Photo: Edko Films Ltd/Instagram
Cover Photo: Edko Films Ltd/Instagram

The film will be released in Singapore on November 25

This story was first published on May 31, 2021, and updated on November 11, 2021. 


Anita Mui is, till today, one of the biggest names in the Hong Kong entertainment scene despite the fact that she passed away in 2003. In fact, now that a biopic on her life is set to premiere in Hong Kong cinemas at the end of the week, fans are certainly getting nostalgic for the star who used to be referred to as the ‘daughter of Hong Kong’.

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Mui was a Canto-pop singer who started her career out singing and performing with her older sister at a young age. With her extraordinary talent, she grew over the years to become a superstar of her generation.

Unfortunately, her rise to fame came to an abrupt end when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer at 40. She sadly passed away soon after. 

Now, years later, Edko Films is bringing Mui back to life in a new biopic that will detail the star’s life and her rise to fame. 

The film was a result of a decade long friendship between Asian film producer Bill Kong and Mui who has featured in many films and who even helped Edko Films promote a movie they were distributing at that time. 

"We met a long time ago. Back then Edko Films was still a small company while Mui was already a superstar. But she still helped us to promote Laputa: Castle In The Sky, the film that we were distributing at the time. I am still grateful for her support even today," said Kong.

If you are excited to see the new biopic, keep reading to find out everything we know so far.

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1. Mui was one of Hong Kong's most iconic stars

During her time, Mui was one of the biggest stars in Hong Kong. She started her career performing at amusement parks and different clubs when she was only a child. 

She finally hit stardom one day when she won a singing contest in 1982 which led to her releasing numerous hit songs and performing in many concerts. 

Aside from her voice, Mui was also a highly sought after actor with her unparalleled charisma.

In fact, her performance in the movie Rouge won her the best actress title at the Golden Horse Awards in 1988 and again at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1989.

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2. The film was a result of a promise made between Mui and Kong

In 2003, Kong met Mui and at that meeting, the pop star said that she hoped to make a film that would leave a legacy for future generations. The pair remained friends for decades after this. Unfortunately, she passed away before she was able to make the film a reality. 

“Director Zhang Yimou and I then designed a role for her in House of Flying Daggers. But we could not make her dream come true because she passed,” Kong said in a statement earlier this year. 

18 years since her death, Edko Films finally finished the film, Anita, which details the singer’s entire life up to her death. 

3. It took a long time for them to find the right cast, director and screenplay

Did you know that Kong took three years to find the perfect cast, director and screenplay for the film? He searched all over Asia before hiring Longmond Leung to direct the film.

He also found a new actress to play the role of Mui. However, the name and face of the lead actress remained a mystery for months even after the poster and teaser trailer were already released.

Now that the trailer is out and the film is about to be released, we know that the legendary and graceful Mui will be played by Louise Wong, a model who entered the public’s eye when she won the 2006 Elite Model Look Asia Pacific competition when she was just 16.  

Wong is a new actress and Mui’s biopic is her first time acting in a film. In fact, to prepare for the role, Wong went through intensive singing and dance training for over half a year. 

Starring alongside Wong will be acting stars such as Louis Koo and Lam Ka-tung.

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4. The film is already doing well

While there are concerns that the biopic will not do as well as expected as a result of Covid-19, new restrictions and the closure of some cinemas following fresh outbreaks, the film is already raking in big bucks. 

According to Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan, pre-sales for Anita have already brought in 1.67 million yuan. The screen share for the film’s debut has also reached 51.9 per cent which is similar to wildly popular films such as No Time to Die and Dune

5. The film will be out on November 25

Above Anita Mui Trailer

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