Yim Wai Ling/Mai Shuet

Michelle Yim

Early life and career

In 1975, Yim joined Commercial Television (CTV), and began her journey onto the television circles. In 1976, Yim acted in Legend of the Condor Heroes, a Wuxia TV series adaptation of Louis Cha's novel of the same title. For the first time, Yim took up the role as a female lead, portraying the character Wong Yung. This drama not only shot her into the limelight, but also created the first one million ratings in the television history. At that point she was named the "first and ever Wong Yung".^{[citation needed]} She has since been awarded the Top Ten Artiste Award several times.

With the closure of CTV in 1978, Yim became a contract-free actress, and many companies were vying to sign her up.^{[citation needed]} One of the companies, Television Broadcasts (TVB) managed to invite her to guest-star in one of the period drama, The Twins, which later become one of her best works.

Career: the 1980s and 1990s

During the 1980s, Yim signed and joined Rediffusion Television (RTV) (now ATV). There, she acted in several well-known drama serials, such as The Dynasty, The Radical City, Tai Chi Master, Princess Cheung Ping, The Legendary Fok and more, earning her the title of the "Princess of Wuxia Drama".

After her contract with RTV terminated, Yim was once again a contract-free actress, and this allowed her to work for the two companies (TVB and ATV) more easily. However, such situation is considered rare due to the intense competition between the two broadcasting companies. Examples like The Legend of Master Soand Tiger Hill Trail are still fondly remembered by the Chinese, especially the latter.

Other than films and television dramas, she has also acted in live performances. In 1982, she was invited by Roman Tam to perform in a musical play called Madame White Snake, portraying the role as the Green Snake. The cast included Roman Tam and Liza Wang. The responses were tremendous, and the trio was asked to perform in several large events on different occasions.^{[citation needed]}

In 1985, Yim returned to ATV and agreed to film a certain number of drama serials a year as part of her filming contract. At the same year, together with Damian Lau, she filmed a period drama, Chronicles of the Shadow Swordman, adapted from one of Wuxia writer Liang Yusheng's works. This drama received many praises and critical acclaims of their impressive performances, pushing them into next higher point. Since then, both were entitled the name of "Best Onscreen Couples/Lovebirds", and collaborated in many drama serials. Even now, they are still recognized as the best and ever duo in television industry.^{[citation needed]}

In 1990, she performed in another musical play, Cyrano De Bergerac, a story adapted from French literature. Her co-star was Adam Cheng. This play undeniably increased her exposure to the performing arts, and allowed her to take part more in musicals in the future. Yim signed a contract with TVB in 1993, acting in a 300+ episodes sitcom, Mind Our Own Business. Together with the rest of that cast, she performed in another musical play (The Flirty Doctor). She was involved in a musical play (I Have a Date with Spring) with Alice Lau as well.

Recent career

In 2000, Yim and Damian Lau starred as Cheung Mo-kei's parents in the TVB Wuxia drama, The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. Their performances were well-received, and both were praised and applauded for their acting. Especially Yim, past 40 yet capable of portraying the twenty-year-old heroine to acclaim. As such, she won the name of "The Forever Youthful".

Since 2000, she has been actively involved in several shows, including filming for drama serials, dancing, musical play, game shows, and even cooperated with overseas broadcasts companies. Cash Is King (2002) and The Rainbow Connection (2005) showed good examples. She has also hosted in programmes such as On the Road and Life In Frame (光影流情).

Yim's most recent drama serial, TVB's Moonlight Resonance, aired in July 2008. In this TVB's blockbuster serial, she portrays the villainous second wife, Yan Hung, who plots to have the family separated. Her performance in this serial has won her many praises and recognition. Yim won the Best Actress in the TVB Anniversary Awards 2008. In the final episode of Moonlight Resonance, which has the rating of over 47, the drama reached its peak at 50 rating during the scene when Yan Hung (character portrayed by Yim) slapped her daughter and shouted angrily to everyone present in her house.

On 3 December 2009, Yim won the Best Drama Performance by an Actress Award at the Asian Television Awards 2009 for her role inMoonlight Resonance.

Personal life

Michelle Yim had been in a long-term relationship with former soccer player and fellow actor, Wan Chi-keung, who died on 16 February 2010.^[1] They had been dating for many years, but Yim never considered getting married. When Wan was in hospital, Yim agreed to marry him.^{[citation needed]} When Wan died, Yim held her tears and carried on working twenty hours straight for Beauty Knows No Pain.^{[citation needed]}However, during Wan's funeral, she could no longer hold back her tears, hiding behind close friends as she wept. When leaving she was only able to utter a few words 'please make way for me'. Yim was very emotional at Wan's funeral.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Network	TVB Anniversary Awards	Notes
1975	Ups and Downs 樓上樓下		CTV
1976	Saga of Sui & Tang Dynasty 隋唐風雲		CTV
	Legend of the Condor Heroes 射雕英雄傳	Wong Yung	CTV		1st Female Lead
	The Return of the Condor Heroes 神雕俠侶	Wong Yung	CTV
	Heroes From Guangdong 廣東好漢		CTV
	Blindness 雌雄金剛之盲禍		CTV
1977	Small vs Big 細魚食大魚		CTV
	Side Story of the Pugilistic World 武林外史		CTV
	YeePik Wan Tin 義薄雲天		CTV
	Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢		CTV
1978	Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain 雪山飛狐	Yuen Tsi-yee 袁紫衣	CTV		2nd Female Lead
	Love Affairs 名流情史		CTV
	The Wind and Thunderous Saber 風雷第一刀		CTV
1979	The Twins 絕代雙驕	So Ying	TVB
1980	On The Waterfront 湖海争霸录		RTV
	The Dynasty 大内群英		RTV
	Fatherland (II) - Radical City 大地恩情之古都惊雷		RTV
	Tai Chi Master 太極張三豐	To Choi-yi	RTV
1981	The Coma 大昏迷		RTV
	Princess Cheung Ping 武俠帝女花		RTV
	The Legendary Fok 大俠霍元甲	Chiu Sin-nam	RTV
1982	Hong Kong'82 香港82		TVB
	The Legend of Master So 蘇乞兒	Siu Ling	TVB
1983	Tiger Hill Trail 再向虎山行		ATV
	Heroes From Zhujiang 珠江群龍		ATV
1984	The Undercover Agents 四大名捕		ATV
	Below The Lion Rock 獅子山下之落雨擔遮		RTHK
	Miracle of the Orient I 香江歲月1		RTHK
1985	Chronicles of the Shadow Swordman 萍蹤俠影錄	Wan Lui 雲蕾	ATV		1st Female Lead
	Romance of the Maples Leaves 楓葉盟		TTV
	The Legendary Prime Minister - Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮		ATV
	Chor Lau-heung 楚留香新傳	Su Rongrong / Su Mangmang	CTV
1986	Rise of the Great Wall 秦始皇	Suet-ying	ATV
	The Royal Sword 金劍神傳
	Lady C.I.D 柔情點三八		ATV
1987	Laugh In The Sleeves 啼笑姻緣		ATV
1988	Mai Wan 迷魂		ATV
	The Formidable Lady From Shaolin 少林與詠春	Yim Wing-chun	TVB
	Law and Order 法網柔情		ATV
	Hung Ling 凶靈		ATV
	Storm In October 十月風暴		ATV
	August Scent 八月桂花香		TTV
1989	Lady Enforcer 皇家儷人		ATV
1990	Heaven's Retribution 還看今朝	Shum Suet-ying	ATV
	Bloodshed Over the Forbidden City 血染紫禁城	Empress Dowager Cixi	ATV
	Last Song for Killer 殺手輓歌		ATV
1991	The Good Fella From Temple Street 廟街豪情	Cheung Wai-tak	ATV
	Legend of A Beauty 一代天驕		SBC
1992	Queen of the Opera 香港傳奇人物之天之嬌女		ATV
	Casanova In China 伯虎为卿狂	Mui Lan-sin	ATV
	AIDS Carrier 性本善之帶菌者		RTHK
	Return To The Truth 還我今生	Lam Suk-han	ATV
	Mythical Crane and Magical Needle 92 仙鶴神針	Lam Chui-dip	ATV
1993	CYC Family CYC家族
	Mind Our Own Business 開心華之里	Ching Yu-chu	TVB
1995	Down Memory Lane 萬里長情	Yuen Sau-lan	TVB
	Justice Pao 包青天之滄海月明珠有淚	Ngok Ming-chu	ATV
1996	Justice Pao 包青天之忘情酒坊	To Sap-sam	TVB		1st Female Lead
	King of Gambler 千王之王重出江湖	Sam Siu-chun	ATV
	Miracle of the Orient II 香江歲月II		RTHK
1997	The Snow is Red 雪花神劍	Nip Mei-neung	ATV
1998	King Fei Kau Leung Chu Sam Kok 警匪較量珠三角
2000	Bond of Friendship 人間友情		HVD		1st Female Lead
2001	Reaching Out 美麗人生	Chan Kiu	TVB
	The Heaven Sword & The Dragon Sabre	Yan So-so	TVB		Supporting Role
2002	Cash is King 勝券在握	Leung Bing-bing	SPH
2004	Venture Against Time 子是故人來	Sing Mei-kuen	ATV
2005	The Academy	Chan Yin-Ting	TVB		Supporting Role
	The Rainbow Connection 舞出彩虹	Ching Rui-suet	MediaCorp		3rd Female Lead
	The Gentle Crackdown 秀才遇著兵	Gam Ying	TVB	Nominated - Best Supporting Actress (Top 5)	2nd Female Lead
	Into Thin Air 人間蒸發	Kong Lai-ping	TVB		Supporting Role
2007	The Brink of Law 突圍行動	Sung Gam-chi	TVB	Nominated - Best Actress (Top 20)	4th Female Lead
	Heart of Greed 溏心風暴	Ling Lei 凌莉	TVB	Nominated - My Favourite Female Character (Top 24)	4th Female Lead
	On the First Beat 學警出更	Chan Yin-ting 陳燕婷	TVB		Supporting Role
	ICAC Investigators 2007 廉政行動2007	Lei Yuet-kuen 李月娟	TVB		1st Female Lead
2008	Moonlight Resonance 溏心風暴之家好月圓	Yan Hung 殷紅	TVB	Won - Best Actress	2nd Female Lead
	Love Tribulations 鎖清秋	Yin Shi-hong 殷惜紅	GZBN		3rd Female Lead
2009	Beyond the Realm of Conscience 宮心計	Chung Suet-ha 鍾雪霞	TVB	Nominated - Best Supporting Actress (Top 5)	3rd Female Lead
	The Great Handmaiden 大丫鬟	Liang Yu-yu 梁玉茹	HNETV		3rd Female Lead
2010	The Season of Fate 五味人生	Wang Yeuk-lam 汪若嵐	TVB	Nominated - Best Actress (Top 15)	2nd Female Lead
	Beauty Knows No Pain 女人最痛	Wong Hoi-king, Noble 汪海鯨	TVB		2nd Female Lead
	Show Me the Happy 依家有喜	Chai Chuen, Anna 齊荃	TVB		2nd Female Lead
2011	The Great Eunuch 大太監	Empress Dowager Cixi 慈禧太后	TVB		1st Female Lead

Television

Musical stage performances

Year	Title	Notes
1982	Madame White Snake 白蛇傳
1990	Cyrano De Bergerac 美人如玉劍如虹
1992	Tin Nui San Wah 天女散華
1995	The Flirty Doctor 風流醫生手尾長
	My Date With Spring 我和春天有個約會
1996	Hu Du Men 虎度門
2001	The Butterfly Lovers 梁祝	guest star