Where are Hong Kong film icon Wong Kar-wai’s 6 muses now? From Days of Being Wild’s Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, to Faye Wong, and Takeshi Kaneshiro and Michele Reis in Fallen Angels
It’s Wong Kar-wai’s world and we’re just living in it.
The 64-year-old icon is known for catapulting Hong Kong cinema to art house film calibre and he is well-revered for his distinct style – dizzying neon lights, bustling city settings, on-point soundtracks and, ultimately, the pitch-perfect casting.
Here, we pay homage to his muses – the actors that brought to life his often sad, sometimes deeply troubled characters, who’ve gained the love of the audience for their wit, charm and an air of cool.
1. Maggie Cheung
She’s arguably the director’s ultimate muse and her most iconic performance was in In The Mood for Love.
The former actress, 58, was a vision of elegance in her cheongsams, portraying the quiet sadness and restraint perfectly in the film. Outside of Wong’s world, Cheung won her most prestigious award at the 2004 Festival de Cannes for her role in the film Clean. Previously, she won best actress at the Berlin Festival for her role in Center Stage.
Although retired from acting, Cheung is reported to have made a social media account on Douyin (China’s TikTok), per Today Online.
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2. Takeshi Kaneshiro
Per Hong Kong director Peter Chan in a 2022 Strait Times report, Kaneshiro doesn’t seem keen on taking film projects nowadays, so much so that it apparently takes at least six months to convince him to do one.
3. Michele Reis
Acting took a back seat for Reis when she decided to focus on her family, but she remains active on social media and keeps fans updated.
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4. Tony Leung
In a 2022 Korean Herald report, the actor revealed his wish to star in a K-drama and named Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon as his favourite Korean actors.
5. Leslie Cheung
The late Hong Kong singer and actor’s most prominent role in a Wong Kar-wai film was his bisexual role in Happy Together, lauded as one of the best LGBTQ+ films of all time by the British Film Institute.
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6. Faye Wong
Free-spirited and spunky, her role in Chungking Express is a favourite and one of her most popular appearances. Beyond cinema, Wong, 53, is also known as a singer and songwriter. She sang a Chinese cover of the song “Dreams” by The Cranberries for Chungking Express.
According to an August 2022 report on Malay Mail, that the actress and the director seem to be collaborating on a project again, more than 18 years since their last film together, 2046.
- Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai is famous for working with the same actors, from Leslie Cheung to Tony Leung – and he might be working with Faye Wong again, more than 18 years since their last film 2046
- Screen goddesses Maggie Cheung and Michele Reis retired from acting while Takeshi Kaneshiro reportedly takes months to accept an offer, but Tony Leung has expressed interest in starring in a K-drama