Hawick Lau and Yang Mi’s Daughter Raised by Grandparents for 2 Years
Hawick Lau (劉愷威) and Yang Mi’s (杨幂) two-year marriage has suffered from divorce rumors on numerous occasions. Despite the couple’s frequent assurance that they are still happily in love, a recent report once again highlighted the friction between them.
After their daughter was born two years ago, Hawick and Yang Mi returned back to work shortly, leaving their daughter under the care of Hawick’s father, veteran actor Lau Dan (劉丹). Other than providing financial support, Hawick and Yang Mi rarely spent time with her, missing out on many childhood milestones. The couple’s prolonged separation and lack of family quality time has continued to fuel rumors of marital strife.
As the media’s claims became more outlandish, the couple issued a legal warning, hoping to thwart any further adverse reports. Lau Dan also voiced his anger over the matter. “We’ve already issued a legal warning letter. Don’t ask about it! They [Yang Mi and Hawick] have a very good relationship! After issuing the legal letter, there will be an apology. It is all such a meaningless mess! Some people really do want to push buttons!”
Hawick and Yang Mi to Return to Hong Kong on Father’s Day
Although Hawick hopes to reduce his workload in order to spend more quality time with his family, he has continued to reside in Beijing for the past several months. However, Hawick and Yang Mi will video chat with their daughter, nicknamed “Little Sticky Rice”, every day. The couple plans to return to Hong Kong to visit their daughter for Father’s Day.
Lau Dan said he is eager to see what surprise Hawick has in stall for him. Although Lau Dan has taken care of “Little Sticky Rice” for two years, she is the happiest when she sees her parents. Lau Dan said, “She was poked by my beard before, so whenever she kisses me, she will quickly turn away.”
When Lau Dan dropped off “Little Sticky Rice” at nursery school earlier, the Hong Kong paparazzi managed to take photos of her. Although the family has been careful to preserve their privacy, Lau Dan felt helpless after the photos were published. “It’s not as if she can’t see the light. Since they followed us so diligently, we let them [take photos].”
This article is written by Huynh for JayneStars.com.
Feel sad for their daughter if this is true. Baby grow up really fast and they are missing out on it. Good thing they can count on Grandpa but it’s not the same. Why the need to make so much money when you can’t even enjoy it with your family? Imo it’s not worth it. Sigh.
@happybi Hawick Lau and Yang Mi definitely have enough money for one of them to slow down his/her career to spend more time with “Little Sticky Rice”.
Perhaps their unplanned parenthood may have also contributed to their reluctance to let go of their work for the time being. I hope that eventually, between 3 to 5 years, they will have established their companies more firmly and be able to spend more time with their daughter.
@jayne problem is what if both don’t want to slow down their career?. Kid will suffer. Hope that won’t be the case and they will have more time with the little one. But by then she probably won’t be little anymore. Can’t get back lost time. Sigh.
@happybi honestly, the way they both are acting, in my personal opinion, is no better and farther from being another version of Jackie Chan. my mom is a workaholic but she always made sure to make it for important parts of my life (i.e. taking me to school, birthday celebrations, holidays). while i am by no means is accusing them of not caring for their daughter, they are not the best example of parents. im definitely upset at them both for not taking quality time off (take Aimee Chan for an example) to spend time with their child. I just hope this child grows up happy.
@akinu it’s sad.. I understand what @kuks said in regards to kids being raise by grandparents/helpers these days but I always feel if you have enough money already and have a choice, wouldn’t you want to spend more time with your family/kids? I know I would. I would love to be a full time Mom but it’s just not possible and I always feel guilty because my kids spend a lot of time in school/daycare. But these people could slow down but they choose not to. sigh. just don’t understand it.
Yes, I love how hands on Aimee is with her kids. Really like her since she married Moe and became a Mom. I really hope the kid will grow up happy. Thank goodness grandpa still around.. beat having a helper watch full time.
@happybi while i also understand what @kuks wrote, i believe these two need to own up to their choices. EVEN if this was an unplanned parenthood, should have thought twice before doing it together with no protection. thing is, i agree with the many other on this page that it seems like these two are not only workaholics, they seem to be afraid of losing fame to their fans (just an opinion).
i mean, if they werent so afraid of losing fame and fans, they would have taken time to be around their little girl instead of staying months and months in a different city and letting dad/dad-in-law take care of the child.
and yes, aimee impresses me with her choice to take like an indefinite hiatus to focus on her children before thinking about having a comeback.
@akinu totally agree. Just sad overall for the kids and like someone mention, it’s very selfish of them to relied so much on his parents to help with raising their child.
@happybi it’s okay to have the grandparents help once in a while but it’s not okay (again my opinion) to heavily depend on them. i must be too old school but when you get married, you should be more independent than that.
let’s just say what Hawick and Yang Mi are both doing probably upsets me more than it should but it makes me lose quite some respect for them.
@akinu i hear you. Not that they care how I feel but disappointed in them for sure.
@happybi yea not like they care. lol moving on from this topic as it’s too agitating.
@happybi
I think it is important to make money to raise the family and in some cases, the parents have no choice. However, in this case, Hawick and Yang Mi definitely have more than enough money for one of them to slow their career down so they can take care of and spend more time with their daughter. But I think neither of them should completely give up their career in case one or the other flops then they can still be able to support the family. Yes, many want to be a full time mom but cannot since most cannot live on one income these days. However, if you can afford it, you should slow your career down but not give it up since who knows what can happen?
With Aimee, honestly she did not have much a career to start with so you really wonder if she would be willing to put her career on hold for her kids if she was more successful? Plus her husband makes good money and her own family is pretty rich so she can afford to be a stay at home mom. You really wonder if she had to work and earn money,would she be able be so hands on with her kids? Some are lucky to have family help or the economic means while some do not have either.
@hetieshou that is true but Aimee was starting to be promoted at tvb but then she got married and got pregnant. Still think its awesome she choose to focus on her family first.
Ym and hamwick makes enough that they can spend more time their kid. They don’t have to give up their career but having some break between job isn’t such a bad idea. But it seem they take muliple jobs at the same time and doesn’t give themselves a break. For me. Family always come first.
@happybi
True but family and career go hand in hand. If you do not have a career to financially support the family then the family would collapse. But yes, if you can afford it then you should slow your career down to take care of your kids. However, I do not think you should give your career up since who knows what can happen?
I agree that they should take breaks and spend time with their kid before they regret it. My brother’s wife for example works too much to the point that she does not even know what is going on with her kids. I feel it is good to keep a balance when you can. In my opinion,family and career go hand in hand because you need a career to support the family.
@jayne Yup. I believe the key to the story is “unplanned parenthood.” What’s surprising is how both (not one) of them prioritize their work over family. Hawick’s new drama is currently airing and he’s also working on a few more. Same with Yang Mi. Such workaholics!
@happybi unfortunately it’s not all that uncommon for grandparents being full time carers while the parents are at work. And increasingly, helpers…
My cousins were raised by my grandparents (lived with them Monday – Friday) and my friend’s kids the same but to a lesser degree. Another friend’s parents had already called dibs on future grandchildren, proposing to raise them in China while the parents stay in Australia to work.
@kuks The thing here is Hawick Lau and Yang Mi CAN afford to stay home. No need to be a workaholic. However, it sounds like neither of them want to.
I know many are happy Aimee took an extended leave, but what she did for her family is commendable. She gave up her career to build a family.
@tiffany Indeed correct! And frankly, that’s actually the way a lot of celebrity couples choose to do it – since they can afford it, why leave the child for someone else to take care of when they have the means to do it themselves? If the one parent doesn’t want to give up their career completely, they can simply reduce their workload or switch to only taking jobs that would allow them to work around their child’s schedule – this way, they can still stay active in the industry and not worry about neglecting the child. I think in the entertainment industry especially this is critical, as it’s hard enough already maintaining a marriage when both celebrities are constantly in the spotlight, let alone having to raise children in the spotlight as well. I definitely admire those celebrities who are willing to give up their careers, whether partially or completely, in order to raise their children — shows that they have their priorities right.
@llwy12 I don’t see them slowing their workload any time soon. Both have their own productions right? I read that Hawick is involved in a few dramas. He’s working nonstop while Yang Mi is doing movies and dramas. Such busy parents!
@llwy12
I actually think one of the parents should slow down their career and not give it up completely since who knows what can happen? The main breadwinner may flop and then they’d be in major financial trouble. Income in the circle is very unstable.
Seriously I think the guy is earning enough to maintain the family…after having a kid, bonding is important…no matter how much money you have, it is never enough. Even if they have $20 million, there will be an urge to earn more…but your child is not going to stop growing while parents work so hard. Miss the first step, first tooth, weaning from milk to porridge, first word. What is this couple thinking?
@janet72 They might wanted to hold onto their fame, wealth and career. They’re afraid their popularity may go down, if they slow down their pace.
I agree with the rest of the posters; a child grows up so fast, and the first few years are priceless. Perhaps one day they will regret not being there. But, if this was indeed an unplanned pregnancy, their hearts were maybe not in it from the very beginning. Which is sad!
I’m soooo mean, but the little girl really doesn’t look like either parent… maybe for obvious reasons……?
@sasamii Haha! I thought I wasn’t the only one thinking that…kind of look like the grandpa.
@sasamii oh my gosh! Not only you, me too! I thought the baby looks nothing like the parents too. And a few others here have commented same too.
@sasamii the girl doesn’t look like either parent.
their daughter wasn’t planned…couple doesn’t want to give up their status…but their acting is no big deal esp Hawick. it’s money which they are probably trying to build up.
oh the baby is so cute! she looks like the couple before they got plastic faces
@mike Yes I think the baby looks especially like Hawick before his plastic surgery. Can’t wait until HXM and Angelababy has a baby so we can tell who he/she resembles.
Anyways, it is sad that neither parents are willing to slow down their workload to take care of their daughter. She’s going to grow up so fast and not have as close of a relationship with her parents. First time parents learn a lot (I have no kids but I know that much lol) and if they’re missing out on most of her milestones, how will they ever learn?
@lyu310 Maybe HXM and Angelababy might get some money greedy plastic surgeon and to make the child look like them, hehehe.
This is such a cautionary tale with signs of dysfunction right from the beginning.
It began with a down-and-out HK uncle preying upon a young and successful Mainland tart, impregnating her and following up with a “shot-gun” wedding. Through this association, the uncle had hit the jackpot by finally striking it big professionally for the first time in his 20+yr career. In the mean time, the young tart found herself controlled and manipulated not only by the uncle but also by his enabler parents. Whenever reports of discord and malcontent surfaced, the uncle and his PR team (parents) went right into an aggressive defensive mode. As years go by, the “young tart” grew further apart from the uncle and even her daughter.
And there you have it. It may even be suitable as the theme to a TV drama. LOL!
@aiya ehehe LOL!!! maybe you should be a script writer for TVB! They def. need some help in that department!
@aiya LOL…funny! Though compared with the ever dysfunctional Tse family (whose story can make up multiple installments of a TV drama franchise, lol), this one is relatively mild.
All joking aside though, definitely feel sorry for the kid as well as for Lau Dan and his wife for having to take care of their granddaughter all by themselves. Of course, they probably don’t mind doing it, but considering that Lau Dan is still pretty active in the industry, plus he’s not young anymore, it must be tiring for him to have to take care of the child full-time. To me, Hawick and Yang Mi are being both irresponsible (to their child) as well as inconsiderate (to Hawick’s parents), which is sad to see….
@llwy12 They might wanted to hold onto their fame, wealth and career and afraid their popularity may go down, if they slow down their pace.
@llwy12 the parents just skype the child everyday…how can that make up for the physical presence of being there for the child? instead, it’s the elderly grandparents who have to look after the child and at this age, the toddler is very active.
@janet72 I have this feeling that the grandparents are complicitous with this arrangement as a way to “enable” their controlling son to continue cultivate his career by exploiting her fame. If she were to stop her career and become full-time mom, his would just go kutputz.
So, having the kid living with senile grandparents in HK is similar to a hostage situation.
@janet72 Also, when you think about her parents who probably have not seen their grandchild in two years, you would appreciate the evil of the Lau’s controlling scheme.
Hawick’s career wasn’t going anywhere in tvb. it was after marrying his 12 year younger wife that he had jobs in mainland China.
So if his wife quit, hawick’s career will go south?
@janet72 They might wanted to hold onto their fame, wealth and career and afraid their popularity may go down, if they slow down their pace.
@janet72 I believe you have just answered your own question.
@janet72
From what I know, Hawick built his own career and it had nothing to do with his wife. He was already known before dating and marrying Yang Mi. I had a feeling their marriage was a lightning one since she got pregnant. They were not ready to become parents but yet wanted to keep the baby.
@hetieshou Hawick Lau was getting lead roles but still considered B line and nowhere near as popular as he is now until he started dating Yang Mi. Most of his current popularity comes from marrying her and she is still a lot more famous than he is.
@phixster hawick is definitely not A lister. actually i don’t know much about Yang Mi.
their marriage was definitely shot gun…since the child is born, it is sad that couple is not spending time with her.