Tony Leung Chiu Wai is not only one of the best known, but also most respected Asian actors of modern times. He has won awards at film festivals around the world and gained the admiration and respect of his peers, including cinematic legends such as Robert DeNiro (who referred to the actor as the Asian equivalent of Clark Gable) and director Martin Scorsese (who has since gone on to remake one of the actor's most famous films). Usually known in the West simply as Tony Leung, he is not to be confused with fellow thespian Tony Leung Ka Fai, a popular actor in his own right who recently starred in Johnnie To's 2005 triad drama Election. To distinguish the two, Leung has been given the nickname in Hong Kong of "Wai Jai", or "Little Tony", due to his younger age.
The actor has come to be known not only for his mournful matinee-idol looks and laid-back charm, but also for the complex and intense performances he has delivered while working with such acclaimed directors as John Woo, Wong Kar Wai, and Hou Hsiao Hsien. All have praised the actor for his meticulous, dedicated approach, and for truly throwing himself into roles. At the same time, he has continued to work in less high-brow fare, proving himself to be a highly versatile performer who is equally at home in action, comedy, and arthouse films. Interestingly, although he speaks fluent English, he has yet to appear in a Western film, although this may well change in the near future now that he has signed with an American agency.
In addition to his acting career, Leung is also a successful singer, having recorded songs in both Cantonese and Mandarin. Since the early 90s, he has released several fairly well-received albums, including Hard to Forget You and Wind and Sand. In recent years, however, he has withdrawn from the music industry, save for the occasional soundtrack contribution to several of his own films, including a duet with Andy Lau for the film Infernal Affairs in 2002.
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