Cecilia Cheung
Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi: Hong Kong Actress and Cantopop Singer
Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi, born on 24 May 1980, is a renowned Hong Kong actress and cantopop singer. She is known for her significant contributions to both the film and music industries. This article provides an overview of her biography, career, personal life, and notable incidents.
Biography
Cecilia Cheung was born on 24 May 1980, in Man Wah Sun Chuen, Jordan, Hong Kong. Her parents are Davies Shally, who has a mixed Chinese and British heritage, and Cheung Yan-yung. Her parents divorced when she was just nine years old. At the age of fourteen, she was sent to Melbourne, Australia, to live with her aunt and attended Camberwell Girls Grammar School. Cecilia Cheung has a diverse family with an elder half-sister, two younger brothers, and a younger half-brother from her father’s side.
Career
Cecilia Cheung’s career took off in 1998 when she appeared in a television commercial advertising lemon tea. Her talent caught the eye of Hong Kong film icon Stephen Chow, leading to her film debut as a young nightclub hostess in Stephen Chow’s “King of Comedy” (1999). This film became the highest-grossing local film of the year and catapulted Cheung to fame in Hong Kong.
Following her debut, she starred in “Fly Me to Polaris” (1999), earning her the Best Newcomer award at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Her singing abilities also came to the fore as she sang the theme song for the film, garnering attention from the audience. In the same year, she launched her cantopop singing career with her debut album “Any Weather” (1999).
Cecilia Cheung expanded her reach to the Korean market with “Failan” (2001), co-starring Choi Min-shik. Her performance earned her a nomination at the Grand Bell Awards for Best Actress. She continued to impress audiences with her role in the Chinese comedy film “The Lion Roars” (2002), winning the Most Popular Actress award at the Chinese Film Media Awards.
She collaborated with Derek Yee in the crime thriller “One Nite in Mongkok” (2004), where she portrayed a prostitute who crosses paths with an assassin, played by Daniel Wu. Her outstanding performance earned her a nomination for the Best Actress award at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Despite her initial successes, Cecilia Cheung’s later films faced commercial challenges and critical reviews. However, her talent and presence in the entertainment industry remained significant.
In early 2021, Cheung participated in the second season of the Chinese reality series “Sisters Who Make Waves,” showcasing her singing and dancing abilities alongside other established female entertainers.
Personal Life
Cecilia Cheung’s personal life has been the subject of public interest. She married fellow Hong Kong entertainer Nicholas Tse in a secret wedding ceremony in the Philippines in September 2006. The couple welcomed their first son in August 2007 and their second son in May 2010.
However, in August 2011, Cheung and Nicholas Tse publicly announced their divorce while agreeing to share joint custody of their two sons. In a Weibo post from her studio, Cheung revealed that she had given birth to a third son on 18 November 2018, although the identity of the child’s father remains undisclosed.
In March 2020, Cecilia Cheung voiced her support for Xinjiang cotton after several international companies announced they would no longer purchase cotton from the region due to concerns over Uyghur human rights.
In June 2021, she revealed on the Chinese variety show “Life Is Beautiful 2” that if she were to enter a new relationship, she would not make it public. She also mentioned that she had moved to Shanghai for several months, planning to reside in the city long-term due to increased work opportunities and better schools for her children.
Incidents
Cecilia Cheung has faced challenging incidents in her life and career. In 1999, her father, known as Bearded Bravery or Bearded Yung, had a dispute with a rival gang, leading to rape and death threats against Cecilia when she was still relatively new in the film industry.
In 2008, Cecilia Cheung was involved in the Edison Chen photo scandal, which gained significant media attention and controversy. The scandal included explicit photos of her with Edison Chen and also involved Gillian Chung and Bobo Chan.
Cecilia Cheung Filmography