Leon Lai
Leon Lai (黎明;
pinyin: Lí Míng; Cantonese: lai4 ming4; born
December 11,
1966) is a
Chinese actor and a
Cantopop singer.
Born in
Beijing,
China as Lai Chit (黎捷), Lai was the only child in his family. His parents divorced when he was four. During his youth, Lai attended
King's Way Princeton College (England). Before he became a singer in
Hong Kong, he worked as a salesperson for a cellular phone company. After becoming the second runner up in the
New Talent Singing Awards, held by the
TVB in 1986, he obtained a recording contract with
Polygram (now known as
Universal Music). Lai then signed a new contract with
Sony Music on
March 23,
1998.
Leon is currently dating model
Gaile Lok.
Singer
Together with
Jacky Cheung,
Andy Lau and
Aaron Kwok, Lai was among the four most popular male singers during the 1990s, when the media refer to them as the "
Four Heavenly Kings (disambiguation)" (四大天王). In the early stages of his career, he mainly sang cantopop, but due to the influence of producer
Mark Lui, he expanded his repertoire to include popular electronic songs with compelling music videos. In 2002, he was selected to sing "Charged up", the 2002 World Cup theme song for Greater China Region.
He won numerous singing awards before announcing in
1999 that he would no longer accept any awards in Hong Kong. He won the "Most Popular Male Singer" award in
1993 and
1995 for TVB Jade Solid Gold. He has also won the "Song of the Year" award four times. In the 1996 year of awards, Leon Lai won a personal record 16 awards in the Hong Kong music scene. A tie with fellow Sky King, Jacky Cheung. This gives both artists one more award. The 4 stage Joint Award of Best Musicians. Awarded to the musician with the most awards won in the year ending award shows. Lai's music career gradually declined from the late 1990s. While he is still releasing new albums from time to time, his record sales are now less than impressive and his position has been overtaken by the newer generation of cantopop singers.
In 2004, Leon Lai formed a new record production company, "
A Music", East Asia Record Production Company Limited, with
Peter Lam. The first album produced by the company, "Dawn" was released in September of that year.
Actor
In 1996, Lai was nominated for the
Best Actor award at the 16th
Hong Kong Film Awards for the film
Comrades, Almost a love story. However, he did not win. In
2002, Lai took the spotlight at the
Golden Horse Awards, the Chinese-language version of the
Oscars in
Taiwan. He won
Best Actor for
Three: Going Home. In 2004, Lai wrote the story
Leaving Me, Loving You together with
Wilson Yip and also became the creative/production controller of the movie.
Societal contributions
Apart from being an actor, he took part in the production of advertisement for "Dress Casual Day" of the
Community Chest. In the recent years, Lai has participated in many charity events. He has been a member of The Community Chest Campaign Committee and in December 1995, his contribution to children is further recognized by being appointed as
UNICEF Special Representative to Youth at UNICEF Headquarters in
New York. He also occasionally helps other non-profit organisations to raise funds.
Lai has been elected as one of The Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) in 1998, giving him a formal recognition of his professional endeavours and commitment to the community. He was awarded the Medal of Honour (M.H.) on
12 October 2003 by
Tung Chee-Hwa, the Chief Executive of
Hong Kong SAR.
Films
(Note: the indication of a # next to the year means that it was a supporting/minor role.)
Moonlight In Tokyo (情義我心知, 2005)
Seven Swords (七劍, 2005)
Leaving me, Loving you (大城小事, 2004)
Infernal Affairs III (無""III終極無", 2003#)
Heroic Duo (雙雄, 2003)
Three (三更, 2002)
Bullets of Love (不死情謎, 2001)
Everyday Is Valentine (情迷大話王, 2001)
Dream of a Warrior (天使夢, 2001)
Skyline Cruisers (神偷次世代, 2000)
Love at First Sight (一見鍾情, 2000)
A Hero Never Dies (真心英雄, 1998)
City of Glass (玻'之城, 1998)
Love Generation Hong Kong (新戀愛世紀, 1998)
God of Gamblers 3: The Early Stage (賭神三之少年賭神, 1997)
Killing Me Tenderly (愛你愛到殺死你, 1997)
Eighteen Springs (半"緣, 1997)
Comrades: Almost a Love Story ("蜜蜜, 1996)
Fallen Angels (墮落天使, 1995)
Love and the City (都市情緣, 1994)
Run (1994)
Fearless Match (1993)
City Hunter (城市獵人, 1993)
The Story of the Flying Fox (1992)
Gun and Rose (龍騰四海, 1992)
The Magic Touch (1992)
The Wicked City (妖獸都市, 1992)
Shogun and His Little Kitchen (1992)
Fun & Fury (痴情快婿)(1991)
Party of a Wealthy Family (1991)
With or Without You (1991)
Fruit Bowl (1991)
Four Loves (1989)
Mr. Handsome (1987)
Television series
人在邊緣 天涯歌女原振俠 (based on a
novel by
Ni Kang)
阿SIR早晨回到未嫁時今"無"Cantonese
Leon (1990)
Meet in Rain (相逢在雨中) (1990)
Just wanna be close to you (親近你) (1991)
It's Love. It's Destiny (是愛是緣) (1991)
Personal Feeling (我的感覺) (1991)
Hope We're not just Friends (但願不只是朋友) (1992)
The Most Charming Person (Compliation) (傾城之最) (1992)
I love you, OK? (1992)
My Other Half (Complilation) (我的另一半) (1993)
Summer of Love (夏日傾情) (1993)
Chateau de Reve (夢幻古堡) (1993)
Love Between Sky and Earth (天地情緣) (1994)
Destined Love + Compilation (情緣) (1994)
Red Hot Fire Dance (火舞艷陽) (1994)
Great Passion Between Sky and Earth (天地豪情) (1995)
Dream Chase (夢.追蹤) (1995)
Perhaps (1996)
Feel (感應) (1996)
If (1997)
Leon's (1997)
Leon Sound (1997)
I Love You so much (我這樣愛你) (1998)
City of Glass OST (玻'之城電影原聲大碟) (1998)
If I Can See You Again (如果可以再見你) (1998)
Leon Now (1999)
Eyes Want to Travel (眼睛想旅行) (1999)
Beijing Station (北京站) (2000)
Leon Club Sandwich (2000)
Happiness (喜) (2001)
The Red Shoes (2001)
The Red Shoes...Evolution (2001)
Leon Charged Up (2002世界盃衝'陷陣) (2002)
Homework (2002)
Leaving Me Loving You OST (大城小事原聲大碟) (2004)
Leon Dawn (2004)
Love & Promises (2004/2005 (Special Edition))
Long Lasting Love (長情) (2005)
Mandarin, Korean and Japanese
Will You Come Tonight (今夜你會不會來) (1991)
Accumulating All My Love (堆積情感) (1992)
Autumn Dawn (秋天的黎明) (1993)
Stay For Me (為我停留) (1994)
My True Heart is Presented to You (我的真心獻給你) (1994)
Love is Hard to Get (愛難求) (1995)
Why Aren't You My Future (為何你不是我的未來) (1996)
Disagreement of Words and Thoughts (口不對心) (1997)
DNA Gone Wrong (DNA出錯) (1997)
The World of Leon Lai (Korean) (1997)
I Love You So Much (Korean Version) (我這樣愛你) (1997)
City of Glass OST (Korean Version) (玻'之城電影原聲大碟) (1998)
Korean Soundtrack (1998)
Longing (嚮往) (1998)
If I Can See You Again (Korean version) (如果可以再見你) (1998)
If I Can See You Again (Japanese version) (如果可以再見你) (1998)
Never Ever (Korean Version) (1999)
None But Me (非我莫屬） (1999)
Leon Now (Korean Version) (1999)
Hot & Cool (Japanese) (2000)
You Are My Friend (Korean) (2000)
Leon Dawn Leon (2004)
A Story (一个故事)(2005)
*Literally, his real name (黎捷 - Lai Chit) means
dawn in Chinese.
*
Cinema of Hong Kong*
A Music *
Leon Lai Hong Kong 黎明家族 (香港) - fansite
*
Leon Lai 黎明之友 - fansite
*
Karazen: Leon Lai album reviews and lyrics*
IMDB entry
