Wai Lin
Wai Lin | |
---|---|
James Bond character | |
Portrayed by | Michelle Yeoh |
Voiced by | Larissa Murray (1999 video game) |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Female |
Affiliation | Chinese Intelligence |
Classification | Bond girl |
Wai Lin (Chinese: 林慧; pinyin: Lín Huì) is a fictional character in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, portrayed by Michelle Yeoh. The character, the first ethnic Chinese Bond girl,[1] has received critical acclaim, being widely regarded as one of the best Bond girls in the series.
Kin-Yan Szeto, author of The Martial Arts Cinema of the Chinese Diaspora: Ang Lee, John Woo, and Jackie Chan in Hollywood, wrote that the actress's "persona" was the "tough martial arts/action heroine [Yeoh] had established in
Appearances
Film
Wai Lin is a
Stephen Yiu-Wai Chu (朱耀偉), author of Lost in Transition: Hong Kong Culture in the Age of China, wrote that the film and its promotional materials "incessantly highlighted" the character's "Chineseness".[3]
Other appearances
In the film's novelization by Raymond Benson, Wai Lin has an entire chapter devoted to introduce her character, detailing "her involvement with the Chinese Ministry of State Security, her training, her skills, and many other facets of her life that made her a real person. Her relationship with Bond is also much more realistic."[4]
In the 1999
A one/sixth scale action figure of her was released by Sideshow Collectibles in 2001.[6]
In early scripts[7] for Die Another Day, Wai Lin was to make a return, aiding Bond in Hong Kong. If this had happened, Wai Lin would have been the second Bond girl to appear in two films, following Sylvia Trench (Eunice Gayson) in Dr. No and From Russia with Love. However, this idea fell through so Wai Lin was replaced by Chinese intelligence agent Mr. Chang (played by Ho Yi) in the finished film.[8]
Reception
The character was very well received. After the film's release, Wai Lin proved so popular with fans and critics that
]Life named Wai Lin the 11th best Bond girl of all time.[10] In 2010, Entertainment Weekly ranked her as the seventh best Bond girl, calling this "savvy Chinese agent" one of the few "wom[e]n of color to match wits with 007" and "the first one you could take seriously."[11] In 2012, the International Business Times included Michelle Yeoh as Wai Lin among the top ten "most stunning" Bond girls of all time.[12] She was also included on the list of the 20 best Bond girls by Virgin Media, who called her "an equal match for Bond",[13] as well as on a similar list by Triple M Melbourne.[14]
MensXP.com ranked the "sexy and stern at the same time" Wai Lin as the seventh top Bond girl of all time;
References
- ^ Wong, Jacky (January 27, 1998). "Huge hit for first Chinese Bond girl". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong, China: Alibaba Group. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- )
- ISBN 978-1438446479.
- ^ Goodman, Greg. "Tomorrow Never Dies Novelization @ Universal Exports, The Home of James Bond, 007". Universalexports.net. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Tomorrow Never Dies (Video Game) – Characters –". Commanderbond.net. December 27, 2009. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Wai Lin Sixth Scale Figure - Sideshow Collectibles - SideshowCollectibles.com". Sideshowtoy.com. August 12, 2008. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ James Bond Die Another Day Wai Lin Unshot Elevator Sequence Story Board. 2002-02-12.
- ^ "James Bond 007 :: MI6 - The Home Of James Bond". Mi6-hq.com. May 1, 2003. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ Goodman, Greg (March 15, 2004). "Editorials: My Two Cents on Bond Girls Rivaling Bond @ Universal Exports, The Home of James Bond, 007". Universalexports.net. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "The 20 Best Bond Girls - Photo Gallery - LIFE". Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- ^ "The 10 Best Bond Girls". EW.com. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
- ^ "Top Ten Most Stunning Bond Girls of All Time [PHOTOS]". Ibtimes.co.uk. 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- ^ "Wai Lin - Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) - Best Bond girls - Pictures - Movies". Virgin Media. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
- ^ "The Best Bond Girls Of All Time | Bad Medicine". Triple M. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Top 10 most fabulous Bond girls of all time Photos | Pictures - Yahoo! Lifestyle India". In.lifestyle.yahoo.com. July 29, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Tribute to 007 (Part One): The Top Ten Bond Girls". Fandomania. 2010-02-16. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
- UGO. Retrieved September 16, 2013.