Leslie Cheung
Known for: Acting
Cheung Kwok-Wing (Chinese: 張國榮, English name: Leslie, September 12, 1956 – April 1, 2003) was a Hong Kong Canadian singer and actor. Born in Hong Kong, Leslie Cheung moved to the United Kingdom in 1971, settling in Leeds, where he enrolled at university to study fashion design. After completing his studies, he returned to Hong Kong and, in 1977, took part in an amateur singing competition—the ATV Asian Music Contest—where he won second prize. The following year, he released his first album, I Like Dreaming. He soon began appearing on television and quickly landed his first film role in Erotic Dreams of the Red Chamber (1978), an erotic production that Cheung himself later described as a “shameful disaster.” Throughout a 26-year career from 1977 until his death, Cheung released over 40 music albums and acted in 56 films. He was one of the most prominent pioneers that shaped the identity of Cantopop during the 1980s. His studio albums Summer Romance (1987) and Most Beloved (1995) each sold over 300,000 copies and are among the best-selling albums of all time in the territory. In addition to music, Cheung achieved pan-Asian fame with such films as A Better Tomorrow (1986) and A Chinese Ghost Story (1987). He won the Best Actor at the 1991 Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in Days of Being Wild (1990). His venture into acting in the 1990s was recognized for his portrayal of queer characters in the then-conservative film industry, he was one of the few Hong Kong actors willing to take on gay roles—such as in Wong Kar-wai’s Happy Together—or to play a cross-dressing opera performer in Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1993. Leslie Cheung died by suicide on April 1, 2003, at the age of 46, by jumping from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. In the note he left behind, he stated that he had been suffering from depression.
Filmography
Film
Farewell My Concubine
Cheng Dieyi / Xiao Douzi
1993
Series
Celebrity Talk Show
张国荣
1989
Series
Dynasty
1980
Film
A Chinese Ghost Story
Ling Choi-san
1987
Film
Happy Together
Ho Po-wing
1997
Series
Crocodile Tears
1978
Series
Gone with the wind
1980
Film
A Better Tomorrow
Sung Chi Kit
1986
Film
Days of Being Wild
Yuddy
1990
Film
Ashes of Time
Ouyang Feng / Western Venom
1994
Film
A Better Tomorrow II
Sung Chi Kit
1987
Film
Viva Erotica
Sing
1996
Series
The Spirit of the Sword
方宝玉
1978
Series
The Fallen Family
方浩天
1985
Film
Once a Thief
James / Jim
1991
Series
Tai Chi Master (II)
1981
Film
A Chinese Ghost Story II
Ling Choi-san
1990
Series
星空下的傾情
1997
Film
The Bride with White Hair
Cho Yi Hang
1993
Film
The Eagle Shooting Heroes
Huang Yaoshi
1993
Series
Dynasty (II)
1980
Series
珠海枭雄
六少
1981
Film
Moonlight Express
Tatsuya Misawa / Shek Karbo
1999
Film
The Chinese Feast
Chiu Kong Sun
1995
Series
Agency 24
1981
Film
Rouge
Chan Chen-Pang
1987
Series
Once Upon An Oridinary Girl
1984
Film
The Bride with White Hair 2
Cho Yi Hang
1993
Series
Pairing
大官
1981
Film
All's Well, Ends Well
Shang So
1992
Film
Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?
Sam Koo Gai Ming
1996
Series
Hong Kong Tragedy
1978
Film
Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit
Brother Thief
1989
Film
All's Well, End's Well '97
Self
1997
Film
Shanghai Grand
Hui Man Keung
1996
Film
The Banquet
Little B-head
1991
Film
Anna Magdalena
Editor
1998
Film
Temptress Moon
Yu Zhongliang
1996
Film
One-Tenth of a Millimeter Apart
Self (archive footage)
2021
Film
Buenos Aires Zero Degree: The Making of 'Happy Together'
Self
1999
Film
Double Tap
Rick Y.H.Pang
2000
Series
凹凸神探
1982
Film
Behind the Yellow Line
Paul Chan
1984
Film
Inner Senses
Jim Law
2002
Film
He's a Woman, She's a Man
Sam Koo Gai Ming
1994
Series
Make a Wish
1980
Film
Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema
Self
1998
Series
Leslie Cheung Special '89
Leslie
1989
Film
Ashes of Time Redux
欧阳锋
2008
Film
Okinawa Rendez-vous
Jimmy Tong
2000
Film
Nomad
Louis
1982
Film
Little Dragon Maiden
Yang Guo / Yang Kang
1983
Film
All's Well End's Well, Too
David Copper Feel
1993
Film
Fatal Love
Chi Ken Wing
1988
Film
For Your Heart Only
Piggy Chan
1985
Film
From Ashes to Ashes
Lawrence
2000
Series
In Memory Of Leslie Cheung
2023
Film
The Intellectual Trio
Inspector Chan Wing
1984
Film
It's a Wonderful Life
Roberto
1994
Film
Tri-Star
Chung Kwok Keung
1996
Film
Merry Christmas
John
1984
Film
The Drummer
1983
Film
Crazy Romance
Leslie Cheung
1985
Film
The Phantom Lover
Song Danping
1995
Film
Ninth Happiness
Ma Lun Cheung / Tok Choi
1998
Series
梅艷芳特輯之夢裡風情
1988
Film
On Trial
Wing
1981
Film
A Time to Remember
Jin
1998
Film
Last Song in Paris
Louie
1986
Film
Long and Winding Road
Lam Chiu-Wing
1994
Film
Encore
Gigo
1980
Film
First Time
1983
Film
Erotic Dream of the Red Chamber
Jia Baoyu
1978
Film
TME Live「想你 張國榮」線上音樂會
self
2021
Film
Arrest the Restless
Teddy
1992
Film
Teenage Dreamers
Jackson Chen
1982
Film
The Kid
Wing / Daniel
1999
Film
張國榮跨越97演唱會
1997
Film
Over the Rainbow, Under the Skirt
Himself
1994
Film
Energetic-21
Ben Leung Man Bun
1982
Film
Sunset in Paris
Leslie
1989
Film
Left Right Love Destiny
阿Sam
1999
Film
Dog Bites Dog Bone
1978
Film
張國榮’88演唱會
自己
1988
Film
Double Decker
Eddie
1984
Film
Leslie Cheung: Final Encounter of the Legend
自己
1989
Film
Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing Passion Tour 2000
2000
Film
熱 : 情演唱會演唱會 Karaoke
2001
Film
Teenagers
1978
Film
Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing World Tour Bangkok 1983
1983
Film
屋檐下：死结
Film
Heritage: The Young Concubine
1980
Film
張國榮86濃情演唱會
1986
Film
Leslie Cheung: Surprise
1985
Film
岛的故事之大屿山沙之城
1981