The newly minted Hong Kong Film Awards winner talks to Stephenie Gee about her The Last Dance breakthrough and taking her own route to success

Michelle Wai has learned not to get too excited. Nearly a decade ago, she landed a leading role in The Sleep Curse, Herman Yau’s gory supernatural thriller starring Anthony Wong. She played a double role as twins of a soothsayer whose fates diverged sharply in their youth. The Hong Kong actress was in her early 30s and felt a breakthrough coming, scoring her first nomination at the 24th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards alongside industry veterans like Teresa Mo and Carina Lau. But the momentum quickly sputtered out. It took six years for her next chance, a nod for best actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her part in Ready o/r Rot. Again, she lost out.

These kinds of setbacks had already become somewhat familiar. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs throughout my career. There have been moments where I was really struggling with absolutely no jobs and then there are moments like now where I’m getting a lot of love and encouragement from so many people,” the 40-year-old tells me over the phone. “But what I’ve learned is how to cherish each moment – no matter how difficult things are or how upset and lost I may be feeling. Because you can’t go back.

“I notice a lot of us like to talk about the future or reminisce about the past, and oftentimes we forget to enjoy the present. And that’s actually the most important moment. When I was younger and struggling, I would always be like, ‘I hope things will get better soon.’ But now I’ve realised the lowlights are just as memorable as the highlights.”

This is the sort of wisdom one picks up after 17 years in the business, learning to love the craft of acting while realising, maybe, that there’s not a tonne of glory in it. It also reflects the extraordinary humanity that Wai brings to what is finally her breakout screen role in Anselm Chan’s The Last Dance. Set post-Covid, the 2024 film – which has picked up more than 50 awards and nominations, and been selected as Hong Kong’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards – sees debt-ridden wedding planner Dominic (Dayo Wong) offered a half-share in a funeral business by his girlfriend’s retiring uncle Ming. The only hitch is getting the approval of his new business partner, Master Man (Michael Hui), a cantankerous old-school Taoist priest whose expertise lies in “breaking hell’s gate”, a traditional funeral dance-like ritual where a Taoist priest rushes into hell with a fiery sword to break hell’s gates, thus freeing souls of the dead and setting them on the path to reincarnation.

Their partnership is fraught with tension, further strained by Man’s family dynamics. His married son Ben (Tommy Chu) is expected to inherit the priesthood but lacks the required belief and passion. Yuet, the stoic paramedic daughter played by Wai, is denied succession by her tradition-bound father despite idolising him and studying his ritual performances because, as Man so eloquently puts it, “women are filthy”. She also happens to be having an affair with a married doctor.

The cast is spot-on, but Wai steals every one of her scenes as the troubled daughter whose frustrations and disappointments guide the story to a rousing finale in which she performs a shared dance with her brother at their father’s funeral, where all unresolved emotional knots within the family are released in the face of life and death. “I trained a lot in preparation for this role,” she says. “To become a paramedic, you have to reach a certain level of fitness. It’s the same for both men and women, and in Hong Kong there are only five female paramedics. So the first thing I wanted to do was to get myself to that standard. Then I also had to learn about Taoism and their different rituals. It took me eight months to learn the movements and chants for my last dance in the film.”

For this performance, she took home seven awards, including Best Actress at this year’s 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, and is also currently in the running as Best Actress at next month’s Golden Rooster Awards (one of China’s most prestigious industry honours). But even with this momentous win, Wai is adamant it won’t make her complacent. “This award means a lot to me. It’s a recognition of my work and also a huge encouragement and motivation for me to keep doing better. And I want to do more so I can live up to all those who support me – my audience and my team,” she says.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Wai never set out to be an actress. She was 24, working as a jewellery salesperson and a part-time model with no acting experience, when she was cast in her first role in Dressage to Win, a nine-episode television series created by TVB in celebration of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “Growing up, I tried my hand at a lot of different jobs because I was always very curious. I would always try and experience new things but give up super quickly because I wasn’t interested anymore. I don’t like feeling stuck in a rut, repeating the same thing over and over again,” she recalls.

“After my first acting gig, I just knew this was what I wanted to do. It was like I found my calling. Everything about it felt so fresh and I didn’t grow tired of it for one minute. When I hit my career low, I definitely doubted and questioned myself – whether I was doing enough and if I was doing it all wrong. But I never once thought about giving up because I love what I do. And I think when you find something that you really enjoy and are passionate about, you won’t want to give up.”

At the very heart of her passion for her work is a desire to tell stories, to step outside the boundaries of her real self and, for Wai, that manifests in all genres. In rom-com 77 Heartbreaks, she’s the comely Mandy whom Adam (Pakho Chau) finds comfort in after ending his 10-year relationship. She provides the emotional core in true-life drama Lion Rock as Alex Lam’s wife Zoe. And in action- thriller The White Storm 2: Drug Lords, she plays Apple, a member of the narcotics bureau who is killed in a shootout with Andy Lau and Louis Koo. “What I love most about acting is that I get to experience so many different lives and perspectives,” she says. “Life is so short. You can’t do everything and you can’t be everyone. But through acting I can. And I’m very grateful to have been given this opportunity and to have found a career that I really enjoy.”

The Last Dance, for example, completely reshaped her perception of death. “Prior to filming this movie, I would avoid speaking about death. It was taboo. But that was because of fear and ignorance. In the past, I would be scared when I saw funeral rituals or those paper effigies. Even if I drove past a hearse, I would think it was bad luck. But after The Last Dance, I learned that death is simply a stage in the cycle of life, or the end of a journey some would say. And now it doesn’t scare me as much,” Wai tells me. “As part of my prep for the movie, I came across this YouTuber who said that we all should prepare a bag in case something happens. Inside there should be a photo, one you would like displayed at your funeral, an outfit that you like and a letter for your loved ones because so many of us don’t actually get the chance to say farewell. And that’s something that I learned during this experience that has really stuck with me.”

Wai isn’t someone who relies on the tricks other actors cling to, which makes her every move dangerously, thrillingly unexpected. She is an actress who can do anything – and actually will. She runs towards the discomfort others baulk at and fear is an essential pillar of her practice. She never plays it safe, as evidenced by her exceptionally wide-ranging filmography. It’s difficult to identify much connective tissue between her movies, and that’s by design. But as easy as she makes things look in front of the camera, the actress continues to put in the work for each role.

“I knew nothing about acting when I first started. I went around asking for tips, and every actor has their own tricks and techniques and methods. I compiled them and over time I found what works for me,” Wai says. “But honestly, the process is different every time because every character is different. What works for one character may not work for another, so I have to experiment each time. It’s never the same. But what I like to do is write a diary from the perspective of my character, which helps me to immerse myself in their world and their emotions.”

By and large, though, the industry has yet to use her to her full potential. Does she wish for more substantial roles? “I take what I can get,” she says. “I cherish every single opportunity I’m presented with, no matter how small it may be, and I give my best and put in my 100% because that’s what success means to me. For me, success is not defined by the outcome but by the process. I’ve taken on so many different roles and genres throughout my career, but I would be very happy to revisit them all because there’s still so much for me to explore and there are so many ways you can approach the same role or genre. Each one is a learning experience. I like to challenge myself and push myself out of my comfort zone. I don’t want to be typecast. I want to become a versatile actor.”

She cites Sean Lau as her #legend. Over his four decades in showbiz, the veteran Hong Kong actor has had more Best Actor nominations in the Hong Kong Film Awards than any before him and he doesn’t take these achievements for granted. “I had the opportunity to work with him and he’s an amazing actor, obviously, but he also has this ability on set to put everyone else at ease and bring out the best in everyone,” Wai says. “There was a time when I was struggling and doubting myself, and he was the one who helped me find my confidence again and gave me the strength to continue on this path. And I hope that I can grow into someone like him. I want to be recognised as a great actor and also someone who is able
to inspire those after me, like those before did for me.”

For now, she’s staying present. “I’m going to try to learn how to sing,” she says, laughing. “I don’t know where this idea came from – I just woke up one day and decided I wanted to do it. I’m a horrible singer, but I want to challenge myself, and I guess also those who have to listen to me!”

CREDITS

Creative Concept / #legend
Creative Direction / Gordon Lam
Photography / Olivia Tsang
Styling / Anson LauHair / Sing Tam
Make-Up / Miko Wong
Gaffer / Michael Tang
Lighting Assistant / Tommy Ng
Photography Assistant / Michael Tang
Styling Assistant / Eva Chan

Also see: Cover Story: Namtan Tipnaree on discipline, diversity, and devotion to family