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Lisa Cam

This is the 70th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades.
For many of her admirers, the defining image of Athena Chu Yan remains a single, fleeting moment from 1995.
As the Zixia Fairy in the two-part film A Chinese Odyssey, she gazes at the Monkey King (Stephen Chow Sing-chi) and delivers a wink – playful, radiant and hopeful. That split second transformed Chu into not just an icon of Hong Kong cinema but also one of its most popular “sexy goddesses”.
For years, that label threatened to eclipse the woman behind it: a classically trained actress with a grit that belied her delicate features, and a devout believer who traded the volatility of movie-star romance for the quiet stability of marriage.

Chu was born in Kowloon in 1971 and raised in the New Territories. Her artistic sensibility was evident long before she graced the silver screen. Initially inclined towards design, she successfully auditioned for the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) in 1989.
She did not just attend, she excelled, earning a partial scholarship in both 1991 and 1992. Her graduation performance in Neil Simon’s play Barefoot in the Park earned her the school’s best actress award, and industry professionals quickly took notice.
While she was still a second-year student in 1991, a TVB producer scouted her to host the popular children’s show Flash Fax. Flying under the radar yet making a lasting impression, the petite beauty won the hearts of a generation of after-school viewers.
She quickly transitioned from hosting to acting and appeared in several major TVB productions. Her breakout role came in the 1994 adaptation of Louis Cha Leung-yung’s The Legend of the Condor Heroes, where she played the clever and adorable Huang Rong.

“Everything happened so smoothly for me,” Chu told Hong Kong actor Lawrence Cheng Tan-shui in a 2024 interview. “I’m not someone who is too ambitious.”
Her move to film was swift. Shortly before she graduated in 1992, director Gordon Chan Kar-seung, impressed by her performance in an advert for Crocodile Garments, cast her to play a gentle student in the comedy Fight Back to School II alongside Stephen Chow.
Despite being nominated for best new performer for the part at the 1993 Hong Kong Film Awards, much attention at the time was concentrated on her looks. Barely any media coverage mentioned that she was a recipient of an acting scholarship or was an HKAPA graduate.

Chu’s early career is impossible to disentangle from the shadow of Stephen Chow. Rumours swirled that the two dated in secret for three years between 1992 and 1995. Their relationship culminated in their collaboration on A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora’s Box and A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella, which were released two weeks apart in early 1995.
As the resolute Zixia Fairy, Chu performed with poignant sincerity. Her breathtaking line – “My beloved is a peerless hero. I know that one day he will come to marry me, riding on seven-coloured clouds” – became a cultural touchstone.
The role’s tragedy, however, mirrored her real life. The couple reportedly broke up around the time of the films’ releases, with Chu alluding to infidelities committed by Chow in a 2008 interview with media personality Stephen Chan Chi-wan. The sadness on screen was raw and real, lending Zixia a weight that transcended the typical “flower vase” roles of the era.
When Chu attempted to shed her innocent image in the late 90s, the results were mixed. Her leading role in the thriller Raped by an Angel 2: The Uniform Fan (1998) showcased a darker edge, but it also trapped her in a “sex symbol” box that sat uncomfortably with her personal faith.

She also briefly ventured into music, signing with the Taiwanese label What’s Music in 1996, and releasing records including the Mandarin album Earthquake (1996) and Cantonese EP Glass (1997).
Chu’s most significant attempt to reclaim her narrative came in 2002, when she posed for the photobook Jump Up, shot by photographer Ip Ching-lam. Far from a pin-up collection, it was an attempt to capture her unvarnished self.
While the tabloids focused on her love life and looks, Chu was quietly building a résumé of gritty, unglamorous roles. In 1999, she earned a Golden Horse Award nomination for best actress for the faith-based movie The Boss Up There, in which she played a drug addict who finds God.
Her commitment to challenging material continued in Herman Yau Lai-to’s social drama Whispers and Moans (2007), which saw her play a pragmatic sex worker. The role further cemented Chu’s reputation as a character actress willing to shed vanity for artistic depth.

In 2011, she received overseas recognition with a best actress nomination at the International Emmy Awards for her role as a wheelchair user in the RTHK drama A Wall-less World Series.
These parts proved she was never just a pretty face, even if the local entertainment press was reluctant to acknowledge it.
Away from the camera, one of the most important chapters of Chu’s life is her love story with Paul Wong Koon-chung, guitarist of the legendary rock band Beyond.
The two first met in 1998, when Chu found a stray dog and returned it to its owner, who happened to be her neighbour, Wong. Coincidentally, Chu had been a fan of Beyond since her school days.
“We just got along,” she explained in the Lawrence Cheng interview. “He came from a divorced family, while I grew up in a happy household. He’s a very expressive person, while I am quite calm … he was upfront about his feelings for me and in this industry, that’s not easy to find.”

Their relationship provided the security she craved, but it also sparked one of the biggest controversies of her career.
For years, Chu had been vocal about her Christian belief that opposes premarital sex. In 2012, however, she announced that she was both marrying Wong and was pregnant with their daughter, Debbie. The resulting media storm branded her a hypocrite, but Chu and Wong weathered it with characteristic stoicism.
They married later that year, and the family is often seen sharing moments of simple happiness – a testament to a partnership built on reality rather than public image.
Now in her fifties, Chu has again gracefully shifted her focus. She remains a key figure in a close-knit sisterhood that includes fellow actresses Monica Chan Fat-yung, Catherine Hung Yan and Ada Choi Siu-fan.

This enduring bond helped fuel Chu’s resurgence in the mainland Chinese market. After reprising her Zixia role on the variety show Trump Card in 2017, she teamed up with her three friends for the reality series Sisters Who Invite Us to Dinner (2021), which transformed them into a lucrative brand that extended beyond their “frozen age” beauty.
Most recently, Chu made a well-received return to Hong Kong television in the ViuTV drama series The Parents League 2 (2024), proving her charm remains intact.
For her family, she is a devoted wife and mother. For herself, she is a woman who navigated the spotlight with authenticity, choosing substance over unrelenting fame.
Chu credited her grounded nature to her family when she spoke to Carol “Dodo” Cheng Yu-ling – incidentally her only idol when she was a child – in an interview in 2024.
“We’re really close,” Chu said. “I’m so open and honest with my father that sometimes people think I’m disrespectful – but it’s just the way we communicate. I didn’t go out partying; I just went home to my family. I loved my space where I could listen to music and read.”
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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

How Hong Kong actress Athena Chu escaped the sex symbol trap after A Chinese Odyssey fame

Actress Athena Chu Yan attends the 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation ceremony in Tsim Sha Tsui in 2004. While Chu’s iconic role in A Chinese Odyssey defined her early career, she has transcended the “sexy goddess” label with a variety of gritty, diverse roles. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Stephen Chow and Athena Chu in a still from A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella (1995).

Athena Chu at an interview with the SCMP in 1996. Photo: SCMP.

Athena Chu and Stephen Chow in a still from Fight Back to School II (1992).

Athena Chu in a still from Raped by an Angel 2: The Uniform Fan (1998).

Athena Chu in a still from Whispers and Moans (2007).

Athena Chu and Paul Wong attend a charity dinner at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel in 2010. 

(From left) Catherine Hung, Monica Chan and Athena Chu attend a Dorian Ho fashion show in Hong Kong in 2009.

How Hins Cheung went from Shenzhen bar singer to Hong Kong icon

Cantopop singer Hins Cheung performs during half-time at the Legends Assemble match between Real Madrid Legends and Barcelona Heroes at Hong Kong Stadium on December 20, 2024. Photo: Getty Images

Cheung at a performance at Sha Tin Racecourse in 2008. Photo: Kenneth Chan

Cheung at an interview with the SCMP, in Happy Valley, in 2010. Photo: David Wong

Cheung with Alice Lau in the stage production I Have a Date with Autumn, presented by the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre in November 2012.

Cheung in a scene from the play Equus (2014). Photo: Dionysus Contemporary Theatre

Ivana Wong and Cheung in a still from Everything Under Control (2023).

Molly Odell and Cheung at Old Alberose, the house in Pok Fu Lam that Cheung meticulously refurbished during his time living there, and where Odell spent the early part of her married life, in a still from the documentary To Be Continued. Photo: The Hong Kong Community Heritage Foundation

How Nancy Sit went from a princess of Cantonese cinema to Hong Kong’s beloved TV matriarch

ACTRESS NANCY SIT KAR-YIN.

Nancy Sit performs at the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on February 12, 2024. Long before becoming known as the “elder sister” of Hong Kong’s entertainment industry, Sit had success as a child star and teen idol during the 1960s and ‘70s. Photo: Kenneth Chan.

Nancy Sit in 1968. Sit made her acting debut in 1960, with the film “The Grand Re-Union”. Photo: SCMP

(Front row, from left) Connie Chan, Nancy Sit and Josephine Siao in a still from “Colourful Youth” (1966).

Michael Lai (second from right) and Nancy Sit (far right) in a still from “Dog Bites Dog Bone” (1978).

Louise Lee Si-kei (left) and Nancy Sit in a still from “A Kindred Spirit” (1995-1999). Photo: TVB

Nancy Sit in a still from “The God of Cookery” (1996), in which she plays a judge in a culinary competition.

Nancy Sit and Michael Lai perform at a charity concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in 1996. Photo: SCMP

Nancy Sit celebrates her birthday with her family in March 2025. Photo: Instagram/kayinsit

How actor-singer Jordan Chan went from Hong Kong bad boy to patriotic family man in China

Hong Kong actor and singer Jordan Chan Siu-chun at an interview with the Post in 1997. Photo: SCMP

Jordan Chan at an interview with the Post in 1995. Photo: SCMP

Jordan Chan (first from right) with his best supporting actor prize at the 14th Hong Kong Film Awards in 1995. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Michael Tse, Jordan Chan and Jason Chu of the pop trio Wind Fire Sea at a performance in 1995. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Jordan Chan, Ekin Cheng, Gigi Lai and Jerry Lamb in a still from Young and Dangerous (1996).

Jordan Chan pictured at a rehearsal in 2002. Photo: SCMP

Jordan Chan and Cherrie Ying married in 2010. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Jerry Lamb, Michael Tse, Jordan Chan and Jason Chu in a still from Burning Blood (2025).

Cecilia Cheung: Hong Kong actress, sex scandal victim and Chinese social media star

Cecilia Cheung at the 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards in 2004. The actress’ personal life garnered a lot of attention in the 2000s, with tabloids covering scandals and her high-profile romantic life. Photo: SCMP

Cheung in 1999. Photo: Oliver Tsang

Cheung speaks after receiving the award for best new performer, as veteran actors Liza Wang and Danny Lee look on, at the 19th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2000. Photo: Martin Chan

Cheung and Nicholas Tse in 2001. Photo: Reuters

Cheung in a still from Lost in Time (2003), for which she won best actress at the 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards. Photo: China Star Entertainment Group

Cheung and Tse at the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2011, the year they filed for divorce. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Cheung and Stephen Chow in a still from King of Comedy (1999). Her feature-film debut remains one of her most memorable roles. Photo: The Star Overseas

Cheung and her three sons. Photo: Weibo

Cheung in a photo she posted on her Weibo account in 2023. Photo: Weibo

Lifestyle

Entertainment

Culture

Film & TV

Hong Kong’s pop culture icons

How Kelly Chen, Cantopop star and beloved Hong Kong actress, has captured the hearts of music and movie fans for three decades

Kelly Chen pictured in 1997. The secret to the Cantopop star and actress’s success? “I’ve just tried my best to grab any opportunity.” Photo: Dickson Lee

Chen (right) is presented with a prize at the Ultimate Song Chart Awards ceremony in January 1996 by Taiwanese singer Wu Chien-lien. Photo: SCMP

Chen (left) and Yutaka Takenouchi in a still from “Calmi Cuori Appassionati” (2001).

Chen (right) and Donnie Yen in a still from “An Empress and the Warriors” (2008).

Chen and her husband, Alex Lau Kin-ho, pose during their wedding ceremony at the InterContinental Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui in October, 2008. Photo: SCMP

Chen performs in the Grand Variety Show in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on June 30, 2007. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Ekin Cheng, Chen and Tony Leung Ka-fai in a still from “Horseplay” (2014).

Chen (left) and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in a still from “Infernal Affairs III” (2003).

A charity sale of Chen’s clothes, shoes and handbags took place in April 2023. Photo: Facebook/@kellychenwailam

How Hong Kong boy band Grasshopper, protégés of Cantopop legend Anita Mui, blazed a trail with their intoxicating dance pop music

(From left) Edmond So Chi-wai, Remus Choy Yat-kit and Calvin Choy Yat-chi of the Cantopop group Grasshopper at an interview with the Post in 2006. The boy band, formed in 1985, are still performing today. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Calvin Choy Yat-chi, Edmond So Chi-wai and Remus Choy Yat-kit, pictured in 1988. Photo: SCMP

Cantopop diva Anita Mui with Grasshopper at the Chinese Gold Songs award presentation ceremony at the Hong Kong Coliseum in January 1989. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Edmond So, Calvin Choy and Remus Choy at the opening of the Aiwa Music Expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in August 1991. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Calvin Choy, Roman Tam, Edmond So and Remus Choy backstage at a concert in Shanghai in July 1993. Photo: SCMP

(From second left) Edmond So, Remus Choy and Calvin Choy at the Ultimate Song Chart Awards presentation ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, in January 1996. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Remus Choy, Calvin Choy and Edmond So at an interview with the Post in 2010. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Calvin Choy, Remus Choy and Edmond So on stage during TVB 55th Anniversary Gala on November 19, 2021. Photo: Getty Images

Takeshi Kaneshiro, one of the ‘most good-looking’ actors in Hong Kong cinema and star of some of Wong Kar-wai and Peter Chan’s best movies, is a man of mystery

Takeshi Kaneshiro at an interview with the Post in July 2004. Kaneshiro, who debuted as a singer in Taiwan in 1992, has not been seen on the big screen since 2017 – but remains as popular as ever. Photo: SCMP

Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhou Dongyu in a still from “This Is Not What I Expected” (2017).

Takeshi Kaneshiro and Brigitte Lin in a still from “Chungking Express” (1994). 

Takeshi Kaneshiro and Kyoko Fukada in a still from the drama series “God, Please Give Me More Time” (1998).

(From left) Xu Jinglei, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Jet Li, Jacky Heung and director Peter Chan promote “The Warlords” at an event in December 2007. Photo: SCMP

Takeshi Kaneshiro in a still from “Perhaps Love” (2005).

Takeshi Kaneshiro and Michele Reis in “Fallen Angels” (1995). Photo: Block 2 Pictures and Jet Tone Contents

Takeshi Kaneshiro in an interview with the Post in December 2006. Photo: SCMP

Acting with Michelle Yeoh, modelling at 12: the Cinderella story of Isabella Leong, who passed up Hollywood to have children with Richard Li, younger son of Li Ka-shing

Isabella Leong Lok-sze promotes her 2014 appearance in a stage play. Photo: Felix Wong 

Isabella Leong in an interview with the Post in 2005. The Macanese actress put a halt to her acting career when she began dating Richard Li, the younger son of Li Ka-shing. Photo: SCMP

Leong (left) and Chapman To in a still from “Isabella” (2006).

Leong (left), Jaycee Chan and Charlene Choi at the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards in April 2007. Photo: SCMP

Luke Ford (left) and Leong in a still from “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (2008).

Leong, Richard Li and their son, Ethan Li, in April 2009. 

Leong and Jim Chim at an event to promote “Sign of Happiness” in February 2014. Photo: SCMP

Leong in a still from “Murmur of the Hearts” (2015).

(From left) Leong, Paul Chun and Faye Yu in a still from “Love After Love” (2020).

Aaron Kwok, dancer, singer, actor, husband to Moka Fang, and father – how he went from being one of the ‘Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop’ to all-round star

Aaron Kwok with the prize for best actor he received at the 35th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2016. Photo: Edward Wong

Aaron Kwok at an interview with the Post in 2009. Kwok started his career as a background dancer nearly four decades ago. Now he is a beloved Cantopop singer and actor – and a smitten husband and proud father of two. Photo: SCMP

Kwok (right) alongside fellow Cantopop singers Andy Lau (left) and Jacky Cheung at an RTHK event in 1996. Photo: SCMP

Aaron Kwok, pictured in 1993. Photo: SCMP

Kwok won the Best Actor prize at the 35th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2016. Photo: Edward Wong

Kwok (right) and Charlie Young play a troubled couple in “After This Our Exile” (2006).

Kwok performs at an event organised by RTHK at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in 2001. Photo: SCMP.

Kwok (left) and Chow Yun-fat in a still from “Project Gutenberg” (2018).

Kwok with his wife, Moka Fang Yuan, in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. Photo: Kenneth Chan

How Hong Kong actress Carina Lau rose to stardom from her ‘mainland girl’ roots, overcame topless photos scandal and wed Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Carina Lau Ka-ling. Photo: Instagram/@carinalau1208

Hong Kong actress Carina Lau Ka-ling, pictured in 1993 soon after her career breakthrough in a Wong Kar-wai film. Married since 2008 to fellow actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai, she is known for her style and class, and some iconic roles. Photo: SCMP

Cheung Siu-fai and Lau promoting TVB series “The Turbulent Decade” in 1986. Photo: SCMP

(Clockwise from top right) Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, Lau, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk and Tony Leung Chiu-wai on the set of Wong Kar-wai’s movie “Days of Being Wild” in 1990. Photo: SCMP

Carina Lau in a still from “Ashes of Time” (1994).

Carina Lau and Nicholas Tse celebrate with their trophies after winning the best actor and best actress awards at the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2011. Photo: SCMP

Carina Lau and Tony Leung at the opening night of hit musical “Les Miserables” at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, in 1996. Photo: SCMP

Carina Lau in a still from “In Your Dreams” (2018).

Lau and Leung at the 16th Asian Film Awards in March 2023. Photo: Dickson Lee

1980s Hong Kong pop idol Danny Chan’s bittersweet success story: his talent, fame, the tabloid rumours, his retirement and early death

Singer Danny Chan Pak-keung puts one of his albums in a time capsule in 1991. Photo: SCMP

Danny Chan was one of Hong Hong’s “Three Kings and A Queen of Cantopop” in the 1980s, with fellow idols Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui and Alan Tam. Photo: SCMP

Yvonne Siu, project manager of TVB, presents a souvenir to Danny Chan in 1984. Photo: SCMP

Chan singing at his own birthday party in 1988. Photo: SCMP

Chan (left) and Jacky Cheung Hok-yau at the Top Ten Pop Stars Election in 1987. Photo: SCMP

There were numerous rumours about a relationship between Pansy Ho and Chan. Photo: Weibo

Chan performing at a concert to promote Aids awareness in 1990. Photo: SCMP

Chan was taken to Queen Mary Hospital after collapsing at home on May 19, 1992. Photo: SCMP

Flanked by singer Anita Mui Yim-fong and actor Chow Yun-fat, Danny Chan’s older brother Chan Pak-ling carries his younger brother’s picture at the singer’s funeral in 1993. Photo: SCMP

The rise of Hong Kong actress Sharla Cheung, star of Stephen Chow and Wong Jing films, and the surprise movie she made after retiring

Sharla Cheung, Stephen Chow SIng-chi (centre) and Ng Man-tat in “All for the Winner”. Photo: Handout

Actress Sharla Cheung Man at the Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony in 2005. Discovered in the 1980s by Wong Jing, she starred opposite Stephen Chow, Andy Lau and Chow Yun-fat in a string of 1980s and 1990s box office hits. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Sharla Cheung, Stephen Chow and Ng Man-tat in a still from “All for the Winner” (1990). Photo: Win’s Movie Production

Stephen Chow (left) and Sharla Cheung in a still from “Fight Back to School” (1991). Photo: Win’s Movie Production

Sharla Cheung in a still from “Fist of Fury 1991” (1991).

(From left) Ng Man-tat, Stephen Chow and Sharla Cheung in a still from “Fight Back to School”. Photo: Win’s Movie Production and I/E Co. Ltd

Hong Kong actress Sharla Cheung attends the opening ceremony of the Entertainment Expo in Hong Kong in 2005. Photo: Reuters

How American-born Chinese actor Daniel Wu juggled Hong Kong and Hollywood to become a star in both films and TV on two continents

US-born actor Daniel Wu, star of Westworld, Tomb Raider and Shinjuku Incident, fell into acting while on holiday in Hong Kong, getting cast in an ad. This led to role after role, and 25 years later, Wu has nearly 70 films under his belt. Photo: Harry C

Wu and Alicia Vikander in a still from “Tomb Raider” (2018). Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment

Wu next to Jackie Chan at a promotional event for “Shinjuku Incident” in Malaysia in 2009. Photo: Handout

Wu (left) and Stephen Fung play gay lovers in the film “Bishonen” (1998). Photo: Far-Sun Film

Wu with his award for best supporting actor for the film “New Police Story” at the 41st Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan in 2004. Photo: Reuters

Wu (centre) on the set of “One Nite In Mongkok” in 2004, with director Derek Yee (left) and actress Cecilia Cheung. Photo: Handout

Wu (right) in a still from “The Heavenly Kings”, the 2006 mockumentary film he directed, alongside “bandmates” Conroy Chan (left), Andrew Lin (second from left) and Terence Yin (second from right). Photo: Handout

Wu in a still from “Into the Badlands” season 1. Photo: James Dimmock/AMC

Wu and Michelle Yeoh in a still from “American Born Chinese”. Photo: Disney+

Wu and Lisa Selesner celebrate their marriage in 2010. Photo: Berton Cheng

How Sammi Cheng became a Cantopop superstar, celebrated actress and style icon, but has endured a rocky relationship with husband Andy Hui

Cantopop singer, actress and style icon Sammi Cheng in 2004 ahead of the release of the film “Yesterday Once More”. Her entertainment career spans five decades, and in 2023 she finally won best actress in the Hong Kong Film Awards. Photo: SCMP

Cheng pictured in 1988. Photo: SCMP

Cheng at a performance in 1993. Photo: SCMP

(From left) Cantopop singers Cheng, Priscilla Chan Wai-han and Cass Phang Ling at a press conference in 1996. Photo: SCMP

Cheng (right) in a still from “Lost Love” (2023).

An undated photo of Cheng with Andy Hui. Photo: Weibo

Cheng and Daniel Wu in a still from “Everlasting Regret” (2005). She was nominated for best actress for her part in the following year’s Hong Kong Film Awards.

Cheng alongside Andy Lau in a still from “Blind Detective” (2013), for which she was again nominated for best actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Cheng performs in 1996. Photo: SCMP

Cheng and Hui perform at a concert in 2010.

Cheng with her trophy for best actress for her role in “Lost Love” at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards presentation ceremony at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui on April 16, 2023. Photo: Dickson Lee

How Cantopop singer Ronald Cheng went from troublemaker to Charlene Choi’s secret husband to one of Hong Kong’s best-loved comic actors

Hong Kong singer and actor Ronald Cheng Chung-kei at an interview with the Post in 2006. The Cantopop star is now one of Hong Kong cinema’s most beloved comedy stars, but his rise to the top has been a bumpy one. Photo: SCMP

Cheng pictured in 1996. Photo: SCMP

Cheng after the incident in 2000 on Eva Air Flight BR005 that led to his arrest for assault. 

(From left) Actors Shawn Yu, Sandra Ng, Cheng and Jacky Cheung attend the premiere of “Golden Chicken 2” at the Windsor Theatre in Hong Kong in December 2003. Photo: SCMP

Cheng (front) in a still from “Dragon Reloaded” (2005).

Cheng and Charlene Choi announcing their divorce, and acknowledging their marriage, at a news conference in 2010. Photo: SCMP

Cheng (left) and Chapman To in a still from “Vulgaria” (2012).

Cheng and his wife, Sammie Yu, at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2018. Photo: AP

Cherie Chung a screen goddess, the Marilyn Monroe of Hong Kong, fans said – how she retired from acting at the height of her career and hasn’t looked back

Cherie Chung at an interview with the Post in 2006. Photo: SCMP

Cherie Chung at an interview with the Post in 1995. Once called the Marilyn Monroe of Hong Kong, Chung rose to fame during the 1980s and appeared in almost 50 films – before walking away from it all at the age of 31. Photo: SCMP

Chung modelling a qipao during the semi-finals of the Miss Hong Kong 1979 beauty pageant. Photo: SCMP

Richard Ng and Chung in a still from “Winners and Sinners” (1983). Photo: Eureka Entertainment.

Chung and Chow Yun-fat in a still from “An Autumn’s Tale” (1987).

(From left) Maggie Cheung, Chung and Shingo Tsurumi in a still from “Last Romance” (1988).

Chung and her husband, Mike Chu, in 1992. Photo: SCMP

Chung pursued a long-standing interest in photography. Photo: Handout

Chung at the launch of “Accredited Green Family Scheme” managed by the Friends of the Earth in 1995. Photo: SCMP

Chung at an interview with the Post in 2014. Photo: SCMP

‘The flowers were for me’: when Hong Kong actor Lau Ching-wan found fame, his belief in destiny and his 25 years with wife Amy Kwok

Lau celebrates winning best actor in the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2007. Photo: SCMP

Lau Ching-wan at an interview with the Post in 2009. Often cast to play the tough guy, Lau has shown his talent for romance and comedy too, and is a 14-time best actor winner in various film awards shows. Photo: SCMP

Lau at an interview with the Post in 1996. Photo: SCMP

Lau and Anita Yuen in a still from “C’est la vie, mon cheri” (1993).

Lau at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards in 2023, where he won best actor for a third time. Photo: Sam Tsang/SCMP

Bowie Lam (left) and Lau in a still from “The Greed of Man” (1992).

Lau at the 18th Hong Kong Film Awards with his wife, Amy Kwok, in 1999. Photo: SCMP

ProfileHow Hong Kong actress Athena Chu escaped the sex symbol trap after A Chinese Odyssey fame

Athena Chu navigated beyond her initial ‘sexy goddess’ image to become an acclaimed, gritty actress and devoted family woman

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Athena Chu navigated beyond her initial ‘sexy goddess’ image to become an acclaimed, gritty actress and devoted family woman

Athena Chu navigated beyond her initial ‘sexy goddess’ image to become an acclaimed, gritty actress and devoted family woman