Hong Kong award-winning actress Mo Shun-yin is currently performing a 44-show run of the stage play Da Si Cheng Ri at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, a production that began late last month and has drawn a star-studded crowd of supporters. Among the many celebrity faces in the audience was her longtime idol, veteran actress Bo Bo Chan—known to fans as Chen Baozhu—whose presence fulfilled a wish Mo had carried for more than two decades.
A Star-Studded Audience
The play has attracted scores of entertainment industry friends and admirers. Attendees have included iconic actress Cherie Chung, singer Anthony Wong, performers Denise Ho, Monica Chan and her father, as well as close friends such as Lam Kin-ming, Chung Wai-bing, Kong Yan-yan and others. Playwright To Kwok-wai and actress Bo Bo Chan, accompanied by her son Yeung Tin-ging, were also spotted among the audience.
Mo, affectionately called “Mo Jie” by fans, has been sharing her gratitude for the outpouring of support, but one moment stood out above all.
A Long-Held Wish Fulfilled
In a recent social media post, Mo revealed that collaborating with Bo Bo Chan had been a personal dream. She first had the opportunity in 2000, but had to decline because she was pregnant. “Last July, I was seated next to my idol at a dinner, and we enthusiastically discussed finding a screenwriter to craft a role for the two of us,” Mo wrote. “Little did I know that soon after, I would be offered this play, Da Si Cheng Ri.”
When she saw Bo Bo Chan, accompanied by her son and another companion, in the audience during a recent performance, Mo’s emotions ran high. “Seeing my idol sitting there made me both nervous and overjoyed,” she wrote. “I was afraid I would embarrass myself, but I was also moved by her warm support. To have my wish fulfilled in this unexpected way—words cannot express the shock and gratitude.”
A Renewed Collaboration via the Stage
While the two actresses have not yet performed together on screen, Mo described the play as a different kind of collaboration—one that allowed her to share her craft with her idol watching from the house. The moment underscored the deep bonds within Hong Kong’s entertainment industry, where generations of performers continue to support one another.
Da Si Cheng Ri, a comedic drama, has received warm reviews, and Mo’s return to the stage—her first major theater run in years—has been seen as a career highlight. The production runs through mid-month, and fans are eagerly awaiting any news of a future on-screen pairing between Mo and her idol.
For now, Mo is savoring the experience. “This is a dream I thought was lost,” she said. “But it came true in the most beautiful way.”
