Leslie Cheung
A daring artist who challenged gender norms and became a beloved, tragic symbol of Hong Kong's creative spirit.
1956–2003 (age 47)·Hong Kong singer and actor·Birthday: September 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Leslie Cheung emerged during the golden age of Cantopop and Hong Kong cinema, a figure of impossible charm and escalating audacity. He began as a teen idol, but his voice—smoky, emotionally precise—and his acting chops quickly set him apart. Films like 'A Better Tomorrow' made him a star, but 'Farewell My Concubine' revealed an actor willing to dissolve into complex, androgynous roles. On stage, his performances grew increasingly theatrical and gender-fluid, mesmerizing fans and challenging conservative society. His death in 2003 sent shockwaves across Asia, cementing his status as a cultural martyr. Cheung's legacy is that of a pioneer who lived his art with a vulnerability that made him both revolutionary and deeply cherished.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Leslie was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Leslie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Leslie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2003Died at 47
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Key Achievements
- Starred in Chen Kaige's 'Farewell My Concubine,' which won the Palme d'Or at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.
- Won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor for his psychological thriller 'Inner Senses' in 2003.
- Held a historic, 121-show concert series, 'Passion Tour,' which featured bold, avant-garde fashion and stage design.
- Was among the first Cantopop stars to successfully cross over into the lucrative Japanese and Korean music markets.
Did You Know?
His nickname among fans was 'Gor Gor,' which means 'older brother' in Cantonese.
He studied textile management at the University of Leeds in England before dropping out to return to Hong Kong for a singing contest.
He was an accomplished songwriter and composed many of his own later hits, including 'The Chase.'
The annual vigil held by fans at the site of his death in Hong Kong continues decades later.
“I don't care if I'm a man or a woman. I just love to love people.”
