Being on cloud nine can cause temporary forgetfulness.
At least, that seemed to be the case for popular Hong Kong star Tavia Yeung, who bagged her career- first Best Actress In A Leading Role accolade at the 45th TVB Anniversary Awards on Monday night.
The slender and elegant 33-year-old was highly emotional on stage as she clutched her trophy tightly, fighting back tears as she thanked a long list of people, including her manager, producers and her dearest mummy.
But out of so many names, she left out possibly the most important one – her hunky beefcake, otherwise known as the man in her life.
Yeung has been linked to fellow actor Him Law, 28, since they starred in TVB hit medical series The Hippocratic Crush earlier this year.
While the pair have never outrightly admitted to dating, their romance is an almost open secret within the TV industry.
Earlier this month, at Malaysia’s Astro on Demand Awards in Kuala Lumpur, their colleague, actor Raymond Lam teased the two and urged them to “quickly get married”.
Law also reportedly gave a public shout-out to Yeung after receiving an award, much to the delight of his fans.
But there was no reciprocation of affection by Yeung on Monday at TVB’s annual glitzy fiesta at TVB City at Tseung Kwan O New Town.
The actress was a front runner for the Best Actress race from Day One and she won for her role as a Peking Opera singer- turned-wealthy man’s fourth wife in the period drama Silver Spoon, Sterling Shackles.
When her win was announced, she hugged many of her good friends in showbiz, including Kenneth Ma and Elena Kong.
But she didn’t even give Law a glance. And when cameras focused on him, Law was looking all choked up and rubbing his red eyes.
Backstage, in an interview with reporters, Yeung tried to explain that she “had too many people to thank and amid the frenzy, forgot to thank some”.
She said: “If he (Law) had won tonight, I’d definitely be touched and happy for him too.
“It was a very touching moment earlier... He’s the sort who gets ruled by emotions pretty easily. (I’d tell him), so zyu (silly pig in Cantonese, which is a term of endearment), don’t cry.’”
The 40-episode Silver Spoon, Sterling Shackles debuts in March next year, every Saturday and Sunday on VVDrama(StarHubTVChannel 855).
Yeung and Law weathered one of their biggest scandals in September, when the two were caught in a compromising position resembling a sexual tryst in Law’s car.
They denied any hanky-panky. But since the incident, the couple remained tight-lipped about their supposed relationship.
In a separate backstage interview with Singapore reporters, Law grinned playfully when quizzed if he was open to playing on-screen lovers with Yeung.
“So far, we haven’t had the chance to, you have to ask her if she’s okay with it,” he said.
Law, who plays the lead role in the much-hyped gangster movie Young And Dangerous: Reloaded, which opens here on Jan 10, shared his views on marriage and building a family.
Two kids, please
He said: “Long ago, I used to think I would get married only after 35.
“But now, I hope to get hitched earlier, because I want to be able to play with my children, run around and do sports with them when I still have the energy,” he said, adding that ideally, he wants two children.
Whether his changed mindset was due to Yeung being five years older than himself remains a mystery.
Before we could ask him, Law cleverly stressed: “Anyway, these are my own views, I haven’t discussed them with anyone else.”
Although Yeung and Law were hardly forthcoming as a couple, another high-profile celebrity pair had no problems flaunting their adoration for each other.
Actor Moses Chan, 41, and his beau, actress Aimee Chan, 31, strutted down the red carpet looking lovey-dovey, their arms interlocked.
They even said in unison on stage that “it’d be nice if we could win together”, though both eventually went home empty-handed in the individual categories.
Moses was part of the ensemble cast in gritty urban series When Heaven Burns, which bagged the Best Drama award.
There were also a few on-screen couples who sizzled on the red carpet.
Linda Chung and Bosco Wong from cop drama Witness Insecurity were delectable as they posed for photos, so were Ghetto Justice II’s Kevin Cheng and Myolie Wu.
Wu was especially stunning in a sexy gown. Her left upper torso was bare, save for a golden patch that covered her breast.
Rising stars Mandy Wong and Oscar Leung, winners of the Most Improved Male and Female Artiste awards, looked like they were still recalling their lovely time as husband and wife on family drama L’Escargot.
Wong, 29, when accepting her trophy, called Leung her “lo gong” (Cantonese for hubby).
At the media centre, Hong Kong reporters even tried to get the two to kiss on the lips, to no avail.
This year, the winners of Best Drama, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Leading Role were decided entirely based on public voting, a new practice for the TVB Anniversary Awards.
A spokesman for TVB said a total of nearly 1.2 million votes (via SMS and online) were cast for the three categories.
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Main winners
BEST DRAMA
When Heaven Burns
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Tavia Yeung (Silver Spoon, Sterling Shackles)
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Wayne Lai (The Confidant)
FAVOURITE FEMALE CHARACTER
Kate Tsui (Highs And Lows)
FAVOURITE MALE CHARACTER
Kenneth Ma (The Hippocratic Crush)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING
ROLE Nancy Wu (Gloves Come Off)
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jerry Ku (Divas In Distress)
MOST IMPROVED FEMALE ARTISTE
Mandy Wong
MOST IMPROVED MALE ARTISTE
Oscar Leung
