Carina Lau

Acting

Freshness: Jan 19, 2026

50Total Films

9.0 Highest Rated

Born: Dec 8, 1966

Birth Place: Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

About Carina Lau

Carina Lau Kar-Ling (Chinese: 劉嘉玲; born 8 December 1966) is a Hong Kong-Canadian actress and singer. She started her acting career in TVB, before going on to achieve success in films after her 2nd year in college. She was notable in the 1980s for her girl-next-door type roles in films. She also plays Empress Wu Zetian in Tsui Hark's Detective Dee films, starting with Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame in 2010. She has won Best Actress awards at the Hong Kong Film Award and Mainland China's Golden Rooster Awards, and has been nominated at Cannes Film Festival and Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards.

Career Statistics & Market Influence

Analyzing the cinematic journey of Carina Lau reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.

Genre Dominance: Drama

The majority of Carina Lau's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.

The "Box Office" Signature

With a 58% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Carina Lau remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Ashes of Time Redux, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.

Best Carina Lau Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Carina Lau's career based on audience ratings.

★9.0

★9.0

Ashes of Time Redux — Ouyang Feng is a heartbroken and cynical man who spends his days in the desert, connecting expert swordsmen with those s

Ashes of Time Redux

2008•Drama

★7.9

Lord Of East China Sea (1993) movie poster

★7.9

Lord Of East China Sea — The story of the rise to prominence of Luk, a Shanghai fruitseller who became one of the most powerful men in China in t

Lord Of East China Sea

1993•Action

★7.7

★7.7

Let the Bullets Fly — When circumstances force an outlaw to impersonate a county governor and clean up a corrupt town, the Robin Hood figure f

Let the Bullets Fly

2010•Action

★7.3

★7.3

Infernal Affairs II — In this prequel to the original, a bloody power struggle among the Triads coincides with the 1997 handover of Hong Kong,

Infernal Affairs II

2003•Action

★7.3

★7.3

Days of Being Wild — Yuddy, a Hong Kong playboy known for breaking girls' hearts, tries to find solace and truth after discovering the woman

Days of Being Wild

1990•Crime

Complete Filmography & Success Status

Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Carina Lau.

Year	Movie	Character	Success	More
2022	Warriors of Future	Colonel Tam Bing	Hit	Similar →
2021	Dynasty Warriors	Master of the Sword Forge Castle	Average	Similar →
2019	A City Called Macau	Fei Jie	Average	Similar →
2018	Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings	Wu Zetian	Average	Similar →
2018	A Beautiful Moment	Doctor Bo	Hit	Similar →
2017	In Your Dreams	Mrs. Yip	Average	Similar →
2015	Cairo Declaration	-	Hit	Similar →
2014	Beijing Love Story	Jia Ling / 佳玲	Hit	Similar →
2013	Bends	Anna Li	Flop	Similar →
2013	Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon	Wu Zetian	Average	Similar →
2010	Let the Bullets Fly	Magistrate's wife	Super Hit	Similar →
2010	Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame	Wu Zetian	Hit	Similar →
2008	Ashes of Time Redux	桃花	Super Hit	Similar →
2006	Curiosity Kills the Cat	Chian Yu / Rose	Average	Similar →
2004	2046	Lulu / Mimi / Android	Hit	Similar →
2003	Infernal Affairs III	Mary Hon	Hit	Similar →
2003	Infernal Affairs II	Mary Hon	Hit	Similar →
2003	1:99 Shorts	(segment "A Glorious Future")	Average	Similar →
2001	La Brassiere	Samantha	Average	Similar →
1998	Flowers of Shanghai	Pearl	Hit	Similar →
1997	Intimates	Wan	Average	Similar →
1996	Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?	Rose	Average	Similar →
1996	Forbidden City Cop	Ling Kar Ting	Hit	Similar →
1994	Ashes of Time	Peach Blossom	Hit	Similar →
1994	He's a Woman, She's a Man	Rose	Hit	Similar →
1994	Deadful Melody	Tam Yuet-Wah	Average	Similar →
1993	He Ain't Heavy, He's My Father	Laura Watts	Hit	Similar →
1993	C'est La Vie Mon Cheri	Tracey	Hit	Similar →
1993	Lord Of East China Sea II	Lao Liu	Hit	Similar →
1993	Lord Of East China Sea	Lao Liu	Super Hit	Similar →
1993	Rose Rose I Love You	-	Average	Similar →
1993	The Eagle Shooting Heroes	Zhou Botong	Hit	Similar →
1992	Girls Without Tomorrow	Hua	Hit	Similar →
1992	Now You See Love... Now You Don't	Susan Chong	Average	Similar →
1991	Saviour of the Soul	Pet Lady	Hit	Similar →
1991	The Banquet	Dancer / Woman at Dinner	Average	Similar →
1991	Center Stage	Lily Li / Self	Hit	Similar →
1991	My American Grandson	Jiao Li	Average	Similar →
1990	Days of Being Wild	Leung Fung-ying	Hit	Similar →
1990	Queen's Bench III	Ms Chen	Average	Similar →
1990	She Shoots Straight	Huang Chia-Ling	Hit	Similar →
1989	China White	Yen	Average	Similar →
1989	I Am Sorry	Carol Cheung	Average	Similar →
1989	Return of the Lucky Stars	Banana Tso	Hit	Similar →
1989	Lucky Guys	Tam Wing Lin	Average	Similar →
1988	City Warriors	Mak Ying-ying	Hit	Similar →
1987	Project A Part II	Carina	Hit	Similar →
1987	Rich and Famous	Lau Po Yee	Hit	Similar →
1987	Tragic Hero	Lau Po Yee	Average	Similar →
1986	Armour of God	Member of The Losers Band	Hit	Similar →

Carina Lau - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Carina Lau?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Carina Lau is "Ashes of Time Redux" with a rating of 9.0/10.

How many movies has Carina Lau acted in?

Carina Lau has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Carina Lau?

Other notable films include "Lord Of East China Sea", "Let the Bullets Fly", and "Infernal Affairs II".