Actor Mason Lee and director Derek Tsang were recently promoting their movies when attention inevitably turned instead to their famous fathers, Oscar- winning director Lee Ang and Hong Kong veteran actor Eric Tsang.
Apart from Mason, 26, who stars in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, and Derek, 37, who helms Soul Mate, other Asian scion have also followed their parents into show business.
ALEX LAM, 31
Famous relations: His father is veteran Hong Kong singer George Lam, 69, and stepmother is Taiwan-born singer Sally Yeh, 55.
What he does: With his strong jawline, floppy hair and dimpled smile, he looks a little like the Hong Kong version of Korean-American Walking Dead star Steven Yeun.
In 2012, he released his solo music album Alex Lam, whose singles such as Happy Newlyweds and Earth Protector made the Top 10 charts in Hong Kong.
His father and stepmother have been supportive of his musical endeavours, featuring him as a guest singer in several of their concerts.
But they were reportedly wary of his acting roles, wondering if some of his films, such as the erotic drama Lan Kwai Fong 3 (2014), were soft porn.
Besides singing and acting, the chiselled Alex has also appeared in many commercials for electronics brands Canon and Philips, among others.
ZHANG MO, 33
Famous relations: Her father is Chinese director Zhang Yimou, 65.
What she does:The New York University film school graduate has worked as an editor and assistant director on her father’s films, including Under The Hawthorn Tree (2010) and The Flowers Of War (2011).
She makes her directorial debut with the romance flick, Suddenly Seventeen, starring Talu Wang, Ni Ni and Wallace Huo, which will be released in China next month.
She is married to an American by the surname of Tovey, who is reportedly working in the finance industry.
SONAM KAPOOR, 31; RHEA KAPOOR, 29; HARSHVARDHAN KAPOOR, 26
Famous relations: Their father is Indian actor Anil Kapoor, 59.
What they do: Not only are all of Anil Kapoor’s children good-looking, but they are also doing well in their careers. Sonam is a top film actress, having won critical acclaim for her movies such as Raanjhanaa (2013) and Neerja (2016).
Rhea is a producer who has made films such as Aisha (2010) and Khoobsurat (2014).
Harshvardhan, who made his debut in Mirzya earlier this year, has been noted by several media outlets as the next hot young actor to watch.
ANDREW CHAU, 26
Famous relations: His father is Taiwanese singer Wakin Chau, 56.
What he does: With his wavy hair and sunshine-boy pan-Asian looks, courtesy of his American mother, he has what it takes to join a preppy boy band.
But it is acting that he is pursuing – he made his debut earlier this year in the comedy film, Welcome To The Happy Days, as a foreign backpacker in Taiwan who can speak Mandarin.
WESLEY WONG, 29
Famous relations: His parents are former Hong Kong actress Angie Chiu Nga Chi, 62, and former actor Melvin Wong, 70.
What he does: Jack Neo’s hit movie Ah Boys To Men 3: Frogmen last year featured a hunky new recruit. That guy is rising Hong Kong actor Wesley Wong, who inherited the sharp nose and delicate features of his actress mother, who was a huge star in the 1980s after she appeared in the hit drama series, The Bund, opposite Chow Yun Fat.
In China, Wong is frequently referred to as “the most handsome second-generation star”. He is spoken for – he has been dating a girl outside of show business named Denise for the past eight years.
SYAMSUL YUSOF, 32
Famous relations: His father is Malaysian film-maker Yusof Haslam, 62.
What he does: Like his famous father, this dapper Malaysian, who is married to actress Puteri Sarah, is also a film-maker.
His films KL Gangster (2011) and its 2013 sequel, KL Gangster 2, both starring Aaron Aziz, are among the highest-grossing Malaysian-made films.
KL Gangster also earned him the Best Director award at the Malaysian Film Festival.
SHRUTI HASSAN, 30
Famous relations: Her father is Indian actor-director Kamal Hassan, 62, and mother is actress Sarika Thakur, 55.
What she does: This gorgeous Indian actress made her first film appearance in the period crime drama, Hey Ram (2000), which was directed by her father, one of the biggest stars working in the Tamil film industry.
But forget her strong familial connections – she has proven her acting chops, winning three Filmfare awards last year, including for Best Actress (Telugu) for the film Race Gurram (2014).
LEE YU BI, 25
Famous relations: Her mother is South Korean actress Kyeon Mi Ri, 51.
What she does: Sweet-faced, doe-eyed but not yet A-list, she is quickly becoming an actress to watch as she collects a string of Best New Actress award nods for her recent work, such as the New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards for her role in hit television drama, Pinocchio (2014).
The Straits Times, The New Paper, Lianhe Wanbao
This article was first published on Nov 20, 2016.
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