When she did begin acting in the early 1980s, at the age of 18, unlike many second-generation actresses she did it to support her family, she revealed in a 2016 interview with Phoenix TV.
“I had to enter the entertainment industry because of my family situation,” Kwan said, without elaborating. “I actually wanted to keep studying and I didn’t think much of acting.”
Her breakout role came in 1984 opposite 1980s heartthrob Paul Chung Po-lor in the romantic comedy Challenge on Chasing Girls.
I was playing side characters and love interests, while it was the boys who were fighting and doing interesting things
Her portrayal of a modern, educated woman contrasted well with Li’s traditional protagonist, and her beauty helped boost her popularity. However, Kwan has said she does not see beauty as an advantage.
“My parents being who they were and the circles I grew up around, everyone was beautiful,” she recalled in an interview. “But that didn’t make much of a difference for me as an actress. I was playing side characters and love interests, while it was the boys who were fighting and doing interesting things. I had to wait 10 years before I got a meaningful role.”
Despite appearing in nearly 50 films between 1988 and 1996, Kwan was only ever nominated for a Hong Kong Film Award once, in 1992 for a supporting role in the film This Thing Called Love. Her lacklustre awards count may be attributed to her indifference to the film industry.
“I don’t know why I made so many films during those years,” she reflected in an interview. “I don’t think I ever got the satisfaction other people were getting from filmmaking, but at the time the sentiment was if I didn’t take these jobs, people would stop hiring me.”
Like many stars, Kwan’s career was not without its share of controversy. Despite being a self-proclaimed introvert and private person, her personal life often made headlines.
Although it was known that Kwan married at the age of 19 and divorced not long after she became a celebrity, it was another relationship later in her life that was subject to scrutiny.
Kwan fell into a relationship with Taiwanese art collector and businessman Pierre Chen, whom she met while Chen was still married. Their on-off relationship, rife with rumours of a secret marriage and break-up, kept the media and public intrigued.
In 2015, Kwan confirmed that she and Chen had indeed been married but that they had since divorced. However, it was reported that Chen and Kwan never in fact registered their marriage and so were never officially husband and wife, leading to speculation that the couple had merely broken up rather than divorcing.
Kwan also faced professional challenges in the early 2000s, when the rise of Hollywood blockbusters and shifting audience preferences meant the Hong Kong film industry underwent significant changes.
This period saw fewer roles for many established Hong Kong actors, including Kwan. Despite landing the lead role in films including Feng Xiaogang’s Big Shot’s Funeral (2001), she announced in 2007 she was stepping away from the film industry.
Kwan shifted her focus to business, leveraging her fame and influence to venture into the beauty and fashion industries. She launched a skincare line, RK Beauty, which received positive reviews and carved out a niche in the mainland Chinese market.
She remains active on social media, and freely shares aspects of her life with her followers on Instagram.
In 2016, she designed her own sleepwear line in collaboration with fashion label Moiselle. The collection featured sensible pyjamas because, as Kwan explained: “You never know when there is a fire alarm or earthquake warning and you find yourself evacuating on the street.”
Kwan has also dedicated herself to philanthropy. She is involved in various charitable activities, particularly those supporting children and the poor. These efforts have allowed her to redefine her public persona away from the glitz and glamour of the film industry.
It seems Kwan, having begun working when she was 18, is making up for lost time with her self-exploration and -expression.
“There are over 20 things I wanted to do after acting. I dedicate myself to working out three hours with a personal trainer every day. I’m learning how to ski and I want to share my way of life with everyone,” Kwan said in the 2016 Phoenix TV interview.
In recent years, Kwan has reappeared on our screens – in adverts – and served as a spokeswoman for brands.
She may be one of the least decorated Hong Kong actresses of the 1980s and 1990s, but her prolific filmmaking career has seared her into the collective consciousness as a symbol of the golden age of Hong Kong cinema.
