FLUFF OF THE WEEK -- JANUARY 19 2000

From FLUFF OF THE WEEK -- JANUARY 19 2000

BECOMING THE MILLENNIUM BRIDE AT ANY MOMENT
MICHELLE YEOH : I HAVE NO RESIDUAL FEAR OF MARRIAGE 		THERMOMETER
No matter how strong a woman is, in the end she still needs a man's company.
Engaged to American heart doctor Alan Heldman, Yeung Chi King (Michelle)'s feeling for this tall yet caring fiance grows daily. When Michelle went to China for the Ang Lee directed new film CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAONG (NGOR FU CHONG LUNG), Alan accompanied her; when his girlfriend suffered an injury and had to rush back to America for surgery, Alan quickly found the best doctors and remained by her side daily.
Divroced from Dickson Poon for 8 years, Yeung Chi King who once said that love does not need marriage has already been softed by Alan. She even graciously admitted that she plans to become a millennium bride. "The biggest headache is performing (the wedding) in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and America."
^ Michelle has chosen Alan for her other half. A fortunate smile naturally flowed.


Already returned to America to continue to nurse her injury, Yeung Chi King revealed that her next Hollywood film should begin production this spring. She will play a police officer. As for whether her wedding date would be delayed until after her new film wraps, she quickly said, "Not definitely. I can do my wedding stuff while making a movie. Honestly, I don't have any fear toward marriage. With Alan I have been very happy and we have quite a bond. Currently we are trying to find a balance. Let's hope after marriage I can handle both a career and a family."
An iron woman in front of the camera, when Yeung Chi King met Alan who is much taller than her she became smaller. In front of two reporters and three make up artists and crew members, they still behaved like magnets, constantly exchaning looks, then a sweet smile.


FINDING HIS OWN FUN
^ The shoot location was an empty facotry. The film FIRST OPTION (FEI FU) once shot here as well. The floor was covered with air gun's plastic bullets. When coming down the stairs Alan attentatively helped his girlfriend like a groom with the bride's hand in his.


Once Mrs. Dickson Poon and a Bond girl, 37 years old Yeung Chi King's suitors are naturally "fierce". They include former wealthy businessman Yeung Bing Leung and famous director Oliver Stone. What did Alan have that made Yeung Chi King step side by side with him down the alley?
"Alan is very mature, very confident, He has his own career and is rather successful in it. Sometimes at some insider parties, because he is unfamiliar with my friends, he would look around and find his own fun. He would not feel that I am ignoring him."
An old fashioned but the most important point is still Alan's tenderness, care and persistence as he followed her daily.
On the day of the shoot Alan first went with Michelle to tape an interview in Central's CNN studio, then to Ching Yee for exterior shoots. Alan has already prepared a camera and madly pressed the button. Michelle with good chemistry posed and made faces for him. Alan even multitasked with his heart, after shooting a picture he rushed over and folded Michelle's pant legs up for her, and also helped the injured Michelle up and down the stairs.
On the way, in the tiny car, Alan held Michelle's hand and would not let go. While Michelle fed him salad, he returned with a tomato. Sometimes he even lightly touches his girlfriend's face. They are close yet very natural.
Speaking of meeting Michelle from Hong Kong two and a half years ago at a small party in TOMORROW NEVER DIES producer Barbara Broccoli's home, Alan's eyes lit up in reminiscence.
"Thanks to Barbara who introduced this beauty to me, we constantly called each other, exchanged e-mail, and traveled when we had time.......I love her strength. She is the most energetic woman in the world."
James Bond not only brought Michelle to Hollywood, he also brought Alan to her. Alan said that at the time he only knew Michelle was an actor from Hong Kong. In order to understand her, Alan crammed himself with Michelle's action films over the years. The more he watched the more he hurt.
"It's really hard for me to watch them for pure entertainment. She indeed is very professional, but she also worries me alot."
Last September when Michelle suffered an injury while on the set of CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, Michelle described the torn tendon in her left leg as minor. Luckily Alan knew her stubborn personality and immediately arranged for surgery for her.
The injury pulled Michelle and Alan even closer together. Michelle used her three weeks of bed rest to knit a sweater for Alan. Alan also began his daily purposal.
^ Female Golem's injury chart
1. WING CHUN : dislocated elbow
2. ROYAL WARRIOR, AH KAM : neck inury
3. ROYAL WARRIOR : dislocated shoulder
4. AH KAM : cracked right rib
5. HEROIC TRIO, WING CHUN, AH KAM : waist injury
6. (skiing) torn right knee tendon
7. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON : torn left knee tendon


DAILY PURPOSAL

"Did I purpose to you today?" Alan asked Michelle in front of the reporters. Michelle was obviously sweeten and answered with a smile, "You did, I am considering it."
After exchaing abracus like rings, Alan is even more uptight about Michelle. He used to constantly switch shifts with colleagues at the hospital, but now he constantly took time off. His colleagues gladly returned the favor and only then could Alan accompany Michelle to Malaysia to visit his futuer father and mother in law and to Hong Kong for the millennium, and more than fulfill his promise of "meeting three times a week" when he first met Michelle.
When Michelle flew to China for a movie, Alan took time off to be with her and visit the set. On days that they do not see each other, they call and email each other two or three times a day. Their days apart made them cherish each other even more. Alan even learned to cook Michelle's hometown Malaysian dishes to surprise her. After the meal Michelle does the dishes. They are just like a loving couple.
In 97 when Michelle went to London to promote TOMORROW NEVER DIES she just ran into the death of Princess Diana. She was deeply sadden. "She went from having the entire world to nothing; John Kennedy Jr. and his wife also lost their lives in an accident; you don't know what will happen tomorrow, why not live a happy life?" While working in China she experienced Fat Gor Fat Soh (Mr. and Mrs. Chow Yun Fat)'s life together, which confirmed her belife that as long as she has the heart to nurture the relationship, even old couples can create passionate sparks.
"I like to have children." Michelle said. "I like to have a girl more." Alan rushed in. With his daily purposal, Alan conceivably will receive an answer that satisifies him soon.
^ Borrowing the power of wires, Michelle flew back and forth between the wall and the ground. This was also her first action scene in CROUCHING.


IT AIN'T EASY BEING AN IRON WOMAN

As ordinary as injuring your finger, Yeung Chi King suffered injuries and fatigue due to film productions. Her knees due to torn tendons both have screws in them. The worst time was on the set of 96's AH KAM when she jumped from a bridge and injured her neck, waist, and cracked a right rib, but the iron woman did not complain once, nor did she shed a single tear over the pain.
Facing highly dangerous performances, Yeung Chi King's attitude is the same as how she handles her past marriage -- with no regret.
"Toward my own choices and decisions I should bravely face them and work hard to do my best. If I have any regret, I might as well not do it. Why bother to suffer. Film making is a job I like, it gives me a sense of satisfaction. Of course, I also need to give a little, like whenever the climate changes, the places I have injured would feel soar. It works every time. I am a human weather forecast system."
Invincible and fearless Yeung Chi King last September injured herself again on the Hengzhou set of her new film CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON as she tore the tendon on her left knee.
"The scene actually was very simple, a jump after a few steps, then a kick and land. Perhaps due to unknown forces, when I landed I twisted my leg." Everyone including Yeung Chi King did not pay attention to such surface injuries. Next day when she went to the hospital to examine it however she found out she had to have surgery.
Yeung Chi King finally flew to America for surgery at the urging of her boyfriend. Originally she needed a month's rest. After pestering her doctor ceaselessly Yeung Chi King finally returned to work in Beijing after three weeks. During that period she had to put ice on her leg daily. On the plane she had to keep her foot elevated to her head level. It was very painful.
Lifting her pant leg to reveal her knees, she showed that her left leg's muscles have obviously shrunk after surgery months ago. The new scar of her knee is 5 inches long. When comparing to the old scar from a skiing accident, this new red scar is obviously more frightening.
The wound hurts when she makes certain movements. The injury under the skin needs time to heal. Besides keeping up with physical therapy, Yeung Chi King needs to frequently exercise to strengthen her shrunken leg muscles and to return to how she looked.
"Before returning to work in Beijing the doctor has already warned me to follow his instructions exactly, otherwise I can be crippled at any time." Due to the injury, the film production lost ten work days. With the medical expenses, the insurance company has already US$300,000. Yeung Chi King did not want to hinder the progress and would rather risk being a cripple to tough it out. This was also what Alan worried the most about her, but as Yeung Chi King said, her boyfriend is only concerned with her health and was very supportive on her decision.
"After knowing him for more than two years, he has never tried to stop and change me. That is valuable respect." Conceivably this respect is also what Yeung Chi King admires the most.

BEAUTY TURNS BRAWN

At the age of 37 Yeung Chi King grew up in Ipoh, Malaysia. She has studied ballet since childhood at the British Royal Acamdey of Dance. Later due to a back injury she changed her major to drama. In 83 she won the Miss Malaysia pageant and later joined DB film company at the introduction of Sammo Hung Kam Bo. She made her first film THE OWL AND DUMBO (MAU TAU YING YU SIU FEI JEUNG). In 84 she hit it big with YES MADAME (WONG GA SI JE) and at the top of her career in 88 she wed the then DB boss Dickson Poon and announced her retirement. Unfortunately the marriage only lasted a little more than three years. In 92 she returned to film and starred with Jackie Chan in POLICE STORY 3 : SUPER COP which solidified her position as the queen of action. In 97 Yeung beat out other Asian actresses as the new Bond girl and with TOMORROW NEVER DIES she officially broke into the Hollywood market.

84-92Due to work she met the then DB boss Dickson Poon and fell in love. In 88 she married, unfortunately the marriage only lasted a little more than three years.
93-94 Hollywood director Oliver Stone was rumored to have fallen for Yeung Chi King. While working in Shanghai, he found out that she was working in Bejing and flew to visit. There were also claims that in the year they have known each other they have dated over twenty times. Yeung denied ever having the relationship.
95-97 Yeung Chi King due to an accident on the set of AH KAM injured her neck and back. Yeung Bing Leung protected her and kept her company. The couple were rumored to wed, but in the end they broke up.
98 Met heart doctor Alan Heldman and they clicked instantly. Yeung revealed to the press last June that she is engaged to Alan.


WORDS : DUEN MING WAI, CHAN KA BO
INFORMATION : WONG MAN LO
PHOTOS : LAW KAM BO, POON KOON YUN, CHAN KAM CHUEN (FILM STILLS)
Hair/Make up : Ricky Kwok/Kamen Leung from Private i
Styling by : Rebecca Tong
Wardrobe by : Yenrabi Ltd.

Articles and Photos are courtesy of Netvigator, Sing Tao Daily, Next Media, Apple Daily, Ming Pao Daily, Oriental Daily, the Sun and Ta Kung Pao. All Rights Reserved.
from FLUFF OF THE WEEK -- JANUARY 19 2000