Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing
Born
September 12, 1956
Died
April 1, 2003 (46 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Hong Kong, British Crown Colony
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 and became known for his flamboyant, often outrageous stage appearance. 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. His career was marked with both praise and criticism, with numerous public discussions focusing on his sexual orientation and androgynous persona.
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. Some, however, have speculated that his suicide was due to heartbreak, while others have claimed he had long been living with HIV and that AIDS had recently developed.
Known For
In Memory Of Leslie Cheung
(2 episodes)
2023
One-Tenth of a Millimeter Apart
Self (archive footage)
2021
TME Live「想你 張國榮」線上音樂會
self
2021
Ashes of Time : Redux
欧阳锋
2009
Inner Senses
Jim Law
2002
熱 : 情演唱會演唱會 Karaoke
2001
Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing Passion Tour 2000
2000
From Ashes to Ashes
Lawrence
2000
Okinawa Rendez-vous
Jimmy Tong
2000
Double Tap
Rick Y.H.Pang
2000
The Kid
Wing / Daniel
1999
Left Right Love Destiny
阿Sam
1999
Moonlight Express
Tatsuya Misawa / Shek Karbo
1999
Buenos Aires Zero Degree: The Making of 'Happy Together'
Self
1999
A Time to Remember
Jin
1998
Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema
Self
1998
Anna Magdalena
Editor
1998
Ninth Happiness
Ma Lun Cheung / Tok Choi
1998
Happy Together
Ho Po-wing
1997
星空下的傾情
(13 episodes)
1997
All's Well, Ends Well '97
Self
1997
張國榮跨越97演唱會
1997
Viva Erotica
Sing
1996
Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?
Sam Koo Gai Ming
1996
Shanghai Grand
Hui Man Keung
1996
Temptress Moon
Yu Zhongliang
1996
Tri-Star
Chung Kwok Keung
1996
The Phantom Lover
Song Danping
1995
The Chinese Feast
Chiu Kong Sun
1995
Ashes of Time
Ouyang Feng / Malicious West
1994
Over the Rainbow, Under the Skirt
Himself
1994
Long and Winding Road
Lam Chiu-Wing
1994
He's a Woman, She's a Man
Sam Koo Gai Ming
1994
It's a Wonderful Life
Roberto
1994
The Bride with White Hair 2
Cho Yi Hang
1993
The Bride with White Hair
Cho Yi Hang
1993
The Eagle Shooting Heroes
Huang Yaoshi
1993
All's Well End's Well, Too
David Copper Feel
1993
Farewell My Concubine
Cheng Dieyi / Xiao Douzi
1993
Arrest the Restless
Teddy
1992
All's Well, Ends Well
Shang So
1992
The Banquet
Little B-head
1991
Once a Thief
James / Jim
1991
Days of Being Wild
Yuddy
1990
A Chinese Ghost Story II
Ling Choi-san
1990
Sunset in Paris
Leslie
1989
Leslie Cheung Special '89
Leslie · (1 episode)
1989
Leslie Cheung: Final Encounter of the Legend
自己
1989
Celebrity Talk Show
张国荣 · (1 episode)
1989
Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit
Brother Thief
1989
Fatal Love
Chi Ken Wing
1988
張國榮’88演唱會
自己
1988
梅艷芳特輯之夢裡風情
(1 episode)
1988
A Better Tomorrow II
Sung Chi Kit
1987
Rouge
Chan Chen-Pang
1987
A Chinese Ghost Story
Ling Choi-san
1987
張國榮86濃情演唱會
1986
A Better Tomorrow
Sung Chi Kit
1986
Last Song in Paris
Louie
1986
For Your Heart Only
Piggy Chan
1985
Crazy Romance
Leslie Cheung
1985
惊情
1985
The Fallen Family
(20 episodes)
1985
Merry Christmas
John
1984
Double Decker
Eddie
1984
Behind the Yellow Line
Paul Chan
1984
Once Upon An Oridinary Girl
(10 episodes)
1984
The Intellectual Trio
Inspector Chan Wing
1984
Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing World Tour Bangkok 1983
1983
Little Dragon Maiden
Yang Guo / Yang Kang
1983
First Time
1983
The Drummer
1983
Nomad
Louis
1982
Energetic-21
Ben Leung Man Bun
1982
凹凸神探
(1 episode)
1982
Teenage Dreamers
Jackson Chen
1982
Agency 24
(20 episodes)
1981
Tai Chi Master (II)
(25 episodes)
1981
On Trial
Wing
1981
Pairing
大官 · (20 episodes)
1981
珠海枭雄
六少 · (30 episodes)
1981
Dynasty (II)
(21 episodes)
1980
Encore
Gigo
1980
Make a Wish
(25 episodes)
1980
Dynasty
(21 episodes)
1980
岁月河山之我家的女人
1980
Gone with the wind
(76 episodes)
1980
The Spirit of the Sword
方宝玉 · (20 episodes)
1979
Hong Kong Tragedy
(8 episodes)
1978
Dog Bites Dog Bone
1978
Crocodile Tears
(89 episodes)
1978
Teenagers
1978
Erotic Dream of the Red Chamber
Jia Baoyu
1978