeung Chin Wa. Sammi said, "Receiving everyone's recognition, I have to thank two mentors, director (Herman) Yau Lai To who brought me into the film industry and my teacher and friend director (Johnnie) To Kei Fung. I hope to win Best Actress with To Kei Fung's movie in order to repay him." However, Kong Yeuk Lam who gained 20 pounds for her character, a weightlifter, was seen as the dark horse. Kong Yeuk Lam did not dare think whether she would be able to defeat her elders and admitted that she did not have much confidence.

Director Andrew Lau Wai Keung picked Cheung Ka Fai and Yeung Chin Wa. He said, "Cheung Ka Fai in NIGHTFALL made a lot of sacrifices for his character. In addition he did not have any line or any expression, it was very difficult. Now many Hong Kong actors would not do that, as they would rather take the money and run. They wouldn't make any preparation for their characters before hand. Yeung Chin Wa's performance became more and more natural and charming. Although she is already a mother, her helplessness in LOVE IN THE BUFF was very well played and left a deep impression with viewers."