The makeover from struggling model to actress continues for national treasure Lin Chi-ling (林志玲).

Eight years ago Taiwan’s brightest bauble was paid NT$10,000 ($315) a day for draping herself over the hoods of automobiles at the Taipei World Trade Center.

She now charges NT$1 million for 30 minutes work, according to the Liberty Times.

But money’s not everything and Lin also wants to be taken seriously.

She managed to persuade John Woo (吳宇森) she was the girl for him by tracking the director down to a Shanghai hotel and deploying her charms.

As a result she was picked as the lead for his new movie Battle of Red Cliff (赤壁之戰).

The trouble is Lin sounds as if she’s been inhaling helium. Therefore, she’s been taking voice-training lessons and can now simper not just in a mousey falsetto, but also across the full range of a normal voice.

Or so we hear.