Actress-turned-beauty mogul Gigi Lai has taken to Instagram to post a tribute to her late aunt, Hong Kong actress Lai Suen, who passed away on August 28 at the age of 93.

Gigi, 53, shared black-and-white photos of her aunt over the years, including one where Lai Suen presented her with an award.

“Your smile and warmth will forever remain in our hearts. We will miss you always,” she wrote.

Best known for her roles in ‘90s TVB classics such as ‘The Greed of Man and A Kindred Spirit, Lai Suen gradually retired from the screen in the 2010s.

Her last drama Only You aired in 2010.

Gigi left showbiz in 2008 at the height of her career to care for her younger brother after a car accident left him wheelchair-bound. That same year, she also married billionaire Patrick Ma, with whom she now has three daughters. 

Born into a prominent film family, Lai Suen was the daughter of Lai Man Wai, regarded as the “Father of Hong Kong Cinema”.

Her mother, Florence Lim Cho Cho, was a Chinese-Canadian actress who appeared in silent films, while her brother, Lai Hang, started acting at the age of four.

Lai Suen began her career in film in the 1950s at 17, before transitioning to television in the 1970s.

Over a career spanning more than half a century, she appeared in over 70 productions.

In 2023, the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild awarded her the Outstanding Performing Arts Award for her contribution to the entertainment industry.

Though she did not attend the reception, she appeared to be in good spirits when the guild’s vice-president, Candice Yu, delivered the trophy to her home.

A Kindred Spirit

Photos: Gigi Lai/Instagram, Mingpao