One of the world’s finest actors, Dr. Tony Leung Chiu-wai has been making waves in the film industry for over four decades. Through an exceptional devotion to his art, a lifelong passion for film, and relentless hard work, he has evolved from a TV-series actor into a global superstar, who has received some of cinema’s leading accolades.

Since the 1990s, Dr. Leung has worked closely with renowned film directors such as Wong Kar-wai, Ang Lee, John Woo and Zhang Yimou, starring in a wide range of films, from critically acclaimed arthouse titles to box-office blockbusters. His stellar acting has won him the Best Actor Award six times at the Hong Kong Film Awards: in 1995 for Chungking Express, 1998 for Happy Together, 2001 for In the Mood for Love, 2003 for Infernal Affairs, 2005 for 2046, and most recently, in 2024 for The Goldfinger. Dr. Leung has won Best Leading Actor three times at the Golden Horse Awards, for Chungking Express, Infernal Affairs, and Lust, Caution. The six Best Actor wins at the Hong Kong Film Awards and the three at the Golden Horse make him the record holder in each category. In 2023, Dr. Leung was named Best Actor for Hidden Blade at the Golden Rooster Awards, making him the first artist to win the leading-actor award in the Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Dr. Leung’s masterful acting and unique charisma have not only brought him personal glory; they have also propelled the development of Hong Kong cinema, placing it firmly on the world stage. In 2000, he became the first and, to date, the only Hong Kong actor to win the Award for Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival, for his performance in In the Mood for Love. In 2015, he was named an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the Ministry of Culture of France, in recognition of his tremendous achievements in filmic art, making him the first Hong Kong actor to be recognised in such a way. In 2018, Dr. Leung was presented with the inaugural Chaplin Award for Asia for his outstanding accomplishments in film. In 2021, Dr. Leung starred in the Marvel Studios production Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the first Marvel movie to depict Asian superheroes. In 2022, he was named Asian Filmmaker of the Year at the Busan International Film Festival in Korea for his remarkable contributions to the advancement of the Asian Film industry and Asian culture.

In 2023, Dr. Leung received the Asian Film Contribution Award at the Asian Film Awards. In the same year, he became the first Asian actor to be conferred with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice International Film Festival. His decades of contribution to Hong Kong cinema and the culture of the Chinese-speaking world have made him the pride of Hong Kong, where he has been a household name for decades, as well as a truly global star. Importantly, he is someone who has greatly contributed to bringing his city and Asian culture to the global stage.

Despite his success, Dr. Leung is famously approachable, humble and down-to-earth. He is passionate about serving the community, attending in particular to the wellbeing of the underprivileged segments in society. As one of Asia’s most-influential artists, he has actively promoted the development of performing arts in Hong Kong and been extremely supportive of the Academy’s cultivation of young talent, especially in the fields of acting and drama. Dr. Leung serves as a role model for young artists to admire. His professionalism, diligence and commitment to community service will continue to inspire students to pursue their dreams in the performing arts for many years to come.