Michelle Wai

Michelle Wai
衛詩雅
Wai attending the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival in 2024
Born (1984-11-24) 24 November 1984 (age 41)
British Hong Kong
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
  • singer
Years active2008–present
AgentEmperor Motion Pictures
Height1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese衛詩雅
Simplified Chinese卫诗雅
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWèi Shīyǎ
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingwai6 si1 ngaa5
WebsiteOfficial website

Michelle Wai Sze-Nga (Chinese: 衛詩雅; born 24 November 1984) is a Hong Kong model and actress. For her performance in The Last Dance (2024), she won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress and the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress.

Career

Wai worked as a jewelry salesperson and a part-time model before entering the industry. In 2008, she was introduced by her modeling agency Jamcast to audition for a role in the television series Dressage To Win. She was successfully cast and subsequently signed as an artist with Emperor Entertainment Group, with Mani Fok Man-Hei serving as her manager.

Wai has since appeared in numerous films and television productions. She gained wider recognition for her performances in ViuTV series, and for her portrayal of Ho-yee in the 2021 rom-com Ready o/r Knot (不日成婚), directed by Anselm Chan. She collaborated with Chan again for the sequel Ready o/r Rot (不日成婚2), which earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards, marking her first nomination for a major acting award.

In 2024, Wai starred in The Last Dance, her third collaboration with Chan. The film was released in Hong Kong on 9 November, and Wai's lead performance was praised by viewers and critics. James Marsh of Deadline Hollywood hailed her as "the film’s true standout" and called the film "a genuine turning point in her career." Richard Kuipers of Variety called her "a particular standout as the troubled daughter whose frustrations and disappointments guide the story to a rousing finale." The film broke numerous box office records, grossing over HK$170 million (US$21.9 million) at the box office, making it the highest-grossing domestic film of all time in Hong Kong. Wai was named Best Actress by the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild. In the same year, Wai attended the Japanese premiere of The Last Dance at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival.

In 2025, Wai won Best Actress at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards for The Last Dance, marking her first Hong Kong Film Award win. She also won the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress, becoming the first Hong Kong actress in history to receive this honor. Wai also starred in Ciao UFO, directed by Patrick Leung. The film was released in Hong Kong on 19 March 2026, and Wai won Best Supporting Actress at the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance.

Personal life

Wai grew up in Tai Ping Estate, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong. She has an older sister and a younger brother. Wai got engaged to her long-time boyfriend, aesthetic physician Kenley Chau, in 2024, and they married in 2025.

Name

When Wai first entered the industry, her agency suggested she drop the "Wai" from her name and use "Sze-Nga" as her stage name, as there was already a singer named "Wai Sze" in the industry. After Wai Sze stepped away from the industry, the name "Sze-Nga" led to confusion with another artist, Shiga Lin (Lin Sze-nga). Wai eventually suggested to her agency that she resume using her real name, "Wai Sze-Nga."

Filmography

Film

Year Title Chinese title Role Ref.
2009 Happily Ever After 很想和你在一起 Auyeung Goonnam
Trick or Treat 愛出貓 Michelle
2010 Hot Summer Days 全城熱戀熱辣辣 Model
Ex 前度 Cee
Girl$ 囡囡 Icy
2011 Love Is the Only Answer 愛回家
The Sorcerer and the White Snake 白蛇傳說 Bat Devil
2012 Lives in Flames 起勢搖滾
Triad 紮職
2013 Selling Memories 兜售回憶
Hardcore Comedy 重口味
2014 As the Light Goes Out 救火英雄
Keening Woman 哭喪女
Golden Chicken 3 金雞SSS Fa
2015 12 Golden Ducks 十二金鴨
Insanity 暴瘋語
Paris Holiday 巴黎假期
2016 Heaven in the Dark 暗色天堂
Show me your Love 大手牽小手
Battle of Life 天火
2017 Cook Up a Storm 鋒味江湖之決戰食神
The Sleep Curse 失眠 Man Ching / Man Woon
77 Heartbreaks 諒他77次 Mandy
All My Goddess 女人永遠是對的 Ruo Yan
Meow 喵星人 Miss Lee
2018 A Beautiful Moment
The Leaker
2019 The White Storm 2: Drug Lords
Walk with Me
Lion Rock
Ciao UFO 再見UFO
2020 Caught in Time
2021 77 Heartwarmings
Ready o/r Knot 不日成婚 Ho-yee
2023 Ready o/r Rot 不日成婚2
The Brotherhood of Rebel 紮職2 Yuet
2024 Customs Frontline 海關戰線 Katie
The Last Dance 破·地獄 Yuet
2025 Sons of the Neon Night 風林火山 Little
2026 V 空枪 Lok Ka-yuen

Television

Year Title Chinese title Role
2008 Dressage to Win 盛裝舞步愛作戰 Michelle
2010 Love Thy Family 愛回家 Ming Wai
2011 Youth Melody 青春旋律 Unknown
2012 Happy Marshal 歡樂元帥
Elite Brigade 火速救兵II
2013 RTHK 非常平等任務 2013 – 少數
RTHK 私隱何價
2015 Love in Time 還來得及再愛你
2016 The Jungle (四川卫视) 怒放霸王花 Survivor
2020 The Gutter 歎息橋 何樂兒 (Joyce)
2023 Food Buddies Kelly
2024 Margaret & David Tie 瑪嘉烈與大衛系列 絲絲 Diamond

References

  1. ↑ "【封面專訪】登上事業新高峰，衛詩雅談演藝生涯、愛情與婚姻". L'Officiel Hong Kong (in Chinese). 10 February 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 "第43屆金像獎｜衛詩雅首奪最佳女主角台上爆喊 入行前曾任珠寶銷售被指是「牌王」". East Week (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 28 April 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Lee, Edmund (28 November 2023). "Ready or Rot movie review: Hong Kong romantic drama is one of the best-scripted in recent memory, with stand-out performances from Michelle Wai and Elaine Jin". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  4. ↑ Wong, Silvia (6 February 2024). "Hong Kong Film Awards nominations led by newsroom drama 'In Broad Daylight'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Life after death: a conversation about The Last Dance". Far East Film Festival. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "衛詩雅的演員修練課 逆流而上：很想別人是透過作品認識我". she.com. 29 March 2024. Archived from the original on 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  7. ↑ Marsh, James (10 January 2025). "'The Last Dance' Review: Hong Kong Blockbuster Resonates With Compassion And Authenticity". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Kuipers, Richard (29 October 2024). "'The Last Dance' Review: Cantonese Comedy Kings Michael Hui and Dayo Wong Star in an Uplifting Drama About Life and Death". Variety. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Tsang, Denise (4 May 2025). "Hong Kong movie The Last Dance wins 2 awards at Udine Far East Film Festival". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "金像前哨戰︱導演會賽果近三年全中 許冠文衛詩雅父女穩奪帝后？". HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 11 March 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Guest Appearance List". 37th Tokyo International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  12. ↑ Wong, Michelle (27 April 2025). "See All The Winners At The 2025 Hong Kong Film Awards". Vogue Hong Kong. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Michelle Wai scoops best actress at Hundred Flowers awards for 'The Last Dance'". The Standard. 11 August 2026. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  14. ↑ To, Benjamin (11 August 2026). "衛詩雅憑《破﹒地獄》榮膺百花獎影后：重溫5部必看經典電影". Tatler Asia (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  15. ↑ Wong, Silva (20 April 2026). "'Ciao UFO' wins five including best film at Hong Kong Film Awards 2026". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 24 April 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "「牌王」衛詩雅走過娛樂圈低谷 為生計積極「考牌」". Hong Kong Economic Times. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "衛詩雅宣布與拍拖兩年半圈外男友結婚 原來係執業多年嘅醫美醫生". HK01. 21 February 2025.
  18. ↑ "豪語錄 衛詩加連詩雅除二等如？衛詩雅：避來避去唔係辦法". Next Magazine. 5 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  19. ↑ Lee, Edmund (18 March 2026). "Ciao UFO movie review: Charlene Choi leads nostalgic trip through recent Hong Kong history". South China Morning Post (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 18 May 2026. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  20. ↑ "韩延执导新作《空枪》定档8月19日 朱一龙领衔 "黄金"阵容集结登场". Sohu. 14 August 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.