Talk Asia
CNN's Talk Asia programme features celebrity interviews, topical discussion and personal insight focusing on Asia's leading business, political and entertainment personalities.
Recent Guests on Talk Asia include:
Yao Ming
Arguably the most internationally successful and recognized athlete that China has ever produced, Yao Ming joins CNN's TALK ASIA as part of the network’s focus on the Beijing Olympic Games. Viewers follow TALK ASIA to Houston, Texas to see Yao in training and he discusses the Olympics, how much he was personally affected by the Sichuan earthquake, life in the U.S and even his amusing take on his newlywed status. Also see why the NBA star’s fractured left foot has left millions of fans in China and around the world concerned for his Olympic chances.
Ma Ying-jeou
Taiwan’s new president Ma Ying-jeou has been in office for only two months and already he is being credited with breathing new life into the stagnated relationship the island shares with mainland China. This weekend, TALK ASIA gets exclusive access to the President as he discusses with host Anjali Rao the move to build closer ties with the mainland, his views on their leadership and his emergence and rise to power as Taiwan’s leader. He then invites Rao and the crew to join him as he celebrates his 58th birthday on Taiwan’s Air Force One.
Dr. Shi Zhengrong
The increasing global focus on renewable energy could not have come at a better time for Dr. Shi Zhengrong, an Australian citizen and Chinese-trained scientist who says he got into solar power by chance. Shi estimates that the solar industry could be worth $50bn by 2010.
Shi, 44, is the chief executive of Suntech Power Holdings, one of the new breed of successful domestic China-based companies with global ambitions. After spending a year at Sydney-based University of New South Wales' renewable energy center in 1988, Shi found himself at a company formed to commercialize the ideas of fellow researchers.
Tan Yuan Yuan
China’s prima ballerina, Tan Yuan Yuan is principal dancer with the prestigious San Francisco Ballet. A Shanghai native, Tan first put on ballet shoes at the age of seven, was enrolled at the Shanghai Dance School at 11 and moved to Europe when she was 17 to further her dance education.
This talented dancer joins CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout on this weekend’s TALK ASIA as she prepares for her latest performance in Hong Kong. Lu Stout goes backstage and finds Tan warming up, putting her make-up on and even sewing her own shoes. Tan pirouettes through her life story, sharing with Lu Stout how a flip of a coin sealed her path over 20 years ago, how she brings a Chinese sensibility to her delicate art form, and what her plans are when she hangs those shoes up for good.
Michelle Yeoh
Her name is Yeoh, Michelle Yeoh, a star who broke stereotypes for Asian actresses by landing the role of a smart and sexy butt-kicking Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies. The Malaysia-born actress is well known for performing her own stunts in action films and is among the few Asian actresses to successfully break into Hollywood with credits including Ang Lee’s ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’, the Spielberg-produced ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’, and the upcoming ‘The Mummy 3’.
Sachin Tendulkar
He's one of cricket's greatest batsman, with a devoted following of millions. Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar sits down with CNN's Anjali Rao in Mumbai and shares with her the thrill of playing cricket, his thoughts on the Indian Premier League and the importance of his family in keeping him grounded.
Tendulkar also looks back on a glittering career, relives his favorite matches and reveals the players he has most enjoyed playing against.
Lalit Modi
It's loud, brash - and insanely popular. India's new cricket league has gripped the country and revolutionized the sport, with high profile international signings and a billion-dollar deal with Sony.
CNN’s Anjali Rao spends time with the Indian Premier League's controversial founder Lalit Modi as TALK ASIA gains unprecedented access to his world. Follow Rao as Modi invites her into his home, his limo, on his private jet and onto the pitch.
Modi discusses some of the recent controversies in the cricketing world, his inspiration for the IPL and its impact in India and beyond. He also defends what critics call his "dumbing down" of traditional cricket and addresses allegations against him of drug trafficking.
Jim Rogers
Renowned investor author Jim Rogers gives CNN’s Andrew Stevens a look into his crystal ball as he explains his move to Asia, his China investment strategy and the current turmoil in the financial markets and the U.S. economy.
Rogers also take the time to give a harsh assessment of U.S. Federal Reserve policies and makes a withering criticism of Fed. Chairman Ben Bernanke. He doesn’t spare Alan Greenspan either!
For the average investor, Rogers offers ideas. He spells out where he’s putting his money in these turbulent financial times. Finally, he discusses the economic growth in China, and the challenges coming with that development.
Jackie Chan
Thirty years and more than a hundred films later, Jackie Chan is Asia’s leading man in Hollywood and a cultural icon at home. For the first time the martial arts superstar joins CNN's flagship chat show Talk Asia and gives a special tour around his private hideaway in Hong Kong which houses the most extensive collection of memorabilia and branded merchandising imaginable. He reveals the man behind the glamorous career and shares his journey to success in a candid conversation with host Anjali Rao.
Shekhar Kapur
Director of "Elizabeth" and "Bandit Queen," chats to Anjali Rao in front of a live audience. Filmed in Mumbai, Kapur talks about his films, passions and inspiration, plus he answers your questions about his life and work.
Ian McEwan
He is a blockbuster novelist and Booker Prize winner, whose adapted work is tipped for Oscar glory. Ian McEwan has built a dedicated following over the decades with a string of bestsellers, but is currently experiencing a new level of celebrity amid the success of his novel "Atonement." With its adaptation nominated for Best Picture at this weekend's Academy Awards, McEwan joins Anjali Rao to talk about his role as film producer -- as well as the alleged plagiarism in his novels, his macabre writing style and the discovery of his long lost brother.
Tadashi Yanai
Billionaire founder of Japanese clothing giant UNIQLO, Tadashi Yanai is credited for introducing cheap chic to the designer-conscious Japanese youth. Starting off with a single store in Hiroshima in 1984, UNIQLO is now a worldwide operation with 750 stores. As the brand continues to go global, Yanai joins Talk Asia to discuss his clothing empire, the secret to providing high-quality basics with an affordable price tag, and his quintessentially Japanese work ethos.
Venus Williams
Tennis star Venus Williams is a six-time Grand Slam winner with possibly the fastest serve ever seen in the women's game. With the Australian Open under way, CNN's Anjali Rao sits down with Williams on this weekend's Talk Asia. She discusses her current No. 8 world ranking, growing up in a tough Los Angeles neighborhood, her rigorous training schedule and close relationship with fellow pro and sister Serena.
Jet Li
Join CNN's Anjali Rao for a special TALK ASIA filmed in front of a live audience in Hong Kong as she interviews Jet Li, the multi-talented star who counts martial arts, acting and extensive humanitarian work amongst his many accomplishments.
Roger Federer
He is arguably the greatest player ever to set foot on a tennis court. At 26, Federer has been ranked the world's number one for a record 200 consecutive weeks, with 53 titles to his name, 12 of which are Grand Slam wins. On this week's Talk Asia, Anjali Rao takes on the world champion in Macau before his match against tennis icon Pete Sampras, shares a laugh with the two all-time tennis greats, and learns a few things about the sport from the pro himself.
Vijay Mallya
As one of the world's most flamboyant and colorful tycoons, Vijay Mallya is ranked on the Forbes "World's Billionaires" list with a net fortune of $1.5 billion. Mallya's business interests range from breweries to commercial aviation and Formula 1 racing. This week, India's self-described "King of good times" discusses how he manages his business portfolio, while giving his views on India's economic boom and the truth behind his high-profile playboy image.
Maggie Q
One of Asia’s hottest actresses Maggie Denise Quigley, or Maggie Q as she is better known, joins CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout on this weekend’s Talk Asia. The star discusses her scene-stealing moment in the Tom Cruise blockbuster 'Mission Impossible 3', working alongside another megastar Bruce Willis in the fourth ‘Die Hard’ movie, her personal struggle to find her place in Hollywood and her passionate fight for animal rights.
Gordon Liu
Kung fu hero Gordon Liu made his name with the 36th Chamber of Shaolin, a Shaw Brothers production widely regarded as one of the finest kung fu films ever made. After starring in over a hundred Hong Kong movies, Liu was invited to act in both of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bills. On this week’s Talk Asia, Gordon Liu takes Anjali Rao on a tour of the historic Shaw Brothers Studios and teaches her some key moves at a shaolin kung fu center as he reveals his experiences of working in Hollywood and reminisces on the glorious days of Hong Kong cinema.
Ang Lee
Ang Lee is the first ever filmmaker from the region to win a Best Director Oscar for the critically acclaimed Brokeback Mountain. The man behind Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Sense and Sensibility and now Lust, Caution, Ang Lee joins Talk Asia to discuss his latest release which won the top award at last month’s Venice International Film Festival. Lee describes what it was like to film the controversial sex scenes, his fascination with taboo subjects and winning his first Oscar.
B.K.S. Iyengar
The grand master of yoga and founder of the school which bears his name, B.K.S. Iyengar is credited for bringing the ancient Indian practice to the West. He simplified the complex asanas, or postures, transforming the previously secret mystical tradition into a science and art accessible to everyone. This week on Talk Asia, Iyengar takes Anjali Rao on a spiritual tour of his prestigious institute in Pune and teaches her a few key asanas. Here he reveals his mission to propagate yoga and how disturbed he is by the current commercialization of this noble practice.
Abhishek Bachchan
He is dubbed the Crown Prince of Bollywood. Son of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan has emerged as an accomplished star in his own right. With his recent high-profile marriage to internationally renown actress Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek is in the full glare of the spotlight. On this week's Talk Asia, Abhishek takes host Anjali Rao on a tour of his latest film set and discusses his now-married life, the relationship with his father and what it's like being born into Bollywood royalty.
Yang Lan
Dubbed China's Oprah Winfrey, Yang Lan was instrumental in securing Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympics. As the image ambassador and now host of a TV program dedicated to selecting the Olympics theme song, Lan is the perfect campaigner for Beijing 2008, both at home and abroad. One of China's most famous faces, Lan joins Talk Asia to discuss winning the Olympic bid, how prepared the country is, and why the games are so important for China and its people.
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