As one half of Cantopop sensation Twins, Gillian Chung needs little introduction. Though she has shied away from the public eye since her involvement in last year’s “Sexy Photo Gate” scandal, when sexual photos of her with Edison Chen surfaced on the internet, she is back now and starring in a production of Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be in Pictures.” Chung talks to Winnie Chau about her early life, the scandal, and her advice to the women of Hong Kong.

My mom was 19 when she gave birth to me. She was always struggling to make a living, so we drifted from place to place. I went to five or six kindergartens. Lots of different people took care of me. I didn’t have any real friends. I was quite lonely.

I didn’t think I was missing anything, having lost my father. I don’t have any memories of him. Since it was always all women in my house, I would be pretty nervous in front of men. I didn’t really know how to get along with the opposite sex.

When I was young, I was taught the violin, the piano, the guitar and the cello.

I also took painting lessons, and ballet and ice-skating. I wanted to become a skater. They’re beautiful, but I was afraid to fall.

I’m pretty used to being criticized. When I gain weight, they say I’m fat. When I lose weight, they say I’m too thin. I don’t know what people want from me.

I admire Maggie Cheung. She is wise, in the sense that she has left Hong Kong for France. France is a place that respects privacy. It is a romantic and liberal place.

A real man should be humble and polite, and love his family. He should be a gentleman who would never bully a woman.

I would like to tell the local media to not force their camera lenses too close to me. All they want is a shot of my annoyed face. When I am not smiling, they assume I am crying.

Hong Kong can be considered to have gender equality. At least women have the right to speak out about their situation. That said, Hong Kong is still a patriarchal Chinese society. In many ways, women are at a disadvantage. People are far more critical if a woman has an affair than they are if a man does. Men would never be under attack for accidentally showing a little skin.

Hong Kong women have a great sense of tolerance. But when it comes to love, they are fragile. They become so involved that they lose themselves. I’m no different, but I’d say I’m more realistic now. I used to think a relationship can last forever, but now I doubt that. Thinking and doing are two entirely different things.

Perhaps women in Hong Kong would not be interested in listening to me, but I have to tell them, fight for yourself. Don’t let men look down on us.

After the sex photos incident, I realized that there are many girls out there doing similar things. This incident is a warning to them.

I have nothing to say to Edison. He has nothing to do with me anymore. That incident is in the past.

I am the sacrificial lamb in this situation. From the very beginning until now, all of the blame has fallen on me.

What I do now and in the future is not compensation for the incident. My actions come from my heart. I do charitable things not to ask for forgiveness—forgiveness is not necessary, because the incident is only a personal matter. But surely it has affected a lot of people, and I feel sorry about that.

“I am naïve and silly”—“naïve” because I trusted someone naively; “silly” for what I did. But if it weren’t for love, I would have never agreed to do such things.

I think everyone can become naïve and silly. When it comes to love, one can easily be blinded.

I still believe in love. Without love, the world cannot go on.

What I need now more than anything is care. After all, my heart is still wounded. It takes time for me to heal.

Gillian Chung will be starring in a production of Neil Simon’s comedy, “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” being put on at the Academy for the Performing Arts on August 27-29. Tickets $190-$390 from HK Ticketing, 3128-8288.