Sammy Sum’s aunt calls him out as ungrateful
HONG KONG: His aunt had a hand in helping him to fame but former TVB actor Sammy Sum never offered a word of thanks.
Sammy’s aunt, a former TVB star, revealed that he is unappreciative of her work for him all these years since his debut in showbiz in 2007 shortly after his TVB audition.
Sammy shot to fame after portraying “Bao Tang” in the 2011 TVB crime drama ‘Lives of Omission’, leading him to roles such as Don in 2012’s ‘Lan Kwai Fong 2’ and Kobe in 2014’s ‘ Line Walker’.
Besides that, he has also recorded a solo album, becoming a new star in the music industry.
However, stardom didn’t come as a coincidence. His aunt Winnie Lui, had a hand in shaping Sammy’s career. Winnie debuted in the industry in 1995 as a member of the Electric Girls, a team of TVB variety actresses that also included Irene Wang and Sherming Yiu. Winnie eventually faded out of the screen to pursue a career backstage. She used her close relationship with staff and executives to help Sammy find work.
“After hearing about my nephew’s interest in the entertainment industry, I really tried my best to help him,” said Winnie. “That’s me. If you are my friend, I will do anything to help you, let alone a relative ( like Sammy). I’ll do as much as I can! I helped him get interviews and find sponsors. The first job I accepted for him was a charity show. I invited him to the show with my own money.”
Winnie’s busiest time as Sammy’s pseudo-manager was during the time he filmed ‘Lan Kwai Fong 2’. Winnie explained, “This film was the project that rose his ranks. The studios weren’t planning on using him at first because they found him troublesome, so I had to pull some strings for him to get the job. I was with him for all of his interviews.”
However, the 41-year- old former actress said Sammy wasn’t very appreciative of her work. “There was a time when I was accidentally caught on camera with him. He got very upset about that. He told me I was being too high-profile, and that the best way to support him was to not make an appearance. I don’t think the name Winnie Lui was ever mentioned alongside his name in the news before. I was stupid. People could see his hard work, but how about mine? Why do I have to tie my life to his?”
Finding jobs weren’t the only things Winnie did for Sammy. She had also helped him organise fan meetings, manage social media, and update his news for his fans. Tearing up, Winne said, “I felt like I was his servant. I managed his Weibo, Facebook fans page, and all of his social media. But in the end, I got no acknowledgement for my work. Maybe I did too much for him. I felt stupid!”