Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung. Photo from Cecilia Cheung Studio’s Weibo |
The Standard reported that the court on Tuesday examined a 2012 contract for two films, under which Yu was required to pay Cheung or her management company a HK$2.76 million (US$354,491) deposit within three days. Yu presented a cheque in court claiming the payment had been made, but Cheung denied ever receiving it.
Emails between Cheung’s assistant Emily and Yu, including the film contract and a request to waive commission, were submitted as evidence. Cheung rejected claims that she coordinated projects through her assistant, stating any questions about the emails should be directed to Emily instead of her.
She also denied ever requesting advance funds, emphasizing: “Every job I’ve undertaken since my debut has always been properly compensated.”
Cheung further argued that the films were never produced and therefore no payment was owed. She explained that for a film to be considered legitimate, essential elements such as a complete script, director, cast, and proper lighting must be in place.
“A film is not just a contract, everything must be in place,” she said.
In response to media reports of poor box-office performance, Cheung questioned the framing, asking: “What do you mean by box-office failure? My mother thought it was fine. Is the media your relative?”
The lawsuit, filed in 2020, began hearings on Dec. 5, during which Cheung refuted allegations that she had reneged on a promise to appear in four films produced by AEG Entertainment between 2011 and 2019, reported the South China Morning Post. The actress broke down in tears during her testimony.
Cheung, 45, entered the entertainment industry in 1999 with Stephen Chow’s film “King of Comedy” and rose to fame through “Shaolin Soccer,” “Love Undercover,” and “Kung Fu Chefs.”
Her personal life has also drawn media attention: she was married to actor Nicholas Tse, with whom she has two sons, and became a single mother following their 2011 divorce. In 2018, she gave birth to a third son, keeping the father’s identity private.
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