Farewell My Concubine (1993) as Cheng Dieyi (segment "Douzi")
Happy Together (1997) as Ho Po-wing
Days of Being Wild (1990) as Yuddy
Sien nui yau wan (1987) as Ling Choi San
Short Info
Date Of Birth
September 12, 1956
Died
April 1, 2003, Central, Hong Kong
Fact
Cheung was bisexual and claimed so in an interview with Time magazine. He had denied it during the earlier portion of his career but "came out" in the 1990s after emigrating to Vancouver, Canada. In a 1997 concert Cheung openly revealed his relationship with Daffy Tong Hok-Tak. He became the co-executor of Cheung's estate. A full-page obituary on Cheung in a Hong Kong newspaper listed Tong as his surviving spouse.
Leslie Cheung was born on September 12, 1956, in Kowloon, British Crown Colony. His parents were Cheng Yu-tung and Betty Cheung. Cheng was a businessman and Betty was a housewife. Leslie had two younger sisters, Lydia and Jennifer. He was educated at Maryknoll Convent School and La Salle College. He later attended the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he studied textile design.
Leslie’s career began as a singer in the Hong Kong pop music scene of the 1970s. He released his first album, “The Wind Blows on,” in 1977. He went on to release more than 20 albums over the course of his career. He also appeared in numerous films, including “A Better Tomorrow” (1986), “The Killer” (1989), “Ashes of Time” (1994), and “In the Mood for Love” (2000).
Leslie won numerous awards for his work in film and music. He was named Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in “The Killer.” He also won the Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his roles in “Ashes of Time” and “In the Mood for Love.”
Leslie was openly gay and had relationships with both men and women throughout his life. He was married to Tina Chan from 1983 to 1993. They had one son together, Duncan Cheung. Leslie also had a long-term relationship with Daffy Tong, with whom he had another son, Cheung Tung-jai.
Leslie died by suicide on April 1, 2003, jumping from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong. He was 46 years old.
At the time of his death, Leslie was one of the most popular entertainers in Asia. He was a successful singer, actor, and director. He was also a style icon, known for his fashionable clothing and hairstyles. Leslie was a trailblazer for the LGBT community in Asia and helped to break down barriers for gay rights.
General Info
Full Name
Leslie Cheung
Date Of Birth
September 12, 1956
Died
April 1, 2003, Central, Hong Kong
Height
1.75 m
Profession
Record producer, Screenwriter, Film director, Actor, Singer, Songwriter
Education
University of Leeds, Rosaryhill School
Family
Parents
Pan Yuyao, Cheung Wut Hoi
Accomplishments
Awards
Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor, Hong Kong Film Award for Best Original Film Song, Hong Kong Film Award for Timeless Artistic Achievement Award
Movies
Farewell My Concubine, Days of Being Wild, Happy Together, A Chinese Ghost Story, A Better Tomorrow, Ashes of Time, Inner Senses, He's a Woman, She's a Man, The Bride with White Hair, Once a Thief, The Phantom Lover, A Better Tomorrow II, Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?, Temptress Moon, The Eagle Sh...
Leslie came out with the album "Salute" in 1989 and all the proceeds were donated to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Conservatory of music as a scholarship. After 2004, this scholarship changed to the "Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship".
2
In 1977, Cheung won first runner up by singing Don McLean's "American Pie" at the Asian Music Contest.
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Worked as a bartender at his relatives' restaurant and sang during the weekends.
4
In his early career chose his name "Leslie" after the British actor Leslie Howard and because of his love for the American film Gone with the Wind (1939). He liked the fact that the name Leslie could be either a male or female name.
5
Stated that he had a fairly unhappy childhood and was brought up by his grandmother.
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Attended the University of Leeds in northern England where he studied textile management. He dropped out of university at the end of his first year when his father fell ill. After his father's recovery, however, he did not return to England to complete his studies.
7
Cheung was bisexual and claimed so in an interview with Time magazine. He had denied it during the earlier portion of his career but "came out" in the 1990s after emigrating to Vancouver, Canada. In a 1997 concert Cheung openly revealed his relationship with Daffy Tong Hok-Tak. He became the co-executor of Cheung's estate. A full-page obituary on Cheung in a Hong Kong newspaper listed Tong as his surviving spouse.
8
In the early 1990s he became one of the few Hong Kong actors who dared to play gay characters on-screen. Cheung's first gay role was Cheng Dieyi in Farewell My Concubine (1993). In Happy Together (1997), Cheung played another gay role which involved him in graphic sex scenes and for which he was nominated for the Best Actor Award at both the Golden Horse Awards and the Hong Kong Film Awards.
9
On April 1, 2003, he jumped to his death from the 24th floor of the famed Mandarin Oriental Hotel, located in the Central district of Hong Kong Island. He left a suicide note saying that he had been suffering from depression. The day after Leslie's death, his long time partner, Tong, confirmed that Cheung suffered from (clinical) depression and had been seeing psychiatrists for treatment for almost a year. He also revealed that Cheung had attempted suicide in 2002.
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One of the first generation of PEPSI stars in Asia.
11
Most Favorite Chinese Actor in 100 years of Chinese Cinema in the poll held by Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd, Hong Kong Ferry Co. Ltd, HKFAA and UA Cinemas for the Centennial of Chinese Film History (2005)
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He was named "Asian Biggest Superstar" by CCTV-MTV in Beijing China (2000)
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His song "Monica" was crowned as "Song of the Century" (1999)
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The first singer to hold 100 concerts at Hong Kong Coliseum in 1997
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Member of the jury at Tokyo International Film Festival in 1993
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The first Hong Kong actor who acted in a mainland China film (Farewell My Concubine, 1992)
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Member of the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1998
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He was one of the most popular singers in the 80s. He bade farewell to his professional singing career in December 1989 when he held 33 continuous nights of "Final Encounter of the Legend" concert.
