China ‘goddess' actress makes comeback in Hong Kong crime thriller, stuns audiences at Cannes
Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan has made a notable comeback to the media spotlight with her new Hong Kong film, Sons of the Neon Night, which recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Advertisement
After marrying Taiwanese-Canadian actor Mark Chao in 2014 and welcoming a daughter in 2019, Gao significantly reduced her public exposure, making her return to showbiz especially stunning for fans who observed that she seemed to have not aged at all.
Sons of the Neon Night, a Hong Kong dystopian crime thriller, had its world premiere at Cannes on May 17. Gao graced the red carpet alongside director Juno Mak and co-stars Tony Leung Ka-fai and Louis Koo Tin-lok, while the other two main actors, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Sean Lau Ching-wan, were notably absent.
Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, far left, along with Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan, centre, and actor Louis Koo, arrived for the screening of 'Sons of the Neon Night' at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2025. Photo: Sameer AL-DOUMY/AFP
In the film, Gao portrays a retired therapist with a 'mysterious' character. She described the role as making her feel 'strange' in a positive way. Reflecting on the 2005 film Shanghai Dreams, which brought her to Cannes two decades ago, she recounted receiving a comment that suggested she was simply 'being herself' in that film, a notion that has lingered with her since.
She said that for years she has sought to connect her roles with her personal self while maintaining a degree of distance.
Sons of the Neon Night began shooting in 2017 and took eight years to reach audiences. The film features music composed by the legendary Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away in 2023.
Advertisement
On Chinese social media, Gao is affectionately referred to by many as their 'childhood goddess'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Furious Westwood blasts critical Hong Kong fans, says they know ‘nothing about football'
A furious Ashley Westwood said supporters who called for his head after Hong Kong drew 0-0 with Nepal on Thursday 'know nothing about football'. Advertisement Head coach Westwood was jeered before kick-off by a section of the 6,092 crowd unhappy with his decision to exclude striker Lau Chi-lok from the squad. The mood turned uglier at full-time, as fans chanted 'Westwood out' after Hong Kong drew a blank for only the third time in the Englishman's 10 matches in charge. It was the city team's second straight stalemate, after they drew their opening Asian Cup qualifier 0-0 in Singapore in March. They play India in their next qualifying match at Kai Tak Stadium on Tuesday. 'I've never known anything like this in my life, these fans don't appreciate hard work,' Westwood said. 'I am not sure what they are expecting. Advertisement 'We were 159 in the world when I came, they a downward spiral for the past five years. In the Fifa rankings, they never moved, apart from downwards.
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Is it or isn't it a rare pink aurora above Kai Tak? Hongkongers have their say
Hongkongers looking at the morning sky on Thursday may have thought they were witnessing a rare pink aurora – but it was most likely to be light pollution. Advertisement A large swathe of the sky above Kai Tak Stadium glowed pink in the early hours, but the Observatory said it was not linked to a geomagnetic storm recorded in recent days. 'We have conducted a preliminary inspection of the photos and we do not believe this is a natural phenomenon,' the Observatory said. Instead, the forecaster said surrounding city lights were likely to have been the cause. The unusual sight prompted social media users to wonder whether it was connected to a geomagnetic storm that brought pink hues to other parts of the world in recent days. Advertisement 'Did not you watch the news? It's the peak of the solar storm. There will be pink auroras in different places around the world in the next two days,' one social media user said. 'The northern lights! You are so lucky,' another wrote.
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong fans aim ire at head coach Ashley Westwood after poor draw with Nepal
Hong Kong drew a heated friendly 0-0 with 10-man Nepal on Thursday, extending their record unbeaten run to nine matches – although the best that could be said for the home side's performance was that they did not lose. While the hosts were largely dominant, head coach Ashley Westwood was booed by the home supporters before and after the game, and the Englishman will be left to ponder his team's inability to break down the world's No 175-ranked team. India will provide much sterner opposition for next Tuesday's Asian Cup qualifier at Kai Tak Stadium. Perhaps a number of fans were saving themselves for that box-office clash, because just 6,092 turned up at Hong Kong Stadium, and there was a sizeable number of Nepal fans in that number. Rather than the expected phoney war, ahead of more important business for both teams, this was a competitive and watchable encounter. Hong Kong's Yue Tze-nam is sent flying during his side's game against Nepal. Photo: Elson Li It was not just opponents getting stuck into each other, either. After Stefan Pereira wastefully lifted over a 23rd-minute free-lick, Juninho aimed a verbal volley towards his teammate, who returned in kind.
