BANGKOK – Kathy Chow, a Hong Kong actress, has many Thai fans who have long followed her work, particularly during the golden era of Hong Kong series and films in the 1980s and 1990s.
On December 12, Thai news and entertainment websites extensively publicised her unexpected passing away at the age of 57. The news started with rumours since Monday evening before being confirmed by Kathy Chow studio on Tuesday evening.
Born December 6, 1966 in Hong Kong, Chow made her debut as an entertainer after participating in the Miss Hong Kong pageant contest at the age 19 in 1985. As an actress, model and singer, Chow was widely known for various roles in TVB Hong Kong series during the late 1980s to 1990s, including The Feud of Two Brothers (1986), Looking Back in Anger (1989), Fight Back to School III (1993).
However, her greatest success was working with a Taiwanese television series, playing the role of Zhou Zhiruo in the Wuxia novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre by Louis Cha. The series was first broadcast on TTV in Taiwan in 1994 and put her on the road to superstardom. Many fans in Thailand voted her best Zhou Zhiruo version among many.
Her first love was Ray Lui, who was ten years older than her. The two worked together on the TVB drama “The Upheaval” in 1986 and secretly registered their marriage in Las Vegas, the United States, in 1988. Even though the marriage ended in 1989, they remained friends after their breakup.
According to China Daily, Chow relocated from Hong Kong to Beijing in 2003 for new career opportunities. While occasionally starring in some TVB series, Chow focused on productions on the Chinese mainland, including drama series and reality TV shows.
Reports had previously surfaced suggesting that she was battling the autoimmune disease lupus, which had reportedly impacted her professional endeavors.
Chow’s untimely passing has left a void in the entertainment industry, as colleagues, friends, and fans have paid tribute on social media to her remarkable contributions to the world of cinema.
