Gigi Lai Never Saw Showbiz Retirement as Sacrifice
Retiring from showbiz in 2008 after marriage, former actress Gigi Lai (黎姿) proved her business savvy as the cosmetics firm her brother started became publicly listed in 2019 under her tenure. Interviewed on a recent Chinese program, Gigi shares on her life decisions, and said she never say leaving showbiz as a sacrifice!
Turned Down Wong Kar Wai’s Film offer
Having acted in countless dramas such as The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber <倚天屠龍記>, War and Beauty <金枝慾孽>, she announced her decision to end her showbiz career at a publicity event for The Gem of Life <珠光寶氣> when she was just 37. Asked if she misses acting, Gigi recalled how she had been greeted by valet parkers at Causeway Bay, after the movie Young and Dangerous <古惑仔> was aired. “I was amused, they were very attached (to the characters) and it made me feel a great sense of satisfaction, getting fans express their liking for a role I did…makes me feel like everything is worth it, in retrospect,”
While she once expressed regret on turning down famed director Wong Kar Wai’s (王家衛) film invite, she does not want to dwell on spilt milk, saying, “The role might not have been suitable for me, perhaps this is another kind of predestination,”
Leaves Showbiz to Salvage Twin Brother’s Beauty Business
Putting family first, Gigi left her acting career to fully care for her brother Stephen (黎嬰) after his near-fatal accident in 2007, to give him the “motivation to continue living”. Faced with the decision to discontinue Stephen’s business or to keep it going, the 52-year-old said that while he was unable to speak or move, he could think and feel as per normal, thus she hoped to give him a goal to work towards by taking over the reins of the business he had so painstakingly built up.
The actress would proactively make daily and monthly “reports” to Stephen and discuss work matters with him, including feedback from workers or customers.
Women need to be Financial Independent
Despite feeling fatigued at times and not having time for herself, the actress, who entered showbiz at 14 to help support the family, has long been used to taking family matters as her own. With her brother’s condition stabilizing in recent years, her parents have urged her to take time off for herself while they promise to care for him.
Named one of Hong Kong’s richest actresses with a net worth of USD13 million, Gigi shares advice on the show that regardless of your spouse’s wealth, a woman needs to have her own career, so she can pay for what they like, and even “treat (their) husband(s) to a candlelit dinner”.
Source: HKet
Some sees giving up career as sacrifice and some see giving up family time as sacrifice. It is a personal prospective… Both entertainer career and Parenting required strong commitment and dedication to manage well… It is up to each individual.
I noticed in HK, when a successful entertainer puts family matters ahead of career, it is really deems as sacrifice and loss of revenues etc… And it is seen as a huge shame.
I personally feel artists(who can afford it) that choose career over family is a shame.
Again my personal opinion and no intention to offend anyone.
it’s not a sacrifice, she got a sugardaddy…
I have so much respect for Gigi and how much she values and supports her family. As WTH mentioned below, she got sugar daddy. Which means she could have paid people to manage the business for her. But she chose to manage it herself, because she could see the business meant so much to her brother. It was her love for her brother which made her decide to leave acting and concentrate on the business. The reason was to help in her brothers recovery and give him motivationto live. Not many could do that. Was it a sacrifice? To leave something you’ve known since 14 and start again in anotger area? I’d say its a sacrifice of love. Much RESPECT!