Maggie Shiu And Vincent Sze In A May-September Romance
Has 46 years old Maggie Shiu (邵美琪) finally found her essence of love? Ever since breaking up with Ekin Cheng (鄭伊健) in the year 1999, Maggie had been scarred in love and did not have the fortitude to venture into the sea of love again. However, hope came in the year of 2008, when she filmed Johnnie To‘s (杜琪峯) Tactical Unit – Comrades in Arm《機動部隊—同袍》and got to know the nine years younger martial arts actor Vincent Sze (施祖男).
It was know that, under Vincent Sze’s constant aggressive pursuit, Maggie finally accepted him and thus launching this May-September romance.
In order to protect their love bud, Maggie Shiu, who was renowned for her low-profile mannerism, refused to make their romance public.
Last night, Maggie and Vincent were decked out in a neighborhood disguise, wearing T-shirts, shorts and slippers. The both of them also brought Maggie’s mom along to Tian Hau for some steamboat dinner.
When the reporter discovered their tracks, Maggie and Vincent both acted graciously and even when the reporter chased and asked Maggie about her love developments with her boyfriend, Maggie still kept her smile and answered. Seeing that he had met the parents and that their relationship was stable, Vincent also responded to his romance with Maggie for the very first time.
Yesterday night at approximately 9pm, Maggie Shiu, Vincent Sze and Maggie’s mother reached Tian Hau’s “Shang Ping” for some steamboat dinner. Maggie and Vincent were both donned in casual neighborhood outfits. A plain-faced Maggie Shiu appeared without any makeup and wore a black thick framed spectacles. The spectacles was suspected to be a couple set as Vincent was seen wearing matching spectacles too. Even the slippers they wore were similar pairs, truly matching from head to toe.
Vincent Sze attentive and gentlemanly
After the trio entered the steamboat shop, Maggie spotted a special promotion poster on the wall which read, “7% off after 9.30PM” and immediately turned to tell Vincent. The three of them then climbed one level up but after Vincent went down to survey the surroundings, they moved to a secluded spot to enjoy steamboat and some quality family bonding time.
A restaurant customer saw that Vincent was extremely gentlemanly to Maggie and his “future mother-in-law”, passing them some food with his chopsticks and watching the time to feed the coin parking meter for their parking lot. The trio chatted and ate at the same time and only left after two hours.
Maggie Shiu smiled in response
When Maggie spotted the reporter taking photographs of them, she looked shocked but soon retrieved herself and smiled when the reporter went up to say “Hi” to her. Vincent, on the other hand, seemed like he was afraid to be photographed looking ugly and anxiously opened the car door while Maggie helped her mother into the car.
The reporter then asked Maggie whether she was bringing her boyfriend to meet the parents, whether she was happy and also asked her about her recent love life. Maggie did not utter a word but instead smiled like as if she has just received forty thousand dollars.
As for Vincent, he acted as the driver and after seeing that Maggie has settled her mother into the van, he opened the car door for Maggie as well. Vincent also politely waved to the reporters before driving off and leaving the scene.
Ever since Maggie’s and Vincent’s relationship had surfaced, their May-September romance and age differences of nine years soon became the talk of the town.
Maggie who was spotted without a trace of makeup last night, looked like she has maintained well with the nourishment of love. Thus even though she was standing beside the nine years younger Vincent, their age differences still managed to slip pass undetected.
It was known that Maggie has been closely and secretly dating Vincent for about two years now and the relationship was only exposed when the duo returned back to Hong Kong together in July this year.
Maggie maintained her low profile way of handling the romance and immediately refused to “open the gate” or reveal a single word about it when the reporter asked about this budding romance.
Although Maggie rejected to say anything, there has been much public backlash about this May-September relationship. Not only was their age differences “frowned upon”, Vincent’s little known fame was a widely disputed topic too.
Vincent, who is an action star, was nowhere near the popularity and fame of Maggie who is a TVB veteran thespian and has been in the industry for twenty years.
Some of the ugly words used by the media to describe this love included “obscure star” [referring to Vincent for being lesser-known] and “incompetent and low status”. Further adding to their agony, their cohabiting was seen upon as “a sugar mommy and kept man” romance, which only added more pressure to their already plagued-with-negativism relationship.
Publicly responding to their romance for the very first time
Yesterday, the reporter managed to contact Vincent and texted him a message, asking him whether he felt an immerse pressure from the negative news about him dating Maggie.
Vincent broke his silence for the first time and responded that he is currently overseas now, thanked the reporter for his concern and expressed that he couldn’t care less about it as he doesn’t read entertainment news. Vincent also continued that “the pen was in someone else’s hands” hence there was also nothing he could do about it.
Source: Mingpao
This article was translated by Ah K, a Contributing Writer at JayneStars.com.
I find it interesting that artistes approaching or in middle age are succumbing to the attentions of men who are a fair bit younger than them.
I do feel for women like Jessica Hsuan, Joyce Tang, Charmaine Sheh, Maggie Cheung Ho Yee, etc. who’ve been through several unsatisfactory relationships and haven’t found their ideal life partners yet. It’d be difficult to take time off- being artistes with contracts-but I wonder if they would benefit from taking some extended leave and travel to other countries, not neccessarily to find romance, but to enjoy life in a different setting?
Having said that though, I also think one needs not have a boyfriend or be married to be content with life. I know alot of great and happy women in the same position, or who have had to survive on their own and raise kids by themselves due to husbands’ deaths or infidelity.
Jessica Hsuan is a per contract artiste anyway, she seems to be quite a strong woman career wise.
Maybe men are threatened by that. They don’t seem like the kind of women to go and marry men and then sit around and do nothing but have kids. Well IMO I don’t see them doing that. I think some go into the circle to find rich husbands and then there are those that find it a career and if they’re lucky they marry into a rich family.
When I mean per contract artiste I mean she has more time to pursue other things, so it’s not that she can’t spend more time in a relationship.
It is always harder for women to find suitable partner at an older age. But it is so much easier for men. No wonder Hong Kong people start labeling these women as “left-over women.” But I think society still view that women need to get marry and start a family but nowadays it is not true for some people.
The mindset of society who keep looking down at unmarried women and calling them “left-overs” need to change. I prefer to think that everyone has their own reasons and difficulties.
Agree.
46?! She looks good for 46, even without make up. I don’t find it strange for her dating a younger man. Only younger man would be bold enough to pursue her. She is admittedly too old for rich older man or older man.
took the words right out of my mouth.
On the same day Oriental Daily published story of this same couple on their entertainment page, but with slightly different relationship timeline. Anyone care to translate it?
http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/entertainment/20110909/00282_070.html
I find it unfair for men to get away with having a much younger wife and we have many TVB artist that went to mainland China and hooked-up with women young enough to be their daughters. But when this happens with an older actress, the media tends to be much harsher on them. This is not right. Everyone deserves a shot at happiness and if Maggie is happy, let her be. I wish her happiness and bliss!
I do agree that it’s unfair that society held this double standard. I guess the man being the head of the family and the one leading in a relationship belief is deeply embedded people’s mindset.
Its always been like that, one rule for one so to speak. If a man is still single in his 40s, then no problem but for a woman!!! Once upon a time in UK, they would be called “old maids”. Terrible really. I think the reason the middle-aged women who go out with much younger men is not because they particularly want much younger men. It could be that a lot of men of their own age group are probably married with families. That is why they tend to meet much younger males. I don’t feel sorry for the single female artists if they are still alone and unmarried. Afterall, maybe that is the path they have chosen. Not everyone wants to get married in their 20s and have kids. However, I do feel sorry for them if they have been badly hurt by others. Poor Maggie and Joyce are good examples as they have been hurt by others. I really like Maggie and have been a great fan of hers since she was a young girl at TVB. Thinks she is a great actress and a lovely person and I hope, really hope that she will find true happiness soon. If this Vince person makes her happy, then good for her, forget the age difference. Hope he doesn’t let her down like Ekin did.
Just looking at the photos above, he certainly doesn’t look 10 years younger than her – more or less the same age I’d think as Maggie has always looked younger anyway.
sure it’s double standard for men to date younger women but not the other way around. However, this tradition has existed for so long that it’s become accepting and norm among society. Only younger generation who have educated and exposed with western liberalism would be appalled and disgusted. And that’s fine. Society is no longer the same as before and time is the proof of that. All to each own