Actress Charmaine Sheh turns to mother, friends for financial aid after stock investment losses

Hong Kong actress Charmaine Sheh. Photo from Sheh's Weibo

According to AsiaOne, Sheh discussed her financial missteps on the May 30 episode of Carina Lau’s talk show "Jia Ren Zi You Yue." She recalled the allure of profitable stock investments when she entered the entertainment industry in 1998.

Sheh recounted investing in stocks and experiencing substantial losses of over HK$200,000 (US$25,600), which financially overwhelmed her. She was compelled to borrow money from her mother to manage these debts, she admitted.

As tax season drew near at the end of the year, Sheh faced additional financial pressures. Feeling too embarrassed to ask her mother for more money, she turned to her friends for assistance to navigate through her financial troubles.

Sheh resolved never to invest in stocks again and emphasized the crucial lesson she learned about the importance of savings following her ordeal.

Reacting to Sheh’s experiences, Lau also shared that she had learned hard lessons from her own stock market adventures.

Both actresses now boast considerable assets. Sheh owns five properties across Hong Kong with a combined market value of HK$180 million, as reported by On. Lau, on the other hand, claims her assets exceed HK$800 million.

Sheh, 49, started her entertainment career as the first runner-up in the Miss Hong Kong pageant in 1997 and quickly rose to prominence with TVB, appearing in popular series like "War and Beauty," "Beyond the Realm of Conscience," and "Forensic Heroes."

After leaving TVB in 2016, she founded Charmaine Sheh Workshop Limited and expanded her acting pursuits in China, earning accolades for her role in the 2018 series "Story of Yanxi Palace."

In 2023, Sheh returned to TVB, featuring in "The Queen of News" and securing her third Best Actress award at the TVB Awards.

Now 59, Lau launched her acting career in 1984, achieving fame through a series of successful drama series in that decade. Her subsequent film roles, including appearances in two "Infernal Affairs" sequels and Wong Kar-wai’s "2046," further elevated her global stature.

In 2008, Lau married Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, who, at 62, is celebrated as one of Asia’s most esteemed and internationally recognized actors.