With a Deep Passion for Film, Nick Cheung Chooses Work over Family

From all stand points, Nick Cheung (張家輝) is a film fanatic. The dedicated actor is notorious for his enthusiasm and devotion to work. He is continuously seeking out roles to challenge himself. Hoping to give the audience a different side of himself with each project, Nick has turned to directing in recent years.

Due to his lone wolf personality, many have commented that he is the perfect fit for the movie industry. Nick admitted, “I am a boring person with few friends. I don’t have a lot of hobbies or interests and prefer to be alone. Right when I wake up, the only thing on my mind is movies.”

After quitting his job as an officer for the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, Nick Cheung joined the entertainment industry in 1989. To earn a living and continue gaining acting experience, Nick varied his work by filming movies as well as television series for ATV and TVB. However, his career failed to reach the level of prominence that the ambitious actor had hoped. In 2004, Nick left TVB and primarily focused his career in the movie industry. After ten years of hard work, Nick finally earned the recognition he deserved for his role in Beast Stalker <証人>, of which garnered him several awards.

Thanks Esther Kwan for Taking Care of the Family

Nick’s achievements today are not only to his credit, but to his wife as well. Fortunately for Nick, his wife and former TVB actress, Esther Kwan (關詠荷), is a dedicated wife and mother. Not only is she the primary caretaker of the couple’s daughter, Brittany Cheung (張童), but is also responsible for running the household. With Esther fully committed to taking care of the family, Nick is allowed to comfortably place all his focus on work. Although Nick is appreciative of Esther’s relentless support, the dedicated actor will still choose work over family.

“I have to say ‘sorry’ to my wife, and for her to please continue to persist. At this point, I would still choose the film industry,” Nick said.

With his tireless devotion to the art of film, it is difficult to imagine that the couple has stayed happily married for 15 years and continue to remain very much in love. Nick expressed that their secret to keeping the marriage fresh and alive is that they both do not like to speak much. Because they are both quiet people, they are compatible in being able to allow one another to focus on pursuing their desires.

Turning to Directing

From 1995 to 1996, Nick experienced a low tide in his career. He went to South Africa for eight months. While most people would choose to give up at this point, Nick was the complete opposite. Instead of giving up, he was even more motivated to overcome the obstacle. “[During that time], I still had a lot of confidence in acting. However, I did not have the energy for life anymore. When I exiled myself, it was not because I questioned my acting skills or ability to act.”

In recent years, he has transitioned from the role of an actor to that of a director, bringing his talent and resume of successes from on-screen to behind-the-scenes. Nick has already directed three movies, including new thriller, The Trough <低壓槽>, which also stars Maggie Cheung (張可頤).

Source: HK01

This article is written by Huynh for JayneStars.com.