Zhang Ziyi
born February 9
, 1979, in Beijing is a BAFTA Award-nominated Chinese film actress, with a string of Chinese and international hits to her name. She has worked with renowned directors such as Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-Wai, Chen Kaige, Seijun Suzuki and Rob Marshall. Most popular movies to date: Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon & Memoirs Of A Geisha. She was ranked 2nd of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Taiwan (2001); ranked 25 in ‘100 Most Beautiful Women in the World’ in the July 2005 issue of Harpers & Queen magazine. Included in People‘s 100 Most Beautiful People in the World for 3 years. Ziyi also topped Japanese Playboy‘s “100 Sexiest Women in Asia” list and was featured on the cover ( April 2006).Voted #1 in E!’s Sexiest Action Stars list in summer 2007.
Shu Qi
born April 16, 1976 to a financially challenged family in Sindian City, Taipei County.The young Shu Qi moved to Hong Kong at the age of 17 where she became a model for nude girls magazines and softcore movie shorts, but has never worked for porn entertainment. She eventually came under the management of Hong Kong producer Manfred Wong, who signed her on to several softcore Hong Kong films such as Sex & Zen II. From softcore films, she has emerged to become an international star appearing in Hollywood films such as The Transporter and the Asian action film So Close. In 2004, she played the main role in the Hong Kong horror film The Eye 2. In 2005, she won the Best Actress Award at the 2005 Golden Horse Awards for her three roles in Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s Three Times.In 2008 she was member of the jury of the Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival.
Maggie Q
born Margaret Denise Quigley on May 22, 1979, is an American actress and former fashion model born in Honolulu, Hawaii to an American father of Polish, French Canadian and Irish descent, and a Vietnamese mother. She initially gained fame in Hong Kong. After graduating from Mililani High School she traveled to Japan and Hong Kong to earn money as a fashion model. In 1998 she got her first role in a Chinese-language TV series, and has been seen in hollywood movies like Mission Impossible 3, Die Hard 4, and Deception. The model-turned-actress posed nearly naked in advertisements for Peta. Maggie has been a vegetarian for many years. She has refused to wear real fur while filming movie ‘Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon’ which also stars Hong Kong megastar Andy Lau.
Kelly Lin
born October 29, 1975, in Taiwan, but grew up in LA, California . An epitome of beauty, body and brains, she finished college at the University of California in Irvine (UC: Irvine) with a Degree in Economics and Comparative Literature, prior to pursuing a career in the entertaiment business. Hailed by FHM as Asia’s Sexiest Woman in 2002,has appeared in Marie Claire - French Edition (2005) and VOGUE Italia (2007) and hailed as Most Fashionable Chinese Actress by ELLE Magazine (2006). She is also tagged by chinese media as Ambassadress of International Film Festivals and Watch Endorsements. Movie credits include Cannes Film Festival (2007) exihibited movies: Triangle ( by Johnny To,Tsui Hark & Ringo Lam) Boarding Gate(20th Century Fox, by critically-acclaimed director Oliver Assayas), which also stars Asia Argento and Michael Madsen. Other award-winning films include After This Our Exile, Mad Detective and the Berlin Fiml Festival 2008 entry, Sparrow. Currently, Kelly is the first artist to sign up under Michelle Yeoh and producer Terence Chang’s(Face Off,Mission Impossible,Broken Arrow) new management company , and is slated to do a movie with action director, John Woo .
Sara Malakul Lane
Born on Guam USA, from an aristocratic Thai mother and an English father, Sara holds three nationalities (American, English, Thai). She studied International Baccalaureate Theatre Arts and worked on theatrical productions of MacBeth, The Seagull and A Doll’s House. She has starred in international feature films such as Belly of the Beast and Nature Unleashed Volcano. Her Thai language films include Matchpoint and Dumber Heroes, the latter being one of the top five highest grossing comedies in Thai box office history. Sara’s unique features and universal appeal have launched many products worldwide including: Himalaya products thoughout India, the Middle East and South Africa; Nivea in China; Ponds in Taiwan; Best Foods in Thailand. She was also chosen to replace Britney Spears for Toyota’s “Yes We Drive” campaign and voted one of Asia’s sexiest stars by FHM magazine. Sara is one of the prestigious Longines Ambassadors of Elegance alongside Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan and Aaron Kwok.
Yuki Nakama
born October 30, 1979, is a Ryukyuan actress, singer and former idol. She was born in Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan as the youngest of five siblings. She is one of the rare few young Japanese celebrities that have been able to break free from their teeny-bopper image and emerge as one of the country’s most popular and well-respected actresses. She was a ‘gravure’ (swimsuit photo book) idol for a few years until she got the lead role as Sadako for “Ring 0: Birthday (2000)”, which gave her career a big break. She were sometimes referred to as the “First Lady Of Ringu.Nakama afterwards starred in several TV Dramas, notably “Trick (2000)” which demonstrated her talent in comedic roles. The program was such a hit that it had two more seasons (Trick 2 (2002) and Trick 3 (2003)). However, the top-rating TV series “Gokusen (2002)”, a live-action version of the popular manga (comics), established her as one of Japan’s most bankable and popular actresses.She has also proven her bankability through commercial endorsements, such as Nissin, Glico, Lotte, Asahi, Shiseido and au by KDDI. Nakama is one the most watched celebrity endorsers in Japan.
Gong Li
born December 31, 1965 , the oldest in our list, but definitely not the least. She is a two-time Golden Rooster, two-time Hundred Flowers Award, Berlinale Camera, Cannes Festival Trophy, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle Award, and Volpi Cup winning Chinese film actress. She first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Zhang Yimou and is credited with helping bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the United States. Hollywood Film credits include Memoris of A Geisha, Hannibal and Miami Vice with Colin Farrrell and Jaime Foxx. Even at the age of 42, Gong Li was still voted the most beautiful person in China. Aproof that she cant still be as hot as the younger female celebrities!
Angel Locsin
born Angelica Colmenares on April 23, 1985, is a television and film actress, commercial model, film producer and fashion designer in the Philippines who was introduced in GMA Network’s youth-oriented program, Click. Locsin rose to prominence after being cast as one of the lead stars in the fantasy-themed television series Mulawin in 2004. Soon after, she starred as the superheroine Darna in the TV adaptation of the popular Mars Ravelo comics. From GMA Network, she moved to her new studio network, ABS- CBN as a career move, and is currently starring in a tvdrama called Lobo(Wolf), opposite philippine hearthrob,Piolo Pascual. Angel has changed the stereo-typing of young pop idols’ sweet,innocent image by appearing in men’s magazine like FHM and Maxim. She was voted number 1 in FHM ’s Sexiest Woman (Philippines) in 2005, and is awarded as the Most effective endorser and Most admired TV personality in 2007.
Song Hye Kyo
born November 22, 1981; registered on February 26, 1982) is a South Korean model and actress. While getting her arts degree at Sejong University (did not finish degree), Song made her debut by winning the Grand Prize in model search in SunKyung Smart and starring in a Sunday morning drama called Happy Morning (KBS, 1996). She starred in number of hit dramas including All In, Autumn Fairy Tale, and Full House. Due to her popularity she can be seen frequently on advertisements when she is not acting. Song Hye Kyo is the first Korean actress on the cover of Vogue Magazine,Korea. The photo is taken by Italian photographer Paolo Roversi. Song is currently filming the independent North American movie, Fetish, in 2008, playing the lead role. She is also due to make a movie with John Woo, later this year.
Luna Maya
born in Denpasar, Bali on 26 August 1983. She is a Indonesian drama and movie actress who start her fame through modelling.This 173cm girl came into entertainment industry in late 2004 in 30 Hari Mencari Cinta. In the film, Barbara is a beautiful and sexy girl, which adored by all men. After her success as Barbara, Luna Maya is back in film called Brownies on 2005 as supporting role.Finally she got her female lead role as Mina in the movie Bangsal 13, in the same year. She became a hpusehold name via the film, Cinta Silver.Luna Maya has starred in 7 films, Brownies, Cinta Silver, Ruang, Bangsal 13, Jakarta Undercover, 30 Hari Menca ri Cinta and Pesan Dari Surga.Drama that she starred are, Dan, Kau dan Aku, Ada Cinta, Rahasiaku, Anggun, Chaya Surga, Sujudku and Akhir Cinta (in Astro). She was nominated in Indonesia Film Festival for best actress in the film Ruang and has been in several advertisements, such as Lux, Zestea, Sarimie, Vitalong C and Bu Krim Detergen.
Honorable Mentions:
Michelle Yeoh (Malaysia)
Aishwara Rai-Bachchan (India)
Tang Wei (China)
Honey Lee (Korea)
Zhi Ling Lin (Taiwan)
Lee Hyori (Korea)
Maggie Cheung (Hongkong)
Lisa S (Hongkong)
sources: wikipedia, agkongsianbites, asianfanaticsforum.net
