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{{Chinese name|[[Zhang (surname)|Cheung]]}}
{{Chinese name|[[Zhang (surname)|Cheung]]}}


'''Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing''' (12 September 1956&nbsp;– 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong [[musician]], [[singer-songwriter]], [[actor]], and [[record producer|music]] and [[film producer]]. Cheung is considered as "one of the founding fathers of [[Cantopop]]" by "combining a hugely successful film and music career."<ref>Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham, "World Music Volume 2: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific", P54., BBC Radio, ISBN 1-85828-636-0</ref> He rose to prominence as a teen hearthrob and pop icon of Hong Kong in the 1980s, receiving numerous music awards including both [[Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation|Most Popular Male Artist Awards]] at the 1988 and 1989 [[Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation|Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards]]. In 1989, Cheung announced his retirement from the music industry as a pop singer. Returning to the music scene after a five-year hiatus, he released his chart-topping comeback album (寵愛) which achieved a huge market success. In 1999, he won the [[Golden Needle Award]] for his outstanding achievement as a musician at the [[RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards]], and his hit song "Monica" was voted as Hong Kong's "Song of the Century." He was honoured "Asia's Biggest Superstar" at the 2000 CCTV-MTV Music Honors.
'''Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing''' (12 September 1956&nbsp;– 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong [[musician]], [[singer-songwriter]], [[actor]], and [[record producer|music]] and [[film producer]]. Cheung is considered as "one of the founding fathers of [[Cantopop]]" by "combining a hugely successful film and music career."<ref>Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham, "World Music Volume 2: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific", P54., BBC Radio, ISBN 1-85828-636-0</ref>

Cheung had won the 1991 [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor|Hong Kong Film Award]] (''[[Days of Being Wild]]'') and the 1994 [[Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award]] (''[[Ashes of Time]]'') for best actor. He had also won the 1994 [[Japan Film Critics Society Award]] for best actor for his performance in ''[[Farewell My Concubine (film)|Farewell My Concubine]]'' and ten other best actor nominations, five [[Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards|Golden Horse Awards]], three [[Cannes Film Festival|Cannes Film Festival Awards]], a [[Asia Pacific Film Festival|Asia Pacific Film Festival Award]], and a [[Venice Film Festival|Venice Film Festival Award]].


Cheung's music and movies not only captured fans in [[Hong Kong]] but also other Asian countries including [[Taiwan]], [[Singapore]], [[Malaysia]], [[China]], [[Japan]] and [[South Korea]]. He is the first foreign artist to hold 16 concerts in Japan that has yet to be broken and the record holder as the best-selling [[C-pop]] artist in Korea.<ref>http://tw.twent.chinayes.com/Content/20130402/kh77sz20770cg.shtml</ref>
Cheung's music and movies not only captured fans in [[Hong Kong]] but also other Asian countries including [[Taiwan]], [[Singapore]], [[Malaysia]], [[China]], [[Japan]] and [[South Korea]]. He is the first foreign artist to hold 16 concerts in Japan that has yet to be broken and the record holder as the best-selling [[C-pop]] artist in Korea.<ref>http://tw.twent.chinayes.com/Content/20130402/kh77sz20770cg.shtml</ref>
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Cheung was ranked as the most favourite actor in the 100 years of Chinese cinema.<ref name="allbusiness.com">[http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4392792-1.html "Cheung Tops Asia's CCTV-MTV Honors"], AllBusiness.com, Inc.</ref><ref name="chinadaily.com.cn">[http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-05/27/content_446339.htm "'Farewell My Concubine' most appreciated in HK"], ''China Daily''</ref> In 2010, he was voted the third "Most Iconic Musicians of All Time" (after [[Michael Jackson]] and [[The Beatles]]).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/24/music.icon.gallery/index.html#fbid=nVIn7HoUxgC&wom=false|title=Michael Jackson: Your number one music icon|accessdate=20 September 2010|date=27 August 2010|work=CNN}}</ref> [[CNN]] considered Cheung as the "Most Beautiful Man from Hong Kong Cinema" and one of "Asia's 25 Greatest Actors of All Time."<ref>http://travel.cnn.com/hong-kong/play/hottest-men-classic-hong-kong-cinema-754404</ref><ref>http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/none/asias-25-greatest-actors-all-time-223697</ref>
Cheung was ranked as the most favourite actor in the 100 years of Chinese cinema.<ref name="allbusiness.com">[http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4392792-1.html "Cheung Tops Asia's CCTV-MTV Honors"], AllBusiness.com, Inc.</ref><ref name="chinadaily.com.cn">[http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-05/27/content_446339.htm "'Farewell My Concubine' most appreciated in HK"], ''China Daily''</ref> In 2010, he was voted the third "Most Iconic Musicians of All Time" (after [[Michael Jackson]] and [[The Beatles]]).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/24/music.icon.gallery/index.html#fbid=nVIn7HoUxgC&wom=false|title=Michael Jackson: Your number one music icon|accessdate=20 September 2010|date=27 August 2010|work=CNN}}</ref> [[CNN]] considered Cheung as the "Most Beautiful Man from Hong Kong Cinema" and one of "Asia's 25 Greatest Actors of All Time."<ref>http://travel.cnn.com/hong-kong/play/hottest-men-classic-hong-kong-cinema-754404</ref><ref>http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/none/asias-25-greatest-actors-all-time-223697</ref>


==1956–77: Childhood and education==
Cheung was born in [[Kowloon|Kowloon, Hong Kong]], the youngest of ten children in a middle-class [[Hakka people|Hakka]] family. Cheung Wut Hoi, his father, was a fairly well known tailor, whose customers included American actors [[William Holden]], [[Marlon Brando]], and [[Cary Grant]].<ref>Kevin Thomas, [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/12619236.html?did=12619236&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&dids=12619236:12619236:&desc=MOVIES%3b+A+Career+in+Full+Plume%3b+As+%27Temptress+Moon%27+boosts+the+profile+of+Hong+Kong+actor+Leslie+Cheung,+he%27s+reviving+a+long-dormant+singing+career "A Career In Full Plumet"], ''Los Angeles Times'', 22 June 1997, page 6</ref><ref name="Hubert Niogret 1999">[[Michel Ciment]], Hubert Niogret, "Interview of Leslie Cheung", [[Positif (magazine)|Positif]] no. 455/1999, Berlin, conducted on 21 February 1998</ref><ref>Chitose Shima, "Leslie Cheung Interview", ''All About Leslie'', pp. 25-40, Saangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1999, ISBN 4-916199-10-3</ref> His parents divorced when he was quite young. While in Hong Kong, Cheung attended [[Rosaryhill School]]. At age 13, he was sent to England as a boarder at Eccles Hall School. After six month study, he transferred himself to a school in [[Chelmsford]] and obtained scholarship. He worked as a [[bartender]] at his relatives' restaurant and sang during the weekends. It was around this period that he chose his name, "Leslie." According to Cheung, he chose this name because "I love the film ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]''. And I like [[Leslie Howard (actor)|Leslie Howard]]."<ref name=Corliss>{{cite news|last=Corliss|first=Richard|authorlink=Richard Corliss|title=Forever Leslie|work=Time|date=30 April 2001|url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,108021,00.html| accessdate=14 August 2008}}</ref>
Cheung was born in [[Kowloon|Kowloon, Hong Kong]], the youngest of ten children in a middle-class [[Hakka people|Hakka]] family. Cheung Wut Hoi, his father, was a fairly well known tailor, whose customers included American actors [[William Holden]], [[Marlon Brando]], and [[Cary Grant]].<ref>Kevin Thomas, [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/12619236.html?did=12619236&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&dids=12619236:12619236:&desc=MOVIES%3b+A+Career+in+Full+Plume%3b+As+%27Temptress+Moon%27+boosts+the+profile+of+Hong+Kong+actor+Leslie+Cheung,+he%27s+reviving+a+long-dormant+singing+career "A Career In Full Plumet"], ''Los Angeles Times'', 22 June 1997, page 6</ref><ref name="Hubert Niogret 1999">[[Michel Ciment]], Hubert Niogret, "Interview of Leslie Cheung", [[Positif (magazine)|Positif]] no. 455/1999, Berlin, conducted on 21 February 1998</ref><ref>Chitose Shima, "Leslie Cheung Interview", ''All About Leslie'', pp. 25-40, Saangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1999, ISBN 4-916199-10-3</ref> His parents divorced when he was quite young. While in Hong Kong, Cheung attended [[Rosaryhill School]]. At age 13, he was sent to England as a boarder at Eccles Hall School. After six month study, he transferred himself to a school in [[Chelmsford]] and obtained scholarship. He worked as a [[bartender]] at his relatives' restaurant and sang during the weekends. It was around this period that he chose his name, "Leslie." According to Cheung, he chose this name because "I love the film ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]''. And I like [[Leslie Howard (actor)|Leslie Howard]]."<ref name=Corliss>{{cite news|last=Corliss|first=Richard|authorlink=Richard Corliss|title=Forever Leslie|work=Time|date=30 April 2001|url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,108021,00.html| accessdate=14 August 2008}}</ref>


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He attended the [[University of Leeds]] 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, Cheung did not return to England to complete his studies.<ref name="Hubert Niogret 1999"/><ref>Chitose Shima, "Leslie Cheung Interview", ''All About Leslie'', p25-40, Sangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1999, ISBN 4-916199-10-3</ref>
He attended the [[University of Leeds]] 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, Cheung did not return to England to complete his studies.<ref name="Hubert Niogret 1999"/><ref>Chitose Shima, "Leslie Cheung Interview", ''All About Leslie'', p25-40, Sangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1999, ISBN 4-916199-10-3</ref>


He donated all the proceeds from the sales of ''Salute'' to the [[Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts]] (香港演藝學院), which was named the ''Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship'' after his death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hkapa.edu/asp/general/general_friends_sponsors.asp |title=Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship |publisher=Hkapa.edu |accessdate=28 March 2012}}</ref>
==1977–2003: Career==
===Early career===
In 1977, Cheung won first runner-up by singing [[Don McLean]]'s ''[[American Pie (song)|American Pie]]'' at the [[Asian Music Contest]] held by [[Rediffusion Television]] (RTV). He signed a contract with RTV, which subsequently became [[Asia Television Limited]] (ATV) and began his career in the entertainment industry. He also signed a music contract with [[Polydor Records]], releasing ''Day Dreaming'' (1977) and ''Lover's Arrow'' (1979).

The early days of his career were not easy. He was once booed off the stage during a public performance, and his first two albums were not welcomed by the public. He left [[Polydor Records]] at the end of his contract. Cheung's first film, ''[[The Erotic Dream of the Red Chamber]]'' (紅樓春上春) in 1978 was a soft porn film. Cheung later stated that he was unaware of the sexual nature of the film when he signed the contract.<ref name="geocities.com"/>

During the 1970s and 1980s, he appeared in a number of TV dramas such as ''[[The Young Concubine]]'' (我家的女人), ''Agency 24'' (甜甜廿四味), ''Pairing'' (對對糊), and ''The Spirit Of The Sword'' (浣花洗劍錄). These TV dramas helped turn him into a household name in South East Asia.

===Ascent to fame===
In 1982, Cheung joined [[Capital Artists]] upon the end of his contract with RTV. It was at Capital Artists that [[Florence Chan]] became his music agent and remained as such through his entire career. While at Capital Artists, he also met [[Anita Mui]], another Hong Kong [[Cantopop]] idol, starting a long lasting friendship. In 1983, Cheung released his first hit song, "The Wind Blows On" (風繼續吹). In 1984, he released his first top ten hit song "Monica", which became the first so-called "fast" song that won the ''[[RTHK]] [[Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award]]''. "Monica" became representative of a new genre of [[Music of Hong Kong|Hong Kong music]] in the mid 1980s. Fans began to demand fast and energetic Cantopop songs that would be suitable for both dancing and listening. Other ''Top Ten Gold Songs'' released by Cheung through Capital Artists included "Wild Wind" (不羈的風) (album, ''For Your Love Only'', 1985); "Who Can Be With Me" (有誰共鳴) (album, ''Leslie Cheung: Allure Me'', 1986) and "Love in Those Years" (當年情) (theme song for ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'', album ''Leslie Cheung: Allure Me'', 1986). "Who Can Be With Me" became the ''Gold of the Gold Songs'' (Best Song) of the Year for 1986. In the same year, Cheung released his first Mandarin album in Taiwan, also titled "Love in Those Years," and became an instant hit.

Cheung's movie career was a little slower to take off. He appeared in supporting roles in his second and third movies ''Encore'' (1980) and ''On Trial'' (1981). However, his acting talent was soon recognized with his nomination for the [[Hong Kong Film Awards]]' Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''On Trial''. Subsequent to this nomination, he played the leading role in ''Teenage Dreamers'' (1982) and held the lead role in almost every movie he was in from then on. From the early 1980s through 1986, most of the movies in which he had starred were teenage movies. Among them, ''[[Nomad (1982 film)|Nomad]]'' (1982, directed by Patrick Tam Kar-ming) is widely considered by film critics as representative of Hong Kong "New Wave" films. Cheung's role as Louis in ''Nomad'' won him his first Best Actor nomination of the Hong Kong Film Awards. Later, Cheung stated that he considers ''Nomad'' as his first "real" movie. During this period, Cheung continued to act in a number of [[Television Broadcasts]] (TVB) dramas, such as ''Once Upon an Ordinary Girl'' (儂本多情) and ''The Fallen Family'' (武林世家), opposite Maggie Cheung.

===Stardom and retirement===
In 1986, he joined [[Cinepoly Records|Cinepoly Records Hong Kong]] and released the album ''[[Summer Romance]]'' in 1987. ''Summer Romance'' became the ''[[Best Selling CD of the Year]]'' and ''[[IFPI Best Selling Album]]'' in Hong Kong. The success of ''Summer Romance'' made him one of the top two Cantopop idols at the time . In 1988, he composed one of his most famous songs "Silence is Golden" (沉默是金), which was later adapted to both Mandarin and Taiwanese versions. Other popular albums published by Cheung through Cinepoly Records included ''[[Hot Summer (album)|Hot Summer]]'' (1988), ''[[Virgin Snow]]'' (1988), ''[[Leslie '89]]'' (''Side face'', IFPI Best Album of the Year, 1989), ''[[Final Encounter]]'' (1989), and ''Salute'' (1989). In the meantime, Cheung also released several Mandarin albums in Taiwan, such as ''Refuse to Play'' (拒絕再玩) and ''Car Ride''. ''Salute'' was the first non-profit album released by a superstar in Hong Kong music history that would only compile songs originally performed by other singers. According to Cheung, ''Salute'' is his [[homage]] to music. He donated all the proceeds from the sales of ''Salute'' to the [[Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts]] (香港演藝學院), which was named the ''Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship'' after his death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hkapa.edu/asp/general/general_friends_sponsors.asp |title=Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship |publisher=Hkapa.edu |accessdate=28 March 2012}}</ref>


With the popularity of Cheung and Tam, fans of these two stars became increasingly hostile to each other, starting a long-standing conflict that soon put heavy pressure on both singers. In 1988, Alan Tam publicly quit all pop music award ceremonies. In 1989, Cheung announced his intention to retire from his music career as a singer. Cheung then set a record by being the first singer ever in Cantopop history to hold a retirement concert series (''[[Final Encounter of the Legend]]''), which ran for 33 consecutive nights (he was 33 at the time) at Hong Kong Coliseum. In 1990, he left Hong Kong at the peak of his music career and emigrated to [[Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada|Vancouver, British Columbia]], where he reportedly "found peace and tranquility."<ref>{{cite news|title=The rise and tragic fall of a Canto-pop king|url=http://www.asianpacificpost.com/portal2/402881910674ebab010674f4a523125d.do.html|publisher=Asian Pacific Post|date=10 April 2003|accessdate=21 February 2008|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080215165836/http://www.asianpacificpost.com/portal2/402881910674ebab010674f4a523125d.do.html|archivedate=15 February 2008}}</ref> Cheung became a Canadian citizen in 1992, returning to Asia full-time in 1995 for his re-emergence in Chinese-language popular music.
With the popularity of Cheung and Tam, fans of these two stars became increasingly hostile to each other, starting a long-standing conflict that soon put heavy pressure on both singers. In 1988, Alan Tam publicly quit all pop music award ceremonies. In 1989, Cheung announced his intention to retire from his music career as a singer. Cheung then set a record by being the first singer ever in Cantopop history to hold a retirement concert series (''[[Final Encounter of the Legend]]''), which ran for 33 consecutive nights (he was 33 at the time) at Hong Kong Coliseum. In 1990, he left Hong Kong at the peak of his music career and emigrated to [[Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada|Vancouver, British Columbia]], where he reportedly "found peace and tranquility."<ref>{{cite news|title=The rise and tragic fall of a Canto-pop king|url=http://www.asianpacificpost.com/portal2/402881910674ebab010674f4a523125d.do.html|publisher=Asian Pacific Post|date=10 April 2003|accessdate=21 February 2008|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080215165836/http://www.asianpacificpost.com/portal2/402881910674ebab010674f4a523125d.do.html|archivedate=15 February 2008}}</ref> Cheung became a Canadian citizen in 1992, returning to Asia full-time in 1995 for his re-emergence in Chinese-language popular music.


From 1986 to 1989, Cheung acted in a number of movies that are considered as Hong Kong classics by film critics and Asian movie fans.<ref>The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures, [[Hong Kong Film Awards]]</ref><ref>[http://www.iofilm.co.uk/fm/b/better_tomorrow_1986.shtml "A Better Tomorrow"]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}</ref> In 1986, Cheung co-starred with [[Chow Yun-fat]] in ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'' (directed by [[John Woo]]), which was widely considered as a trend starter for Hong Kong triad movies in the 1980s. He played "Kit", a righteous and idealistic young cop. He also starred in the sequel, ''[[A Better Tomorrow II]]'' (1987). Also in 1987, Cheung starred in [[Stanley Kwan]]'s ''[[Rouge (film)|Rouge]]'' where he played Chen-Pang Chan, an infatuated, opium-smoking playboy and doomed lover of a beautiful prostitute, Fleur (played by [[Anita Mui]]). Further, in the same year (1987), he appeared in [[Tsui Hark]]'s ''[[A Chinese Ghost Story]]'' (directed by Ching Siu-tung). Cheung played ''Ling Choi Sin'', a well-meaning but cowardly debt collector who had fallen in love with a beautiful ghost (played by [[Joey Wong]]). His performance in these movies won him two Best Actor nominations from [[Hong Kong Film Awards]]. The success of ''A Better Tomorrow'' and ''A Chinese Ghost Story'' made his name known in the Japanese and South Korea film markets.
From 1986 to 1989, Cheung acted in a number of movies that are considered as Hong Kong classics by film critics and Asian movie fans.<ref>The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures, [[Hong Kong Film Awards]]</ref><ref>[http://www.iofilm.co.uk/fm/b/better_tomorrow_1986.shtml "A Better Tomorrow"]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}</ref>

===Golden age in film===
In 1990, Cheung acted as Yuddy, a handsome, ruthless bad boy, philanderer and narcissist in [[Wong Kar-wai]]'s movie ''[[Days of Being Wild]]''. His performance in ''Days of Being Wild'' won him the ''Best Actor Award'' at the [[Hong Kong Film Awards]] in 1991 as well as his first nomination as ''Best Actor'' at the [[Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards|Golden Horse Film Festival (Taiwan)]]. He appeared in two other Wong Kar-wai films, ''[[Ashes of Time]]'' (1994) as ''Ouyang Feng'', a swordsman and assassin who spent his days in a desert. His role as ''Ouyang'' earned him the ''Best Actor Award'' at the [[Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards]], and ''[[Happy Together (1997 film)|Happy Together]]'' (1997), which depicted a complex relationship between a pair of gay lovers<ref>Khoi Lebinh and David Eng "Interview with Wong Kar-wai", conducted 27 October 1997 for WBAI, 1999.5, New York, conducted (see discussion page for exact quote)</ref>), in which he played ''Ho Po-wing'', who goes to Argentina with his lover (played by [[Tony Leung Chiu-wai]]).

In ''[[Farewell My Concubine (film)|Farewell My Concubine]]'' (1992, directed by [[Chen Kaige]]), Cheung portrayed opera star ''Dieyi Cheng'', a [[Beijing opera]] artist who was acclaimed for his performances of female roles. ''Farewell My Concubine'' is the first Chinese film to have won the ''[[Palme d'or|Golden Palm]]'' award at the [[Cannes Film Festival]]. It also won more than twenty other film awards including a Golden Globe for ''[[Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Film]]'' and Oscar nominations for ''[[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Film]]'' and ''[[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]''. Cheung's performance in the film won him international fame as a film star and set his steps in the mainland China film industry. In 1996, he worked again with Chen Kaige, playing the role of a misty gigolo, ''Zhongliang Yu'', in ''[[Temptress Moon]]''. In 1998's ''A Time to Remember'' (directed by [[Yip Ying]]), he acted as Jin, an underground Chinese Communist leader. His Hong Kong background caused a heated debate at the time, but the film still achieved box office success in mainland China and in 2004 won a "Most Popular Foreign Film" Award at the [[Pyongyang Film Festival]].

Other films in which Cheung appeared during this period include ''[[The Bride with White Hair]]'' (with [[Brigitte Lin]], 1993), ''[[He's a Woman, She's a Man]]'' (with [[Anita Yuen]], 1994), ''[[The Phantom Lover]]'' (1995), and ''[[Viva Erotica]]'' (with [[Shu Qi]], 1996). His performance in these movies won him three Best Actor Award nominations at the [[Hong Kong Film Awards]] and three Best Actor Award nominations at the [[Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards|Golden Horse Film Festival]] from 1990 to 1998. He acted in many comedies. In 1991, teamed again with [[Chow Yun-fat]] and [[Cherie Chung]], Cheung played a skillful and charming thief in [[John Woo]]'s ''[[Once a Thief (1991 film)|Once A Thief]]''. In 1992's ''[[All's Well, Ends Well]]'', he acted as an effeminate brother who would later realize the meaning of true love. Other well-known comedies included ''[[The Eagle Shooting Heroes]]'', ''It's a Wonderful Life'', and ''[[The Chinese Feast]]'', where he starred opposite [[Anita Yuen]]. Cheung was also a box office attraction in Hong Kong; from 1990 to 1998, 13 out of 39 movies in which he starred were listed as yearly top ten box office movies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdspring.com/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=12673 |title="1990–99 Box Office Ranking for Chinese Movies in Hong Kong" ("1990–99年历年华语片票房排名") |publisher=Dvdspring.com |accessdate=28 March 2012}}</ref>


Although Cheung quit his career as a pop singer from 1989 to 1995, he continued his music career as a composer. He composed more than ten songs during that time. In 1993, he won ''Best Original Movie Song Award'' from [[Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards|Golden Horse Film Festival]] for the theme song ''Red Cheek, White Hair'' to the movie ''The Bride with White Hair'' (as a composer). In 1995, he composed all three theme songs for the film ''[[The Phantom Lover]]''. As a composer, Cheung won four nominations for ''Best Original Movie Song Award'' at the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards and two nominations for ''Best Original Film Song'' at the Hong Kong Film Awards. In 1998, he was a member of the jury at the [[48th Berlin International Film Festival]].<ref name="Berlinale 1998">{{cite web|url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1998/04_jury_1998/04_Jury_1998.html |title=Berlinale: 1998 Juries|accessdate=14 January 2012|work=berlinale.de}}</ref>
Although Cheung quit his career as a pop singer from 1989 to 1995, he continued his music career as a composer. He composed more than ten songs during that time. In 1993, he won ''Best Original Movie Song Award'' from [[Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards|Golden Horse Film Festival]] for the theme song ''Red Cheek, White Hair'' to the movie ''The Bride with White Hair'' (as a composer). In 1995, he composed all three theme songs for the film ''[[The Phantom Lover]]''. As a composer, Cheung won four nominations for ''Best Original Movie Song Award'' at the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards and two nominations for ''Best Original Film Song'' at the Hong Kong Film Awards. In 1998, he was a member of the jury at the [[48th Berlin International Film Festival]].<ref name="Berlinale 1998">{{cite web|url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1998/04_jury_1998/04_Jury_1998.html |title=Berlinale: 1998 Juries|accessdate=14 January 2012|work=berlinale.de}}</ref>


In 1995 Cheung signed a contract with [[Rock Records]], returning to music as a singer. At the same year, he released his first post-"retirement" album, ''[[Most Beloved|Beloved]]''. ''Beloved'' achieved large market success with the award of ''IFPI Best Selling Album'',<ref>[http://www.leslie-cheung.com/leslie/2004/9-29/22736.html] "Leslie Cheung's ''Beloved'' are sold more than 300,000"], ''Min Pao Weekly'', 28 Oct. 1995, see</ref><ref>[http://www.leslie-cheung.net/ch/achievements.htm Achievements of Leslie Cheung]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}</ref>.
===Return to music===
In 1995 Cheung signed a contract with [[Rock Records]], returning to music as a singer. At the same year, he released his first post-"retirement" album, ''[[Most Beloved|Beloved]]''. ''Beloved'' achieved large market success with the award of ''IFPI Best Selling Album'',<ref>[http://www.leslie-cheung.com/leslie/2004/9-29/22736.html] "Leslie Cheung's ''Beloved'' are sold more than 300,000"], ''Min Pao Weekly'', 28 Oct. 1995, see</ref><ref>[http://www.leslie-cheung.net/ch/achievements.htm Achievements of Leslie Cheung]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}</ref> but it did not receive much acclaim from music critics as it is a collection of Cheung's movie theme songs from 1993 to 1995. In 1996, Cheung released possibly his most highly acclaimed album, ''[[Red (album, 1996)|Red]]''. ''[[Red (album, 1996)|Red]]'' was a fusion album, mixing smooth jazz, R&B, trip hop, etc., into [[Cantopop]], forming a consistent unique style. Cheung worked since then on cutting-edge music as well as Cantopop, his new music style being markedly different from before his earlier retirement. In this album, Cheung also composed another important song in his music career, ''[[Red (album, 1996)|Red]]''. In April 1998, Cheung released ''[[Printemps (Album)|Printemps]]'', a Mandarin album in collaboration with renowned Taiwanese song writers and music producers, Liu Chi Hong (劉志宏) and Liu Si Ming (劉思銘). Another version of ''Printemps'' was released in Japan titled ''Gift.'' Both versions include Cheung's first song sung in Japanese, "Marshmallow". In 1997 Cheung held his first post-retirement concert series: ''[[World Tour 97]]'', which lasted from 12 December 1996 to 17 June 1997. As with the refinements to his musical style, Cheung introduced a new image to his audience. The most daring part possibly was the closing dance "Red" where Cheung did a tango duet in a pair of red high-heels with a macho dancer. ''World Tour 97'' included 55 concerts: 24 concerts were held in [[Hong Kong Coliseum]] and 31 concerts were held in the cities around the world. Among them, six concerts were held in Japan and mainland China respectively. ''World Tour 97'' was the first concert series that Cheung held in these two areas. {{Citation needed|date=September 2012}}

In 1999, Cheung founded a music company, [[Apex Music]], signing a distribution contract with [[Universal Music Group]](UMG). Important albums released via [[Universal Music Group|UMG]] includes ''[[Count Down With You]]'' (1999), ''[[Big Heat (album)|Big Heat]]'' (2000), and ''Untitled'' (2000). The hit songs released by him during this period include "[[Passing-by Dragonfly]]", the top one hit song, "Big Heat", and "[[Left Right Hands]]", Top Ten Gold Song of the Year (1999). He also composed the song ''I'' (first released in the ''[[Big Heat (album)|Big Heat]]'' album). In 1999, he was awarded the [[Golden Needle]] award (lifetime achievement award in Cantopop music). In 2000, he was named "Music Ambassador" of [[Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong]] (CASH), a position he held until his death. He composed the theme song "Noah's Ark" for the ''CASH Golden Sail Award''. {{Citation needed|date=September 2012}}

===The later years===
In 2000, Cheung played his last concert series, ''[[Passion Tour]]''. ''Passion Tour'' included 43 concerts, lasting from 31 July 2000 to 16 April 2001. Cheung worked at the first time as the art director as well as the singer for the concert. He invited [[Jean-Paul Gaultier]] to design all eight costumes for the concert. However, the costumes, together with his long wig and beard, were criticized bitterly by Hong Kong media at the early stage of the concerts. Cheung later disclosed that Gaultier was very angry about the criticism and claimed in an email (sent to Cheung) that he would never design costumes again for any Asian performer. Despite the early criticisms from the media, ''Passion Tour'' achieved huge success. ''Passion Tour'' was highly welcomed in Japan and made Cheung hold 10 concerts there. Together with ''[[World Tour 97]]'' concerts, Cheung set a record of foreign artists of holding 16 concerts in Japan. In China, Cheung set a record yet to be broken by holding two consecutive night concerts in Shanghai Stadium (capacity of 80,000). He was also awarded the "Grand Salute Award" (2000) by ''Mingpao Weekly'' (Hong Kong) and "Music Salute Award" (2000) from Chinese Pop Music Media Association (mainland China) for his work in ''Passion Tour''. {{Citation needed|date=September 2012}}

By the end of the 1990s, Cheung began to focus on acting in non-romance roles. In ''[[The Kid (1999 film)|The Kid]]'' (1999, directed by Jacob Cheung Chi-Leung), he starred as a poor single father who fostered an abandoned baby boy. In the action thriller ''[[Double Tap (film)|Double Tap]]'' (2000, directed by Lo Chi Leung), he played a psycho killer, Rick. In the 2002 psycho thriller ''[[Inner Senses]]'' (directed by Lo Chi Leung), he played psychologist Dr. Law, who discovered his own emotional issues when he tried to treat his patient Yan ([[Kar Yan Lam]]). His performance in these films earned him another ''Best Actor'' nomination from the Hong Kong Film Awards. He also garnered another two ''Best Actor Award'' nominations from Taiwan Film Festival. During this period, Cheung began to try his hand at film direction. In 2000, he directed his first movie, the 45 minutes ''[[From Ashes to Ashes]]''. In 2002, he began working on the script for his first regular length movie ''[[Stealing Heart]]''. The script was not completed due to the deterioration of his health.

==Popularity==
In 1984, ''[[Overseas Chinese Daily News]]'' considered Cheung as one of the 10 most popular artists. In 1986 and 1987, Cheung was voted as one of the 10 most popular celebrities (演藝十大當紅人物) in Hong Kong by [[RTHK]]. In 1989, [[Commercial Radio]] ranked Cheung as Hong Kong's most beautiful celebrity (十大靚人榜首). In 1990, [[RTHK]] ranked him as one of the 10 most popular celebrities of the 80s (八十年代十大演藝紅人). In 1989 and 1994, Korea's ''Roadshow'' rated him as Korea's most popular foreign celebrity. In 1996, Cheung was voted among the top 10 Chinese-speaking film stars of all time (全球十大華語影星) by Taiwan's [[Golden Horse Awards]]. In the same year, Japan's ''Pop Asia'' rated Cheung as the best artist of the year. In 2000, [[Yahoo! Japan]] ranked him as Japan's most popular foreign celebrity. In the same year, Cheung was crowned as Hong Kong's most popular celebrity of the millennium (千禧十大紅人榜首) by [[RTHK]].

==Personal life==
In 1996-1997, Cheung raised over $1 million HKD, and drew attention to Children's Cancer Foundation, through his Cross '97 concerts and coffee shop. In 2002, Cheung was appointed a goodwill ambassador for ECSAF.

Cheung was a close and longtime friend of Hong Kong Cantopop diva, [[Anita Mui]], whom he met while he was at [[Capital Artists]].


Though Cheung had never publicly declared his sexual orientation, he once said in an interview with ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine:
Though Cheung had never publicly declared his sexual orientation, he once said in an interview with ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine:
{{Quote| "It's more appropriate to say I'm bisexual. I've had girlfriends. When I was 22 or so, I asked my girlfriend [[Teresa Mo]] (毛舜筠) to marry me."<ref>Corliss, R. (2001). [http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,108021,00.html "Forever Leslie"], ''Time'' magazine Asia Edition. Retrieved 17 December 2005.</ref>|}}
{{Quote| "It's more appropriate to say I'm bisexual. I've had girlfriends. When I was 22 or so, I asked my girlfriend [[Teresa Mo]] (his colleague at [[Rediffusion Television]] (now [[Asia Television Limited|ATV]]) of the time) to marry me."<ref>Corliss, R. (2001). [http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,108021,00.html "Forever Leslie"], ''Time'' magazine Asia Edition. Retrieved 17 December 2005.</ref>|}}


Cheung dated Ngai Sze-Pui (倪詩蓓), a Hong Kong model and actress whom he met on the set of ''Agency 24'' for two years. <ref>http://www.alididi.info/n27486c13p2.aspx</ref>
Cheung dated Ngai Sze-Pui (倪詩蓓), a Hong Kong model and actress whom he met on the set of ''Agency 24'' for two years. <ref>http://www.alididi.info/n27486c13p2.aspx</ref>

In a 1997 concert, Cheung dedicated a song to his mother and Mr. Tong as his dear family member, life partner and friend, and all the fans at the concert that night.


==Death and legacy==<!-- The main titles don't need to be added date. -->
==Death and legacy==<!-- The main titles don't need to be added date. -->
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In 2013, Cheung's former music agent Florence Chan organized two memorial concerts entitled "Miss You Much Leslie" on 31 March and 1 April for the 10th anniversary of Cheung's passing. Big names of the Hong Kong entertainment industry such as [[Jacky Cheung]], [[Tony Leung Chiu-Wai]], [[Andy Hui]], [[Leo Ku]], [[Chilam Cheung]], [[Vivian Chow]], [[Kelly Chen]], [[Joey Yung]], [[Grasshopper (band)|Grasshoppers]], and others performed at the concert at [[Hong Kong Coliseum]]. In addition, in 2013, Cheung's fans from around the world made two million [[origami]] cranes for the ''[[Guinness World Record]]'' as a tribute to the 10th anniversary of his passing.<ref>http://my.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/leslie-cheungs-origami-display-delayed-041500008.html</ref>
In 2013, Cheung's former music agent Florence Chan organized two memorial concerts entitled "Miss You Much Leslie" on 31 March and 1 April for the 10th anniversary of Cheung's passing. Big names of the Hong Kong entertainment industry such as [[Jacky Cheung]], [[Tony Leung Chiu-Wai]], [[Andy Hui]], [[Leo Ku]], [[Chilam Cheung]], [[Vivian Chow]], [[Kelly Chen]], [[Joey Yung]], [[Grasshopper (band)|Grasshoppers]], and others performed at the concert at [[Hong Kong Coliseum]]. In addition, in 2013, Cheung's fans from around the world made two million [[origami]] cranes for the ''[[Guinness World Record]]'' as a tribute to the 10th anniversary of his passing.<ref>http://my.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/leslie-cheungs-origami-display-delayed-041500008.html</ref>

==Awards and nominations==
===[[RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Nominated title'''|| '''Result'''
|-
|1984||Top 10 Gold Songs||"Monica"||{{won}}
|-
|1985||Top 10 Gold Songs||"Wild Wind" (不羈的風)||{{won}}
|-
|1986|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Past Love" (當年情)|| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"|1987|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Sleepless Night" (無心睡眠)|| {{won}}
|-
|Best CD||''[[Summer Romance]]''||{{won}}
|-
|Sales Award (Best-Selling Album of the Year) ||''Summer Romance''||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"|1988|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Silence is Golden" (沉默是金)|| {{won}}
|-
| Top 10 Gold Songs ||"Don’t Need Too Much" (無需要太多)||{{won}}
|-
|IFPI Award ||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1999|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Left Right Hand" (左右手)|| {{won}}
|-
| [[Golden Needle Award]] ||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
|2000|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Big Heat" (大熱)|| {{won}}
|-
|2002|| Silver Jubilee Award||Leslie Cheung|| {{won}}
|}

===[[Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation|Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Nominated title'''|| '''Result'''
|-
|1983||Top 10 Gold Songs||"Wind Blows On"(風繼續吹)||{{nom}}
|-
|1984||Top 10 Gold Songs||"Monica"||{{won}}
|-
|1985||Top 10 Gold Songs||"Wild Wind" (不羈的風)||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"|1986|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Past Love" (當年情)|| {{won}}
|-
|Top 10 Gold Songs||"Who Resonates With Me" (有誰共鳴)|| {{won}}
|-
|Gold Song Gold Award (Best Song of the Year)||"Who Resonates With Me" ||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1987|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Sleepless Night" (無心睡眠)|| {{won}}
|-
|Gold Song Gold Award (Best Song of the Year)|| "Sleepless Night" ||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"|1988|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Silence is Golden"|| {{won}}
|-
|Top 10 Gold Songs||"Closer" (貼身)||{{won}}
|-
|Most Popular Male Artist||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1989|| Top 10 Gold Songs||"Starting from Zero" (由零開始)|| {{won}}
|-
|Most Popular Male Artist||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
|1999||Honours Award||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|2000|| Four Channel Award (Best Album of the Year)||''Untitled''|| {{won}}
|-
|Honours Award||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|}

===[[Commercial Radio Hong Kong|Ultimate Song Chart Awards]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Nominated title'''|| '''Result'''
|-
|1988||Ultimate Male Artist Gold Award||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1989|| Ultimate Male Artist Gold Award||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
|IFPI Award||''[[Leslie '89|Side Face]]''||{{won}}
|-
|1999||Ultimate Song Award (No. 1 Song of the Year)||"Left Right Hand"||{{won}}
|}

===Metro Radio Hit Music Awards===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Nominated title'''|| '''Result'''
|-
| rowspan="2"|1999||Metro Radio Hit Song of the Year||"Left Right Hand"||{{won}}
|-
|Metro Radio Top 10 Hit Songs||"Left Right Hand"||{{won}}
|}

===[[Hong Kong Film Awards]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Film''' || '''Result'''
|-
|1983||Best Actor||''[[Nomad]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|1988|| Best Actor||''[[A Better Tomorrow 2]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|Best Original Film Song||''[[A Chinese Ghost Story]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|1989|| Best Actor||''[[Rouge]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
|1991|| Best Actor||''[[Days of Being Wild]]''|| {{won}}
|-
|1994|| Best Original Film Song||''[[The Bride With White Hair]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1995|| Best Actor||''[[He's a Woman, She's a Man]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
|Best Original Film Song||''[[He's a Woman, She's a Man]]''||{{won}}
|-
|1996|| Best Original Film Song||''[[The Phantom Lover]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1997|| Best Actor||''[[Viva Erotica]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
|Best Original Film Song||''[[Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|1998|| Best Actor||''[[Happy Together]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
|2003|| Best Actor||''[[Inner Senses]]''|| {{nom}}
|}
===[[Golden Horse Awards]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Film''' || '''Result'''
|-
|1991||Best Actor||''[[Days of Being Wild]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|1993||Best Original Song||''[[The Bride With White Hair]]''||{{won}}
|-
|1994||Best Original Song||''[[He's a Woman, She's a Man]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|1995||Best Original Song||''[[The Phantom Lover]]''||{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="3"|1996|| Best Actor||''[[Temptress Moon]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|Best Original Song||''[[Temptress Moon]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|Best Original Song||''[[Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|1997|| Best Actor||''[[Happy Together]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
|2000|| Best Actor||''[[Double Tap]]''|| {{nom}}
|-
|2002|| Best Actor||''[[Inner Senses]]''|| {{nom}}
|}
===[[Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Film''' || '''Result'''
|-
|1994||Best Actor||''[[Ashes of Time]]''||{{won}}
|}
===Japan Film Critics Society===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Film''' || '''Result'''
|-
|1994||Best Actor||''[[Farewell My Concubine]]''||{{won}}
|}
===[[Cannes Film Festival]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Film''' || '''Result'''
|-
|1993||Best Actor||''[[Farewell My Concubine]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|1996|| Best Actor||''[[Temptress Moon]]''||{{nom}}
|-
|1997||Best Actor||''[[Happy Together]]''||{{nom}}
|}
===[[Asia Pacific Film Festival]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Film''' || '''Result'''
|-
|1993||Best Actor||''[[Days of Being Wild]]''||{{nom}}
|}
===[[Venice Film Festival]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Film''' || '''Result'''
|-
|1994||Best Actor||''[[Ashes of Time]]''||{{nom}}
|}

===[[Ming Pao|Ming Pao Power Academy Awards]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! '''Year''' || '''Category''' || '''Nominated title'''|| '''Result'''
|-
| rowspan="2"|2000|| Honorary Award||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
|Outstanding Male Singer||Leslie Cheung||{{won}}
|-
|2002||Best Actor||''[[Inner Senses]]''||{{won}}
|}


==Discography==
==Discography==
Line 344: Line 99:
==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0002000|name=Leslie Cheung}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0002000|name=Leslie Cheung}}
*[http://www.lesliecheung.com Leslie Cheung Internet Fan Club] Official website of the Leslie Cheung Internet Fan Club
*[http://ameblo.jp/lcing/ レスリー・チャン（張國榮）スマイル]
*[http://www.lesliecheung.cc Leslie Cheung Cyberworld] Official website of Red Mission, providing material on Cheung's music, movies, interviews, photos, etc.
*[http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=457&IssueNum=26 "Farewell, Leslie Cheung", ''Los Angeles City Beat'' by A. Klein (2003)]. Retrieved 17 December 2005


{{s-start}} {{s-ach}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ach}}

Revision as of 03:23, 15 April 2013

Template:Infobox Chinese-language singer and actor

Template:Chinese name

Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing (12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong musician, singer-songwriter, actor, and music and film producer. Cheung is considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop" by "combining a hugely successful film and music career."[1]

Cheung's music and movies not only captured fans in Hong Kong but also other Asian countries including Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Japan and South Korea. He is the first foreign artist to hold 16 concerts in Japan that has yet to be broken and the record holder as the best-selling C-pop artist in Korea.[2]

Cheung was ranked as the most favourite actor in the 100 years of Chinese cinema.[3][4] In 2010, he was voted the third "Most Iconic Musicians of All Time" (after Michael Jackson and The Beatles).[5] CNN considered Cheung as the "Most Beautiful Man from Hong Kong Cinema" and one of "Asia's 25 Greatest Actors of All Time."[6][7]

Cheung was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong, the youngest of ten children in a middle-class Hakka family. Cheung Wut Hoi, his father, was a fairly well known tailor, whose customers included American actors William Holden, Marlon Brando, and Cary Grant.[8][9][10] His parents divorced when he was quite young. While in Hong Kong, Cheung attended Rosaryhill School. At age 13, he was sent to England as a boarder at Eccles Hall School. After six month study, he transferred himself to a school in Chelmsford and obtained scholarship. He worked as a bartender at his relatives' restaurant and sang during the weekends. It was around this period that he chose his name, "Leslie." According to Cheung, he chose this name because "I love the film Gone with the Wind. And I like Leslie Howard."[11]

In several interviews, Cheung stated he had had a fairly unhappy childhood. "I didn't have a happy childhood. Arguments, fights and we didn't live together; I was brought up by my granny."[11] "What I would say most affected me as a child, was that my parents were not at home with me. As a young kid, one could not always understand why his parents weren't at home. This made me depressed sometimes."[12]

He attended the University of Leeds 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, Cheung did not return to England to complete his studies.[9][13]

He donated all the proceeds from the sales of Salute to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (香港演藝學院), which was named the Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship after his death.[14]

With the popularity of Cheung and Tam, fans of these two stars became increasingly hostile to each other, starting a long-standing conflict that soon put heavy pressure on both singers. In 1988, Alan Tam publicly quit all pop music award ceremonies. In 1989, Cheung announced his intention to retire from his music career as a singer. Cheung then set a record by being the first singer ever in Cantopop history to hold a retirement concert series (Final Encounter of the Legend), which ran for 33 consecutive nights (he was 33 at the time) at Hong Kong Coliseum. In 1990, he left Hong Kong at the peak of his music career and emigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he reportedly "found peace and tranquility."[15] Cheung became a Canadian citizen in 1992, returning to Asia full-time in 1995 for his re-emergence in Chinese-language popular music.

From 1986 to 1989, Cheung acted in a number of movies that are considered as Hong Kong classics by film critics and Asian movie fans.[16][17]

Although Cheung quit his career as a pop singer from 1989 to 1995, he continued his music career as a composer. He composed more than ten songs during that time. In 1993, he won Best Original Movie Song Award from Golden Horse Film Festival for the theme song Red Cheek, White Hair to the movie The Bride with White Hair (as a composer). In 1995, he composed all three theme songs for the film The Phantom Lover. As a composer, Cheung won four nominations for Best Original Movie Song Award at the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards and two nominations for Best Original Film Song at the Hong Kong Film Awards. In 1998, he was a member of the jury at the 48th Berlin International Film Festival.[18]

In 1995 Cheung signed a contract with Rock Records, returning to music as a singer. At the same year, he released his first post-"retirement" album, Beloved. Beloved achieved large market success with the award of IFPI Best Selling Album,[19][20].

Though Cheung had never publicly declared his sexual orientation, he once said in an interview with Time magazine:

"It's more appropriate to say I'm bisexual. I've had girlfriends. When I was 22 or so, I asked my girlfriend Teresa Mo (his colleague at Rediffusion Television (now ATV) of the time) to marry me."[21]

Cheung dated Ngai Sze-Pui (倪詩蓓), a Hong Kong model and actress whom he met on the set of Agency 24 for two years. [22]

Death and legacy

Leslie Cheung leaped from the Mandarin Oriental hotel (right).

Cheung committed suicide on 1 April 2003 at 6:43 pm (HKT).[23] He leaped from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, located in the Central district of Hong Kong Island.[24] He left a suicide note saying that he had been suffering from depression. He was 46 years old.[25][26][27][28][29][30]

As one of the most popular performers in Asia, Cheung's death broke the hearts of millions of his fans across Asia, and shocked the Asian entertainment industry and Chinese community worldwide.[25][31][32][33][34][35] The day after Cheung's death, his family confirmed that Cheung suffered from clinical depression and had been seeing psychiatrists for treatment for almost a year. They also revealed that Cheung had previously attempted suicide in 2002. Later at his funeral, Cheung's niece disclosed that her uncle had severe clinical depression and suffered much over the past year (2003).

Despite the risk of infection from SARS and the WHO's warning on travels to Hong Kong, tens of thousands attended Cheung's memorial service, which was held for the public, on 7 April 2003, including celebrities and other fans, many from other parts of the world such as mainland China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, the United States, and Canada. Cheung's funeral was on 8 April 2003. For almost one month, Cheung's death dominated newspaper headlines in Hong Kong and his songs were constantly on the air. His final album, Everything Follows the Wind (一切隨風), was released three months after his death.

Cheung's suicide note (translation):

"Depression! Many thanks to all my friends. Many thanks to Professor Felice Lieh-mak (Cheung's last psychiatrist). This year has been so tough. I can't stand it anymore. Many thanks to Mr. Tong. Many thanks to my family. Many thanks to Sister Fei. In my life I have done nothing bad. Why does it have to be like this?"

In a 2012 interview, Cheung's eldest sister, Ophelia Cheung, stated Cheung was diagnosed with clinical depression caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.[36] She said that reporters were frequently found outside of her brother's home which hampered his ability to get to his doctor's facility. Thus, he would come over to her house to consult a doctor. He would ask his sister, "Why am I depressed? I have money and so many people love me." He was reluctant to take medication for his depression.[37]

In 2013, Cheung's former music agent Florence Chan organized two memorial concerts entitled "Miss You Much Leslie" on 31 March and 1 April for the 10th anniversary of Cheung's passing. Big names of the Hong Kong entertainment industry such as Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Andy Hui, Leo Ku, Chilam Cheung, Vivian Chow, Kelly Chen, Joey Yung, Grasshoppers, and others performed at the concert at Hong Kong Coliseum. In addition, in 2013, Cheung's fans from around the world made two million origami cranes for the Guinness World Record as a tribute to the 10th anniversary of his passing.[38]

Discography

Main article: Leslie Cheung discography

Filmography

Main article: Leslie Cheung filmography

See also

References

  1. ^ Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham, "World Music Volume 2: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific", P54., BBC Radio, ISBN 1-85828-636-0
  2. ^ http://tw.twent.chinayes.com/Content/20130402/kh77sz20770cg.shtml
  3. ^ "Cheung Tops Asia's CCTV-MTV Honors", AllBusiness.com, Inc.
  4. ^ "'Farewell My Concubine' most appreciated in HK", China Daily
  5. ^ "Michael Jackson: Your number one music icon". CNN. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  6. ^ http://travel.cnn.com/hong-kong/play/hottest-men-classic-hong-kong-cinema-754404
  7. ^ http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/none/asias-25-greatest-actors-all-time-223697
  8. ^ Kevin Thomas, "A Career In Full Plumet", Los Angeles Times, 22 June 1997, page 6
  9. ^ a b Michel Ciment, Hubert Niogret, "Interview of Leslie Cheung", Positif no. 455/1999, Berlin, conducted on 21 February 1998
  10. ^ Chitose Shima, "Leslie Cheung Interview", All About Leslie, pp. 25-40, Saangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1999, ISBN 4-916199-10-3
  11. ^ a b Corliss, Richard (30 April 2001). "Forever Leslie". Time. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  12. ^ Leslie Cheung, "Leslie Cheung Autobiography", Commercial Radio Hong Kong, 1985, (also collected in Album Collection History-His Story by Capital Artist, 2004), an English translation can be found in here
  13. ^ Chitose Shima, "Leslie Cheung Interview", All About Leslie, p25-40, Sangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1999, ISBN 4-916199-10-3
  14. ^ "Leslie Cheung Memorial Scholarship". Hkapa.edu. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  15. ^ "The rise and tragic fall of a Canto-pop king". Asian Pacific Post. 10 April 2003. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  16. ^ The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures, Hong Kong Film Awards
  17. ^ "A Better Tomorrow"[dead link]
  18. ^ "Berlinale: 1998 Juries". berlinale.de. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  19. ^ [1] "Leslie Cheung's Beloved are sold more than 300,000"], Min Pao Weekly, 28 Oct. 1995, see
  20. ^ Achievements of Leslie Cheung[dead link]
  21. ^ Corliss, R. (2001). "Forever Leslie", Time magazine Asia Edition. Retrieved 17 December 2005.
  22. ^ http://www.alididi.info/n27486c13p2.aspx
  23. ^ 陳淑芬細說 哥哥最後電話, Apple Daily, 29 March 2013
  24. ^ Corliss, R. (2003). "That old feeling: Days of being Leslie" Time magazine Asia Edition. Retrieved 17 December 2005, from ]
  25. ^ a b Stephen Kelly, "WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS?" Leslie Cheung, 1956–2003", 8 May 2003
  26. ^ "Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing commits suicide.", Hong Kong Entertainment News in Review (2003). Retrieved 17 December 2005
  27. ^ "Actor Leslie Cheung 'found dead'", BBC, 1 April 2003
  28. ^ "Activities to Commemorate Leslie Cheung", Xinhua, 2 April 2005
  29. ^ Yu Sen-lun, "The Leslie Cheung Legend Lives on", TaiPei Times, 10 April 2003
  30. ^ Bruce Einhorn, "Hong Kong: A City in Mourning", BusinessWeek, 14 April 2003
  31. ^ "Leslie Cheung, Larger Than Life". Web.archive.org. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  32. ^ "Jonathan Crow, "Leslie Cheung", AOL Allmovie". Movies.aol.com. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  33. ^ "Leslie Cheung's Suicide" Gothamist, 3 April 2003
  34. ^ "Week of 5 April 2003". "Life In Legacy. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  35. ^ "Forty Thousands Fans Farewell Leslie Cheung in the Raining Night", Modern Business News, 4 April 2003
  36. ^ http://big5.china.com.cn/gate/big5/ent.china.com.cn/2013-03/28/content_28384159.htm
  37. ^ http://www.orientaldaily.com.my/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=48277:&Itemid=200
  38. ^ http://my.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/leslie-cheungs-origami-display-delayed-041500008.html

Further reading

  • Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham, World Music Volume 2: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, BBC Radio, 2000, ISBN 1-85828-636-0
  • Kei Mori, "夢想之欠片 (Broken pieces of dreams)", Renga Shyobo Shinshya Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan, 2004, ISBN 4-902603-55-1
  • Chitose Shima, "Leslie Cheung Interview", All About Leslie, p25–40, Sangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1999, ISBN 4-916199-10-3
  • Chitose Shima, Time of Leslie Cheung, Sangyo Henshu Center Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 2004, ISBN 4-916199-59-6
  • City Entertainment Editor Committee, Leslie Cheung's Movie World 2 (1991–1995), City Entertainment, Hong Kong, 2006, ISBN 962-8114-98-0
  • De Hui, Leslie Cheung's Movie Life I, II, Shanghai Bookstore Publishing House, Shanghai, 2006, ISBN 7-80678-557-4.
Awards and achievements
Hong Kong Film Awards
Preceded by Best Actor
1991
for Days of Being Wild 		Succeeded by
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
Preceded by
None
 Best Actor
1994
for Ashes of Time 		Succeeded by
RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
Preceded by Golden Needle Award
1999 		Succeeded by
Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards
Preceded by Most Popular Male Artist
1988, 1989 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Vacant
 Honours Award
1999, 2000 		Succeeded by
Ultimate Song Chart Awards
Preceded by
None
 Ultimate Male Artist Gold Award
1988, 1989 		Succeeded by
Ming Pao Power Academy Awards
Preceded by
None
 Honorary Award
2000 (& Andy Lau) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
None
 Outstanding Male Singer
2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Outstanding Actor in Film
2002
for Inner Senses 		Succeeded by

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