Heart of The Modern Woman
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In early December 2003, Anita Mui launched a Chinese book, Heart Of The
Modern Woman. The book is published by Hong Kong's Ming Pao Weekly
and is a collaboration between Anita and Modern Beauty Salon, which
she endorsed. Besides a brief chapter on Anita Mui which she penned,
it contains her interviews conducted last November specially for the
book with more than a dozen of her celebrity pals, including Michelle Yeoh,
Jacky Cheung, Sammi Cheng, David Tao, Andy Hui, Kelly Chen, Nicholas
Tse and William So. The interviews see the stars chatting candidly
about their friendships as well as musing on women's role in life.
All proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Children's Cancer Foundation in Hong Kong. Anita had to skip the fundraise launching of her book due to her health condition.
Here I put a translation of the Michelle interview by Anita as a tribute to the character of both of them - Anita and Michelle, two extraordinary women and sister-like friends.
January 12, 2004
Anita Mui Yim Fong
(October 10 1963 - December 30 2003)
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A Strong Woman's Weakness
Two women. One is a Cantonpop queen, the other an international superstar. They have been close friends for more than a decade and there's been no gossip that has so much as intimated that anything unpleasant ever happened between them. When they were making movies together, they never cared about whose role was bigger or who would be the favorite. Instead, what they cared about was whether another person was injured and how bad the injury was. This is the true nature of the friendship between two strong women. Today these two strong women met. The topics they talked about went from how they met, their work, their weaknesses, their recent situation... to the crystal bracelets on their waists. Sometimes whispering, sometimes laughing loudly, their hands were tightly clasped together throughout the entire interview. Even the strongest women, when taking off their protective armor, can look like little girls. DANCING PALS Anita: We met each other through Eddie (Lau). Michelle: Right, the first time we met was at the opening of Eddie's shop. Anita: Before meeting you, I only knew you had been Miss Malaysia. I had never met you but Eddie often mentioned you. He said you were very frank and open, also a lot of fun, so I would like you for sure. I guess it's fate. Just with the first glance of you, I already felt we had certain connections. We chatted for a long time. We exchanged our phone numbers. Then we went for dinner together and hung out together. That was the start of our by now more than ten years of friendship. At that time we were both young. We both loved dancing. Sometimes after three and half hours of dancing we still didn't want to leave the party! Michelle: Then one would call the other person at the day after: "Oh no, how come I can't get out of bed?" Anita: Sometimes after a few drinks, I didn't even remember what happened a night before. My telephone was right next to my bed, supposed to be easy to reach. But my hands were shaking. Finally I picked up the phone. My first sentence was: "Michelle, what did we do last night?" You answered that we had danced. I asked you how come dancing could make me so sore - from head to toe - I couldn't even get out from the bed. Michelle: We danced like this (making some bending, twisting, etc. movements), for a full three and half hours! Anita: Our dancing at that time was not like today's fing style. We kicked, we bent, like we were doing martial arts. Michelle: Ha Ha, our other friends said it looked like we were on a show! AFRAID OF NEEDLES Anita: We have many similar character traits. We both look strong on the surface but we sometimes have our weakness too. You may not make a sound when injured, but you are afraid of needles. I remember during the filming of "The Heroic Trio", you had already injured your back during a wire sequence but you were still dangling on the wire and kept shooting. Suddenly we heard a "pop" sound, and you let out a slight groan. Then you were quiet, but we saw your tears rolling down. You said: "Keep (the camera) rolling". I shouted immediately: "What, keep rolling?! Stop!" All you said after we got you off the wire was: "Don't touch me. I will be fine, just don't touch me!" Maggie Cheung and I dragged you to the car and we drove to the hospital. At the gate you suddenly grabbed the door handle, refusing to go in. Michelle: (laughs loudly) You are probably talking about yourself! Anita: No! I remember it well. Although you were injured, you still were very strong. Your two hands had the force of four or five of us. I asked you why you didn't want to go to the hospital. Your explanation was that you were afraid of needles. I don't know if you were serious. Such a strong person like you being afraid of needles! Michelle: Performing action is my job. What I'm afraid of the most is getting injured and then going to hospital. Firstly, I'm scared of doctors. Secondly, I'm scared of needles. I've been afraid of taking medicine or getting shots since childhood. When my mom and dad forced me to take medicine, I would throw the pills in a flower pot right after they turned their back! Hospitals scare me. Every time it would be bed rests, traction, shots... Anita: Must be your imagination! Michelle: (laughs) Maybe. Meanwhile, I know very well about my back problem. Going to hospital wouldn't help. They would only order me to rest and not to do any action. But the film had already started, I couldn't keep all the crew members waiting only for me. There was no insurance when I was filming in Hong Kong. Interrupting shooting would affect so many people. So I would continue as long as I can. Anita: Do you consider yourself a strong woman? Michelle: I think it's most unfortunate that others are so sure that one is a strong woman. But I am not. Apart from work, I am a person who's afraid of getting into trouble. If there is a fight, the first thing I would do is leave. I don't know how to fight, and I think there is no winner when people fight. I don't feel I am strong at all. Anita: You are a calm person. You are a good listener. You also would help others to analyze the situation. You don't like to argue. You like to remain neutral. Michelle: Like I said, I don't like to create disturbance. I like to listen, because I think everyone has his or her own point of view. There is no absolute right or wrong in many cases. Everyone has his or her own growing environment, background, purpose and experience. So everyone may have his own answer. I think exactly because everyone is different, our world becomes so colorful. |
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* Article translated by Jane
* Thanks Kityi of YeohFanz for the book scans and Yvonne for the help with text editing.
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