Hsu Chi's career followed the same flight path as that of Sharon Stone. Like Sharon, the young actress worked in relative obscurity until performances in a high-profile erotic film hit launched her as a bankable box office commodity. In both cases, the actresses used their newfound notoriety to good effect, becoming legitimate leading ladies with impressive film credits to their names. In Hsu Chi's case, the transition from sex kitten to star has been all the more remarkable, given that, in the Asian film market, the barrier between the adult film industry and mainstream cinema is rarely crossed. 'Sex And Zen II' made her name and 'Viva Erotica' made her a star. Hsu Chi's performances in last year's box office smash 'Storm Riders' and this year's Jackie Chan hit 'Gorgeous' may earn her a wider following than ever before.

Hsu Chi's luminous performance in 'Viva Erotica' surprised many critics, and the actress herself seemed overwhelmed when she subsequently swept the board at every Chinese film award ceremony. When she won Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Actress at the 1997 Hong Kong Film Awards, she tearfully thanked her mother for supporting her in her choice of career. Hsu Chi also picked up similar prizes at Hong Kong's Golden Bauhinia awards and Taiwan's Golden Horse awards. This critical recognition opened the door for her to work with quality Hong Kong film-makers. She received excellent notices for her work on the anthology film 'Love Is Not A Game But A Joke', the directorial debut of regular Stanley Kwan script-writer Yip Kam-hung. Though not a singer herself, Hsu Chi has been a 'special featured guest' at concerts held by Leslie Cheung, with whom she performed in 'Viva Erotica', and Leon Lai. In the case of the latter, she travelled all the way to Los Angeles to appear on stage during his show.