Hong Kong actress Leanne Liu (Liu Xuehua), now 65 years old, just played a 90-year-old grandma in the Chinese film Row to Win. Her aged, toothless appearance even sparked rumors that she had all her teeth removed for the role. The actress, who continues to age gracefully, was once one of the most sought-after leading ladies of the 1980s and 1990s, best known for her roles in Chiung Yao’s classic romance dramas in Taiwan. Over the decades, Liu Xuehua has remained admired for her professionalism and versatility, both on and off screen.
As for the viral rumor that she sacrificed her teeth for the sake of art, Liu Xuehua could only laugh. She explained that her teeth were already dentures—not something she had extracted for filming. “I didn’t pull them out for the movie,” she clarified with a smile. She explained that the director felt she was a bit young for the role upon their first meeting. To prove she could play the part, she simply took off her dentures on the spot, instantly transforming into the toothless grandmother. The director, momentarily taken aback, agreed she was perfect for the role. In her words, this was how she strove to earn the part.
The veteran actress went beyond appearances—she lost weight, practiced the local dialect, and carefully studied the physicality of elderly women. In Row to Win, Liu Xuehua plays the role of ‘Ah Tai,’ a resilient elderly woman whose story anchors the film.
Photo: Lang Lang Ren Sheng / Weibo
HL
She loves to act… I really love that dedication towards her art..