Eliza Sam Signs with Wong Cho Lam’s Company
Leaving TVB after a seven-year work relationship, Eliza Sam (岑麗香) returned home to Vancouver to recharge for a month. Since she still loves acting, Eliza has signed with good friend Wong Cho Lam‘s (王祖藍) management company, which is partially funded by Shaw Brothers.
Eliza said she will remain in Hong Kong instead of focusing on the Mainland Chinese market. “Since I’ve filmed television dramas for so many years, I’ll like to make more movies.” Possessing a good relationship with TVB, Eliza does not mind working with the station again. “There’s a lot of preparation work to do if I go to Mainland China. I’ve been trying to learn Cantonese for seven years. It’s okay to learn a little bit Mandarin though. I’m forcing my husband to speak more Cantonese too.”
Although refusing to reveal the details of her new contract terms, Eliza said she is very pleased with her new work schedule which gives a better work-life balance. “Now, I have more free time to spend with family.”
While in Canada earlier, Eliza had attended the weddings of her brother-in-law and cousin. As her close friends, including Leanne Li (李亞男), are going to be mothers, Eliza also hopes to become pregnant too. “Everyone told me to not give myself too much pressure. I got a lot of tips from friends.” Asked if she knew the gender of Leanne’s baby, Eliza said, “I don’t know. Let Leanne announce it herself!”
Source: Oriental Daily
This article is written by Jayne for JayneStars.com.
What is this? The company for Christians that want to make easy money in mainland?
@jimmyszeto So far it sounds like most who have signed with WCL are his friends who already have established careers and technically don’t even need him. To be honest, I don’t know why those artists bother, since WCL has already lamented in previous interviews that he’s been so overwhelmed with work that he had sort of been neglecting his artists, so it’s not like he is able to do much to help them anyway. Sounds like they are merely doing him a favor in terms of helping him build up his profile.
@llwy12
There are youtube videos of Sheren singing on mainland shows. Songs from series she wasn’t even part from lol
@jimmyszeto Haha..yea, I know…and perhaps it was crappy work arrangements like those that caused Sheren to break from WCL (she’s no longer managed by his company). Honestly, I love Sheren but IMO, her signing with WCL was the dumbest decision that made absolutely no sense to me – the only explanation I can think of is that it was 100% friendship signing. To me, the only reason to sign with WCL is his connection to Mainland (and that has been the main reason that most artists who have signed with him have given – they want to expand their career in Mainland)….Sheren already has an established market in Mainland, has had one for years already (she was filming in Mainland long before WCL ever set foot over there – and not just kelefe roles either – sure, she didn’t play lead roles but then again most HK artists don’t get to play lead roles in Mainland productions), so it’s not like she needs WCL to boost her status over there. And she certainly doesn’t need him to boost her status in HK, since she’s a bigger name than he is there….so that leaves the friendship factor (of course, the fact that they both share the same faith and go to the same church also play a role as well).
@llwy12
Yeh. Sheren singing condor heroes theme song when she totally wasn’t related to that series in any way. She is very career minded and serious about her acting hence probably why she left. Others will be fighting for a spot on WCL’s roster. He is earning hundreds of thousands per episode for appearing on pointless shows. Mediocre artists would give anything for a fraction for what he earns….
@llwy12
i think artists who want to relax by occasionally attending shows or retire should join the WCL company….
@jimmyszeto
LOL, so true….but then again this is why I hate these types of “friendship” signings where the artists (some of them at least – Sheren and Roger for example in the case of signing with WCL) are obviously doing it as a favor to help their friend out. I mean, I’m all for helping a friend, but not to the extent of putting your own career and reputation on the line in order to do so, (especially when it also makes zero sense to do so).
In the case of Eliza – if she wants to make movies, then why not just sign directly with Shaw Brothers? WCL’s connections are pretty much only useful to break into Mainland, which to be honest, Eliza is nowhere near ready for — I mean, um, she can’t even speak Cantonese properly for one so having to learn Mandarin as well will probably be a huge challenge and two, her acting has always been mediocre at best. If someone like Sheren, who is a way bigger name and more established actress than Eliza will ever be, can only get supporting roles in Mainland, imagine what types of roles Eliza would get (probably bottom of the barrel kelefe roles with no dialogue, lol). It’s obvious that Eliza is signing with WCL purely due to her connection with Leanne and has no intentions of taking her career seriously – if that’s the case, she might as well just retire and focus on starting a family instead.
@llwy12
Eliza is married though and for her it would be perfect to occasionally attending shows and earning a large sum without toiling hours on the film set. She is a virtual unknown in China and there are millions prettier than her but she is hoping her friend will help her make a few dollars here and there. Moving into movies is a ridiculous excuse or reason from Eliza….
@jimmyszeto You hit the nail on the head with that last line (“mediocre artists would give anything for a fraction of what [WCL] earns…”). This is why it makes sense that artists like Kate, Eliza, etc. who were never “good” actresses to begin with (actually, they were never “decent” actresses in my book, let alone reaching the “good” level) would choose to sign with WCL — mediocre artists who can still make good money despite not having the talent. But artists like Sheren, Roger, and Power Chan – all talented, well-established actors/actresses who can hold their own and don’t need to worry about not getting opportunities – makes no sense to sign with someone who, by all intents and purposes, is at a lower level than them talent/acting/career-wise for one and two won’t be able to help them much in their careers anyway….
@llwy12
Yeh. Friends should keep business and money separate as this can only make a friendship worse. For example Sheren might have been pissed off that she was made by WCL to sing ‘Legend of the Condor Heroes’ theme tune when her expertise is acting and is something she has been doing since age 16. WCL might have been aggrieved that Sheren left the his company hastily. Better to avoid all this….
Hm. I don’t see the artists under WCL active though.
@tiffany
Acting no. Singing songs on mainland shows probably yes. Stealing a living…
@jimmyszeto Trying to tap into that Mainland market. I suppose you have to start somewhere.
Aside from a few TV ads or live appearances, I don’t see her acting career blossoming beyond TVB.
‘Making movies’?. hahaha
@jimmyszeto
I hope not. For someone that knows her on a personal level, that’s just awkward.
Well since Leanne is her good friend I think it’s a good idea too for her to join WCL company.