How attractive you are usually depends on your looks, personality, charm and body shape. But when you are a star in Hong Kong, all the fickle film industry wants to know is how bankable you are.
In a marketplace already overcrowded with minor celebrities, how much are these Hong Kong stars really worth?
According to ACNielsen, who ran a survey during last week's Filmart, the most saleable commodities Hong Kong has to offer are (and in all fairness, in alphabetical order):
Top actors: Andy Lau Tak-wah, Chow Yun-fat, Jackie Chan, Stephen Chow Sing-chi, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai.
Top actresses: Carina Lau Ka-ling, Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk (winner of best actress in Cannes Film Festival 2004), Michelle Yeoh Choo Kheng, Miriam Yeung Chin-wah and Sammi Cheng Sau-man.
Top 10 most saleable directors in buyer's markets: Andrew Lau Wai-keung, Ann Hui On-wah, Derek Yee Tung-shing, Gordon Chan Kar-sheung, Jackie Chan, John Woo, Johnnie To Kei-fung, Peter Chan Ho-sun, Tsui Hark and Wong Kar-wai.
