Hong Kong maybe a small island but it’s movie industry is world famous and it offers a unique and eclectic blend of East and West when it comes to film and culture.
Once known as the Hollywood of the East, here are five of the biggest names in Hong Kong to have graced the silver screen.
Leslie Cheung
Cheung first appeared on the scene in 1988’s Rouge with Anita Mui followed by Days of Being Wild in 1990.
Before 1986 Cheung was every teenager’s heartthrob and pioneered the Cantopop industry. Cheung was also bold enough to declare himself gay at a time when the environment was more conservative.
The actor committed suicide in 2003 but remains forever a superstar to his fans.
Chow Yun-fat
Perhaps best known internationally for the super hit 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Chow has appeared in more than 100 films and 20 television serials. He also collaborated with John Woo in A Better Tomorrow in 1986 which won him Best Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Aside from his action actor persona, Chow also appeared in award winning comedy Love in a Fallen City in 1984 and romantic film, An Autumn’s Tale in 1987.
Anita Mui
This versatile woman not only acts but can sing and dance just as well too. Once upon a time she was dubbed the “Madonna of Asia”. Mui won first place in TVBs New Talent Singing Awards at 18 with her unique vocals in 1982 and has never looked back since.
She won the Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1985 for her role in Behind the Yellow Line and a Golden Horse for Best Actress for her performance in Rouge in 1988.
Tragically Mui died in 2004 at the age of 40 due to cervical cancer.
Maggie Cheung
The veteran actress was once upon a time first runner-up at the 1983 Miss Hong Kong Pageant. She joined the film industry thereafter rising to fame playing Jackie Chan’s girlfriend in Police Story (1985). She then appeared in a steady stream of commercially successful movies but her most pivotal role was perhaps in the film as Tears Go By in 1988 where she diversified to play a dramatic role next to Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung.
This solidified her status as a leading lady and she was last seen in 2004 in Clean after which she retired from acting to pursue a career in music. She currently holds the record for the most Best Actress wins at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards.
Andy Lau
Known for both his acting and singing ability, Lau has had a 40-year-long run in the industry with more than 160 films to his name, winning more than 200 awards for both acting and singing.
In the 90s he was the Kong of Cantpop alongside the likes of Jacky Cheung, Leona Lai and Aaron Kwok.
He became a household name in the 80’s acting in the TVB series The Return of the Condor Heroes. His performances in A Fighter’s Blues in 2000 and Internal Affairs III in 2003 were legendary. And won him several awards.
He later delved into film production and his more recent action thriller Firestorm is currently streaming on Netflix.