Isabella Leong, who once dated a HK billionaire, reportedly in new relationship
Macau-born actress Isabella Leong, the ex-girlfriend of Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li, has apparently found love again, Sin Chew Daily reported.
The 36-year-old recently sparked dating rumours after she was photographed attending an event with Chinese actor and director Marc Ma, who's nine years her senior.
The pair were later seen holding hands as they left the venue, appearing happy and relaxed as they chatted and laughed. It's reported that the two had dinner together later in the day.
According to Hong Kong media reports, speculation about Leong and Ma's budding romance first surfaced in late 2024, when they were spotted leaving a cafe in Beijing hand-in-hand.
The rumours intensified when netizens noted that Leong has been spending much of her time in Beijing in recent years, suggesting it may be because she wants to be closer to Ma, 45.
Leong met Li on the set of The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor through Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh in 2008. Both Yeoh and Leong starred in that Hollywood movie.
Although she was initially interested in marrying Li – with whom she shares three children – Leong decided to call it quits in February 2011 as she 'couldn't accept' how 'popular' the billionaire was with women.
'I needed more security in my life,' she said in a talk show last year.
Meanwhile, Ma began his career as a child actor in the 1991 film Fazike but initially struggled to find a foothold in the industry.
After graduating from high school, he left his hometown of Lanzhou and travelled to Beijing to sit for the entrance exam at the Central Academy of Drama which he unfortunately failed.
In 2000, Ma found work as a production assistant at a drama production company and later starred in the 2003 series Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils – a role that opened more doors for casting opportunities.
He gained fame for his performance in the 2013 film The White Storm , which earned him the Best Newcomer prize at the Hundred Flower Awards.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Melissa Ng, 53, makes rare public appearance, wows netizens with ageless looks
Former actress Melissa Ng continues to be well loved by the public despite retiring from showbiz nearly 20 years ago. Photos: China Press, Carol Cheng/Instagram Chinese-American actress Melissa Ng is no stranger to Hong Kong's entertainment scene, having headlined multiple TVB dramas like Into Thin Air (2005), Love Guaranteed (2006), La Femme Desperado (2006) and more. In 2001, she married businessman Jerry Wang in Taiwan but kept her marital status a secret until 2007, when she announced her pregnancy. The 53-year-old retired from acting shortly after to focus on her family, with her last work being the 2008 drama The Master Of Tai Chi . While Ng has since kept a low profile, she continues to be well-loved by the public and was even voted as one of the 'Top 20 Beauties in Hong Kong Period Dramas' in 2022. She recently delighted fans with a rare public appearance, reuniting with Hong Kong stars Carol Cheng, Jessica Hsuan, Priscilla Ku and other close friends for a birthday celebration. Cheng later shared photos of the gathering on Instagram on Wednesday (Aug 20), captioning them: 'The six beauties have reunited after a two-and-a-half year wait! You can only imagine how happy and joyful we are.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by 鄭裕玲 Do Do Cheng (@do_do_cheng) Netizens were quick to marvel at Ng's youthful appearance, with many remarking that she looks almost unchanged despite being away from the spotlight for nearly 20 years. 'Melissa has maintained herself well. She has barely changed,' one fan commented. Another wrote: 'Her skin looks so smooth, and her aura is incredible.' 'Is Melissa ageless? She looks stunning and in such good shape,' added a third.
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
World's "nicest judge," Frank Caprio, known for his courtroom compassion, dies at 88
WASHINGTON: Frank Caprio, a US judge who became an internet sensation for his compassion and courteous demeanour in court, has died at 88, his family announced on social media. The retired Rhode Island judge, who served on the bench for nearly four decades before retiring in 2023, became known for his lenient approach to minor infractions. "It is with profound sadness that I share the news that my father, Judge Frank Caprio, passed away today, peacefully surrounded by family and friends after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer," his son David Caprio said in a video posted on the judge's Instagram account Wednesday. His family said in a statement that he was "beloved around the world for his deep compassion, humility, and unwavering faith in the goodness of people," and an "example of humanity." Caprio had posted a video on Tuesday from his hospital bed asking for prayers after suffering a health "setback." His courtroom reality TV show Caught in Providence, which began in 2000, featured his sympathetic treatment of defendants facing traffic violations and parking tickets. Clips from the show garnered tens of millions of views on social media, often showing him dismissing fines for struggling families or asking children to help decide their parents' punishments. He drew millions of followers on social media, who dubbed him "the nicest judge in the world." Caprio also wrote an autobiography titled Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America's Nicest Judge. Born in 1936 and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Caprio had worked multiple jobs including shining shoes and delivering newspapers, according to his website. He attended Suffolk University School of Law in Boston at night while working as a schoolteacher, eventually serving as Providence's municipal court chief judge from 1985 to 2023. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee praised Caprio as "more than a jurist – he was a symbol of empathy on the bench, showing us what is possible when justice is tempered with humanity." The governor also ordered state flags to fly at half-mast in memory of the judge. "He will be remembered not only as a respected judge, but as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend," his family said.
Borneo Post
4 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Tradition meets experimentation: Chinese puppetry reimagined in US
Kaplin organises stage props at Chinese Theatre Works in New York on June 19, 2025. – Xinhua photo NEW YORK (Aug 22): A sunlit loft in Long Island City houses a miniature world stitched together by time. Hand-carved puppets, silk costumes and calligraphy brushes sit beside projectors, laptops and stage lights. This is the creative home of the Chinese Theatre Works (CTW), where centuries-old Chinese puppetry traditions are reimagined through experimental theater to connect with contemporary American audiences. Founded by Chinese opera performer Kuang-Yu Fong and American avant-garde puppeteer Stephen Kaplin, the CTW has become a rare cultural laboratory. Here, art forms rooted in China's rich intangible cultural heritage not only survive – they evolve, speaking in new voices, across new stages, to new generations. Voices emerging 'Puppetry is very playful,' said Charlie Santos, 29, a newcomer to Chinese puppetry who grew up with Western community theater. 'It brings me back to being a kid, playing with toys, animating them in your imagination, and creating little worlds.' The world Santos now builds is steeped in Chinese tradition. His journey into puppetry began online, when a glimpse of the CTW's workshop piqued his curiosity. He started out as a volunteer at their shows, gradually immersing himself in the stylised movements, rhythms, and discipline of Chinese performance. The leap from spray-painted sets to shadow puppets was vast – but for Santos, that gap became a bridge. 'The theater I grew up in was very much like everything was fresh and new. Anyone can come in and do something,' he said. 'At CTW, there is a deep respect for tradition, and that is humbling. These art forms have long histories, and honoring that legacy is essential.' 'There is this beautiful culture that I have been learning so much about and getting to sink my teeth into. On the other hand, I am not a part of it,' he said. 'In that respect, it has been a really good place for me, pushing me outside of that comfort zone.' Santos said he likes to be an 'outsider'. 'Traditions need voices that are not bound by regulation or convention. I think there is value in contributing a different perspective, as long as it's rooted in respect,' he said. While Santos represents new energy and a break with tradition, Chen Xiuyuan, a graduate student at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, stands for a young generation willing to promote their cultural heritage. 'There are fewer and fewer young people who devote themselves to this traditional art form with nothing but passion, like people who perform, promote and preserve it with their own hands for decades,' he said. Chen did not step directly onto the stage – he stepped into the past, digitising decades-old archival footage and piecing together fragments of history. 'Since 1995, they have recorded an extraordinary collection of material on tape – rich in content, varied in style,' he recalled. 'The formats were outdated, the equipment unreliable. But the stories they held – those were priceless.' Stages reimagined 'This is the new energy Chinese art needs,' said Fong, executive director and co-founder of the CTW. 'We need someone who is not held back by tradition. What we are doing is a mix – we keep the traditional but blend it with contemporary styles.' That spirit of experimentation has also shaped Fong's own journey within the organisation. 'Over time, I began to understand the many layers of 'role-playing' in artistic work,' she said. 'I am a producer, a stage director and an educator. I've transitioned from being an artist to becoming an organiser.' Kuang (left) and Kaplin pose for a photo at Chinese Theatre Works in New York on June 19, 2025. – Xinhua photo For Fong, who was trained in classical Chinese opera, promoting Chinese theater in America is not about a one-time performance – it is about cultivating a lasting cultural presence through thoughtful evolution. Her team has consistently sought out emerging voices like Santos and Chen, who navigate both Chinese and Western sensibilities. This evolution also means experimentation. Traditional shadow puppetry is reimagined through projections and live silhouettes. Scripts draw on Chinese myths, while dialogue often unfolds in English. In 'The Legend of the White Snake,' ancient folklore merges with modern multimedia to create a visual language that transcends cultures. 'This is exactly the direction we are exploring: using Western technical vocabularies to reinterpret Chinese tradition, and crafting a new kind of contemporary performance,' she said. 'We want to emphasise what I call a 'serious playfulness' in our theater work. In English, 'play' means both performance and game,' she added. 'We take our work seriously – but we also believe art should be fun, organic and alive.' Bridging generations For Kaplin, the CTW's co-founder, this blend of old and new is not only artistic, but also personal. Trained in American experimental theater, he once saw Chinese traditional arts as 'from another planet'. But after meeting Fong, that distance became the basis for collaboration – and marriage. 'They are very different,' he said. 'But you find ways to bridge them.' Kaplin fell in love with puppetry due to its fusion of writing, design and performance, viewing it as a serious artistic medium capable of deconstructing traditional theater. His mission to reframe puppetry got fresh impetus when he and Fong began collaborating. Kaplin said that his collaboration with Fong is fun, as Chinese traditional theater performers usually follow strict movements to make the art look professional and authentic, while Western artists are more casual. The couple began merging puppetry with Chinese culture, using comedy to tell stories of immigration, shadow puppetry to express contemporary struggles, and a handmade toy theater to explore everyday life. 'We started doing Monkey (the character from the Chinese novel 'Journey to the West') in New York,' he said. It was not a mere adaptation, but a cultural reinterpretation. Instead of simply replicating Chinese art, their goal was to reinterpret it in ways that resonate with Western audiences. While traditional Chinese art values inheritance, American avant-garde theater emphasises experimentation. Kaplin said it is still important to ensure authenticity and maintain elements from the original art. For Kaplin and Fong, preserving tradition is not about resisting change – it is about guiding it, and resurrecting old art forms through experimentation, collaboration and cross-cultural imagination. 'Don't throw out the past. Yes, there's all this incredible technology here, but it has its limits… Think about Chinese culture, how long it's been around. We should make good use of it,' he said. – Xinhua China Chinese puppetry us Xinhua
