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| Michelle Wai Makes History at Hundred Flowers Awards 2026: Here’s What the Hong Kong Star Said. (Sohu) |
Michelle Wai has added another major honour to her career after winning Best Actress at the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards on 10 August 2026 for her performance in The Last Dance (破‧地獄), beating a strong field that included Song Jia, Zhuang Dafei, Zhang Zifeng and Gao Ye. The victory also makes her the first Hong Kong actress to receive the award, turning what was already an important night for the actress into a genuinely historic one.
The win came at an especially eventful time for Michelle Wai, who had only recently returned to work after suffering an accidental injury while filming the drama 狩謊 in late July.
The actress reportedly needed around 50 stitches near her lips and took just ten days to rest before returning to work. By the time she arrived at the Hundred Flowers Awards red carpet, she was wearing a striking red gown and carrying on as if the previous few weeks had been nothing more than an inconvenient interruption to her schedule.
The injury was still visible, with a plaster covering the affected area, although the mark was difficult to notice. Speaking to reporters, Michelle Wai explained that the swelling had not completely gone down and that she had only recently had the stitches removed.
She could not wear make-up around the area, had to avoid certain dark-coloured foods and even needed to be careful about how forcefully she spoke.
She also openly acknowledged that the injury would likely leave a scar, although her husband had already arranged several treatments to help with the recovery.
So, naturally, she turned up at one of the biggest film awards of the year looking remarkably composed. If anything, the contrast between the circumstances behind the scenes and her red-carpet appearance made the moment even more striking.
Her Best Actress victory came after The Last Dance earned her a nomination for the category, with the audience ultimately giving her the edge over her fellow nominees. Rather than treating the result as something she had expected, Michelle Wai admitted afterwards that she was genuinely surprised by the outcome.
“I completely didn't expect to win!” she said after receiving the award, capturing the disbelief that often disappears from carefully prepared acceptance speeches.
Her reaction was particularly meaningful because the Hundred Flowers Awards are strongly connected to audience recognition, making the public response to her performance an important part of the achievement.
Asked how it felt to be chosen by audiences as Best Actress, Michelle Wai gave a more reflective answer about what she believes acting should achieve.
She said the feeling was difficult to put into words because, for her, the most important thing about a good character is whether audiences like the character and find something they can connect with.
She explained that “a good role” ultimately matters because viewers should be able to find resonance in it, rather than simply watching an actor deliver a technically impressive performance.
For Michelle Wai, that connection goes further than entertainment. She said the most meaningful outcome is when a character can somehow make people's lives better.
That belief shaped the promise she made after the victory. Rather than suggesting that the award marked the end of a particular chapter, Michelle Wai said she would continue working hard on every role she takes on and aim to move more people through her performances. In other words, one trophy is apparently not enough to convince her that she can put her feet up.
The actress also shared a longer message on Weibo on 10 August, using the occasion to thank the people who had helped make the achievement possible. She described herself as honoured to receive the recognition and stressed that the award belonged not only to her but also to the wider The Last Dance team.
Michelle Wai thanked both the cast and crew, recognising the work carried out behind the camera as an essential part of bringing her character to life. Her message made it clear that she sees an acting award as a collective achievement rather than something created by one performer alone.
She also expressed gratitude towards the company and the people who have supported her throughout her career, including Dr. Yang and Mani, whom she credited with years of guidance and encouragement. She gave particular thanks to Dr. Albert Yeung, highlighting the trust placed in her and the opportunities that helped shape her journey as an actress.
Her message then shifted from gratitude towards what comes next. Michelle Wai made it clear that the Hundred Flowers victory would not become an excuse to stop challenging herself.
Instead, she intends to use the recognition as motivation to keep improving, explore stories that are different from those she has already taken on and build characters with greater depth.
Looking ahead, she wrote that she would carry the spirit of the achievement with her while continuing to enrich herself, try more varied stories and create more characters that feel “alive and strong”. It is a suitably ambitious response from an actress who has just reached a career milestone but appears considerably more interested in what the next role might bring.
The audience response to Michelle Wai’s victory has naturally varied. Supporters have celebrated the win as an important recognition for both the actress and Hong Kong cinema, while others have focused on the competitive nature of the category and the fact that she came up against several established performers.
The historic element of becoming the first Hong Kong actress to take the Hundred Flowers Best Actress award has also added another layer to the discussion. For many viewers, however, the most appealing part of her reaction may be how little she tried to turn the victory into a grand declaration about herself.
Her immediate response was surprise, followed by repeated thanks to the people around her and a promise to keep improving. After dealing with an injury, returning to work and then walking onto the Hundred Flowers red carpet to collect one of the industry's major acting honours, Michelle Wai has certainly had a busy few weeks.
With The Last Dance now firmly attached to one of the biggest achievements of Michelle Wai’s career, attention will inevitably turn to what she chooses next. Will her Hundred Flowers victory lead to even more challenging roles, or is there already another performance waiting to surprise audiences?