Sonija Kwok
Sonija Kwok | |
|---|---|
 Sonija Kwok in 2019 | |
| Born | 22 July 1974 |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, model |
| Years active | 1999-present |
| Spouse |
Zhu Shaojie (m. 2011) |
| Children | 1 |
| Chinese name | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Guō Xiànnī |
| Jyutping | Kwok Sin Nei |
Sonija Kwok Sin-nei (Chinese: 郭羨妮, born 22 July 1974) is a Hongkonger actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who worked with TVB from 1999 to 2015. Since 2015 she has been managed by GAIA Entertainment.
Early life
[edit]Kwok was born in Hong Kong and is of mixed three quarters Cantonese and one quarter English parentage. Kwok immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Hong Kong. She initially attended the University of British Columbia, but transferred to Simon Fraser University where she completed her BA major in Psychology. After obtaining her degree, Kwok joined Cathay Pacific as a flight attendant.
Career
[edit]After a short stint as a flight attendant, Kwok returned to Hong Kong in 1999 and competed in the 1999 Miss Hong Kong pageant. During the semi-final, she won the Miss Photogenic award making her a favourite to win Miss Hong Kong following the precedent since 1996. She subsequently won the title "Miss Hong Kong" in July 1999 as well as Miss International Goodwill and Miss Intelligence. Coincidentally, all the winners of the Miss Hong Kong pageant spanning 1997 to 2000 are from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
After winning the "Miss Hong Kong" title, Kwok participated in numerous TVB events. In February 2000, she represented Hong Kong at the 2000 Miss Chinese International pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was crowned as the winner and also won two other awards. She is considered one of the most successful winners, as she, Michelle Reis, Hera Chan, and Grace Chan are the only three Miss Hong Kong pageant winners to have held both titles. Reis was the winner for the pageant's inaugural year in 1988, while Chan won in 2014. After her success in both pageants, she represented Hong Kong at the Miss Universe 2000 pageant held in Cyprus. Although she did not feature in the top ten list, she was included in the top ten list of "Miss Photogenic" featured on the Miss Universe's website main page. She is the last representative from Hong Kong to participate in Miss Universe contest.
She has appeared in many TVB television series and has starred in other TV shows, series, commercials, and entertainment functions, as well as being a spokeswoman for many beauty and other commercial products in Hong Kong. She has also appeared in television series which are produced in mainland China.
Personal life
[edit]Kwok married Chinese martial arts choreographer Zhu Shaojie (朱少杰) in Guam in 2011. The pair met in a film shooting in China a year earlier.
Kwok was previously romantically linked to TVB stars Deric Wan and Steven Ma.
Maid assault
[edit]On 24 March 2009, Kwok was attacked by her maid, who bit her arm, pulled her hair and held a knife to her neck. This followed Kwok's reporting to the police of an earlier incident in which the maid, apparently distraught over the break-up of a relationship, held a knife to her own throat and was calmed by Kwok. The helper was subsequently held in a mental hospital.[1]
Awards
[edit]- Miss Hong Kong 1999
- Miss Photogenic, Miss Intelligence, Miss International Goodwill, Winner.
- Miss Chinese International 2000
- Winner, Miss Internet Popularity, and Miss Vegas Gorgeous.
- Starhub TVB Awards 2010
- My Favourite TVB Female Character 2009: Ying Jing-Jing 邢晶晶 (D.I.E. Again)
Filmography
[edit]Television series
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | A Step Into the Past | Kam Ching / Chun Ching | |
| Law Enforcers | Cheng Wai-ling | Episode 1 | |
| 2002 | Fight for Love (TV series) | Ying Choi-yee | Warehoused, direct-to-DVD |
| Where the Legend Begins | Kwok Huen | ||
| Family Man | Bobo Ko Po-yee | ||
| Love and Again | Suen Siu-yuet | ||
| 2003 | Perish in the Name of Love | Princess Chiu-yan (Chu Fai-lan) | |
| The Legend of Love | Chik-nui | ||
| The Driving Power | Ngan | Episode 20 | |
| 2004 | The Last Breakthrough | Hong Kiu | |
| Angels of Mission | Chief Inspector Sam Sung Lok-kei | ||
| 2005 | Hidden Treasures | Yuki Cheuk Lam | |
| 2006 | Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion | Kan Bing-wan | |
| Vaganbond Vigilante | Wan Chi-lo | ||
| Au Revoir Shanghai | Tong Yan | ||
| Land of Wealth | Baba Hayee Ko-wah | ||
| 2006–07 | The Conquest | Xishi | |
| 2007 | On the First Beat | Inspector Winnie Yuen Wai-nei | |
| 2008 | D.I.E. | Sergeant Ying Jing-jing | |
| 2008–09 | Pages of Treasures | Yuen Wai-chung | |
| 2008 | 8 Avatar | Bai Mudan | |
| 2009 | D.I.E. Again | Sergeant Ying Jing-jing | |
| ICAC Investigators 2009 | Fong Chi-chuen | Episode: "Nail House" | |
| 2010 | When Lanes Merge | Cheung Hiu-man | |
| 2011 | 7 Days in Life | Christy Wong Ka-yu | |
| Palace | Consort Xi | ||
| 2012 | Palace II | Herself | Episode 35 |
| L'Escargot | Sze Long-kiu | ||
| The Greatness of a Hero | Cho Yuet | Previously warehoused; released on DVD in 2009 | |
| Minguo Enchou Lu | Wang Lizhen | ||
| 2013 | The Day of Days | Tong Nga-yuen | |
| 2014 | Ma Gu Xian Shou | Queen Mother | |
| 2015 | Under the Veil | Sheh Wan-chu | |
| 2022 | Inevitable | So Lai-tsun | ViuTV series; filmed 2021 |
Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Cheaters | Michelle Lui | |
| The Replacement Suspects | Vivian Lee | a.k.a. The Replacement Suspect | |
| 2002 | Fighting to Survive | Snooker / Ling | a.k.a. Bodyguard Of The Neighbourhood |
| 2004 | Hot Cop in the City | Judy Chu Jing | |
| Unbearable Heights | a.k.a. Unbearable Height | ||
| 2006 | Wo Hu | Elaine | a.k.a. Operation Undercover a.k.a. Undercover Tiger |
| 2007 | Happy Birthday | Yan | |
| 2011 | The Sorcerer and the White Snake | Bu Ming | a.k.a. Madame White Snake |
| 2019 | Dearest Anita | ||
| Bodies at Rest | |||
| Back to the Past[2] | Kam Ching (琴清) |
References
[edit]- ^ Sonija Kwok attacked by maid, Yeinjee's Asian Journal, 25 Mar 09
- ^ "《尋秦記》電影版預告曝光 古天樂林峯相隔廿年再對決". Sing Tao News. 2021-03-16
- ^ Sonija Kwok at lovehkfilm.com
- ^ Sonija Kwok at chinesemov.com
External links
[edit]- Sonija Kwok on Weibo (in Chinese)
- Sonija Kwok at IMDb
- Sonija Kwok at the Hong Kong Movie Database
- 1974 births
- 21st-century Hong Kong actresses
- Actresses from Vancouver
- Canadian actresses of Hong Kong descent
- Canadian film actresses
- Canadian people of English descent
- Canadian television actresses
- Cathay Pacific
- Flight attendants
- Hong Kong emigrants to Canada
- Hong Kong film actresses
- Hong Kong people of English descent
- Hong Kong television actresses
- Living people
- Miss Chinese International winners
- Miss Hong Kong winners
- Miss Universe 2000 contestants
- Naturalized citizens of Canada
- Simon Fraser University alumni