Homecoming success for former Rupertite

The Daily News continued to follow the Bernice Liu through the weekend, covering her homecoming to Prince Rupert extensively in the paper.

Her weekend activities became the front page story in Wednesday’s edition.


TVs Bernice Liu finds her star shines at home
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Bernice Liu gets more media attention than she would like while working in Hong Kong, and her first visit home in seven years wasn't much different.

While in Prince Rupert over the long weekend, Liu was in high demand by family, friends, and the general public who all wanted to get two minutes of her time, or at least a photograph.

After landing Friday to a warm reception of friends and family, Liu had a chance to get reacquainted with everyone before the Prince Rupert Secondary School Class of 97 reunion at Fishermen's Hall on Saturday.

Add that to the Chinese Association picnic at Diana Lake on Sunday, and the homecoming reception put on by the City of Prince Rupert at the Lester Centre for Performing Arts on Monday afternoon, and it's easy to see why her visit was anything but a relaxing weekend at home.

"This is really my first holiday in six years," said Liu while enjoying the sun at Diana Lake on Sunday.

"I kind of had to put my foot down, because this was important to me."

Liu really isn't kidding, as she works nearly 364 days of the year under her contract with TVB in Hong Kong. For example, her most recent series includes 20 one-hour episodes, which were filmed in only two months.

Liu works herself so hard during filming that at one point during the last few years she had to be hospitalized because she hadn't slept in over 48 hours.

"The only other time I came back was to Vancouver for my grandparent's 60th anniversary," said Liu of her last trip home.

"I stayed for 10 hours and then jumped back on a plane, so you can imagine I was jet-lagged."

Friends and family were obviously excited to see her, like her longtime friend Chris Mullin, a member of her graduating class ten years ago.

"We've been friends since basically we were little kids," said Mullin who got to hang out with Liu most of the weekend.

"And the reunion was great, we got to see a lot of people we hadn't seen in quite a few years."
Teresa Mackereth, Bernice's former dance instructor at the Dance Academy of Prince Rupert was more than happy to see her old student over the weekend.

"I'm thrilled with Bernice's successes as a model, singer, TV and movie star in Hong Kong," said Mackereth, who along with Liu was close to tears when they embraced each other on Monday. "But I am most proud of Bernice for what she has always been to me, a lovely young lady."

After saying her goodbyes yesterday, Liu is now in the United States where she'll be in meeting with producers about the possibility of filming some American commercials. Despite having a great time back on her native soil, Liu is looking forward to being reunited with her two dogs, Mac and Bailey, who were married in a star-studded ceremony last year, and now have three puppies.

"I'm trying to convince my dad to let me keep the babies," she said. "It's taking a little bit of negotiating."