Kara Hui, 62, Criticised For Harping On 41-Year-Old Fiona Sit’s Age On Reality Show

Veteran Hong Kong actress Kara Hui, who is one of the mentors on Chinese acting reality competition Memories Beyond Horizon, has found herself on the receiving end of criticism.

The 62-year-old, previously praised for being brutally honest, has been slammed by netizens for harping on actress Fiona Sit’s age on the show.

In the pilot episode, Kara warned Fiona, 41, who is one of 15 contestants, that she is unlikely to progress in her acting career if she sticks to acting young.

And in the latest episode, Kara saw fit to bring up Fiona's age again.

It all started when fellow mentor, director Derek Yee, mentioned that many actresses have difficulty accepting roles as mothers when they age.

He then asked guest stars, War and Beauty actresses Sheren Tang and Maggie Cheung Ho Yee, for their opinion.

However, before they could respond, Kara interjected: "I have always emphasised that every woman goes through an awkward stage. I started acting when I was 16, won an award at the age of 20. I was popular in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Then a friend said to me, ‘Congratulations, you will grow old.’ He said, ‘If people have the opportunity to grow old, it is their blessing. There are people in my family who did not have the opportunity to grow old. If you have the chance, you should appreciate it and be grateful for it.’”

She continued: "Actually, age is just a number. Sometimes when we overcome this obstacle, we can get past many things. However, I will still create opportunities for myself. When I hear that there is a good script, so I will go knocking on doors to get it. After studying it, I will plot a ‘chance meeting’ [with the director], and will grab [the role]. I have tried this many times, so the opportunity still lies in your own hands.”

When Sheren heard this, she shared that she used to dress more maturely as she didn’t want to keep playing sweet young things.

“I was still a child at that time, I wasn’t even 21 years old. I went to perm my hair and wore a suit, but I didn’t have the experience at the time. Later, I realised that as an actor you are portraying a person’s life. I am not afraid of taking on an older role, I'm just afraid that I won't be able to do it [convincingly]. Now when I look at sister Kara, she can take on any role and she is still the leading lady, I really think she is the benchmark. With her at the front, I am not afraid.”

Hearing this, Kara stepped forward and gave Sheren a hug. Then out of the blue, she said: “Fiona, [you’re] 41, are you afraid? Come here!"

Fiona appeared stunned for moment, before running to join them on stage.

Many netizens were turned off by Kara's actions and felt it was "unnecessary" of her to bring up Fiona’s age.

“There is no need to keep emphasising her age", said one netizen, while another wrote: “She shouldn't impose her experience on others."

However, some people think that Kara acted with Fiona’s interest at heart.

Photos: Memories Beyond Horizon