Get a nice picture of yourself taken with a dog. That's what started Gigi Leung's transformation from a student to a singer, movie star, and future musical star. "It was a very simple picture, without any facial expression," Gigi says. "I don't know why they chose it."

Lounging in the offices of her management company, Era Entertainment Software, the 22-year-old is dressed casually with no make-up. Probably the tallest female star in Hong Kong, at 5'9", she is sprawled out comfortably on a sofa. In three hours, she'll be a presenter at the Hong Kong Film Awards, but now she's telling me how her career began.

Gigi accepted the small modeling job for a watch company while she was studying design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The ad, a black and white shot of her holding a dog, caught the attention of director Lee Chi-Ngai, who especially liked her long hair. He tracked her down and offered her a supporting role in Dr. Mack, only to find out that she had cut her hair. Nonetheless, Gigi accepted the role, not suspecting that this summer job would change her life forever.

The film was a success, and gave Gigi a lot of exposure. Soon after its release, the Hong Kong native was contacted by another director, Derek Yee, who wanted to cast her in the motorcycle flick, Full Throttle. The chance to work with Yee was a great opportunity, but also posed a dilemma: should she make the film or finish her studies?

"I had only one year left in my diploma course. Luckily, my parents and teachers gave me a lot of encouragement. I had many discussions with them and thought it over for a few weeks. In the end, I decided to both keep on studying and keep on making movies," she recalls in excellent English with a hint of a British accent.

Full Throttle shot for seven months, with Gigi mostly working on Saturdays and Sundays while finishing her degree. "Acting in this movie was not only acting; it was a lesson. Since I had virtually no experience, I was like a blank piece of paper. Of all the movies I've worked on, I learned the most from Full Throttle." Yee's teaching and Gigi's perseverance were amply rewarded: Full Throttle was a box office smash, and she received a nomination for Best Newcomer at the 1995 Hong Kong Film Awards.

How did she react to seeing herself on screen for the first time? "The first time I saw myself I just kept my eyes on myself. I remembered every angle so that the next time I faced the camera I would know which part of my face looked prettier. I didn't pay attention to the story or other actors, only myself. So I prefer to see my movies at least twice!"

Her parents' opinions of her early roles were mostly negative: "They said, 'You look pretty, but your acting skill is quite, well, you're quite new...' Actually, they were supportive and told me about my problems."

Gigi credits her co-stars for her speedy rise to fame. "I'm lucky, because most of my co-stars are famous all over Asia." So when she started recording pop music in 1996, she had a built-in fan base. However, balancing dual careers of singing and acting has been rough. She once worked for six months without one day off!

Far more popular as a singer than as an actress (especially in Taiwan), she says, "For the first two years I told people I liked singing more, but now I like acting more. Being an actor doesn't involve as much pressure. As a singer, you have to be high-profile all the time. But as an actor you can just do a good job, and maybe without any promotion, people will like you. With singing, though, if you don't come out and promote yourself constantly, people will forget about you very quickly."

As Gigi has gained popularity and experience, so have her contributions to her film parts. "At first, I just did my part. Now, though, I could tell the director, for instance, if I was in a scene with two girls talking, that they would not say things like that. Usually the director will let me change the dialogue."

Gigi continued her tradition of working with superstars when she co-starred with Jet Li in Hitman. "Before I met him I thought he would be a very serious person, someone who only likes to fight. But when I met him, I found out he has a great sense of humor. He didn't know how to skate, so I thought, finally I can do one thing better than him!"

During a trip to London, one of the Hong Kong tabloids reportedly obtained some "proof" that Gigi was not staying with a friend or taking singing lessons, and was purported that she was living with a rich man. However, such rumors don't bother her: "People have already forgotten about them. It's quite a pity for the media, but I won't blame anyone. Because of the economic crisis, they have to sell papers and magazines, so I think it's something they have to do."

She's philosophical about crazed fan treatment, too. "If you think that an actor or singer cannot walk down the street, then you will never walk down the street. I would not prefer my life to be like that. Many singers are protected by their managers or record companies. Who do they think they are? I don't want there to be a big distance between myself and my audience... I don't mind when people ask for an autograph."

"I don't mind being called an idol," she continues. "Of course, I would not say I'm an idol if it made people think I don't need to work hard. I really admire Maggie Cheung, especially in the last few years. I see her working very hard to improve herself."

After the conversation, I walked the few blocks to the Cultural Center for the Awards show. Gigi arrived in an evening gown with a different hairstyle, a little make-up, and quite a different look. However, she was still down-to-earth, and even paused to say hi on her way to the theater.

| GR13 || Toshiharu Ikeda | Iron Chef | Gigi Leung |

Copyright © 1999 Giant Robot.