Dicky Cheung
| Dicky Cheung | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | 張衛健 (traditional) | ||||
| Chinese name | 张卫健 (simplified) | ||||
| Birth name | Cheung Wai-kin | ||||
| Ancestry | Shanghai, China | ||||
| Born |
8 February 1965 Hong Kong | ||||
| Other name(s) | Dicky/WaiKin/Killer/健仔/Dicky仔 | ||||
| Occupation | Actor, singer | ||||
| Genre(s) | Cantopop, Mandopop | ||||
| Instrument(s) | Vocal | ||||
| Years active | 1980–present | ||||
| Associated acts | Big Four | ||||
| Spouse(s) | Zhang Qian (2007-present) | ||||
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Awards
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Dicky Cheung Wai-kin (born 8 February 1965) is a Hong Kong actor and singer.
Career
He entered show business in the early 1980s, signing a contract with television station TVB. He won the third annual New Talent Singing Awards in 1984. Up until the mid 90s, Dicky struggled for many years working as a low-paid actor, singer, and appeared occasionally in films. It wasn't until his brilliant portrayal of the Monkey King character in the 1996 TVB adaptation of the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West that his popularity began to skyrocket. A sequel to the TV adaptation was planned, but due to a contract dispute with TVB, Cheung left before production began. Benny Chan Ho Man took over the role of the Monkey King in the sequel. Cheung then went abroad to Taiwan to continue his career.
He has appeared in many Taiwanese television productions since then. In 1999, TVB's rival station ATV acquired the Hong Kong broadcasting rights to his Taiwanese television series Young Hero Fong Sai Yuk. Cheung played Fong Sai Yuk, a character also portrayed by Jet Li in his film Fong Sai Yuk. The show was an instant hit in Hong Kong, and managed to gain much higher ratings than TVB's own television series. The TVB series showing at that time was Dragon Love, starring Benny Chan Ho Man, who replaced Cheung in the Journey to the West sequel, Journey to the West II.
Personal life
In 2007, Dicky Cheung married Zhang Qian in Beijing, and had a separate wedding ceremony in Boracay in 2009.
Prior to his current marriage, he was involved in brief relationships with the actresses Elvina Kong and Jessica Hsuan .[1]
He has said that he would like to eventually leave the acting business and seriously consider doing something more meaningful in life such as volunteering to give back to the society.
Notable roles
Cheung has starred in many Hong Kong-Taiwanese television productions, enjoying both success in Taiwan as well as Hong Kong. The three most notable are:
Dicky's most notable performance that made him famous was his portrayal of the Monkey King in the 1996 TVB adaptation of the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West. As well as being the lead character, Dicky also sang the theme tune as well as many other songs throughout the series. This series was very popular during its run on TVB Jade, it was even dubbed in English and broadcast on TVB Pearl, the only TVB series to receive this treatment to date. Dicky was also due to play the Monkey King in the sequel. However, due to a dispute regarding the contract, the role was given to Benny Chan Ho Man.
Yet another TV adaptation of Louis Cha's Wuxia novel The Deer and the Cauldron. Cheung played the anti-hero Wai Siu-Bo, a character previously portrayed by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Stephen Chow and Jordan Chan in many television and film adaptations.
The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra
In 2001, Andy Lau's NMG production company produced another television adaptation of Journey to the West. Cheung was given a chance to once again portray the role that made him a household name. The series was broadcast in 2002 on TVB. Although it received high ratings, many felt it was not as good as the 1996 version.
Filmography
Television
- Swordsman (2013)
- Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties 1 & 2 (2012)
- The Legend of Hundred Family Surnames (2011)
- The Next Magic (2011)
- Shi Da Qi Yuan (2008)
- The Kung Fu Master Wong Fei Hung (2008)
- Project A (2007)
- Ayo (2007)
- The Proud Twins (2005)
- Magic Chef (2005)
- The Royal Swordsmen (2005)
- The Luckiest Man (2005)
- The Legend of the Treasure Basin (2004)
- Kung Fu Soccer (2004)
- Taiji Prodigy (2003)
- The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra (2002)
- The Luckiest Man (2003)
- Mr. Winner (2002)
- Smart Kid (2001)
- Chess Warriors (2001)
- The New Adventures of Chor Lau-heung (2001)
- The Duke of Mount Deer (2000)
- Young Hero Fang Shiyu (1999)
- Swordman I (1999)
- Happy Flying Dragon I, II, III (1997)
- Journey to the West (1996) – Sun Wukong
- The Buddy Gang' (1995)
- "Money and Fame" (1992)
- Edge of Righteousness (1992)
- Wong Fei Hung Returns (1992)
- Mystery of the Twin Swords II (1992)
- Mystery of the Twin Swords (1991)
- The Little boy from China (1991)
- The Legend of the Book and the Sword (1987)
Films
- The Palace (2013)
- I Love Hong Kong 2012 (2012)
- Summer Love Love (2011)
- 72 Tenants of Prosperity (2010)
- Road corridor (2009)
- Money and Fame (2008)
- Eastern Legend (2007)
- Golden Chicken 2 (2003)
- Shaolin Popey II Messy Temple (1994)
- Bloody Brothers (1994)
- Chez 'n Ham (1993)
- Even Mountains Meet (1993)
- Holy Weapon (1993)
- Hero of Hong Kong 1949 (1993)
- Last Hero in China (1993)
- The Kung Fu Scholar (1993) – Lun Man Chui (Cantonese)
- The Black Panther Warriors (1993)
- Prince of Portland Street (1993)
- My Hero 2 (1993)
- Future Cops (1993)
- Hero – Beyond the Boundary of Time (1993)
- Vampire Family (1993)
- To Miss with Love (1988)
- The Good, the Bad & the Beauty (1988)
- Puppy Love (1985)
- Crazy Games (1985)
- Young Cops (1985)
References
- ↑ Ricky Yap (28 October 2000). "Dicky Cheung back on the road to fame". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ↑ "Dicky Cheung". imdb.com. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ↑ "Dicky Cheung". chinesemov.com. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
External links
| Preceded by Fong Lui 呂方 |
New Talent Singing Awards winner 1984 |
Succeeded by Alex To 杜德偉 |
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