Ex TVB Star Sonija Kwok, 47, Says She Only Joined The 1999 Miss Hong Kong Pageant 'Cos A TVB Actor Said She Should

Former TVB actress Sonija Kwok, 47, recently made a comeback in ViuTV's new drama Inevitable after fading out of the spotlight for years.

During an interview with Carol Cheng, Sonija shared what sparked her return to the small screen and also what led her to participate in the 1999 Miss Hong Kong pageant, which launched her showbiz career.

Sonija with Carol Cheng

Sonija revealed that she had one very important condition she needed to be met before she agreed to star in Inevitable.

"I'm not young anymore. I'm being very frank. I'm not like those young girls who can go without sleep for a few days," said Sonija, who said that the longest she went without sleep was three days straight.

"I've tried it before and I'm terrified of it. I don't want [to do it again]. I think sleep is very important for a woman. If I don't get enough sleep, I wouldn't know what I'm doing. I won't be able to remember my lines, how do you expect me to act? So I said I must get 12 hours of sleep, and [the director] said 'No problem, I promise you'."

She might not even be here if not for TVB actor Tang Chi-Fung

Sonija also talked about how she stumbled into the Miss Hong Kong pageant in 1999. 

And it turns out, the actress only decided to join the competition 'cos of TVB actor Tang Chi-Fung, whom she met on a plane. 

According to Sonija, who used to work as an air-stewardess before entering showbiz, he asked her "Why don't you join Miss Hong Kong? I'm telling you, you'd definitely win." 

The actress shared that many other people had also encouraged her to join the competition.

"When I was submitting the application form to be a police officer, the policewoman also asked me why I didn't join the pageant," she said. 

Sonija went on to win the competition and was also named Miss Photogenic, Miss International Goodwill and Miss Intelligence.

The Miss Hong Kong pageant has propelled many of its winners and contestants to stardom — Michele Reis, Myolie Wu and Charmaine Sheh are just three of many A-listers to have emerged from it.

Here's Sonija when she was crowned Miss Hongkong 1999

Photos: Sonija Kwok/Instagram, Chinapress, ent.sina