Michele Lean
Encyclopedia
Michele Samantha Yi Wen Lean (born September 1, 1982 ) known professionally as Michele Lean is a television presenter, writer
, actress, and commercial talent. From 2007 - 2010 she was a Television Presenter on China Central Television
(CCTV)(中国中央电视台), hosting CCTV-9
's Travelogue and Center Stage. She is a Malaysian citizen and Australian permanent resident
who currently resides in Beijing
, China
.
descent with Tahiti
ian lineage from the maternal side of her family. She is the eldest in a family of three daughters. They were raised in Kuala Lumpur
, Hong Kong
and Australia
.
, before moving to China
in 2007.
She trained in acting at the New York Film Academy
in New York.
She has previously interned at the CNN International Asia Pacific
office, the Herald Sun
online department and The Sun (Malaysia)
newspaper in Malaysia.
In Australia, she is represented by China Arts Management in Melbourne
.
In July 2007, Lean was recruited by China Central Television
’s international language channel CCTV-9
, to host their flagship travel program, Travelogue
and later hosted CCTV-9
's music variety show Center Stage. She also briefly hosted CCTV-9
's daily current affairs program Culture Express
.
Her debut broadcast for China Central Television
’s Travelogue
was filmed in Xinjiang. She appeared on 3-episodes of the award-winning ethnic minority series, 'Ethnic Odyssey' , the first of Travelogue
's programs to be released on DVD in China.
During the Beijing Olympics
, she hosted Episode 1 (Central Beijing) and Episode 4 (East Beijing) on Travelogue’s Being Beijing series and mini-series, two special programs highlighting the sights, nightlife and culinary delights of Beijing city for Olympic visitors. The series aired throughout the duration of the Beijing Olympics
and is also available on DVD throughout China.
In 2011, Lean hosted a special two-episode series in Beijing
for CCTV-10
's 'Outlook English' program , in Mandarin and English. She was later invited by 'Outlook English' to sit on the guest judging panel of CCTV-10
's 'Star of Outlook 2011' competition, an annual nationwide English-speaking contest.
She was selected to host 'Carnival China Style 2011', a major annual Chinese New Year gala, in a month-long tour of the United States with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Association. The tour was received in 8 different cities including, Las Vegas, Reno
, Modesto, San Francisco and Los Angeles
. She continues to cooperate with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Association in hopes of linking the cultures of her home countries (Malaysia and Australia) and China's.
'我知女人心' , alongside Andy Lau
. The film was directed by Chen Da Ming
She is the lead actress in 'Red Room' , winner of the 2011 48 Hour Film Contest's Beijing Audience Award, written and directed by Nelson Quan
.
Advanced Open Water diver.
She is the ambassador of 'Femme 500', an exclusive British-owned women's lifestyle club based in Beijing.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, actress, and commercial talent. From 2007 - 2010 she was a Television Presenter on China Central Television
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
(CCTV)(中国中央电视台), hosting CCTV-9
CCTV-9
CCTV-9 is the documentary channel of the television network, CCTV in the People's Republic of China. This channel has a local Mandarin Chinese edition called CCTV-9, and an international English language edition called CCTV-9 Documentary. The English edition is carried by more satellites than the...
's Travelogue and Center Stage. She is a Malaysian citizen and Australian permanent resident
Australian permanent resident
Australian permanent residents are residents of Australia who hold permanent residency visas but are not citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia....
who currently resides in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Early life
Lean is of Malaysian ChineseMalaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages. The term Chinese Malaysian is also sometimes used to refer to...
descent with Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
ian lineage from the maternal side of her family. She is the eldest in a family of three daughters. They were raised in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Education
She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications from the University of MelbourneUniversity of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, before moving to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 2007.
She trained in acting at the New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy - School of Film and Acting is a film school andacting school based in New York City, Universal City, California, USA and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. NYFA offers short-term film-making and acting courses, as well as one- and two-year conservatory and Master of Fine Arts...
in New York.
Media Career
While in university, she was the editor-in-chief of the (now defunct) Melbourne-based lifestyle publication Veeza magazine, a subsidiary of Out4Fame Publications.She has previously interned at the CNN International Asia Pacific
CNN International Asia Pacific
CNN International Asia Pacific is the Asia-Pacific edition of the CNN International pay-TV cable network. The feed originates from Hong Kong.CNN International began transmissions in August 1989....
office, the Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
online department and The Sun (Malaysia)
The Sun (Malaysia)
The Sun is Malaysia's first national free daily newspaper in tabloid form. Available from Mondays to Fridays except on public holiday, with a target audience of white-collar workers and urban youth....
newspaper in Malaysia.
In Australia, she is represented by China Arts Management in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
In July 2007, Lean was recruited by China Central Television
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
’s international language channel CCTV-9
CCTV-9
CCTV-9 is the documentary channel of the television network, CCTV in the People's Republic of China. This channel has a local Mandarin Chinese edition called CCTV-9, and an international English language edition called CCTV-9 Documentary. The English edition is carried by more satellites than the...
, to host their flagship travel program, Travelogue
Travel documentary
A travel documentary is a documentary film or television program that describes travel in general or tourist attractions in a non-commercial way....
and later hosted CCTV-9
CCTV-9
CCTV-9 is the documentary channel of the television network, CCTV in the People's Republic of China. This channel has a local Mandarin Chinese edition called CCTV-9, and an international English language edition called CCTV-9 Documentary. The English edition is carried by more satellites than the...
's music variety show Center Stage. She also briefly hosted CCTV-9
CCTV-9
CCTV-9 is the documentary channel of the television network, CCTV in the People's Republic of China. This channel has a local Mandarin Chinese edition called CCTV-9, and an international English language edition called CCTV-9 Documentary. The English edition is carried by more satellites than the...
's daily current affairs program Culture Express
Culture Express
Culture Express is an English-language program broadcast on the Chinese Government's state television channel CCTV-9. The program provides coverage of entertainment events happening mostly in China, but also covers events worldwide and in the U.S., such as premieres of various major American...
.
Her debut broadcast for China Central Television
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
’s Travelogue
Travel documentary
A travel documentary is a documentary film or television program that describes travel in general or tourist attractions in a non-commercial way....
was filmed in Xinjiang. She appeared on 3-episodes of the award-winning ethnic minority series, 'Ethnic Odyssey' , the first of Travelogue
Travel documentary
A travel documentary is a documentary film or television program that describes travel in general or tourist attractions in a non-commercial way....
's programs to be released on DVD in China.
During the Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, she hosted Episode 1 (Central Beijing) and Episode 4 (East Beijing) on Travelogue’s Being Beijing series and mini-series, two special programs highlighting the sights, nightlife and culinary delights of Beijing city for Olympic visitors. The series aired throughout the duration of the Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and is also available on DVD throughout China.
In 2011, Lean hosted a special two-episode series in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
for CCTV-10
CCTV-10
CCTV-10 is the science and education focused channel of the CCTV Network in the People's Republic of China. Its schedule includes mostly local and imported documentaries, as well as educational studio productions.-External links:...
's 'Outlook English' program , in Mandarin and English. She was later invited by 'Outlook English' to sit on the guest judging panel of CCTV-10
CCTV-10
CCTV-10 is the science and education focused channel of the CCTV Network in the People's Republic of China. Its schedule includes mostly local and imported documentaries, as well as educational studio productions.-External links:...
's 'Star of Outlook 2011' competition, an annual nationwide English-speaking contest.
She was selected to host 'Carnival China Style 2011', a major annual Chinese New Year gala, in a month-long tour of the United States with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Association. The tour was received in 8 different cities including, Las Vegas, Reno
Reno
Reno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
, Modesto, San Francisco and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. She continues to cooperate with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Association in hopes of linking the cultures of her home countries (Malaysia and Australia) and China's.
Acting
Lean appears in the director's cut of the 2011 Chinese remake of What Women Want (2011 film)What Women Want (2011 film)
What Women Want is a 2011 Chinese romantic comedy film remake of the 2000 American film What Women Want. Film stars Andy Lau and Gong Li. It was released in China on 3 February 2011, which is Chinese New Year....
'我知女人心' , alongside Andy Lau
Andy Lau
Andy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
. The film was directed by Chen Da Ming
She is the lead actress in 'Red Room' , winner of the 2011 48 Hour Film Contest's Beijing Audience Award, written and directed by Nelson Quan
Nelson Quan
Nelson Quan is a Chinese-American film editor, director and producer. He is known for editing the Chinese remake, What Women Want and produced The Criminally Inept along with being one of the first students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Academy for Creative Media.Born and raised in...
.
Press
She has appeared in numerous media publications in Australia, Malaysia and China for her writing, modeling and in interviews. Notably, in January 2008, where she was interviewed for her sense of style in Vogue China. In 2009 & 2010, she appeared in the luxury and society publication Icon Magazine in MalaysiaPersonal
She is an avid scuba diver and is a certified PADIPadi
Padi or PADI may refer to:* Padi, Chennai, India* Padi , a musical group* Paddy field, a type of cultivated land * Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a scuba organization...
Advanced Open Water diver.
She is the ambassador of 'Femme 500', an exclusive British-owned women's lifestyle club based in Beijing.