Singaporean actress Zoe Tay made a special trip to Hong Kong during her recent visit to China so she could meet her former co-star Damian Lau Chung Yan.
The two had kept in touch since acting together in the Mediacorp blockbuster drama The Dream Makers II (2015 to 2016), but had not seen each other in 10 years.
On May 20, Tay shared three photos taken with the veteran Hong Kong actor on social media.
“Brother Chung is still as spirited after 10 years,” the “Ah Jie” (Big Sister) of Singapore television wrote. “I’m really happy to see you again and we have so much to chat about. Thank you for sharing your philosophy of life.”
Lau, who played Emperor Kangxi in the Chinese palace drama Scarlet Heart (2011), was pictured smiling and looked energetic.
The 75-year-old was rumoured to be in ill health in recent years. There were claims of a stroke, which he refuted, after the media spotted him using a walking aid in 2020. He announced his retirement after performing in a musical in 2024 and has since rarely appeared in public.
Tay, 57, told Lianhe Zaobao on May 21 that she met Lau at a restaurant in Hong Kong and they chatted for more than two hours.
“He often asked me when I would go to Hong Kong,” Tay told the Chinese-language daily. “I was travelling in Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhongshan recently, so I arranged a trip to Hong Kong.”
Lau launched his first book – a not-for-sale photography series, Damian’s Rendezvous – earlier in 2025. He sent a copy to Tay in Singapore, as he thought there was no chance of them meeting up in the near future.
Tay, who played the matriarch Liu Xiuniang in Mediacorp’s blockbuster drama Emerald Hill (2025), said Lau is preparing for his second book, and his life after retirement is very fulfilling.
“Brother Chung is in good shape and he is living very happily,” she told Zaobao. “He told me that this period is the best time of his life.”
With Lau having retired, the chances of Tay and Lau acting together again are slim.
“It was a great honour to work with him in The Dream Makers II,” Tay said. “He is a very experienced actor and I really learnt a lot from him.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
