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Rosamund Kwan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rosamund Kwan Chi Lam
關之琳
Kwan in 2018
Born
Kwan Kar Wai

(1962-09-24) 24 September 1962 (age 62)
Alma materMaryknoll Convent School
OccupationActress
Years active1982–2004
Spouses
Chris Wong
(m. 1981; div. 1982)
(m. 2014; div. 2015)
Parent(s)Kwan Shan (father)
Cheung Bing Sai (張冰茜) (mother)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese關之琳
Simplified Chinese关之琳
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuān Zhīlín
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingGwaan1 Zi1 lam4
Kwan Kar Wai
Traditional Chinese關家慧
Simplified Chinese关家慧
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuān Jiāhuì
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationGuan Ga Wei
JyutpingGwaan1 Gaa1 wai6

Rosamund Kwan Chi Lam (born Kwan Kar Wai on 24 September 1962) is a Hong Kong former actress, best known for starring as the female lead "Thirteenth Aunt" in the 1990s Once Upon a Time in China film series. She had since retired from acting in 2007.

Kwan co-founded the Hong Kong–based beauty brand RK Beauty with fellow actress Helen Ma.

Career

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Kwan was born in British Hong Kong. Her father, Shaw Brothers star Kwan Shan, was from Shenyang, Liaoning, China, and was of Manchu ethnicity. Her mother, Cheung Bing-sai (張冰茜), was from Shanghai and was also an actress.[1] Growing up, Kwan attended Maryknoll Convent School in Kowloon Tong.

Kwan's first acting role was in the ATV soap opera Agency 24 [zh] (甜甜廿四味). Her film debut was alongside Chow Yun-fat in the 1982 film, The Head Hunter. She appeared with Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao in Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars and again with Chan in Project A Part II and Armour of God. She also appeared with Jet Li in the films Swordsman II, Dr. Wai in "The Scripture with No Words" and as Shao Yun a.k.a. "Sup Sum Yee" ("Shi San Yi" in Mandarin, "13th Aunt" in English) throughout the Once Upon a Time in China film series.[2]

Although the majority of her acting roles were in dramatic films, she is best known internationally for her roles in Hong Kong action films, alongside a variety of major stars of the genre.

Amongst her more dramatic roles, she notably appeared with Andy Lau in several films including Casino Raiders and The Wesley's Mysterious File. Kwan also released a record in 1994, a duet with Lau called "Love Forever".

In 2001 she appeared in Feng Xiaogang's Chinese comedy, Big Shot's Funeral, which starred Donald Sutherland as a film director and Kwan as his assistant. Although her last film role was in 2005, Kwan officially announced her retirement from acting in 2007.[3]

Personal life

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Kwan first married to financial service mogul Chris Wong Kwok Sing in 1981, which lasted only nine months, they split in 1982. Kwan later married Taiwanese businessman Pierre Chen in 2014 without a public announcement, but they divorced in 2015.[4]

Selected filmography

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Award and nomination

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1992 Hong Kong Film Awards Best Supporting Actress This Thing Called Love (1991 film) Nominated

References

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  1. ^ zh:關之琳
  2. ^ "Rosamund Kwan Chi-lam". HKMDb entry. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  3. ^ 关之琳息影并非为结婚 自称现在还没男友 [Rosamund Kwan retiring not for marriage, stating she has no boyfriend right now]. Xinhuanet (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  4. ^ Chung, Jun-fung; Hou, Elaine (4 November 2015). "Hong Kong actress Rosamund Kwan, Taiwanese tycoon divorced". Central News Agency. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  5. ^ "Rosamund Kwan". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  6. ^ "Rosamund Kwan". chinesemov.com. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
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