Esquire has Li Bingbing in muted color, glorious black and white

The early drumbeats of hype for "Transformers 4" have begun so we can expect lots of LBB articles. Since "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" made US$177.3 million at the Chinese box office, she is the first of several Chinese actors expected to be cast. Sina describes her character as the "chief women scientists in Seattle" although since this is a Michael Bay explosion extravaganza she may be playing a Gila monster herder in the Kalahari by the time it hits the theaters next year. Li Bingbing in thigh-high boots, lingerie and leopard skin, posing with stacks of worn luggage and outmoded electronics:

Sina; Daily Chili

Shu Qi pitches Swarovski

Marketing types and higher-ups at firms who sell luxury goods (Armani) "accessible luxury" (Frederique Constant watches) and "affordable luxury" (an oxymoron) like to hire celebrities to promote their brands. Shu Qi fronts Armani and Frederique Constant as well as Swarovski, a company that falls in the the third category. She is famous in Asia, reasonably known in Europe and North America; she adds a shot of glamor to almost any product or event and can be depended upon to be on time and ready to sparkle. One doesn't move from crotch shots in Taiwanese stroke books to international movie star by not showing up.

She doesn't mind being upstaged by Hello Kitty made from Swarovski crystals and has the ruefully sexy look down perfectly at the costume jeweler's bash in Shanghai:

She will give the photographers and photo editors what they want by flashing a pout (or a duck face, depending on your point of view):

She will do her best to make the dorkiest vice-president (here Herman Winkler, VP of north Asia for Swarovski) look good, although it was too much of a stretch in this case:

And lights things up when a ruby necklace appears:

Sina; MSN Singapore

Yao Chen, World Refugee Day

The United Nations Refugee Agency (the UN High Commission for Refugees to traditionalists) announced that Yao Chen, a spokesperson for them during the past three years is now an Ambassador and Sina has the story. Yao Chen visited people displaced by persecution, conflict and violence in the Philippines, Thailand and Ethiopia, doing exactly what the UN expects of her, create "widespread media coverage in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao as well as other parts of the Chinese-speaking world" by having her picture taken in squalid, makeshift camps.

She did a good job of looking concerned:

Pensive:

useful:

and even appropriately cheerful:

The archetype for this activity is Angelina Jolie who visited camps on the Jordan/Syria border where half a million civilians who fled the civil war in Syria have landed. June 20 is World Refugee Day in case you forgot to mark in on your calendar.

Ammon (Jordan) News; Sina

June 4, 1989 remebered in Hong Kong

It is time to turn to Webs of Significance where YTSL describes the candlelit (and this year drenched) Hong Kong demonstration to recall the heroic efforts of Chinese citizens 24 years ago and to make sure that those who don't remember the actions in Tienanmen Square will know about them.

Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk and the Golden Horse Awards.

Maggie Cheung has been named the Ambassador for the 50th anniversary of the Golden Horse Awards (actually it is called "The Golden Horse Film Festival"--the Taiwanese film competition has a festival like jury that names the winners) and since she has a very crowded mantlepiece with five of the equine honors it seems like a safe choice. She was called to the podium to receive the Best Actress accolade for Full Moon in New York, Centre Stage, Comrades: Almost a Love Story and In the Mood for Love, and picking up a Best Supporting Actress award for Red Dust.

At the press conference with Hou Hsiao-Hsien:

Holding an award--she has had plenty of practice:

Maggie being Maggie:

Sina; The Film Experience; Xinhua English

Zhang Ziyi at photocall for Un Certain Regard jury members

Zhang Ziyi showed effortless star power facing the cameras as the jury for the Un Certain Regard competition lined up for photos. It is a big deal, at least in France--the prix un certain regard was introduced in 1998 to "recognize young talent and to encourage innovative and daring works by presenting one of the films with a grant to aid its distribution in France."

Her jury mates included Danish director Thomas Vinterberg and French star Ludivine Sagnier.

THR; Sina