Leslie Cheung

Leslie Cheung ( Chinese 張國榮 / 张国荣 , Pinyin Zhāng Guóróng , Jyutping Zoeng ¹ Gwok ³ wing ⁴ , Cantonese Cheung Kwok Wing , born September 12, 1956 in Hong Kong ; † April 1, 2003 ibid) was a singer and actor .

biography

Leslie Cheung was the youngest of ten siblings. He was raised by his wet nurse, as his parents were mostly abroad. Cheung went to England at the age of 13 , but later returned to Hong Kong, where he achieved success as both a singer and an actor in the 1980s. Next to Alan Tam he was probably the most popular singer there.

In the 1990s, he focused on acting and almost completely gave up singing. One of the reasons is that the fanaticism of fans (which culminated in a real war between his fans and those of Alan Tam) went too far. After the popular success of the film " Days of being wild " by Wong Kar-Wai , he continued working as an actor. In the following years he was also recognized internationally as an actor through further leading roles in films by Wong Kar-Wai ( Ashes of Time and Happy Together ) or Chen Kaige ( Farewell, my concubine and Temptress Moon ). In 1997 he also returned to the stage. 2003 committed Leslie Cheung on April 1, 46-round suicide by from the window of Hong Kong's Mandarin Oriental jumped. In a suicide note, he named depression as the cause , and thanked his psychiatrist , his family, and Mr. Tong, his friend.

Even today he is one of the most popular actors and singers in China. In 2005 he was voted the most popular actor in China in several polls on the occasion of the centenary of Chinese film.

sexuality

Cheung said in a 2001 interview that it was probably right to call him bisexual. Before his death, he had lived with his friend for years.

Cheung played homosexuals in several films, including Farewell in 1993 , my concubine a gay Beijing opera singer , and in 1997 a gay in Wong Kar-Wai's "Happy Together", including a daring sex scene at the beginning of the film. In between, a few other films like "He's a Woman, She's a Man" played more or less openly with gender identities. When he returned to the stage that same year, he danced a tango with his male choreographer on pink high heels .

At one of his concerts, Cheung dedicated the song "Moon Represents my Heart" to his mother and best friend as the person he loved most after his mother. In the following years he showed himself increasingly publicly with his friend.

Filmography

2008: Ashes of Time Redux
2002: Inner Senses (異度空間)
2000: From Ashes to Ashes (煙飛煙滅)
2000: Okinawa Rendez-vous (戀戰沖繩)
2000: And I Hate You So (小亲亲)
2000: Double Tap (槍王)
1999: The Kid (流星語)
1999: Moonlight Express (星月童話)
1998: Anna Magdalena (安娜瑪德蓮娜)
1998: A Time to Remember (紅色戀人)
1998: Ninth Happiness (九星報喜)
1998: Knock Off
1997: Happy Together (春光乍泄)
1997: All's Well, Ends Well (97 家有喜事)
1996: Tristar (大三元)
1996: Who's the Man, Who's the Woman (金枝玉葉 II)
1996: Shanghai Grand (新上海灘)
1996: Viva Erotica (色情男女)
1996: Yang Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema
1996: Temptress Moon (風月)
1995: The Emperor's Banquet (金玉滿堂 alias: 滿漢全席)
1995: The Phantom Lover (夜半歌聲)
1994: It's a Wonderful Life (大富之家)
1994: He's a Woman, She's a Man (金枝玉葉)
1994: Over the Rainbow Under the Skirt (記得 …… 香蕉成熟時 II ：初戀情人)
1994: Long and Winding Road (錦繡前程)
1994: Ashes of Time (東邪西毒)
1993: The Bride with White Hair (白髮魔女傳)
1993: The Bride with White Hair 2 (白髮魔女傳 II)
1993: All's Well, Ends Well Too (花田喜事)
1993: Dong Cheng Xi Jiu (射雕英雄傳之東成西就)
1993: Farewell, my concubine (霸王別姬)
1992: All's Well, Ends Well (家有喜事)
1992: Nam Kong Legend: Anti-Punk Squad (藍江傳之反飛組風云)
1991: Party of a Wealthy Family (豪門夜宴)
1991: Days of Being Wild (阿飛正傳)
1991: Once a Thief (縱橫四海)
1990: A Chinese Ghost Story II (倩女幽魂 II ：人間道)
1989: Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (新最佳拍檔)
1988: Fatal love (殺之戀)
1988: Dragon family (龍之家族)
1987: A Chinese Ghost Story (倩女幽魂)
1987: City Wolf II - billing in installments (英雄本色 II / A Better Tomorrow 2)
1987: Rouge (胭脂扣)
1986: City Wolf (英雄本色 / A Better Tomorrow)
1986: Last Song in Paris (偶然)
1985: For Your Heart Only (為你鐘情)
1984: Intellectual Trio (龍鳳智多星)
1984: Fate (緣份)
1984: Double Decker (三文治)
1984: Merry Christmas (聖誕快樂)
1983: First time (第一次)
1983: Little Dragon maid (楊過與小龍女)
1983: The Drummer (鼓手)
1982: Nomad (烈火青春)
1982: Teenage Dreamers (檸檬可樂)
1982: Crazy Romance (求愛反斗星)
1982: Energetic 21 (沖激２１)
1981: On Trial (失業生)
1980: Salute (喝采)
1978: Erotic Dreams of the Red Chamber (紅樓春上春)

Awards as an actor

Hong Kong Film Awards

1983: Best Actor, Nomad, Nominated
1988: Best Actor, "A Better Tomorrow 2", nominated
1988: Best movie song, "A Chinese Ghost Story", nominated
1989: Best Actor, "Rouge", Nominated
1991: Best Actor, Days of Being Wild, Winner
1994: Best movie song, "The Bride With White Hair", nominated
1995: Best Actor, "He's a Woman, She's a Man", nominated
1995: Best movie song, "He's a Woman, She's a Man", winner
1996: Best movie song, "The Phantom Lover", nominated
1997: Best Actor, "Viva Erotica", nominated
1997: Best film song, "Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?", Nominated
1998: Best Actor, "Happy Together", nominated
2003: Best Actor, "Inner Senses", nominated

Golden Horse Awards

1991: Best Actor, Days of Being Wild, Nominated
1993: Best song, "The Bride With White Hair", winner
1994: Best Song, "He's a Woman, She's a Man", nominated
1995: Best Song, "The Phantom Lover", nominated
1996: Best Actor, "Temptress Moon", Nominated
1996: Best Song, "Temptress Moon", nominated
1996: Best Song, "Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?", Nominated
1997: Best Actor, "Happy Together", nominated
2000: Best Actor, "Double Tap", nominated
2002: Best Actor, "Inner Senses", nominated

Web links

Leslie Cheung in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Leslie Cheung Cyberworld
Leslie Cheung Internet Fan Club

personal data
SURNAME	Cheung, Leslie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Zhang Guo Rong
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Chinese actor
DATE OF BIRTH	September 12, 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH	Hong Kong
DATE OF DEATH	April 1, 2003
Place of death	Hong Kong