Cheung Kwok-wing (Chinese: 張國榮, English name: Leslie, September 12, 1956 – April 1, 2003) was a Hong Kong Canadian singer and actor. Born in Hong Kong, Leslie Cheung moved to the United Kingdom in 1971, settling in Leeds, where he enrolled at university to study fashion design. After completing his studies, he returned to Hong Kong and, in 1977, took part in an amateur singing competition—the ATV Asian Music Contest—where he won second prize. The following year, he released his first album, I Like Dreaming. He soon began appearing on television and quickly landed his first film role in Erotic Dreams of the Red Chamber (1978), an erotic production that Cheung himself later described as a “shameful disaster.” Throughout a 26-year career from 1977 until his death, Cheung released over 40 music albums and acted in 56 films. He was one of the most prominent pioneers that shaped the identity of Cantopop during the 1980s. His studio albums Summer Romance (1987) and Most Beloved (1995) each sold over 300,000 copies and are among the best-selling albums of all time in the territory. In addition to music, Cheung achieved pan-Asian fame with such films as A Better Tomorrow (1986) and A Chinese Ghost Story (1987). He won the Best Actor at the 1991 Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in Days of Being Wild (1990). His venture into acting in the 1990s was recognized for his portrayal of queer characters in the then-conservative film industry, he was one of the few Hong Kong actors willing to take on gay roles—such as in Wong Kar-wai’s Happy Together—or to play a cross-dressing opera performer in Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1993. Leslie Cheung died by suicide on April 1, 2003, at the age of 46, by jumping from the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. In the note he left behind, he stated that he had been suffering from depression.
Read moreShow less
Biography from TMDB.
- September 12, 1956
- April 1, 2003 (aged 46)
- Hong Kong, British Crown Colony
- Actor, also writer and producer
- 33 on MovieCove · 93 credits in all
What are Leslie Cheung's films like?
Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 4 · Earnest 26
A split, not a type: Light 15 · Serious 6 · Dark 11
A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 13 · Heightened 14
Gentle 4 · Charged 15 · Intense 13
Steady 9 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 8
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 9
Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 5
Casual 13 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 6
A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 13
Resolved 22 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 3
Roles they play
Usually the Hero: 15 of 29 analyzed roles.
Show the 29 rolesHide the roles
- Heroas Yang Guo in Little Dragon Maiden (1983)
- Heroas Paul in Behind the Yellow Line (1984)
- Shadowas Chan Chen-Pang in Rouge (1987)
- Heroas Ling Choi San in A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
- Heroas Sung Tse-Kit in A Better Tomorrow II (1987)
- Heroas Chi Ken-Wing in Fatal Love (1988)
- Shadowas Brother Thief in Mad Mission V: The Terracotta Hit (1989)
- Heroas Ling Choi San in A Chinese Ghost Story II (1990)
- Shadowas Yuddy in Days of Being Wild (1990)
- Allyas James in Once a Thief (1991)
- Heroas Shang So in All's Well, Ends Well (1992)
- Heroas David Copper Feel in All's Well, Ends Well Too (1993)
- Shadowas Cheng Dieyi (segment: Douzi) in Farewell My Concubine (1993)
- Heroas Cho Yat-Hang in The Bride with White Hair (1993)
- Mentoras Cho Yat-Hang in The Bride with White Hair II (1993)
- Tricksteras East Evil in The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993)
- Heroas Francis in It's a Wonderful Life (1994)
- Heroas Ou-yang Feng in Ashes of Time (1994)
- Mentoras Sam Koo Gai Ming in He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994)
- Heroas Chiu in The Chinese Feast (1995)
- Shadowas Song Danping in The Phantom Lover (1995)
- Heroas Father Chung Kwok Keung in Tri-Star (1996)
- Shapeshifteras Zhongliang in Temptress Moon (1996)
- Heroas Sing in Viva Erotica (1996)
- Allyas Hui Man Keung in Shanghai Grand (1996)
- Shapeshifteras Ho Po-wing in Happy Together (1997)
- Shapeshifteras Bo (Sek Gar Bo) in Moonlight Express (1999)
- Shadowas Rick Pang in Double Tap (2000)
- Heroas Jim Law in Inner Senses (2002)
Moods and endings
- Happy10
- Bittersweet15
- Tragic5
- Ambiguous2
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Leslie Cheung's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (9).
Subscription and free streaming for Leslie Cheung's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
93 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
In Memory Of Leslie Cheung (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Ashes of Time Redux (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Inner Senses(2002)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
熱 : 情演唱會演唱會 Karaoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing Passion Tour 2000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
From Ashes to Ashes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Okinawa Rendez-vous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Double Tap(2000)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
The Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Left Right Love Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Moonlight Express(1999)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
A Time to Remember (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Anna Magdalena(1998)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Ninth Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Happy Together(1997)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
星空下的傾情 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
張國榮跨越97演唱會 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Viva Erotica(1996)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Shanghai Grand(1996)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Temptress Moon(1996)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Tri-Star(1996)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
The Phantom Lover(1995)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
The Chinese Feast(1995)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Ashes of Time(1994)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Long and Winding Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
It's a Wonderful Life(1994)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Farewell My Concubine(1993)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Girls Without Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Arrest the Restless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
All's Well, Ends Well(1992)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
The Banquet(1991)
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
Once a Thief(1991)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Days of Being Wild(1990)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
A Chinese Ghost Story II(1990)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Sunset in Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Leslie Cheung Special '89 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Leslie Cheung: Final Encounter of the Legend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Celebrity Talk Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Fatal Love(1988)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
張國榮’88演唱會 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
梅艷芳特輯之夢裡風情 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
The Other ½ & the Other ½ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
A Better Tomorrow II(1987)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Rouge(1987)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
A Chinese Ghost Story(1987)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
張國榮86濃情演唱會 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
A Better Tomorrow(1986)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Last Song in Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
For Your Heart Only (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Crazy Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Leslie Cheung: Surprise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The Fallen Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Merry Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Double Decker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Behind the Yellow Line(1984)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Double Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Once Upon An Oridinary Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
The Intellectual Trio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing World Tour Bangkok 1983 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Little Dragon Maiden(1983)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
First Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
On the Wrong Track (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
The Drummer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Nomad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Energetic-21 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
凹凸神探 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Teenage Dreamers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Agency 24 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Tai Chi Master (II) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
On Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Pairing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
珠海枭雄 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
岛的故事之大屿山沙之城 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Dynasty (II) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Encore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Make a Wish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Dynasty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Heritage: The Young Concubine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Gone with the wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
The Spirit of the Sword (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Hong Kong Tragedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Dog Bites Dog Bone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Crocodile Tears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Teenagers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Erotic Dream of the Red Chamber (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
屋檐下：死结 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 93 titles, 92 of them dated from 1978 to 2023; peak year 1994.
Film career
Peak 1994 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 12 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1986Screen debut· A Better Tomorrow
- 1987First top-billed film· A Chinese Ghost Story
- 1993Career best· Farewell My Concubine
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
How do Leslie Cheung's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of all 33; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up13
- 50th to 74th13
- 25th to 49th6
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
19 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved5
- Crowd Pleaser19
- Broadly Agreed4
- Mixed5
Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Leslie Cheung's work okay for kids?
Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Leslie Cheung work with?
People who share at least 2 of Leslie Cheung's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Raymond Pak-Ming Wong shares the most, 8.
Directors
- Clifton KoShared titles: It's a Wonderful Life (1994), All's Well, Ends Well Too (1993), The Bride with White Hair (1993), All's Well, Ends Well (1992), Once a Thief (1991)See all 5 shared titles with Clifton Ko
- Chi-Leung LoShared titles: Inner Senses (2002), Double Tap (2000), Moonlight Express (1999), Viva Erotica (1996)See all 4 shared titles with Chi-Leung Lo
- Wong Kar-WaiShared titles: Happy Together (1997), Ashes of Time (1994), The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), Days of Being Wild (1990)See all 4 shared titles with Wong Kar-Wai
- John WooShared titles: Once a Thief (1991), A Better Tomorrow II (1987), A Better Tomorrow (1986)See all 3 shared titles with John Woo
Writers
- Raymond Pak-Ming WongShared titles: Tri-Star (1996), The Chinese Feast (1995), The Phantom Lover (1995), It's a Wonderful Life (1994), All's Well, Ends Well Too (1993), The Bride with White Hair (1993), All's Well, Ends Well (1992), Fatal Love (1988)See all 8 shared titles with Raymond Pak-Ming Wong
- Derek YeeShared titles: Inner Senses (2002), Double Tap (2000), Viva Erotica (1996)See all 3 shared titles with Derek Yee
- Sin Ling YeungShared titles: Inner Senses (2002), Double Tap (2000), Moonlight Express (1999)See all 3 shared titles with Sin Ling Yeung
- Louis ChaShared titles: Ashes of Time (1994), The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), Little Dragon Maiden (1983)See all 3 shared titles with Louis Cha
Actors
- Anita YuenShared titles: Anna Magdalena (1998), Tri-Star (1996), Who's the Woman, Who's the Man (1996), The Chinese Feast (1995), He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994), It's a Wonderful Life (1994)See all 6 shared titles with Anita Yuen
- Jacky CheungShared titles: Anna Magdalena (1998), Ashes of Time (1994), The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), A Chinese Ghost Story II (1990), Days of Being Wild (1990)See all 5 shared titles with Jacky Cheung
- Carina LauShared titles: Who's the Woman, Who's the Man (1996), Ashes of Time (1994), He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994), The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), Days of Being Wild (1990)See all 5 shared titles with Carina Lau
- Maggie CheungShared titles: Ashes of Time (1994), The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), All's Well, Ends Well (1992), Days of Being Wild (1990), Behind the Yellow Line (1984)See all 5 shared titles with Maggie Cheung
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Peter PauShared titles: Anna Magdalena (1998), The Chinese Feast (1995), The Phantom Lover (1995), The Bride with White Hair (1993), The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), Fatal Love (1988)See all 6 shared titles with Peter Pau
- Christopher DoyleShared titles: Happy Together (1997), Temptress Moon (1996), Tri-Star (1996), Ashes of Time (1994), Days of Being Wild (1990)See all 5 shared titles with Christopher Doyle
- Chi-Leung KwongShared titles: Double Tap (2000), Moonlight Express (1999), Viva Erotica (1996), Ashes of Time (1994)See all 4 shared titles with Chi-Leung Kwong
- Tsang-Hei ChiuShared titles: Anna Magdalena (1998), Viva Erotica (1996), Who's the Woman, Who's the Man (1996), He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994)See all 4 shared titles with Tsang-Hei Chiu
Producers
- Catherine HunShared titles: Double Tap (2000), Moonlight Express (1999), Viva Erotica (1996), Fatal Love (1988)See all 4 shared titles with Catherine Hun
- Claudie Jan ChungShared titles: Anna Magdalena (1998), A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Claudie Jan Chung
- Raymond Man-Wai ChowShared titles: Anna Magdalena (1998), Viva Erotica (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Raymond Man-Wai Chow
- Jacky Yee Wah PangShared titles: Happy Together (1997), Ashes of Time (1994)See all 2 shared titles with Jacky Yee Wah Pang
Mixed roles
- Chung-Man YeeShared titles: Anna Magdalena (1998), He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994)See all 2 shared titles with Chung-Man Yee
- Kei ShuShared titles: Temptress Moon (1996), Ashes of Time (1994)See all 2 shared titles with Kei Shu
