Legendary Hong Kong star Tony Leung has reached a brand new peak in his career.
The 61-year-old actor recently won the Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Venice Film Festival. He is the first Chinese actor to receive the prestigious award.
The actor received a standing ovation while going onstage to receive his award. After which, he gave an emotional tribute and shed tears during his acceptance speech.
Leung started off by thanking his wife, fellow actress Carina Lau, for her love and constant support as well as his family, friends and fans who have stuck by him for his long career.
“This is really a great honour,” said Leung.
Leung later paid tribute to his home of Hong Kong, where he began his acting career.
“I also want to share this honour and give thanks to all those wonderful people who I have worked with over the past 41 years because this is a tribute to them as well, and, of course, to Hong Kong cinema.”
Leung gained international recognition for his roles in Wong Kar Wai’s In The Mood For Love (2000) and 2046 (2004). He also appeared in three movies that won the top Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival – A City Of Sadness (1989), Cyclo (1995) and Lust, Caution (2007). All three movies were directed by Ang Lee, who presented him the Golden Lion award.
Leung was named as one of Asia’s 25 greatest actors of all time by CNN and is described as “one of the most acclaimed contemporary pan-Asian and global film stars of his generation” by the British Film Institute.
The actor was recently seen in The Hunting (2023), Where the Wind Blows (2022 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). His upcoming movie, Silent Friend, is currently in post-production where he plays a neuroscientist.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.
Si Jia
