4 uber-rich Hong Kong icons who came from humble beginnings – Tony Leung quit school to work at 15, Gigi Lai faced bankruptcy at 14, while Stephen Chow grew up in a public housing estate

Nov 26 , 2021

Some Hong Kong icons like Tony Leung and Gigi Lai actually came from humble beginnings. Photos: SCMP Archive; @tonyleung_chiuwai, @gigilai_official/Instagram; Facebook

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actor Chow Yun-fat had a slew of odd jobs as a teen, while Stephen Chow idolised Bruce Lee and other martial arts stars growing up

‘Goddess of Beauty’ Gigi Lai, who is married to billionaire Patrick Ma, started acting and singing at the age of 14 after her family faced bankruptcy

A Star is Born, Slumdog Millionaire, The Pursuit of Happyness – we’ve all seen these feel-good films where protagonists experience the lowest of the lows only for their victories to taste so much sweeter in the end. But did you know that some of Hong Kong’s biggest celebrities actually have success stories similar to the ones we’ve seen on the silver screens?

From Tony Leung Chiu-wai to Chow Yun-fat, let’s get to know these icons who went through some serious hardships before reaping the fruits of their stardom.

Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Unlike the epic films he has appeared in – including the Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – life initially wasn’t as thrilling and action-packed for Tony Leung Chiu-wai. Between quarrels within his household and living with a father who was a chronic gambler, the multi-award winning actor had no choice but to quit school at 15 and work side hustles to support his family, according to China Daily.

Tony Leung had a difficult childhood that forced him to drop out of school at the age of 15. Photo: SCMP Archive

Leung then enrolled in a TVB training course with Stephen Chow and broke out onto the entertainment scene. Four decades and dozens of films later, the Chungking Express star now has an estimated net worth of US$20 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung has an estimated US$20 million net worth. Photo: @tonyleung_official/Instagram

The 59-year-old actor now spends his hard-earned millions on investments, residential properties and luxurious vehicles – as well as on spoiling his lovely wife, famous actress Carina Lau, with vintage jewellery.