Michael Miu as Huang Yaoshi for LOCH 2017

Click this for the characteristic of Huang Yaoshi

Michael Miu as Huang Yaoshi, the East Heretic for LOCH 2017

I might regret posting this later if this proves to be incorrect, (It is confirmed!!!) but at the moment some wuxia fans in the Indonesian Kaypang Gallery Facebook is abuzz with the news that Michael Miu has been cast as Huang Yaoshi for the Legend of Condor Heroes 2017 (thanks Wina for the news). The series will be directed by Gordon Chan Jeffrey Chiang (thanks Faira!). Huang Yaoshi or the East Heretic was the father of Huang Rong (Wong Yung), and was superbly portrayed by Kenneth Tsang in LOCH 1983. I have always loved East Heretic in LOCH 1983, and I love Kenneth's portrayal of this character. 

To see this beloved character played by the charismatic Michael Miu is like a balm for my heart... especially because tomorrow is the 31th death remembrance of Barbara Yung. Hence, my blue day has been soothed, somehow.

But let me not get ahead of myself. I will explain the news source etc after the break!



So, the first news source is Wina, one of my Indonesian readers, who told me this morning that Michael was cast as Huang Yaoshi (thank you, Wina!!). Of course, I was so elated, but then I asked about her source. She pointed me out to the Kaypang (Beggar Clan) Gallery FB page, but there was no further link from that FB Page. However, it does seem that Kaypang Gallery obtained the photo above from the official weibo of the LOCH 2017.

But I found an older link (11 March 2016) of Michael being cast as Yang Tiexin, Yang Kang's father, for LOCH 2017. Since I don't read any Chinese characters, I just google translated it:

　《射雕英雄传》演员阵容：钟汉良（郭靖）、陈楚河(杨康)、赵丽颖(黄蓉)、张定涵（穆念慈）、韩栋（欧阳克）、张檬（梅超风）、唐国强（黄药师）、陈道明（段智兴）、吴宗宪（欧阳锋）、高雄（洪七公）、黄日华（郭啸天）、苗侨伟（杨铁心）、王菲（包惜弱）、陈小艺（李萍）其他演员角色待定。 微信关注：中国娱乐网

It was said there that Felix Wong will play Guo Jing's dad Guo Xiaotian while Michael Miu will play Yang Kang's dad Yang Tiexin. I was so happy to have Michael playing Yang Tiexin (and Felix playing Guo Xiaotian). But the actors who will play Guo Jing and Huang Rong are different from the ones mentioned here. Cos here Li Yitong will play Huang Rong, while William Yang Xu will play Guo Jing. 

William Yang (Guo Jing) & Li Yitong (Huang Rong), LOCH 2017

Then I asked my Chinese friend Li Qian about it, and whether she could check on Weibo. She confirmed to me that the official LOCH 2017 stated that Michael Miu had been cast as Huang Yaoshi. Qian also sent me the first photograph (thanks, Qian!). The actor in the photograph does not look like Michael, but perhaps it's because of the long white Han hair. 

Come to think of it; it might be Michael indeed (source: Kaypang Gallery)

Since I don't have a weibo account, and I don't read any Chinese characters at all, I cannot verify it myself, but I trust Qian. Hence, there you go... Michael Miu as Huang Yaoshi... until proven otherwise...

Kenneth Tsang as Huang Yaoshi with Barbara Yung as Wong Yung/Huang Rong (1983)

What do you think about this, guys? Between Huang Yaoshi and Yang Tiexin, I prefer Michael playing Huang Yaoshi, cos East Heretic (Sesat Timur) has more screen time than Yang Tiexin (who basically died early in the series). Plus, Huang Yaoshi has such a complex character; it would be fun to see Michael portraying this character. Not to mention that Michael himself hails from an island just north of the Peach Blossom Island, and he was best friend with Wong Yung (I mean, Barbara!).

Of course I will always love Michael Miu as Yang Kang (and I will always love Kenneth Tsang as the 1983 East Heretic), but I'm looking forward to the LOCH 2017 now. 

If the news is correct, that is. 


Update 14 May 2016:

I've squinted and checked the photo above the 1983 Kenneth Tsang Huang Yaoshi. I think it's possible that the actor is indeed Michael. I should pull out a photo of him in Line Walkers 2014 and doodle some white Han hair and beard on him. I think the 2017 Huang Yaoshi is indeed Michael.

OMG... An Indonesian fan (Faira Ammadea) just posted two more photographs from the LOCH 2017 set. It's MICHAEL indeed!!! Thank you so very much, Faira!!

Source: Faira Ammadea via Kaypang Gallery

Source: Faira Ammadea via Kaypang Gallery

Michael, Jaime Chik (green shirt), et al, source: CQDST

Michael Miu is going to play his FIRST Wuxia series after his hiatus!!!

OMG OMG OMG!!!



And for the fans of Lu Liangwei (Ray Lui), he might be cast as the Southern Emperor. Ray Lui played as Wu Fei in the 1986 Flying Fox of the Snowy Mountain. I love him there. OMG, that would be cool if Ray is the Southern Emperor!

I will make another post of all main cast of the LOCH 2017 when it's published online in English (so I don't misinterpret it). I don't have any emotional connections to the young actors... but I care A LOT about the 80s veterans that are cast as main supporting characters like the Five Greats. 



Update 30 May 2016:

SPCnet now has a forum for this series. Click here to join the discussion. 

And here's another photo of Michael on-screen as Daddy Heretic:

Source: Baidu

Update 23 June 2016:

More gorgeous photos of Michael here as the East Heretic:

Update 29 June 2016:

More gorgeous photos of the 2017 Huang Yaoshi from Michael Miu's weibo...

Update 30 June 2016:

I've written another post about Huang Yaoshi's character based on the LOCH book here. More photos can be found in the new post as well.