Tony Chiu-Wai Leung

Birthday: 27 June 1962, Hong Kong

Height: 171 cm

Tony Leung Chiu Wai was born in Hong Kong on 27 June 1962. He and his younger sister were raised by their mother after his father left them. In 1982, after passing the training courses of TVB, Tony be ...Show More

'She looks for happiness, and will do whatever makes her happy. I'm very pessimistic. Sometimes, out Show more 'She looks for happiness, and will do whatever makes her happy. I'm very pessimistic. Sometimes, out of the blue, she will want to do all sorts of things. I can't deal with that, I have to plan everything properly first.' (On co-star, Maggie Cheung. Hide

"Hero [2002] was the first time I had ever worked on a mainland Chinese production. It was great to Show more "Hero [2002] was the first time I had ever worked on a mainland Chinese production. It was great to work with such a good cast that included Maggie, Jet Li, Chen Daoming, and Zhang Ziyi. I was particularly excited to work with Yimou, a director whose work I have always admired. When I first heard the story, I thought of Kurosawa's Rashomon [1950]. At that time, Yimou gave me a choice of playing the narrator, like Leslie Cheung did in Ashes of Time [1994]. In the end, I did what Yimou wanted and played Broken Sword, who is the lover of Flying Snow, played by Maggie. Because I have a baby face, I was quite concerned about my looks in this film because I was to play a martial arts hero. I did not want to look unconvincing. I spent a lot of time working with Emi Wada, who designed all the film's costumes, on the look of my character, as the wardrobe was very important to play this heroic figure living in ancient China."(On working with Zhang Yimou in the movie, Hero) Hide

[on his own screen appeal, his 2013 film 'The Grandmaster'] It is not something that I purposely des Show more [on his own screen appeal, his 2013 film 'The Grandmaster'] It is not something that I purposely design. Through learning each role and crafting the character - and here with all the kung-fu practice - these things just grow spontaneously. It's just something inside me. Hide

"Acting has always been a way for me to express the emotions I had buried. If I hadn't acted, I woul Show more "Acting has always been a way for me to express the emotions I had buried. If I hadn't acted, I would have gone insane. In my acting class, I could let out my real tears and everyone thought it was the character. But no, it was me." (On acting.) Hide

"Absolutely. I found myself buried in the character. I need some time to tune myself out." (On wheth Show more "Absolutely. I found myself buried in the character. I need some time to tune myself out." (On whether the character Chow Mo Wan has entered his life) Hide

John Woo is very prepared. He respects his actors very much...he gives you a lot of freedom to creat Show more John Woo is very prepared. He respects his actors very much...he gives you a lot of freedom to create your character. So I improvise a lot. Hide

As an Asian actor, I would like once in my life to do just one Hollywood movie. It would be a memora Show more As an Asian actor, I would like once in my life to do just one Hollywood movie. It would be a memorable experience. Hide

My relationship with Wong Kar-Wai is very strange. We have known each other for twenty years but we Show more My relationship with Wong Kar-Wai is very strange. We have known each other for twenty years but we seldom hang out. We seldom talk on the set either. I don't know why, but we just connect. When he shows me a book he wants to turn into a movie, I already know his feelings about it. I can picture the colour, the movement, the stillness he wants. We rarely talk, and yet I feel I know him very well in some ways. He's more than just a friend; he's a kind of soul-mate. Hide

I like not knowing from one day to the next. It keeps me from thinking and allows me to just be in m Show more I like not knowing from one day to the next. It keeps me from thinking and allows me to just be in my character. Too much information restricts your creativity. [on working with Wong Kar-wai who doesn't use scripts.] Hide

"Kar-wai is very demanding, and we never have a real script. [But he] challenges me. He is always pu Show more "Kar-wai is very demanding, and we never have a real script. [But he] challenges me. He is always pushing me to go deeper, to become that person. I like it." (on Wong Kar Wai, while working on 2046) Hide

"Maybe it's because I came from a broken home. I wasn't so happy in my childhood. My parents broke u Show more "Maybe it's because I came from a broken home. I wasn't so happy in my childhood. My parents broke up when I was six. Before, I was a very active, naughty child, but after my father left me I stopped talking. I became very good at hiding my emotions. I felt so ashamed of telling others that I didn't have a father, because that was not common in the 1960s. People didn't break up - even if they didn't love each other - in traditional Chinese families. Not like today." (On the origins of his mournfulness) Hide

"My character has the same background as 'In the Mood for Love,' the same hairstyle, the same costum Show more "My character has the same background as 'In the Mood for Love,' the same hairstyle, the same costume, it's filmed on the same set and because it's Kar Wai I don't have a script. I need something to get hold of, and I said, 'Can I have a mustache at least?'" (On discussions with Wong for his character, Chow Mo Wan) Hide

Ang Lee is very precise. He will show you everything, and will let you know what he is thinking abou Show more Ang Lee is very precise. He will show you everything, and will let you know what he is thinking about the whole project. There are a lot of rehearsals before shooting, and you already reach a certain standard. Then he will ask for more. Kai-Wai just asks for a feeling, and a feeling can be hard to catch. John Woo is a very nice and kind person; he gives almost no direction at all, trusting me to come up with the character. But when I think of him I think of explosions! Hide

"I wanted to take a different approach. I wanted this character to be very optimistic, always with a Show more "I wanted to take a different approach. I wanted this character to be very optimistic, always with a smile on his face, but I just wasn't able to put it into the scenes. I don't know why." (On his character Chan Wing Yan in Infernal Affairs) Hide

Tony Chiu-Wai Leung's FILMOGRAPHY

as Actor (37)

I Love Maria (Tie jia wu di Ma Li Ya) [Audio: Chinese]

Hard Boiled [Sub: Eng]

Happy Together

The Longest Nite [Sub: Eng]

Marvel Studios: Assembled - Season 1

Forced Vengeance

Where the Wind Blows (Feng zai qi shi)

Red Cliff 2

The Grandmaster

See You Tomorrow (Bai du ren) [Sub: Eng]

Chungking Express

2046 (2004)

A Chinese Ghost Story III

Game of Death

Infernal Affairs (Mou gaan dou) [Audio: Chinese]

Marvel Studios: Assembled - Season 2

Dip huet gai tau

Tokyo Raiders (Dong jing gong lue) [Audio: Chinese]

Hema Hema

Bullet in the Head (Dip huet gai tau)

Bei qing cheng shi [Audio: Chinese]

Days of Being Wild

Hero (Ying xiong) [Audio: Chinese]

Mou gaan dou III: Jung gik mou gaan

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Dung che sai duk

Tony Chiu-Wai Leung'S roles

Lai Yiu-fai

Ip Man

Zhou Yu

Chow Mo-wan

Alan

Broken Sword