AT 31, BEAUTY QUEEN-turned-screen siren Christy Chung Lai-tai has decided to change direction. After eight years of playing roles that, to put it politely, have represented the triumph of froth over substance, she wants to be recognised as a real actress. She trots out the oft-heard plea to be respected not merely for her body but her acting talent.
But rather than just bemoan the glamour image that made her famous, she's taken a giant and dramatic leap in the direction of what she calls art. Her slinky form has jumped from topless Marie France slimming advertisements to taking part in fully nude sex scenes in a steamy new feature film about incest, homosexuality, abortion, bad childhoods and much more.
Called Jan Dara and based on The Story Of Jan Dara, Utsana Phleungtham's raunchy novel that was banned in Thailand, the film is the latest production from Thai director Nonzee Nimibutr. His last work, Nang Nak, was the Grand Prix winner at 1999's Asia-Pacific Film Festival. Whether this new role is art may be debatable, but at least it has banished Chung's simpering bimbo image for good.
'The movies I did before were pretty superficial,' she admits. 'I don't even remember the titles.' For the record, she made her name in films including The Mer maid and Bodyguard From Beijing (which starred Jet Li) and a couple of Stephen Chiau Sing-chi comedies.
Chung says the 20 or so babe roles never did her justice. 'I have the potential to be a good actress, extracting all the emotions. I want people to take me seriously.'
Her yearning for credibility motivated Chung to accept the role in Jan Dara
