Amy Yip

Amy Yip Chi-mei(born 10 July 1966), commonly known asAmy Yip, is aHong Kongformer actress, model and entrepreneur. Known for her small frame and voluptuous figure,she was one of the leadingsex symbolsofHong Kong cinemain the late 1980s and early 1990s.Yip began her entertainment career as a trainee with the Hong Kong broadcasterAsia Television(ATV), taking on minor television roles after signing a two-year contract in 1985. During her tenure at ATV, she was approached byRaymond Chow, founder of the film production companyGolden Harvest, who offered her a position once her contract ended. She had small roles in films such asJackie Chan'sMiraclesandThe Inspector Wears Skirts 2(both 1989), until she got her break in theCategory III filmErotic Ghost Story(1990).
By 1994, she had starred in more than twenty films, most notablyThe Magnificent Scoundrels,Great Pretenders,Robotrix,To Be Number One, andSex and Zen(all 1991). She retired from acting in 1997.She has garnered acult followingfor the numerous films that she starred in.As an entrepreneur, she is the owner ofThe Leith Penang, aboutiquehotel inPenang,Malaysia.She is also the non-executive director and brand ambassador ofArtiste Hotel Managementin Malaysia.
Born in Hong Kong on 10 July 1966, she has family roots inTaishan,Guangdong. Yip's father was a barber, and her mother was a housewife. She is the youngest of five children.After studying at Kau Kam English College,Yip first started working in the entertainment industry as a trainee forAsia Television, appearing in small television roles after signing a two-year contract with them in 1985. During her training, she was approached byGolden HarvestfounderRaymond Chow, who made her an offer to join his company after fulfilling her contract with ATV.Yip agreed, but stipulated in the contract that she would not be shot fully naked nor bare her nipples.
After making brief appearances inMiracles(1989) andThe Inspector Wears Skirts 2(神勇飛虎霸王花, 1989), Yip scored abreakthrough rolewithErotic Ghost Story(1990). This was aCategory III filmwhere she played a fox spirit aiming to seduce the protagonist scholar.She became one of the most popular actresses inHong Kongand many other parts ofAsiain the early 1990s. She had large, full breasts which made her much in demand fornude scenes. However she refused to appear fully naked on film. Her efforts to avoid fully exposing her breasts on screen through clever use of camera angles, whereby the side of her breast is seen, became known as the "Yip tease". However, inErotic Ghost Storyfor example, she did show herbuttocksin one scene.
She retired from acting in 1997. She expressed regret that, given the nature of her films, there were not many memorable roles during her acting career. The only exceptional movie for her was the 1991 movieQueen of the Underworldin which she portrayed Sister Har, a woman who climbed from the lowest depths of society to become the celebrated queen ofnightlifein 1960s and 1970s Hong Kong.
Yip is described as asex symbolby the press.A 1990 article by theSouth China Morning Postdirectly attributed her success to her figure, stating that "her 36-inch [92cm] bust has certainly carried her publicity."
In 1990, Peter K. L. Chan, a vice-president forBank of America, was sent to prison for 27 months for trying to fraudulently transfer $2.37 million USD into Yip's bank account. According to theAssociated Press, Chan had told police that Yip was his girlfriend, and that he had committed fraud in an attempt to fund her lifestyle.Yip denied dating Chan, stating that the two were only friends.
Yip's long term boyfriend was the orthopedics surgeon Dr. Sammy Sek Chiu Lui (呂錫照); the pair met in 1992.Numerous rumours have surfaced over the years about Yip marrying Lui, and being pregnant. In an interview in early 2006 with anEast Weeklyreporter, who spotted Yip walking her dog atRepulse Bay, however, she said she was in a steady relationship with her boyfriend of more than 15 years and had no intention of getting married or having children. She added she hadfood and beveragebusinesses set up inHong KongandMacauthat kept her busy and occupied.
When asked if she would consider a comeback into the film business, Yip flatly rejected the idea, saying that she was very happy with her carefree lifestyle and had no desire of returning to filming long hours and traveling intensively for movies and record publicity. She also said that she is content with not showing her breasts to make a living.
In May 2018, an English language book detailing her career in movies and television was released.Her boyfriend Lui died of a heart attack while flying to the United States in November 2018.
One of Yip's nicknames, "Boba" (Chinese:波霸;Jyutping:bo1 baa3, slang for a woman with big breasts), was adopted as the name of the tapioca pearls in Taiwanesebubble teaduring the 1980s.
Nam Kee Pau, abaozichain in Singapore, sells a large steamed bun named the Amy Yip Big Pau after the actress' bust size.
She has garnered acult followingfor the numerous films that she starred in.