Voice of contention

The 'squeaky' utterances of a model who appeared on CCTV's Spring Festival gala has set the tone for pitched debate, but Lin Chi-ling says she doesn't listen. Gan Tian reports

Lin Chi-ling says she doesn't care about criticisms of her "babyish" voice.

The 36-year-old heartthrob appeared for about 20 minutes of this year's CCTV Spring Festival Gala to mixed reviews in which the only jabs are about the high pitch of her speech. She appeared for pop star Jay Chou's performance, engaged in an amusing chat with the hostess and introduced a magic show.

Her "squeaky" voice soon after became a source of debate on Sina.com's micro blog Weibo, with many arguing it wasn't "serious" enough for a national festival TV program.

"I've faced a lot of criticism during my time as an entertainer," she says.

"I usually just ignore it. But, naturally, it will sometimes get me down. At those times, I just look for something to cheer me up and with a balanced mindset, I can endure snide critics."

But reports from Sohu.com claimed Lin's performance was the gala's highlight. Some pointed out how clever she was to take such steps as wearing flat shoes out of consideration of Chou's small stature.

And Lin smiled when the show's hostess Dong Qing praised her performance as the magician's assistance, and turned the flattery back toward Dong, who assisted Lu Chen's slight-of-hand show the year before.

"I'm not an experienced insider like you," Lin told Dong.

Born to a traditional family, Lin left Taiwan at age 15 to obtain a double-major degree in Western art and economics from Toronto University in Canada.

She became a model after returning to Taiwan in 1997. Consequently, she has often been asked why she entered the "superficial showbiz industry", since she has a good educational background.

"I think the industry can be very influential but not superficial," she says.

"I realize and appreciate different backgrounds from every role I take on and experience a lot of new things I never planned to become a celebrity."

In 2004, she began to host television programs and many important award ceremonies, such as the Golden Horse Awards, the Golden Bell Awards and the Asia Motion Picture Awards.

"I appreciate the chance to be a model and a TV host. Modeling was the base of my career and brought me all these great opportunities," she says.

"And I learned a lot from being a TV host, such as how to be more expressive, more organized and more creative. I especially learned how to tackle the challenge of expressing creative ideas to audiences."

Lin soon caught the attention of director John Woo, who gave her a role in Red Cliff (2008). The film and her performance were wildly successful.

"I wasn't very familiar with acting when I joined the Red Cliff team. The whole team and (actor) Tony Leung taught me many skills and shared his professionalism," she recalls.

A year later, Jay Chou asked her to play in his action-adventure film, The Treasure Hunter.

Cooperating with Chou was wonderful, she says. They shared a great deal in common, as they are both from Taiwan. The friendship they formed led him to ask her to appear in the Spring Festival gala.

Working as the ambassador of Swiss watchmaker Longines, Lin traveled to Rome, Italy, in 2010 to film a commercial with Hollywood star Kate Winslet and Indian actress Aishwarya Rai. The advertisement shows the three women outrunning the paparazzi to enjoy drinks together.

Lin watched The Reader, Sense and Sensibility and Revolutionary Road many times. She says she was surprised to find Winslet does not fit the stereotype of superstar but is "an ordinary person, like the kind you'd bump into on the streets".

Lin spent a lot of time chatting with Winslet during breaks.

"Kate has always been my idol," she says.

"I think her sense of self has come about as a result of her own life experiences, not just her professional development. I wish I would become an actress like her."

Longines' head of international marketing Juan-Carlos Capelli says Lin is certainly now an international A-lister like the other two actresses. Her megawatt smile and classic style impressed him the most.

"She explains best the slogan, 'Elegance is an attitude'," Capelli says.

Because she speaks fluent Japanese, she has also taken on a role in the Japanese TV romantic drama Moon Lovers, in which she appears alongside the country's megastar actress Kimura Takuya.

"A lot of people say I always keep a 'perfect' image, but I believe an image can't be purposefully kept. 'Perfect' is only a verb to me," she says.

"I hope I can continue to deliver happiness and encouragement to my audiences."