paratize

Ditto. Sad news indeed.

R.I.P. Leslie....

big whoppa

Sad news. He was a very good actor. Check out "Farewell My Concubine."

Grimfarrow

Here are some reactions from other actors and directors who have regularly worked with him before:

'Leslie Cheung was a great artiste and a true friend. He always laughingly called himself a legend, and sometimes we called him this in jest, but we never thought that the legend would end in these circumstances. We will always cherish his memory. May he rest in peace.'
- Director Wong Kar Wai

'When I heard the news, I couldn't believe such a talented person would kill himself. It is a loss to the movie industry. I thought it was an April Fool's joke.'
- Actor Chow Yun Fat

Richard Corliss of Time magazine has a huge 3-page tribute to Leslie - one of the most touching eulogies I've read in a long time:

http://www.time.com/time/asia/arts/d...0214-1,00.html

mrpayroll

http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/st...-16310,00.html

Wed, Apr 02, 2003, 06:04 PM PT


HOLLYWOOD (Zap2it.com) - Hong Kong star Leslie Cheung's suicide note was released to the public, giving hints about why the actor/singer killed himself.

The note, in Chinese, was found in his coat pocket by a policeman when his body was found Tuesday (April 2) after falling off the 24th floor of Hong Kong's Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

"Depression! Thank you to the fans. Thank you to Prof. Mike [his psychiatrist]. It has been a year of suffering. Thank you Mr. Tong [his companion], Thank you Fei Che [Lydia Sum Tin Ha]. In my life I have done nothing wrong. Why it has to be like this?" the note said, according to the Asian newspaper, The Star.

While the note sheds some light on Cheung's death, many questions still remain -- including what caused his depression. Some have speculated that his last movie, "Inner Senses" may have been the cause. According to reports, soon after filming the movie last year, Cheung sank into a depression and was said to have sought psychiatric treatment. His co-star in the movie, Waise Lee, told the radio station RTHK that Cheung became a changed man after the project.

The movie is a horror flick in which Cheung played a psychiatrist and ghost-buster trying to cure a suicidal woman who has visions of the netherworld. Shortly after the film wrapped, Cheung started to lose weight and in October he pulled out of Taiwanese film producer Hsu Feng’s movie "Beautiful Shanghai."

Another theory is that Cheung, who referred to himself as bisexual, was broken-hearted from a break up with his long-time partner, known only as Mr. Tong.

The news reports have also released more details about Cheung's death. According to eyewitnesses, on Tuesday, Cheung went to a café on the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at about 4 p.m. A regular, he ordered an iced lemon drink, a glass of ice water, an apple and a packet of cigarettes. Waiters recall that Cheung, dressed in an elegant suit, seemed restless and kept walking all over the café.

About an hour later, he walked out to the balcony where he asked waiters to set up a table for him. He then asked for a pen and a piece of paper on which he wrote his suicide note. Cheung then plunged from the balcony and was found on the busy Connaught Road below at 6:41 p.m. He was rushed to the Queen Mary Hospital where, at 7:06 p.m., he was declared dead.

Only days before his death, Hong Kong Film Awards announced Cheung's nomination as a best actor for his role in "Inner Senses."


Chris

cultshock

That was indeed a touching article. It was interesting and sad about how many HK actresses have killed themselves over the years. When I first heard about what happened to Leslie I thought of Pauline Chan last year (didn't she jump from a building as well?).
I'm planning on watching a mini Leslie Cheung marathon this weekend (Ashes of Time, Chinese Ghost Story and Bride with White Hair). Great films that I've been meaning to revisit anyway, but I'll feel a little sad watching them this time.

UKingdom

There is talk among Hong Kong media that he contracted HIV through homosexual contact and that he couldn't deal with it. Combined with his depression and the hint that this was relationship related might explain a lot.

sinople

Leslie Cheung suffered from dysthymia (chronic depression) and during the last year or so he developed melancholia (major depression), for a double depression whammy. Depression is an illness like cancer. It is not something one can wish away with will power. It is not a "case of the blues." Depression is a neurological disorder that often can be treated successfully with therapy and drugs. But, in about 10% of cases, the treatment doesn't work. Especially if they are suffering from chronic and major depression simultaneous. It is also the leading cause of suicide. Also, there are stigmas to getting treated and a belief that depression is "in your head" and not real. Most cases of depression go untreated and undiagnosed. Poor Leslie, it seems was one of the unfortunate 10% that treatment failed.

And Leslie's career was on the slow fade. When John Woo and Chow Yun Fat made the leap to Hollywood, Leslie Cheung also tried to land a few roles, to cash in on his international acclaim with Farewell My Concubine and Happy Together. He lost out Mme. Butterfly to John Lone. The only role I heard of him being offered was The Master in the Buffy The Vampire movie! He turned it down. Hollywood insiders often describe Leslie Cheung as "too effeminate" for action roles. Obviously, they have never seen A Better Tomorrow 1 and 2 or Double Tap. And what is this Hollywood obsession with Chinese can only act in action films? Over the years he tried getting a few other parts, but he was rejected. But he was working steady in HK, and he started back up with his music career.

But in the last couple of years, even landing prestige film roles in HK has been difficult. Leslie Cheung use to be Wong Kar Wai's fair haired boy and cast him in everything. Now, Tony Leung Chiu-wai is WKW's favorite actor. Leslie also lost out roles in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. And several high profile projects, including his feature directing debut in a Mainland China project fell through due to lack of being able to secure funding. And his last film, Inner Senses, really got trounced worldwide by The Eye. The Eye was a film produced by Peter Chan. A former collaborator with Leslie through UFO. And film awards, especially HKs, haven't been very kind to Leslie Cheung. He hasn't been awarded as often as other HK Cantopop actors. But he gets regularly nominated.

All of this slowly adds up and toss in a double whammy of depression, and possibility some showbiz ego, it's the death of a thousand cuts. Or maybe his lover really dumped him or evil spirits haunted him. Who really knows for sure? Like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, before him, his life story will be filtered through his untimely end. No matter what the actual causes for his leap off the Mandarin Hotel were, he will be remembered as a tragic romantic figure who died of a broken heart.

Leslie Cheung is dead. Wong Kar Wai said the legend has ended. But, he was wrong. In this age of Globalization, Leslie Cheung is poised to become the next tragic movie star icon along with James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. He will be eternally youthful and ever so beautiful.

Jazzbutcher

Ditto. Great film.

BoatDrinks

This thread is no place for a debate, but just to point out that there are just as many in the medical community who disagree with this as agree.

Back during "Replacement Killers" Yun-Fat was being asked all about A Better Tomorrow and he said nothing but wonderful things about LC. He did say that (way back then) he was a very happy, but very lonely guy. He sent Yun-Fat and his wife a New Year's card every year.

Autotelik

Apparently, he's left behind $400,000,000HK (at least), according to the Chinese papers. And in his will, he's giving it all to his boyfriend. That's roughly $50,000,000 US.


I heard it from someone, so I don't have the actual source. It's supposed to be all over the papers and media though.


That's a lot of money to give one person.

MrN

I didn't think HK stars were that well paid, even given the CDs he put out. What, they don't pay taxes like we do?

Grimmyhk

Actually, he's been with his boyfriend for over 15 years, and they've known each other for even longer). His boyfriend quits his own career as a banker to handle all of Leslie's finances in 1997. I'm pretty sure the guy isn't using him for money - supposedly Tong was already pretty rich.

Grimmyhk

HELL no. HK has flat tax - 15%. Now look at your your paycheck and find out how much the govt takes from you!

Actually, most of Leslie's wealth came from the investments and property development deals that his boyfriend handled for him. So no, it's mostly not from the Cds and movies .

tinlunlau

btw, i have plans to donate an autographed Leslie Cheung memorabilia to a retirement home in Toronto for the chinese community. the LCIFC (Leslie cheung internet fan club) president is being a jerk right now (then again, i never liked dealing with fan club presidents. long story...) and wouldn't do me a favor by contacting Leslie's manager to notify her or Leslie's family about this before i make my move. I will, instead, call Leslie's older brother next month when things are calming down for the family and let him know and ask for his help.


Several years ago, Leslie sent me 6 autographed photos, all taken from the set of "Temptress Moon". I gave away one pic of him holding Gong Li...that one's not with me no more...

Joel

I like him also in Last Song in Paris and John Woo's Once A Thief.

Autotelik

I'm watching Inner Senses right now (Leslie's last movie), and there's a scene near the end that's a bit eerie.



creepy isn't it. Do people think that he had been thinking about his suicide when he filmed that scene? That the emotions he showed in that part of the movie was very real?

MrN

Autotelik, did you also watch it on KTSF?

The Time article posted above seems to think it was more of a case of life imitating art - but I'm sure no one knows for sure.

I just finished watching the film just now, and I would recommend it to anyone with the morbid curiosity that I had. The film itself, isn't all that good - it tries to be another Sixth Sense/Ring kind of film, except the approach is more realistic, as far as possible normal explanations go. It did get sappy at points and didn't really creep me out, try as it did.

On the plus side, it looked good and there is much to talk about as it applies to Leslie's actions. The scene that really struck me was when


5/10