Ada Choi Siu Fun

Biography

Ada Choi Siu Fun, of Teochew ancestry, was born and raised in Hong Kong. Her parents divorced during her childhood, and she and her brother lived with her mother, who was of Vietnamese Chinese descent. Her mother was a gambler who accumulated heavy debts; after Ada entered the entertainment industry, she worked hard to repay them. In 2000, overwhelmed by the burden, she announced a break in relations with her mother, but they reconciled in 2003 after her mother quit gambling and became a Christian. In 1989, she joined TVB's Supermodel Contest, and in 1991, at age 17, she competed in the Miss Hong Kong Pageant and won first runner-up (the winner being Amy Kwok). She then signed with TVB as a contracted actress. Because her appearance closely resembled 1987 Miss Hong Kong Shirley Yung, she was heavily promoted after relinquishing her title, starring alongside Leung Siu-bing and Michelle Yeung in the anniversary drama "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" (風之刀). In 1994, she switched to a per-series contract and signed with Win's Entertainment, focusing on films including classics such as "A Chinese Odyssey" (大話西游) and "Fist of Legend" (精武英雄), earning multiple Best Actress nominations from the Hong Kong Film Critics Society and the Hong Kong Film Awards for films like "The Human Touch," "Let's Go Hit the Fitness Team," and "I Love You 8 Hours a Day." In 1996, she returned to television, starring as Lee Tong in the major drama "The File of Justice V," which marked the beginning of her rising career and critical recognition, becoming her first classic work. In 1998, she starred in "Secret of the Heart" (天地豪情) and "Healing Hands" (妙手仁心), with her roles Diana and Jackie becoming iconic characters. She won Best Actress at the 1998 TVB Anniversary Awards for "Secret of the Heart," becoming the youngest-ever TVB Best Actress at age 25, a record she still holds. From the 2010s onward, her career focus shifted to mainland China. She is best known for her iconic line "臣妾做不到啊" in the drama "Empresses in the Palace" (甄嬛傳) and "以前叫人家小甜甜，現在叫人家牛夫人" in the film "A Chinese Odyssey."