Background
Yau grew up in Tung Tau Estate in Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, Hong Kong. In 1980, she graduated from Chi Tak Public School (morning session) as part of the school’s 18th graduating class. She then attended The Salvation Army William Booth Secondary School, Pentecostal Holiness Church Wing Kwong College, where she served as the student union president, and Chan Shu Kui Memorial School, completing her secondary education in 1985.
In 1987, Yau participated in the Miss Hong Kong Pageant and was the first contestant announced to enter the top 12. She was considered a strong contender for the title, but allegations surfaced accusing her of having undergone chin surgery. Despite her explanation that the surgery was the result of a childhood bike accident, the controversy persisted, and under the pageant organizers’ advice, Yau withdrew from the competition. [1]
Shortly after withdrawing, Yau signed with TVB and began her career in the entertainment industry, with her acting debut in the TV series Police Cadet ’88. In 1988, she made her film debut, starring alongside Andy Lau in The Crazy Companies , which marked the beginning of a prolific film career as one of the leading actresses of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 1992, she received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Lee Rock. That same year, at the suggestion of director Wong Jing, Yau transitioned from her previous innocent image to a more bold and sensual persona, most notably in Naked Killer, the cult classic that established her as a sex symbol and earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 1993 Hong Kong Film Awards. [2] [3] She later received the same nomination for her performances in I'm Your Birthday Cake (1995) and Hold You Tight (1998). [4] Yau’s final performance before her marriage was in Leslie Cheung’s music special Left Right Love Affair.
Personal life
In 1988, Wong Jing invited Yau to co-star with Carol Cheng in the film Mr. Possessed. Following this, Yau became Wong Jing’s muse and girlfriend. At Wong’s suggestion, Yau abandoned her innocent and lively girl-next-door image and transformed into a sex symbol. In 1997, Yau and Wong ended their relationship. [5] [6]
In 1999, Yau married Hong Kong businessman Sham Kar Wai, founder of Hong Kong–based fashion company I.T. They have three daughters, with the eldest Ayla Sham Yuet being a model. [7]
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