Tony Leung Chiu-wai is an actor and singer born on June 27, 1962 in Hong Kong. He is one of the most internationally recognized names in Asian cinema; He stands out especially with the films he made with Wong Kar-wai and the awards he won.
From television to cinema
He had to leave school early due to his family's financial difficulties. He finished the TVB channel's acting course in 1982; He first worked as a presenter in a children's program, and soon moved on to TV series. In the mid-1980s, he became one of the channel's most popular young leading actors. A few years later, he left television and focused entirely on cinema.
In 1989, he starred in Hou Hsiao-hsien's film A City of Sadness. In 1992, he took on the role of an undercover cop in John Woo's action film Hard Boiled. He established a long-term partnership with Wong Kar-wai: Chungking Express (1994), Happy Together (1997), In the Mood for Love (2000), 2046 (2004) and The Grandmaster (2013) are the best-known examples of this collaboration.
In 2007, he starred in Ang Lee's film Lust, Caution. In 2021, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, playing the villain Wenwu.
Awards
He received the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 for his performance in Time for Love. He was named best actor eight times at the Hong Kong Film Awards and three times at the Golden Horse Awards. Three of the films he starred in won the Golden Lion at Venice; In 2023, he became the first Chinese actor to be honored with the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the same festival.
