Maggie Cheung Was Once Called “Stupid" And A “Bad Actress”By A TVB Cameraman When She First Debuted

It’s hard to imagine it now, but Hongkong actress Maggie Cheung was apparently a really bad actress when she was first starting out, according to certain industry folk.

Though Maggie has not starred in any projects since 2004, the 57-year-old is still an internationally-acclaimed actress, having won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress five times, as well as four Golden Horse Awards for Best Leading Actress. And of course, how could we leave out her Best Actress win at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004?

However, Hongkong actor Wong Yat San, 57, recently shared a short anecdote about an encounter he had with Maggie and a TVB cameraman, who’s affectionately known as Fatty Hua.

As it turns out, Yat San was interviewing Maggie for an entertainment programme that he was hosting, with Fatty Hua as the cameraman. However, Fatty Hua looked to be extremely nervous and frightened.

Curious, Yat San asked Fatty Hua if he was feeling alright. But before Fatty Hua could answer, Maggie arrived at the set.

Laughing, Yat San went on to share: “After Maggie arrived, the first person she greeted was not me, but Fatty Hua. We couldn’t help but to wonder why Fatty Hua looked so out-of-sorts. And so, Maggie gamely shared their ‘history’ together.”

“She revealed that while she was filming [the 1984 TVB drama] Police Cadet ’84, Fatty Hua berated her, telling her that she was stupid, and that she couldn’t act. From that day on, she resolved to become a great actress,” Yat San added.

As Maggie shared the story, Fatty Hua couldn’t help but tremble behind his camera. After all, Maggie was already an internationally-recognised actress then, while Fatty Hua was merely a cameraman.

However, Maggie bore no ill-will towards Fatty Hua. Even as she shared the story, Maggie had a smile on her face.

Later, Yat San approached Fatty Hua to ask why he was so harsh on Maggie. Fatty Hua then revealed that when Maggie was filming Police Cadet ’84, she truly had no idea how to act.

“She couldn’t understand anything, even when we explained it to her, and constantly had NG takes,” Fatty Hua said. Yat San also provided some background context, adding that TVB’s cameramen were really fierce back then, and would not hesitate to show their displeasure if there were multiple NG takes. Fatty Hua was no exception, and berated Maggie for “wasting everyone’s time”. 

Even Maggie’s Police Cadet '84 co-star, the famously mild-mannered Tony Leung, criticised Maggie for her lack of acting skills.

Yat San added: “Since Maggie joined showbiz after taking part in the Miss Hong Kong pageant, and did not attend the artiste training courses, it’s only natural that she wouldn’t know how to act. However Fatty Hua’s words might have served as a form of motivation for her, and shaped her into the Maggie that we all know today.”

Photos: PBE Media, China Press