Tony Leung Chiu-wai
Tony Leung Chiu-wai (born 27 June 1962) is a Hong Kong actor and singer. He is considered one of Asia's most successful and internationally recognised actors and was named as "Small Tiger" among Five Tiger Generals of TVB. He has won many international acting prizes, including the Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actor for his performance in Wong Kar-wai's film In the Mood for Love. Leung is widely considered the best native Hong Kong actor of his generation. He was named by CNN as one of "Asia's 25 Greatest Actors of All Time".[2]
Tony Leung Chiu-wai | |||||||||||||
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梁朝偉 | |||||||||||||
_2_(cropped).jpg) Tony Leung at the 2013 Berlin Film Festival | |||||||||||||
| Born | 27 June 1962 | ||||||||||||
| Occupation | Actor, singer | ||||||||||||
| Years active | 1982–present | ||||||||||||
| Home town | Hong Kong | ||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | |||||||||||||
| Awards | Best Actor Award 2000 In the Mood for Love Hong Kong Film Awards – Best Actor 1995 Chungking Express 1998 Happy Together 2001 In the Mood for Love 2003 Infernal Affairs 2005 2046 Best Supporting Actor 1988 People's Hero 1990 My Heart is That Eternal Rose Best Original Film Song 2003 Infernal Affairs Golden Bauhinia Awards – Best Actor 1998 Happy Together 2003 Infernal Affairs 2005 2046 Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards – Best Actor 2004 2046 Asian Film Awards – Best Actor 2008 Lust, Caution Golden Horse Awards – Best Actor 1994 Chungking Express 2002 Infernal Affairs 2007 Lust, Caution | ||||||||||||
| Musical career | |||||||||||||
| Labels | Capital Artists Music Limited (1985–1992) Music Impact Entertainment Ltd (1994–1997) Universal Music (Hong Kong) Limited (2000–2002) Jet Tone Film Production[1] | ||||||||||||
| Associated acts | Five Tiger Generals | ||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 梁朝偉 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 梁朝伟 | ||||||||||||
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Leung is known for his collaborations with director Wong Kar-wai, with whom he has worked in seven films including Chungking Express (1994), Happy Together (1997), In the Mood for Love (2000), and The Grandmaster (2013). He also appeared in three Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winning films, including A City of Sadness (1989), Cyclo (1995) and Lust, Caution (2007), directed by Ang Lee. Leung also stars in the Academy Award-nominated film Hero, and the box office hits Hard Boiled (1992) and Infernal Affairs (2002). Leung was cast as the Mandarin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will appear in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
For In the Mood for Love, Leung earned the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. He is also a seven-time winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards and three-time winner at the Golden Horse Film Awards, holding the record for most awards in the Best Actor category. The 2002 book East Asian Film Stars describes Leung as "undoubtedly one of the most successful and widely-acclaimed Hong Kong actors of his generation, with a broad and diverse filmography."[3]
Early life
Leung was born in Hong Kong. Leung's early childhood was punctuated with parents' quarrels and arguments about money. A mischievous boy in his early years, Leung's personality changed when his father, a chronic gambler, left the family when he was eight; he and his younger sister were brought up by their mother.[4][5]
Leung was a reticent, quiet child.[6] He has said that his childhood experiences paved the way for his acting career, which allows him to openly express his feelings:
"You don't know what happened, just one day your pop disappears. And from that day on I try not to communicate with anyone. I'm so afraid to talk to my classmates, afraid that if someone says something about family I won't know what to do. So I became very isolated. So that's why I love acting, because I can express all my feelings the way I couldn't for so long." "I'm a quiet person. And then when I went to TV it all came out; I cried and I wasn't ashamed. The audience thinks it's the character's feelings, but really it's my feelings, all coming out in a rush."[4]
Leung went to private school, but he quit at the age of 15 due to financial difficulties. He was a well-behaved teenager who was very close to his mother. During an interview on the making of Hero, he says that he sees his mother as his definition of a "hero[ine]" for having brought up two children alone.
Television career
After quitting his studies, Leung worked in a variety of jobs, first as a grocer's runner at his uncle's shop, then a showroom salesman in a Hong Kong shopping centre. Around the age of 16 he met future actor and comedian Stephen Chow who influenced his decision to become an actor and remains a good friend.[7]
In 1982, he passed the training courses of television channel TVB. Due to his boyish looks, TVB cast him as host of a children's programme, 430 Space Shuttle. Leung enjoyed comedies during his television years; it was for these he became well known. So, in the 1980s, he was named as one of "TVB's Five Tigers" (their five up-and-coming male TV stars) along with Andy Lau, Felix Wong, Michael Miu and Kent Tong. Leung starred in the highly successful Police Cadet TV serial in 1984 (later named Police Cadet 84 to distinguish it from subsequent sequels).
He played an outgoing young man who decides to become a police officer; Maggie Cheung, who also started her career at the same time, played a shy bookworm, Leung's upstairs neighbour and love interest. Since then they have worked together on The Yang's Saga (1985), Days of Being Wild (1991), The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), Ashes of Time (1994), In the Mood for Love (2000), Hero (2002), and 2046 (2005).
Interviewed by Wong Kar Wai, Leung said that he considered Maggie to be his alter ego. "Maggie is a truly formidable partner – one to waltz with. We do not spend a lot of time with each other, as we like to keep some mystery between us. Whenever I see her, I discover something new about her".[8]
Film career
Many consider Leung's role in director John Woo's 1992 action film Hard Boiled, in which he co-starred with Chow Yun-fat, to be his breakthrough role. However, Leung first received international attention in Hou Hsiao-hsien's 1989 film A City of Sadness, which won the Venice Golden Lion.
Leung often collaborates with director Wong Kar-wai and has appeared in many of his films. His most notable roles include the lonely policeman in Chungking Express (1994), a gay Chinese expatriate living in Argentina in Happy Together (1997), and a self-controlled victim of adultery in In the Mood for Love (2000) for which he won the Best Actor award at Cannes.[9] He trained in wing chun for five years to prepare for his role as Ip Man in Wong's The Grandmaster.[10] He is considered by many to be one of the finest actors of his generation in Hong Kong. Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt are admirers of his work,[11] and Leung has been labeled by The Times as Asia's answer to Clark Gable.[5]
Leung also has an on-and-off Cantopop and Mandarin pop singing career and sang the theme song of Infernal Affairs with Andy Lau.
In addition to Cantonese, English, and Spanish, Leung speaks Mandarin (accented) and some Japanese (as heard in Tokyo Raiders). Lust Caution is the first film where he has a Mandarin-speaking role in which he used his own voice. (His Mandarin dialogue in Hero was dubbed by someone else.)
During the promotion of the film Hero, some politicians and commentators in Hong Kong attacked Leung for expressing the view that the Tiananmen Square demonstration crackdown was necessary to maintain stability. Under constant political pressure and boycott threats, Leung made a single statement that he may have been quoted out of context but refused to retract his statement in the magazine.[12] However, the movie magazine editor maintained that the original statement was not out of context and challenged people to read the complete interview.
In 2014 he was selected as a member of the jury for the 64th Berlin International Film Festival.[13]
During the late 1990s, Leung found it difficult to break into Hollywood since he would not take any roles that would degrade his character and image in Hong Kong. Eventually in 2005, he signed with an American agent with the intention to finally appear in a Hollywood film.[14][15] On July 20, 2019, it was announced that Leung was cast to play The Mandarin in the Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,[16][17] marking his Hollywood debut.[18]
Personal life
Relationship and marriage with Carina Lau
Tony Leung and Carina Lau are one of Hong Kong's biggest celebrity couples. They dated for 19 years before marrying in Bhutan in 2008. They had known each other since The Replica in 1984, and worked on-screen together in Replica (1984), Duke of Mount Deer (1984), Police Cadet (1984, 1985, 1988), The Yangs' Saga (1985), Days of Being Wild (1991), He ain't heavy, he's my father (1993), Ashes of Time (1994), and 2046 (2005).
In 1990, during the filming of Days of Being Wild, Lau was abducted for several hours. Wong Kar-wai said, "Originally, there were plans for Days of Being Wild I and II, and the sequence featuring Leung was meant to be the opening scene of the second movie. But two things happened, one of which was that Days of Being Wild didn't do well in Hong Kong, so the producers said, "No Part 2." The other reason was Carina Lau's kidnapping.[6]
On 21 July 2008, the couple got married in Bhutan in royal fashion. The wedding created a media frenzy in Hong Kong, with companies spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to pursue the wedding party.[19]
According to Ming Pao Daily News, Faye Wong and her husband actor Li Yapeng had taken them to India in 2007 to visit the 17th Karmapa. The Karmapa's counsel helped them to resolve a crisis in their relationship, and he also suggested Bhutan as a wedding venue.[20]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | The Young Heroes of Shaolin | Shaolin monk | |
| 1982 | Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils | monk, episode 44 | |
| The Legend of Master So | waiter | ||
| Manager & Messenger | general manager | ||
| Hong Kong '82 | |||
| Wut Lik Sap Yat | Hung Kwok-choi | ||
| Soldier of Fortune | Ying Chi-him | ||
| The Emissary | brother | ||
| 1983 | The Superpower | Kwok Hak-chung | |
| Beyond the Rose Garden | Tin-yau | ||
| Encounter with Fortune | |||
| Angels and Devils | Kong Ho-man | ||
| 1984 | The Clones | Cheung Ka-wai / Chiang Ka-wai | |
| The Duke of Mount Deer | Wai Siu-bo | ||
| It's a Long Way Home | Yau Ga-kei | ||
| Police Cadet '84 | Cheung Wai-kit | ||
| No Regrets for Our Youth | Frankie | ||
| 1985 | The Rough Ride | Chow Kim-hung | |
| Police Cadet '85 | Cheung Wai-kit | ||
| The Yang's Saga | Yeung Yin-chi (Yeung Chat-long) / Duke of Thunder | ||
| 1986 | New Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre | Cheung Mo-kei | |
| 1987 | The Grand Canal | Cheung Sam-long | |
| 1988 | Police Cadet '88 | Cheung wai-kit | |
| Behind Silk Curtains | Lin Kar-yip | ||
| Everybody's Somebody's Favourite | |||
| Two Most Honorable Knights | "Little Fishie" Kong Siu-yu | ||
| 1989 | Ode to Gallantry | Shek Po-tin / Shek Chung-yuk |
Discography
- Raining Night (朦朧夜雨裡) (1986)
- Who Wants (1988)
- Love Day by Day (1993)
- One Life One Heart (1994)
- Trapped by Love (1994)
- Day and Night (1994)
- Cannot Forget Collection (1995)
- The Past and the Future (1995)
- Too Affectionate (1995)
- Tony Leung Greatest Hits (June 2000)
- In the Mood for Love (November 2000)
- Wind Sand (2004) (reissued January 2006)
Awards and nominations
- Asian Film Awards
- 2008 Best Actor (Lust, Caution)
- Cannes Film Festival
- 2000 Best Actor (In the Mood for Love)[9]
- Golden Horse Film Festival
- 2014 Nominated Best Actor (The Grandmaster)
- 2007 Best Actor (Lust, Caution)
- 2004 Nominated Best Actor (2046)
- 2003 Best Actor (Infernal Affairs)
- 2000 Nominated Best Actor (In the Mood for Love)
- 1994 Best Actor (Chungking Express)
- Hong Kong Film Awards
- 2013 Nominated Best Actor(The Silent War)
- 2009 Nominated Best Actor (Red Cliff)
- 2007 Nominated Best Actor (Confession of Pain)
- 2005 Won Best Actor (2046)
- 2003 Won Best Actor (Infernal Affairs)
- 2001 Won Best Actor (In the Mood for Love)
- 1999 Nominated Best Actor (Longest Nite)
- 1998 Won Best Actor (Happy Together)
- 1995 Won Best Actor (Chungking Express)
- 1993 Nominated Best Supporting Actor (Hard-Boiled)
- 1990 Won Best Supporting Actor (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose)
- 1988 Won Best Supporting Actor (People's Hero)
- 1987 Nominated Best Actor (Love Unto Waste)
(9 Best Actor Nominations, 3 Best Supporting Actor Nominations)
- Golden Bauhinia Awards
- 2005 Won Best Actor (2046)
- 2003 Won Best Actor (Infernal Affairs)
- 1998 Won Best Actor (Happy Together)
- Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
- 2005 Best Actor (2046)[24]
- Chinese Film Media Awards
- 2000 Won Best Actor (In the Mood for Love)
- Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Awards.
- 2014 Won Best Actor (The Grandmaster)
- Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
- 2004 Won Best Actor (2046)
- Iron Elephant Film Awards
- 2007 Won Best Actor (Lust, Caution)
- Hong Kong Society of Cinematographers (HKSC) Awards
- 2008 Most Charismatic Actor
References
- "梁朝伟_百度百科 (Baidu Profile)". baike.baidu.com. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- "Asia's 25 greatest actors of all time". CNN.
- Martin, Daniel (2014). "Body of Action, Face of Authenticity: Symbolic Stars in the Transnational Marketing and Reception of East Asian Cinema". In Leung, Wing-fai; Willis, Andy (eds.). East Asian Film Stars. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 21. ISBN 1137029188.
- "HK Mr Charming Tony Leung born to be an actor". China Daily. 20 November 2003. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- Wise, Damon (18 October 2007). "Why Tony Leung is in the mood for lust". The Times. London. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- Durbin, Karen (7 August 2005). "Still in the Mood for a Collaboration". The New York Times.
- "The Melancholic Charm of Tony Leung Chiu Wai". yesasia.com. 16 January 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- Wong Kar Wai (25 May 2005). "Tony Leung: the unforgettable cowboy leading man of Asian cinema shows his true grit to a legendary director and fellow frontiersman". BNet. Archived from the original (Interview) on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- "Festival de Cannes: In the Mood for Love". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- Marsh, James (22 July 2012). "Paris Cinema IFF Interview: Yuen Wo Ping on the Changing Face of Kung Fu Cinema" (Interview). Twitch Film/Screen Anarchy. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
- Tony Leung in the mood for acting. China View, 21 April 2005. Retrieved 26 December 2006.
- Tony Leung Chiu-Wai claims he was misquoted. HK Entertainment Review, 19 December 2002. Retrieved 23 December 2006.
- "Berlinale 2014: International Jury". Berlinale. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
- Tony Leung to appear in Hollywood film. China Daily.com, 10 August 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2006.
- Tony Leung Heads for Hollywood. CRI English.com, 18 August 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2006.
- Hood, Cooper (20 July 2019). "Shang-Chi Casts Tony Leung As The MCU's Real Mandarin". ScreenRant.
- Borys Kit , Mia Galuppo (20 July 2019). "Marvel Finds Its Shang-Chi in Chinese-Canadian Actor Simu Liu". The Hollywood Reporter.
- Tseng, Douglas (July 21, 2019). "Tony Leung Chiu-Wai To Make Hollywood Debut In New Marvel Movie". Today. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
- International Herald Tribune. "IHT." Actors' wedding leads to Hong Kong media frenzy. Retrieved on 22 July 2008.
- "Why Tony, Carina nuptials in Bhutan". asiaone.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- "梁朝偉與王菲 春節飛印度拜法王 | 中國報 China Press". chinapress.com.my. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- 中堅映画会社のプレノン・アッシュが破産 尖閣問題の影響でトニー・レオンが出演見送り [Film company Prenom H goes bankrupt – Tony Leung's involvement cancelled due to Senkaku dispute]. MSN Sankei News (in Japanese). Japan: The Sankei Shimbun & Sankei Digital. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- "Tony Leung Chiu-Wai". chinesemov.com. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
- Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards 2005 at the Internet Movie Database
External links
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Wikiquote has quotations related to: Tony Leung Chiu-wai |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tony Leung Chiu-wai. |
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai on IMDb
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai at the Hong Kong Movie Database
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai at LoveHKFilm.com
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai fan site
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