10 Miss Hong Kongs from the 1980s – where are they now? From Joyce Godenzi marrying martial arts master Sammo Hung, and Cher Yeung acting with Chow Yun-fat, to ‘most beautiful actress’ Michelle Reis
- The Miss Hong Kong Pageant is an annual beauty contest held by TVB since 1946, and winners are often guaranteed one-way tickets to film and TV stardom
- Charlene Tse, Michelle Reis and Joyce Godenzi became famous actresses while Angeline Leung, Cher Yeung and Pauline Yeung took different but equally successful career paths
Although some might consider beauty pageants to be too old school for present day, they’re still held across the globe, allowing participants to showcase their charm and creativity … and, for the lucky winners and runners-up, potentially get catapulted to showbiz stardom.
Such is the case for the Miss Hong Kong Pageant too. Established in 1946, the pageant is a beauty contest held annually by TVB. In the 1980s, it was also a springboard for future celebrities – numerous stars made their debuts at the Miss Hong Kong Pageant during that decade, including famous actress Maggie Cheung.
Upon being pronounced the winner, Miss Hong Kong gets bedecked in a red cape, sparkling crown and silk sash proclaiming “Miss Hong Kong Champion”. But beyond all the aplomb onstage, the title also offers winners a one-way ticket to success, throwing them into the spotlight almost a hundred per cent of the time.
Some capitalised on the opportunity, carving out paths for themselves after the event, while others went in a completely different career direction. So how did the Miss Hong Kongs from the 1980s fare after their triumphs and what are they up to now?
1. Wanda Tai, 1980 Miss Hong Kong
Wanda Tai Yuet-ngor signed with TVB after her victory and took part in a few TV series and films. Although her on-screen career did not go well, she had a happily-ever-after marriage.
According to Apple Daily, she fell in love with her future husband Ricky Rand and decided to marry him after only knowing him for 21 days. The couple moved to the UK and had two sons. Tai then returned to Hong Kong in 2002 to start a beauty product company.
2. Irene Lo, 1981 Miss Hong Kong
