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Profile | ‘The flowers were for me’: when Hong Kong actor Lau Ching-wan found fame, his belief in destiny and his 25 years with wife Amy Kwok

  • At 17, Lau Ching-wan applied to drama school. A year after graduating he starred in a drama with Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung, and he’s not looked back
  • Often cast to play the tough guy, Lau has shown his talent for comedy and romances too. He has been married to former Miss Hong Kong Amy Kwok for 25 years

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Lau Ching-wan at an interview with the Post in 2009. Often cast to play the tough guy, Lau has shown his talent for romance and comedy too, and is a 14-time best actor winner in various film awards shows. Photo: SCMP
This is the 13th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades.
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Problematic characters and fleeting relationships are common in show business, which is why Lau Ching-wan – sometimes credited as Sean Lau – seems like a breath of fresh air.

The down-to-earth Lau, who has had more best actor nominations in the Hong Kong Film Awards than anyone else, is known for being a faithful husband to former Miss Hong Kong Amy Kwok Oi-ming for 25 years – and has a spotless reputation and an illustrious career to boot.

Lau was 17 and working as a postman when his father suggested that he apply to join Hong Kong terrestrial broadcaster TVB’s one-year drama training programme. At the same time, three people at work asked him, “Why don’t you try out TVB’s acting class?” on three separate occasions.

Lau at an interview with the Post in 1996. Photo: SCMP
Lau at an interview with the Post in 1996. Photo: SCMP
Lau took it as a sign and, after three rounds of auditions, was admitted into the 12th TVB acting course alongside peers such as Carina Lau Ka-ling and Sandra Ng Kwan-yue.
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