1986 March. Idy Chan suddenly appeared in HK to report at TVB. After about two years' living in the States, she has totally changed into a "white collar girl" with short and straight hair. (See the pictures in "Upheaval")
She has left the scene for seven months since her latest playing in "The Battlefield" with Shek Sau/Shi Xiu. But considering her current flexible contract with TVB, it's no doubt that TVB thinks highly of her, somehow because of her popularity for audience abroad.
Although TVB has flexible contract with many of its actors, like Shek Sau/Shi Xiu, Alex Man Ji-Leung/Wan Zi Liang, Adam Zheng, Leslie Cheung and many many more, rarely does actress have such contract with TVB. Idy Chan is probably the only one actress having a flexible contract with TVB. In fact TVB has a whole crew of actress, and many can be characterized as the lady-type as Idy (the news then lists many experienced "character actress", including, Lui Yau-Wai/Lu You Hui, Chiu Ngar-Chi/Angie Zhao, Lisa Wang, Au Yeung Pui-San, Dodo Cheng Yu-Ling, Money chan Man-Yee, Hon Ma-Lei, Jamie Chik Mei-Chan, etc..). These actresses have exhibited different style in portraying various characters, the only variance is that they have different level of appeal to audience. Everyone knows that Idy is appealing to comparatively more audiences.
"Upheaval" was initially titled "Shanghai Night", later changed to "HK Night". Its backdrop took place in HongKong, Republic of China. Ray Lui Leung-Wai was selected as the leading actor, and lots of green actors, such as Kathy Chow Hoi-Mei/Zhou Hai Mei , Joan Tong Lai-Kau/Tang Li Qiu, Jimmy Wong Shu-Gei/Wang Shu Qi, ect. No doubt Idy and Ray's leading performance will help them to exhibit their best in their roles.
Since TVB plans to have two experienced actors to lead the show, they are careful in selecting the leading actors, looking for those having both excellent acting skill and audience familiarity. Seems that Angie Chiu and Ray were the ideal pair, after their cooperation in "The Bund" and the similarity of plots between the two series. Unfortunately, Angie was ill at that time and could not take new assignment. Other possible candidates were either busy with ongoing filmmaking or abroad (like Au Yeung Pui San, who's in North America with Roman Tam in some tourment concert then). TVB then turns to Idy.
Before she married and settled in the States, Idy had expressed that she would still take new shows with TVB, given appropriate scripts and reasonable compensation. In 1985 she kept this promise and returned to HK to make two series, "The Battlefield" and "The Brave Squad". Now that Angie is unavailable for "HK Night", Idy flied back to be a perfect substitute.
Having parted with Idy for several months, people feel that she's obviously "weathered" now, even her eyes not as bright as before. Asked if she has been too busy these days, Idy says she's been helping her husband in making a movie in the past months and had to deal with many things.
Nontheless, Idy says she cannot stay long in HK this time, as she has planned to take a tourment concert with Andy Lau in June in USA and Canada. ROCH fans there are infactuous with the golden couple, and have longed to see them on stage with ROCH costumes. Idy was very inconfident with her singing, but now Andy is sort of a "famous singer" and this gives her much assurance and encouragement.
Peter Chan Siu-Moo, Idy's husband, has been in the business of arranging HK movie stars to give concerts abroad. He certainly realizes that the key to success of such show is that the star will have wide appeal among audience abroad. So he's supportive of the idea that Idy make TVB series from time to time to maintain her popularity. As to Idy herself, after becoming Mrs. Chan, she is more "calculated" than before (thanks to the businessman husband). She says that she will never sign a long-term contract with TVB again, and there are many advantages in keeping herself free from the binding contract: better pay, flexible time, freedom to choose scripture, and save of agent fee.
Recently ATV is recruiting talented actors to join their big screen shots. It's natural to ask whether Idy would take ATV's invitation. If ATV decides to use Petrina Fung Bo Bo/Feng Bao Bao (I know she played empress in the famous ATV series "Wu Ze Tian") to play Jia Bao Yu in "Dream of the Red Mansion", wouldn't it be a perfect idea that Idy play Lin Dai Yu?! She looks like Feng Bao Bao in her younger age. However, Idy says ATV has never contacted her by now, and jokes that she does not understand why ATV is uninterested of her. As long as the scripture is good and other things satisfying, she will also consider to accept.
[The report about Idy ends here. It goes on to comment the possibility of TVB making this grand show of "Dream of Red Mansion", casting Tony Leung as Jia Bao Yu and Liu Jia Ling as Lin Dai Yu. After all the possibility is slim, as the cost will be enormous and TVB won't be stupid enough to input such an venture. (However, they did make a venture in making Grand Canal one year later, possibly given the assurance of the strong case of Idy, Tony, Felix, and lots of other brilliant stars.)]