Karena Lam Kar-Yan
Biography
Karena Lam Kar‑Yan, also credited as Karena Lam K and known in Chinese as 林嘉欣, was born on 17 August 1978 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She began her public career working in her family’s restaurant in Vancouver when, at fifteen, a talent scout from Taiwan discovered her in 1993. Persuaded to travel alone to Taiwan for a Christmas‑time singing audition, she secured a professional contract and released two modestly successful albums, her debut in 1995 and a second in 1999. Lam’s film debut arrived in 2002, a year in which she appeared in three successful Hong Kong productions. Her performance in Ann Hui’s July Rhapsody earned her the Best Supporting Actress and Best New Performer awards. Lam is primarily known for acting, with a filmography comprising forty‑six credited roles.
Career overview
Karena Lam Kar‑Yan was born on 17 August 1978 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. While working at her family’s restaurant in Vancouver, she was discovered by a talent scout from Taiwan in 1993, when she was fifteen years old. The scout invited her to travel alone to Taiwan that Christmas for a singing audition, which she passed successfully. Following the audition, Lam released her debut album in 1995 and a second album in 1999; both recordings achieved modest commercial success.
Lam’s transition to acting began with her film debut in 2002, a year that marked a turning point in her career. In that year she appeared in three successful Hong Kong films, establishing her presence in the regional cinema market. Her performance in Ann Hui’s “July Rhapsody” earned her both the Best Supporting Actress award and the Best New Performer award, underscoring her rapid rise as a recognized talent in the industry.
Since her breakthrough, Lam has accumulated a substantial body of work, with a total of forty‑six credited roles across film and television as recorded by the Movie Database. She is professionally known by the stage name 林嘉欣 and continues to be identified primarily for her acting contributions.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Karena Lam Kar-Yan.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
46 titles- The Season (2026) as Fiona Hext
- Beyond the Sin (2025) as Bo Kwan
- Worth the Wait (2025) as Teresa
- Customs Frontline (2024) as Athena Siu
- Tales of Taipei (2024) as Yu (segment "Breeder")
- Daughter's Daughter (2024) as Emma
- Red Line (2023) as Wang Le's wife
- Tales from the Occult: Body and Soul (2023)
- Man on the Edge (2022) as Mrs Lam
- American Girl (2021) as Lily Wang
- Bad Acting (2020)
- Legally Declared Dead (2019) as Shum Chi Ling
- Integrity (2019) as Kong Suet Yee
- The White Storm 2: Drug Lords (2019) as Chow Man-fung
- The Liquidator (2017) as Wei Wei
- Heaven in the Dark (2016) as Michelle
- Dragon Blade (2015)
- Keeper of Darkness (2015) as Fatt's Mother
- Zinnia Flower (2015) as Ming
- Keep Running (2014)
- Don Quixote (2010) as Sang Cuihua
- Lover's Discourse (2010) as Nancy
- Let the Wind Carry Me (2009) as Self
- Happy Funeral (2008) as Karena
- Fit Lover (2008) as Nie Bing
- Candy Rain (2008) as Ricky
- Claustrophobia (2008) as Pearl
- Kidnap (2007) as Lam Hiu Yeung
- Anna & Anna (2007) as Anna / Siyu
- On the Road (Sr. 1) (2006)
- Silk (2006) as Wei
- Home Sweet Home (2005) as Yim Hung
- It Had To Be You (2005) as Jill
- Mob Sister (2005) as Nova
- Super Model (2004) as Inspector Karena Zhang
- Six Strong Guys (2004) as 丁丁
- Koma (2004) as Suen Ling
- Moon Wall (2004)
- The Floating Landscape (2003) as Maan
- Heroic Duo (2003) as Brenda
- Truth or Dare : 6th Floor Rear Flat (2003) as Karena
- Inner Senses (2002) as Cheung Yan
- July Rhapsody (2002) as Woo Choy-lam
- Tiramisu (2002) as Jane Chan
- Golden Horse Awards (1962) as Self
- 1971
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Karena Lam Kar-Yan best known for?
Karena Lam Kar-Yan is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Tales of Taipei (2024), Man on the Edge (2022), Dragon Blade (2015), Keep Running (2014).
When and where was Karena Lam Kar-Yan born?
Karena Lam Kar-Yan was born on August 17, 1978 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
How many credits does Karena Lam Kar-Yan have?
Karena Lam Kar-Yan has accumulated over 46 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1962 to 2026.
What is Karena Lam Kar-Yan's background in cinema and television?
Karena Lam Kar‑Yan, also credited as Karena Lam K and known in Chinese as 林嘉欣, was born on 17 August 1978 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She began her public career working in her family’s restaurant in Vancouver when, at fifteen, a talent scout from Taiwan discovered her in 1993. Persuaded to travel alone to ...