Liza Wang | |||||||||||||
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Chinese :汪明荃 | |||||||||||||
Born | Wang Ming-chun 28 August 1947 | ||||||||||||
Other names |
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Occupations |
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Years active | 1967–present | ||||||||||||
Spouses | |||||||||||||
Awards | Ming Pao Anniversary Awards Outstanding Actress in Television 2005 Wars of In-Laws 2005 Honorary AwardRTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards – Golden Needle Award 2004 TVB Anniversary Awards – All-Time Most Memorable Female Leading Roles 1999 A House Is Not A Home My Favourite Television Character Contents
2012 2017 | ||||||||||||
Musical career | |||||||||||||
Also known as | The Big Sister [1] | ||||||||||||
Origin | Hong Kong | ||||||||||||
Genres | |||||||||||||
Instrument | Vocals | ||||||||||||
Formerly of | Four Golden Flowers | ||||||||||||
Chinese name | |||||||||||||
Chinese | 汪明荃 | ||||||||||||
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Website | Official website |
Elizabeth "Liza" Wang Ming-chun GBS SBS [2] [3] [4] [5] (born 28 August 1947), is a Hong Kong diva, actress and MC. She is a personality in Chinese-speaking communities. She has been nicknamed "The Big Sister" in the Hong Kong entertainment circle. [6] Wang was a delegate in the National People's Congress from 1988 to 1997, and she is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. [7]
Liza Wang was born on 28 August 1947 in Shanghai, She moved to Hong Kong from Shanghai in autumn 1956 and signed up for Rediffusion Hong Kong's first Artist Academy class in 1967. From thousands of applicants, the 20-year-old Liza was one of the nine that were picked to attend acting classes. She was also the first to graduate from the academy.
Her career has spanned four decades, since 1967. She began working for Rediffusion Television Limited (later renamed Asia Television and now defunct) until she joined TVB in 1971. She was one of the members of the all-girl music group Four Golden Flowers. [8] Wang initially made her mark in the entertainment industry in drama series. Her work in front of the camera was followed by that behind the scenes on television productions.
In 2005, she received the Best Actress award during TVB's 38th Anniversary. She received this award the second time for her role in Wars of In-laws . Wang received her first Best Actress award for her drama series The Awakening Story in 2001. She celebrated her 40th anniversary in the entertainment industry in 2007.
In parallel with her acting career Wang had a successful singing career, based on albums for her television series, consisting of TV theme songs. She has sung cantopop as well as mandopop. She performed duets with singer Adam Cheng. She continues to perform TV theme songs such as "東方之珠" for musical series like the 2006 Glittering Days. [9]
She experimented with stage musicals before becoming a Cantonese opera actress. It was within the Cantonese opera community that Wang met her longtime partner, Law Kar-ying. In 2005 the Sunbeam Theatre in North Point, Hong Kong's only regular venue for Cantonese Opera performances, was planned to close following a change of ownership. [7] Wang decided to negotiate with the new owner, who then promised to extend the contract with the Cantonese Opera groups. Wang then criticized the Government for its lack of support for Cantonese Opera, and the Government promised to adopt Wang's request.
Wang was Chairman of the Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong (香港八和會館) from 1992 to 1997, then again from 2005 to 2009. [7] In 2007 Wang was awarded the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award. [7] She was later awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the City University of Hong Kong.
In February 2009 Wang fought for the development rights to restore the North Kowloon Magistracy building (北九龍裁判法院) in Sham Shui Po. [10] The building was originally proposed to be a new Cantonese opera training and performance center. Hong Kong's government granted the bid to the US Savannah College of Art and Design. [10] Wang was upset over the loss, and said the government was only paying lip service to causes such as Cantonese opera. The magistracy building is to be turned into a school specializing in creative and digital media. [10] [11]
Since the 1997 handover of Hong Kong, the Chinese Communist Party have banned 8 of the 25 Hong Kong pan-democrat legislative councilors. They are barred from the mainland except for tours organized by the government. [12] On 6 March 2008 Wang began publicizing the need to grant 24 Home Return Permit to the pro-democracy lawmakers. [13] [14]
On Apr 29, 2020, The Hong Kong SAR announced the appointments to the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee which aims to promote the development of Cantonese opera, facilitating the transmission of this world intangible cultural heritage item, for the period from May 1, 2020, to April 30, 2022. [15] Wang is one of the members.
Wang mentioned that it was good timing to invite the democrats to enter mainland China in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [14]
" CPPCC chairman Jia Qinglin said we should unite people from different sectors – why not include the democrats as well? [14]
— Liza Wang tries to unite the opposing Democrats and Pro-Beijing side in Hong Kong.
The Pro-Beijing party Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong member Tam Yiu Chung responded that the Olympics was not a good reason for changing what the central government used to do. [ citation needed ] Her concerns baffled her colleagues in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. [1] Democrat member Albert Ho said the issue of a home visit permit was such a rightful thing. It has never been mentioned by any politician but a performer. He appreciates Wang's efforts. [14] Wang is a member, but not a standing committee member of the CPPCC.
As a mainstay at the TVB television network, Wang has gained almost legendary status[ according to whom? ] for her efforts not merely as an entertainer but also as a philanthropist with a heart for social works and for improving lives in rural China and other areas. Within Hong Kong, she has also been an MC hosting TVB telethons for Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and many other charities.
Wang, being a two-time cancer survivor (first thyroid then breast cancer), decided to be an executive committee member of the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. [7] A series of informative radio talk shows on RTHK was also hosted where medical specialists were invited to discuss the many types of cancer. She has helped raise charities, awareness and funding for cancer patients. Recently[ when? ] a free concert was given at Tin Shui Wai for 4,500 residents; the concert was filled to capacity and hundreds were turned away. The crowd prevented guest performers like Miriam Yeung and Denise Ho from arriving on time. Denise Ho ascribed the audience overflow to Wang's popularity. [6]
Liza Wang was married to businessman Lau Cheong Wah from 1971 to 1983 and they remain good friends. In the late 1980s, she met Law Kar-ying, openly acknowledged as her partner for over twenty years, and whom she married on 2 May 2009 in Las Vegas. [16] Being a native Shanghainese, Wang speaks fluent Shanghainese and has always identified as a Shanghainese. [17]
In recent years, Liza Wang has increased her usage in social media. However, upon uploading the photos with others, she has been handwriting the names of others on the photos. These handwritings have been occasionally described as "Wang Ah-Tag". [18] [19]
Year | Award | Category | Series | Result |
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1999 | TVB Anniversary Awards | All-Time Most Memorable Female Leading Roles | A House is not a Home | Won |
2000 | TVB Anniversary Awards | My Favourite Television Character | At the Threshold of an Era II | Won |
2001 | TVB Anniversary Awards | Best Actress | The Awakening Story | Won |
My Favourite Television Character | Won | |||
2005 | TVB Anniversary Awards | Best Actress | Wars of In-Laws | Won |
2010 | TVB Anniversary Awards | Best Host | Fun With Liza and Gods | Won |
2015 | Starhub TVB Awards | Best Actress | Limelight Years | Won |
Best Host | Sunday Songbird | Won | ||
Cantopop is a genre of pop music sung in Cantonese. Cantopop is also used to refer to the cultural context of its production and consumption. The genre began in the 1970s and became associated with Hong Kong popular music from the middle of the decade. Cantopop then reached its height of popularity in the 1980s and 1990s before slowly declining in the 2000s and shrinking in the 2010s. The term "Cantopop" itself was coined in 1978 after "Cantorock", a term first used in 1974. In the 1980s, Cantopop reached its highest glory with fanbase and concerts all over the world, especially in Macau, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. This was even more obvious with the influx of songs from Hong Kong movies during the time.
Anita Mui Yim-fong was a Hong Kong singer who made major contributions to the Cantopop music scene and received numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout her career, and is regarded as a Cantopop diva. She was dubbed as the "daughter of Hong Kong" and is considered one of the most iconic Cantopop singers.
Television Broadcasts Limited is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong. The company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Cantonese language service, and TVB Pearl as its main English service. TVB is headquartered at TVB City at the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate.
Charlene Choi Tsoek-jin is a Hong Kong actress and singer. She is a member of Cantopop group Twins, along with Gillian Chung.
Joyce Cheng Yan-yee is a Hong Kong Canadian singer and actress based in Hong Kong. She is the daughter of late Hong Kong comedian Lydia Shum and singer/actor Adam Cheng.
Gigi Lai is a Hong Kong actress and singer. Entering the entertainment industry in 1985, Lai was under a contract with the television station TVB from 1991 until she retired in 2008. Nicknamed by the Hong Kong media as the "Goddess of Beauty" (愛美神), she is best known for her roles in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (2000), War and Beauty (2004), for which she won the TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actress, The Charm Beneath (2005), The Dance of Passion (2006), and The Gem of Life (2009).
Tavia Yeung Sin-yiu, previously known as Tavia Yeung Yi, is a Hong Kong actress. She is best known for starring in the television dramas Vigilante Force (2003), Moonlight Resonance (2008), Beyond the Realm of Conscience (2009), The Mysteries of Love (2010), The Hippocratic Crush (2012) and Silver Spoon, Sterling Shackles (2012).
Louise Lee Si-kei is a Hong Kong actress and former Chinese Canadian newscaster.
Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong is a non-profit association of Cantonese opera groups and artists in Hong Kong, established in the 1880s.
The Four Golden Flowers was a TV musical performance girl group in the 1970s. They are one of the first all-girl modern music group in Hong Kong.
Dr Law Kar-ying is a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and actor.
Tang Bik-wan was a former Chinese actress and a Cantonese opera singer from Hong Kong. Tang is credited with over 280 films.
Leung Sing Poh MBE was an actor, host and former Cantonese opera performer from Hong Kong. Leung was a pioneer actor of TVB, and was also the former chairman of Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong from 1965 to 1970. He was nicknamed "Por Suk" or "Uncle Por", and was credited with over 440 films. He had a star at Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong.
Leon Ko Sai-tseung is a composer for musical theatre and films. He won a Richard Rodgers Development Award, a Golden Horse Award and numerous musical awards. His mother, Lucilla You Min (尤敏), was a famous actress in post-war Hong Kong Mandarin cinema and won "Best Actress" at the 1st Annual Golden Horse Awards and two consecutive Asian Film Festivals. His grandfather, Bak Yuk Tong (白玉堂), was a famous Cantonese opera artist, known as one of the Four Super Stars (四大天王).
Wāng (汪) is a Chinese surname. It was 104th of the Hundred Family Surnames poem, contained in the verse Yáo, Shào, Zhàn, Wāng (姚邵湛汪). In 2013, the Fuxi Cultural Association found the name to be the 60th most common in China, being shared by around 4.83 million people or 0.360% of the population, with the province with the largest population being Anhui. Another study found it to be the 58th-most-common surname in mainland China.
Limelight Years is a 2015 Hong Kong romantic television drama created and produced by TVB, starring Linda Chung, Liza Wang, Alex Fong, Damian Lau and Eliza Sam as the main cast. Filming took place from June till September 2014. The drama began airing on Hong Kong's Jade and HD Jade channels April 27 till May 22, 2015 every Monday through Friday during its 8:30-9:30 pm timeslot with a total of 22 episodes. The final 2 episodes aired on the same night as a 2-hour finale special on Sunday May 24, 2015 starting at 8:00 pm.
The term TVB "fadan" (花旦) is used to describe the most popular and highest paid actresses at Hong Kong television station, TVB. This term was first coined in the 1970s with the first group of fadans, Louise Lee, Liza Wang, Gigi Wong, and Angie Chiu
Clarisse Yeung Suet-ying is a Hong Kong politician. She is a former chairwoman of the Wan Chai District Council, representing Tai Hang.
The Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2024 was the 52nd Miss Hong Kong Pageant which its final was held on September 15, 2024. The Miss Hong Kong 2023 winner Hilary Chong (莊子璇) crowned her successor Ellyn Ngai (倪樂琳) at the end of the pageant.