Talented Chinese actors making the transition from films in their homeland to big Hollywood movies is not unusual at all. After all, big names like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Zhang Ziyi and Vivian Wu have all made a splash overseas, and it looks like a new name could be joining those ranks sometime soon. Liu Shishi is a veritable superstar in her homeland of China, but is still a fairly unknown name in Hollywood – yet all that could be about to change.
Liu Shishi has been named a brand representative of longstanding Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Omega. As Omega’s list of brand ambassadors isn’t exactly massive, this is a huge honor for the young actress, with president and CEO of the company saying that Liu Shishi “perfectly embodies the values of Omega, with her style, beauty and commitment to excellence.”
When we consider that the likes of George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Eddie Redmayne are all current Omega brand ambassadors, the signing of Liu Shishi certainly makes a big impression upon those who didn’t know her name before. Liu Shishi is likely hoping that she could use this chance as a springboard to enter the coveted American film market, just like many of her Chinese counterparts have done.
Likewise, Omega will be thrilled to add such a stunning jewel in their already-shining crown. The company’s older models might still be easy to find, but selling brand new models is certainly no walk in the park, what with smartwatches becoming increasingly popular and emerging watch brands like Daniel Wellington and MVMT taking some of the spotlight from the well-known Swiss brands. Still, Omega has been a watch company always at the forefront of cinema, primarily because of its association with the James Bond franchise since 1995, when it took over from Rolex as the official watch of the British secret agent.
All in all, it remains to be seen just how popular Liu Shishi can become after her involvement with Omega, but this is a big step in the right direction if indeed her goal is to become a global star. The same could be said of Crystal Liu, who has been cast as Mulan in the upcoming live-action film of the same name. Crystal Liu (sometimes also known as Liu Yifei) is said to have been the top pick out of around 1,000 potential candidates for the role.
