Taiwanese performer Hsu Chi's career as followed the same flight path in the East as that of Sharon Stone in the West. Like Stone, the young actress worked in relative obscurity until performances in a high-profile erotic film hit launched her as a bankable box office commodity. In both cases, the actresses used their newfound notoriety to good effect, becoming legitimate leading ladies with impressive film credits to their names. In Hsu Chi's case, the transition from sex kitten to star has been all the more remarkable, given that, in the Asian film market, the barrier between the adult film industry and mainstream cinema is rarely crossed. 'Sex And Zen II' made her name and 'Viva Erotica' made her a star. Shu Qi's performances in the box office smash 'Storm Riders' and Jackie Chan hit 'Gorgeous' may earned her a wider following than ever before.

Hsu Chi's luminous performance in 'Viva Erotica' surprised many critics, and the actress herself seemed overwhelmed when she subsequently swept the board at every Chinese film award ceremony. When she won Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Actress at the 1997 Hong Kong Film Awards, she tearfully thanked her mother for supporting her in her choice of career. Hsu Chi also picked up similar prizes at Hong Kong's Golden Bauhinia awards and Taiwan's Golden Horse awards. This critical recognition opened the door for her to work with quality Hong Kong film-makers. She received excellent notices for her work on the anthology film 'Love Is Not A Game But A Joke', the directorial debut of regular Stanley Kwan script-writer Yip Kam-hung. Though not a singer herself, Hsu Chi has been a 'special featured guest' at concerts held by Leslie Cheung, with whom she performed in 'Viva Erotica', and Leon Lai. In the case of the latter, she travelled all the way to Los Angeles to appear on stage during his show.

Some facts:
She was 'discovered' by Hong Kong-based actor/producer Manfred Wong, who saw one of her erotic photo books while on a trip to Taiwan. Despite her sexy image, Shu Qi has only appeared in starring roles in two Category III films, 'Sex And Zen II' and 'Viva Erotica'.