Charles Heung

Charles Heung Wah-Keung is one of Hong Kong's most successful presenters/producers, and probably one of the most controversial due to his family's triad background.

Heung started off as an actor making films (mostly Kung Fu action flicks) in Taiwan during the 1970s, before becoming a producer. During the 1970s, he married Betty Ting Pei, the woman best known for finding Bruce Lee's body in her apartment. The marriage, however, did not last, and Heung later married Tiffany Chen, a Taiwan native.

While the triad's influence in Hong Kong cinema became notorious, Charles tried to keep himself away from his family's triad image by creating a company of safe refuge. In 1984, he and his younger brother, Jimmy Heung, formed Win's Entertainment Ltd., which, beside the Golden Harvest Company, became one of the most successful film studios in Hong Kong. Charles was quoted for saying that, "Every film is a battle" when asked why he named the production company Win's.

Virtually every major star in Hong Kong, apart from Jackie Chan, had made a film for the Heungs. Jet Li, the biggest martial-arts star in Hong Kong, began making movies exclusively for Heung after his manager was shot dead in April 1992. Cantopop singer/actor Andy Lau and prolific director Johnnie To are also known for frequently making films for Heung.

Heung became a producer and a "presenter" for films (the Hong Kong equivalent of an executive producer), but he had also gotten fame from acting, with his best known role being as Lung Wu, the God of Gamblers' bodyguard in God of Gamblers and its sequel, God of Gamblers Returns. Some other films included the God of Gamblers spin-offs, God of Gamblers II, and God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai, including other films such as Arrest the Restless, Prince of Temple Street and Casino Raiders, which was co-directed by his brother.

The partnership between Heung and his brother, Jimmy ended in 1992 as Charles felt that Jimmy's style of negotiating business, too closely resembled that of a Triad member. While Charles sees Jimmy as a "good triad," it is widely believed that Jimmy has moved on, and supposedly runs the triad to this day.

In 1992, Heung formed the China Star Entertainment Group and became the studio's chairman and CEO. He employed his wife Tiffany Chen as vice-chairman and administrative producer, even though she had no knowledge of the industry. Today, she is one of the most respected film producers in Hong Kong.

Heung agrees that his family has what he calls "a Mafia background," but says that he personally has little knowledge of such things, and has had to labor hard to overcome the stigma. He also admits that some people may fear him, but says his business philosophy is to get top actors and actresses and directors to make movies for him because they like him. To this day, even in the midst of accusations and rumors, Heung continues to steer clear away from his family's triad background.

Apart from producing films, Heung is a bar-owner of the Top Ten, a nightclub in Beijing, and in 2006, he and Tiffany made reports that they plan to open a casino run exclusively by China Star, but still plan to continue and distribute films, focusing on big-budget-productions.

Following the partnership split between himself and Jimmy, Heung closed down the Win's Entertainment Ltd. studio in 2000, and continued to produce and distribute films under China Star Entertainment, which is now one of the most powerful and successful film companies in Hong Kong. Heung continues to produce and present films, only now, he is focusing on big-budget motion pictures that appeal to a mass audience.