Photography: Babiche Martens
Growing up, the walls in Geeling Ching’s attic bedroom were papered with pictures of singer/actor David Bowie. The first album she ever bought was Ziggy Stardust and she knew the lyrics to all of his songs.
Serendipitously, at 23, the Kiwi model was waiting tables at a Sydney café when she was chosen to play the lead role in David Bowie’s China Girl music video. It was a “moment in time” that changed her life. If it hadn’t happened, Geeling quips she’d likely now be working as a truck driver.
She went on to gain a lead role on TV drama Gloss, managed Auckland’s best eateries and became the studio manager at South Pacific Pictures – “I thought I was done with hospitality!” – before restaurant doyenne Judith Tabron lured her back to Soul Bar & Bistro.
Sipping on a green tea in front of the fireplace at Soul, Geeling, 65, tells Woman’s Weekly that she is currently planning her wedding to anaesthetist fiancé Dr James Woodfine (also in his sixties), after meeting via a dating app in 2022.
You’ve said it’s taken 60 years to find your soulmate. Had you given up hope on finding love again?
Pretty much! I had been on a few dating apps with the kids here at Soul Bar helping me with the tech stuff and I had no luck. Someone suggested Bumble, where the woman makes the choice. So I went on there but protected my image – I used my middle name, Sandra, and had sunglasses on in every picture, which probably put a lot of men off. After several dates with various guys, James popped up.
By then, I was sick of having long text conversations that went on and on. So on the second text conversation, I said, “Do you want to meet?” and he was keen. I told my girlfriends, “This is my last date. If it doesn’t work, I’m not going to date anyone after this.” It was too demoralising. Interestingly, I was James’ first Bumble date.
What were your first impressions of James?
I didn’t immediately like his shirt, but he looked like his photos, which was rare on the apps. We sat and chatted at a bar, connected to the ’80s music and ended up having a fantastic night and decided to keep seeing each other. I told him my real name – apparently, he googled me only when a colleague mentioned I was David Bowie’s “China Girl”.
Had you been open to marrying again?
No! I said to James quite early on, “I’m never getting married again, so don’t get excited.” My friends used to call me the “two-year kid” because I’d be in a relationship for two years and get bored. Well, we’ve doubled that record!
Just after the two-year mark, something came up about marriage and I said, “Well, if you don’t marry me, I might have to find someone else.” He responded, “You told me you didn’t want to get married!” I said, “I’m allowed to change my mind and if you ask me, then I will probably say yes!”
We picked the ring at an antiques store in Auxerre in France. But James put it away for a year. I thought maybe he was going to give it to someone else! He finally proposed when we were in Portugal last year, while we were having a picnic lunch in our apartment.
Share what your childhood was like living in Auckland’s Mount Roskill?
I had a very ordinary childhood. We lived above my parents’ fruit shop. I shared a room with my sister Linda, who was six years older. After school and on Saturday mornings, we’d help in the shop. My dad never had a day off. Once when I was seven, we went to Rotorua as a family. As far as I can recall, that’s the only time Dad had off until he retired. Dad used to have a Studebaker flatbed truck. I remember friends and family standing around the truck with a big cloth over it, just making wontons for the afternoon.
Did food play a big part?
My dad, Bob, cooked traditional Chinese food but Mum, Betty, was a cordon bleu cook. We ate oysters, duck à l’orange and strawberries with black pepper on them. She sounds ahead of her time! Oh, she was. Mum was a superwoman who did everything. She worked in the shop and sewed all our clothes. She was so fashionable. She’s why I’m a clothesaholic. I can’t leave the house if I’m not completely accessorised. We were sharing clothes until she was 80. She died three years ago, aged 97.
Did you see yourself as Chinese growing up?
Not at all. We didn’t speak Chinese in the house. Dad came from China at 15, but Mum was born in Thames, so they only spoke English. I remember being the only Chinese kid at primary school and asking Mum, “What’s Chinese?” because a boy was making faces at me and saying, “Ew, you’re Chinese! Ching chong Chinaman!” I didn’t understand.
Why did you drop out of Lynfield College at 16 as a straight-A student?
Everyone thought I’d become a doctor or lawyer. But then a 21-year-old adult student called Greg started school to pick up the subjects he needed to enter a law degree. We started going out. I was smitten. So I left school and went to live with him. [Greg was fashion designer Adrienne Winkelmann’s brother]. My parents were horrified. The school principal had me in his office. But I had discovered freedom and I was out of there! My first modelling photos were for Adrienne and she did my wedding dress when I married Mark [Gloss co-star Mark Ferguson].
What was your first job out of school?
I worked at a pharmacy on Queen Street. It was based underneath fashion house Thornton Hall. One of the designers came in and said, “We’re looking for a house model, would you be interested?” I was their house size and was offered the job. It was so exciting. By this time, Greg and I had broken up and I was dating a singer from ’80s Auckland band Sheerlux called Paul Robinson. He came into the pharmacy and asked me out. When the band moved to Australia, the girlfriends followed and we all lived in Kings Cross together. I got a job at jazz club Round Midnight. Not so much sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll, more like sex, fun and rock ’n’ roll! We had a pretty wild time.
As the only Chinese model in Sydney at that time, tell us about the audition for David Bowie’s video.
My agency asked, “Would you like to work with David Bowie?” and sent me to a casting call. I had idolised him! On the morning of the audition, I’d asked a friend who lived downstairs, Joanne Gair [now a famous Kiwi makeup artist] to do my makeup. So I get into the audition, David is there with the director David Mallet. After we chatted, David Mallet said, “Would you mind taking all your makeup off?” Eek! So I did that, went back in and the two Davids looked at each other and said, “You’ve got the job.” I was fizzing! It was 100 percent life-changing. I wouldn’t be sitting here today talking to you otherwise.
You toured Europe with David afterwards and had a brief romance. Was it love or just a crush?
It was a realistic crush. We had nothing in common. I was a girl from Mount Roskill. It was just a moment in time and I got on with my life. I reflect on it now and think, “There was Rachel and Rod, so why wasn’t I Rachel?” I guess because, well, David wasn’t Rod. And perhaps I wasn’t as worldly as Rachel? David wasn’t seeing anyone at the time, but I think I knew from getting the video and touring in Europe, it was just a ride to enjoy and not to expect any more than that.
Who was your favourite co-star on Gloss?
The late Kerry Smith. She was a riot and we often couldn’t get through a scene without cry-laughing.
Is ageing something you’ve embraced or struggled with?
Well, I asked a friend the other day, “Should I start getting Botox?” She called me delusional! My lack of wrinkles is purely genetic. I do dye my hair religiously to hide my greys. And I try to maintain muscle strength and bone density by lifting heavy weights. I like being able to lift 20-kilogram bags of soil at the garden centre! As for menopause, I didn’t have terrible symptoms, but I put on weight. And I remember having a hot flush while talking to a table of customers while sweat was dripping down my face. I think James succinctly sums up ageing: “I just don’t want to not be able to wipe my own bum.”
When you look back over your life, what are you most proud of?
My work ethic, inherited from my parents. I bought my own house and travelled the world – mostly on my own – from working in hospitality. I’ve loved helping young people grow in this industry. I’ve never had children, which was by choice. I knew at 16 it wasn’t for me. But I’m a grandmother several times over with colleagues’ children.
So is retirement a dirty word for you?
Honestly, I can see myself still working full-time for another five years. When I retire, I’d love to volunteer in a garden centre… to potter around, water plants and find joy in watching things grow. My mum worked at a fruit and vege store in Remuera, bagging beans and chatting to people for two hours a day until she was 90. It gave her a connection and a purpose. I think that’s something to aspire to.
