Jessica Hester Hsuan ( PA: syn hyn born 18 August 1970), also known as Suen Huen, is a

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

actress.

Early life

Hsuan's father gave her the name Jessica, while her mother gave her the middle name Hester. She was educated in

Maryknoll Convent School Maryknoll Convent School (MCS, ) (Demonym: Maryknoller) is a Roman Catholic girls' school with primary and secondary sections in Hong Kong. It was established in 1925 by sisters of the Maryknoll Sisters, a Catholic institute founded by Mary J ...

for primary education and at Pooi To Middle School. She later boarded at

Roedean School Roedean () is a private boarding school governed by royal charter on the outskirts of Brighton, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1885 by three sisters to educate wealthy daughters and heiresses of aristocracy and industrial elites of the 19t ...

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

. Hsuan graduated with a bachelor's degree in materials science and engineering from

Imperial College London Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...

in 1992.

Career

Hsuan started her career in late 1992 and early 1993. Along with

Maggie Cheung Ho Yee Maggie Cheung Ho-yee (; born 20 March 1969) is a Hong Kong actress. Career Maggie Cheung Ho-yee was a member of four-piece girl band "PP Gals" in 1991. Her name was "Tina" in the band. They released an album called "PP Gals. DJ Boy" and disb ...

Ada Choi Ada Choi Siu-fan (; born 17 September 1973) is a Hong Kong actress who gained fame with the TVB dramas such as '' Healing Hands'' (1998–2000) and '' Where the Legend Begins'' (2002), before she shifted her career to mainland China, where she gai ...

Flora Chan Flora Chan Wai-shan (Traditional Chinese:陳慧珊, in Hong Kong), is an American actress active primarily in Hong Kong television and film. Along with Maggie Cheung Ho-yee, Kenix Kwok, Jessica Hsuan, and Ada Choi, she is known as one of the ...

and

Kenix Kwok Kenix Kwok Ho-ying (born 27 November 1969) is a Hong Kong actress with family roots in Zhongshan, Guangdong, China. Along with Maggie Cheung Ho-yee, Ada Choi, Flora Chan and Jessica Hsuan, Kenix is known as one of the Top 5 " Fa Dans" (花旦) ( ...

, she was known as one of the top five "''

Fa Dans The term TVB "fadan" (花旦) is used to describe the most popular and highest paid actresses at Hong Kong television station, TVB. This term was first coined in the 1970s with the first group of fadans, Louise Lee, Liza Wang, Gigi Wong, and Angie ...

''" (a term borrowed from Peking Opera for roles depicting young maidens, and used for actresses with high popularity) of

TVB Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB; zh, t=電視廣播有限公司) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong. The company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Canton ...

from the mid-1990s to mid-2000s. She has collaborated with many TVB leading actors including

Louis Koo Louis Koo Tin-lok ( zh, t=古天樂; born 21 October 1970) is a Hong Kong people, Hong Kong actor, singer, and film producer. He began his professional career as an actor in local television series, receiving recognition for his roles in ''The C ...

Wong He Wong He ( zh, 王喜, born 27 July 1967), sometimes credited as Wong Hei, is a Hong Kong actor, singer, and presenter. He is best known for his firefighter roles in TVB's '' Burning Flame'' trilogy. As a former police officer, Wong has acted ...

Chilam Cheung Julian Cheung Chi-lam (born 27 August 1971), better known by his stage name Chilam, is a Hong Kong singer and actor. Cheung is known for his role as Guo Jing in the 1994 TV series adaptation of the ''Wuxia'' novel, ''The Legend of the Condor ...

Nick Cheung Nicholas Cheung Ka-fai (; born 2 December 1964) is a Hong Kong actor, singer and director. He first gained recognition for his roles in '' The Conman'' (1998) and '' The Tricky Master'' (1999). He went on to star in the films '' Beast Stalker'' (20 ...

Gallen Lo Gallen Lo Ka-leung () is a Hong Kong actor and singer who primarily acts in television series. He is sometimes credited as King Gallen or Law Ka-leung. Career Lo started his television career in 1984 at ATV. He received short-term success in a ...

Roger Kwok Roger Kwok Chun-on (Chinese: 郭晋安) is a Hong Kong television actor and former singer, who works for the TV station TVB. Kwok was born in Hong Kong, and his native family roots are in Zhongshan, Guangdong. He is one of the three actors who wo ...

Sunny Chan Sunny Chan Kam-hung (born 1 January 1967) is a Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, H ...

, Joe Ma and

Bobby Au-yeung Au-Yeung Tsan-wah (born 28 July 1960), earlier known as Bobby Au-yeung, is a Hong Kong actor best known for his comedic roles in many TVB television dramas. He gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Ben Yu in the 1991 le ...

. She won the 1999

TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actress The TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role is one of the TVB Anniversary Awards presented annually by Television Broadcasts Limited Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB; zh, t=電視廣播有限公司) is a television bro ...

for her role in ''

Detective Investigation Files IV ''Detective Investigation Files IV'' () is the 4th and final installment of the '' Detective Investigation Files'' TV franchised by TVB in Hong Kong. It won two TVB Anniversary Awards, including Best Actor for Louis Koo and Best Actress for Jess ...

''. She changed her contract to a "per-series" in late 2006, after it was disclosed that she had not renewed her current contract. In 2017, Hsuan played a leading role in TVB series ''My Unfair Lady'' (Chinese: 不懂撒嬌的女人). She won the My Favorite TVB Actress (also known as

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

's TV Queen) at the TVB Star Awards in

in 2017 for her performance in this series, her first leading actress award since 1999.

's film production company, One Cool Film Production, was able to acquire the rights of the series

A Step into the Past ''A Step into the Past'' is a 2001 Hong Kong television series produced by TVB and based on Huang Yi's novel of the same Chinese title. The series tells the story of a 21st-century Hong Kong VIPPU Inspector who travels back in time to the Warr ...

in 2015 and adapt to the big screen - Back to the Past. Production for the film officially wrapped on 7 July 2019. Hsuan will play a role in the movie.

Frequently acting as hostage in television series and films

Among the TV drama and films Hsuan starred in, she was frequently "kidnapped" in the stories. This has drawn the attention of internet users in Hong Kong. Occasionally she was known as the "Queen of hostage" (人質王). Nevertheless, she always survived in the end.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Hsuan is one of the most honored actresses in Hong Kong, with 13 Best Actress awards. *1995: Next Magazine TV Award: Top 10 Artists - Ranked #8 *1999:

32nd Anniversary: My Favorite Actress In A Leading Role (

) *2000: TVB 33rd Anniversary: My Top 10 Favorite Television Characters - Ranked #7 (

A Matter of Customs A Matter of Customs (; Cantonese: ''Lui Ting Dai Yat Kwan'') is a TVB program in Hong Kong starring Liza Wang, Danny Lee, Wong Hei and Jessica Hsuan. The story is about customs officers in Hong Kong. Plot The story revolves around a customs tea ...

) *2000: Next Magazine TV Award: Top 10 Artists - Ranked #2 *2001: TVB 34th Anniversary: My Top 13 Favorite Television Characters - Ranked #9 (

A Step Into The Past ''A Step into the Past'' is a 2001 Hong Kong television series produced by TVB and based on Huang Yi's novel of the same Chinese title. The series tells the story of a 21st-century Hong Kong VIPPU Inspector who travels back in time to the Warr ...

) *2002: TVB 35th Anniversary: My Top 12 Favorite Television Characters - Ranked #2 (

Golden Faith ''Golden Faith'' is a 2002 Hong Kong television drama produced by TVB, starring Gallen Lo, Deric Wan, Jessica Hsuan, Raymond Lam, Anne Heung, Myolie Wu, Tavia Yeung, Michelle Ye, Paul Chun, Lau Dan, Shek Sau, Kwok Fung, Lau Kong, and Gigi Wong. ...

) *2002: Next Magazine TV Award: Top 10 Artists - Ranked #2 *2003: TVB 36th Anniversary: My Favorite On-Screen Partners (Jessica Hsuan &

Square Pegs ''Square Pegs'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS during the 1982–83 season. The series follows Patty Greene ( Sarah Jessica Parker) and Lauren Hutchinson ( Amy Linker), two awkward teenage girls desperate to fit in at Weemawee High S ...

) *2003: TVB 36th Anniversary: My Top 12 Favorite Television Characters - Ranked #5 (Square Pegs) *2003: Next Magazine TV Award: Top 10 Artists - Ranked #1 *2004: TVB 37th Anniversary: My Top 12 Favorite Television Characters - Ranked #1 ( Lady Fan) *2005: Next Magazine TV Award: Top 10 Artists - Ranked #3 *2005: Next Magazine TV Award: Most Elegant Artiste Award *2006: Next Magazine TV Award: Top 10 Artists - Ranked #2 *2006: Next Magazine TV Award: Most Feminine Beautiful Award *2007: Asian Television Award: Best Comedy Performance by an Actress (Nominated) *2008: I Weekly Magazine Awards Top 10 Female Artists - Ranked #1 *2008: Next Magazine TV Award: Top 10 Artists - Ranked #2 *2008: Sina Awards: Best Style Actress *2008:

Astro Wah Lai Toi Astro Wah Lai Toi () is a Cantonese Video on demand service (formerly a Cantonese TV channel) owned and operated by Astro in partnership with Hong Kong's TVB. The channel offers mainly TVB programming, alongside some local content. To satisfy ...

Drama Awards 2008: My Favorite Character - Ranked #6 (

Dicey Business ''Dicey Business'' (Traditional Chinese: 賭場風雲) is a 2006 grand production drama by Television Broadcasts Limited. Plot The talented gambling artist, Cheung (齊歡暢) ( Bobby Au Yeung), entered a worldwide card playing tournament when h ...

) *2015:

7th Macau International Movie Festival The 7th Macau International Movie Festival ceremony (), organized by the Macau Film and Television Media Association and China International Cultural Communication Center, honored the best films of 2015 in the Greater China Region and took place on ...

: Golden Lotus Award for Best Supporting Actress ( The Kid from the Big Apple) *2017:

TVB Star Awards Malaysia The TVB Star Awards Malaysia () is an annual awards ceremony honoring Cantonese programming achievements in Malaysia. It is produced by TVB Entertainment News, with Astro and MY FM as media partners. The ceremony was previously known as the My ...

: My Favorite TVB Actress in a Leading Role (

My Unfair Lady ''My Unfair Lady'' () is TVB's first 4K resolution television series. It stars Frankie Lam, Jessica Hsuan, Vincent Wong and Natalie Tong as the main leads, with Lai Lok-Yi, Samantha Ko, Max Cheung and Zoie Tam as the major supporting cast. It ai ...

) *2017: People's Choice Television Awards: People's Choice Best Actress (My Unfair Lady) *2017: Hong Kong Television Awards: Best Leading Actress in Drama Series (My Unfair Lady) *2024: 29th

Asian Television Awards The Asian Television Awards, founded in 1996, is an appreciation to recognize and reward programming and production excellence in the Asian television industry. Held every December, it comprises 56 categories across news, documentaries and curre ...

: Best Leading Female Performance - Digital (Kill Sera Sera)

References

External links

Jessica Hsuan
on Sina Weibo * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hsuan, Jessica 1970 births Living people Alumni of Imperial College London Hong Kong film actresses Hong Kong television actresses People educated at Roedean School, East Sussex TVB veteran actors 20th-century Hong Kong actresses 21st-century Hong Kong actresses