Leslie Cheung

Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor, often regarded as one of the most influential pop culture icons in the Chinese world. Throughout a 26-year career, Cheung released over 40 music albums and acted in 56 films, known for his debonair, flamboyant characters in films, as well as his avant-garde, androgynous stage persona. Born Cheung Fat-chung in Kowloon, British Hong Kong, Cheung studied in England from the age of 12 until returning to Hong Kong in 1976 to pursue a career in show business. He achieved popularity with his 1984 self-titled album and its single "Monica," continuing with a string of hit albums in the mid- and late-1980s. In addition to music, Cheung achieved pan-Asian fame with films, such as Nomad (1982), A Better Tomorrow (1986) and A Chinese Ghost Story (1987). He announced his "retirement" from music and emigrated to Canada in 1990, but returned to Hong Kong in 1994. Cheung won the Best Actor at the 1991 Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in ()