Hong Kong tourist's Uber driver turns out to be Cecilia Cheung's mother

A tourist in Hong Kong hailed an Uber recently, only to discover a familiar face in the driver's seat.

The driver was none other than Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung's mother, Davies Shally, 57. 

According to reports, the passenger expressed surprise that Shally was easygoing, without any airs.

Photos from the encounter subsequently went viral on Chinese microblogging site Weibo.

In screenshots taken from the app, Cecilia's mum appears to drive a Toyota Vellfire MPV, having accumulated more than 2,000 rides under her belt in the past 1.5 years.

Shally's level of service appears to be stellar as well, currently holding a 4.89 passenger rating out of 5 on the app.

News of Cecilia's mother taking on a job as an Uber driver first surfaced in 2017, with reports alleging that she was "forced" into it so as to ease her daughter's financial burden. 

But the recent first-hand account got commenters on Weibo all excited, with many praising Shally's independence.

"Well done, she can still discover her self-worth at her age" and "I admire those (at her age) who don't have to depend on anyone else" were some of the comments.

"Her daughter may be a big star but the fact that she still works to earn her keep is a positive thing," wrote another.

candicecai@asiaone.com