Sheren Tang Opens Up About Losing Best Actress To Her War And Beauty Co-Star Gigi Lai In 2004

Hongkong actress Sheren Tang, 56, recently appeared on Douyin talk show, Ta De Shuang Chong Zou, where she talked about the time she was nominated for Best Actress at the TVB Anniversary Awards in 2004.

Sheren, who was up against her War and Beauty co-stars Charmaine Sheh and Gigi Lai was considered the shoo-in for the award. Her portrayal of the cruel but criminally misunderstood Imperial Consort Yu was extremely well-received by audiences and had propelled her career to greater heights.However, when the results were announced, it was Gigi who took home the award. A huge uproar erupted among Hongkongers, many of whom felt that the actress was robbed and that Gigi only won because she had renewed her contract with TVB just before the awards.

The backlash was so loud, even the ICAC (yes, Hongkong's anti-corruption commission) got involved, leading investigations on whether foul play is involved.

When asked about it, Sheren said she has long gotten over the snub. [Ed: Well, it has been 18 years...]

“Every awards show has its own rules. Every single one, not just TVB, but Hollywood and everything else. Perhaps I felt a little disappointed back then because there were so many people who thought I did well and were rooting for me. [I] was also influenced by that, so I feel that we shouldn’t be so calculative in the moment,” said the actress.

She added: “I already did my best and put in my all for the performance and it’s enough that the audience saw my efforts. I will always feel that winning an award [is like having] dessert [after a meal].”

Here’s one surprising revelation from that interview: Sheren does not like acting in palace-themed dramas. 

“Many have offered me roles in dramas that feature the struggles of being in the imperial palace, but I rejected them all… I genuinely don’t feel happy being in such dramas as I hate the infighting [of the characters]. Although I still give my best performance and feel satisfied watching myself do so, when I watch the replays of my scenes during filming, I feel a sort of unhappiness,” said Sheren, adding that she finds the scheming and fighting very meaningless. 

She is also afraid of being a bad example for others.

The peace-loving actress said: “[When I appeared in War and Beauty], there was a scene where I had to kill someone right after making my first appearance. Many kids viewed my character as their idol, and I feel like that was a bad influence on society. Why should [we] kill? I murder someone the moment I appear? How did I end up being their idol, why must people fight amongst each other? I don’t like it!”

Everything else aside, Sheren, who has found a lot of success working in China, is thankful for the opportunities she’s been blessed with.

“When I see some of my old colleagues, maybe because the market in Hongkong is a lot smaller [than China], I see that they have no opportunities at all, or they’ve been neglected, or eliminated from the industry. My heart goes out to them,” she said.

Photos: Sheren Tang/ Instagram, Sinchew News