The life of Hong Kong’s favourite star kid, Nicholas Tse, has been nothing short of a public spectacle. Born to industry veterans Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee, Nicholas has grown up in the media glare since childhood, leaving many in awe of his good looks even before he entered showbiz. In his more than 25-year-long journey, Nicholas has aced many roles – actor, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and chef, and continues to impress Hongkongers with his versatility. Let’s take you through 10 interesting facts about Nicholas Tse, that’ll give you an up, close and personal account of his life.
Fresh off the release of Customs Frontline, his first action film in eight years, Nicholas is back in the spotlight. He’ll also receive the Screen International Star Asia Award at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival this month, marking a big feat in his acting career.
From his relationships with Cecilia Cheung and Faye Wong, blazing controversies like crashing HKD 2 million Ferrari to his entrepreneurial culinary ventures and more – Nicholas Tse has had quite an eventful journey so far. Here’s all you should know about Hong Kong’s nepo baby.
10 facts about Hong Kong’s charismatic star Nicholas Tse
1. He was born to legendary stars Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee
Nicholas comes from a family of celebrities. Born on August 29, 1980, he’s the son of actor Patrick Tse Yin and actress Deborah Lee. Fans and media were always fascinated by the young Nicholas, and his good looks left fans drooling over him even before he entered the industry. This widespread attention was so strong, that Nicholas began his career in showbiz at 17 years old, just like his parents.
2. Nicholas Tse started his career as a pop singer in 1997
To help his father clear debts, Nicholas signed a record deal in 1997 and released his first album, My Attitude. A great success, the album helped him bag the Most Popular New Artist Award at the 1997 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation. He eventually established himself as one of the most prominent names in the Cantopop scene with albums like Jade Butterfly, Believe as well as One Inch Closer.
3. Nicholas Tse is an ace entrepreneur and culinary expert
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Apart from singing, songwriting and acting, Nicholas has excelled as an entrepreneur and a chef. His fascination for cooking started after he watched a TV show explaining how arduous it was to prepare a soufflé or profiterole. In a conversation with CNN (via South China Morning Post), he mentioned, “It immediately inspired me to try making them.”
He finally became a TV chef in 2014, launching his own food travelogue show Chef Nic. The show documented his culinary adventures with celebrity guests like Jackie Chan, Fan Bingbing and more. Moreover, he’s also the founder of a restaurant chain, The Food Gallery, which caters to gastronomes in Hong Kong and mainland China.
Talking more about his entrepreneurial ventures, Nicholas founded the Hong Kong-based special effects company, Post Production Office. One of his most cherished projects, the company specialises in post-production for films, advertisements as well as videos. It has now been acquired by Digital Domain, a California-based digital production company.
4. His relationships with Faye Wong and Cecilia Cheung always garnered headlines
Paparazzi never spares a celebrity’s love life, which was the case with Nicholas Tse. While the actor has been linked with many women, his most notable romance was with Cantopop diva Faye Wong. 11 years senior to him, Faye started dating Nicholas in the late 1990s but broke up in 2002.
Following this, Faye got married to Chinese actor Li Yapeng, while Nicholas married actress Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi and had two sons with her. However, their seemingly fairytale wedding ended in 2011. Talking about the split in an interview (via South China Morning Post), Nicholas said, “We both just had more growing up to do.” He added that they’ll continue to be friends and prioritise their children above everything else.
Interestingly, Nicholas got back with Faye again in 2014 following the latter’s divorce from Li Yapeng. After multiple appearances together over the years, Nicholas finally confessed in 2019 that he had been in love with Wong for over 20 years. The couple is still reportedly together and continues to remain low-key about their relationship.
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5. Nicholas is hailed as one of the biggest martial arts stars
A celebrated action hero, Nicholas has learnt martial arts from legends like Jackie Chan as well as Chung Chi Li. No wonder his moves in Gen-X-Cops as well as Invisible Target had us drooling. He also went on to work with martial arts icon Donnie Yen in Dragon Tiger Gate. Yen even stated that Nicholas has the potential to become a massive kung fu star in the future. And given Nicholas’ two decades’ worth of experience in action films, it’s safe to call him a martial arts wonder.
6. He took a break from acting after his infamous car-crash scandal in 2002
Nicholas’ life has been mired in controversies. Back in 2002, Tse crashed his Ferrari 360 Modena in Hong Kong Central. Perverting justice, the actor got his record company’s driver to take the blame for him. However, after due investigation, Tse was found guilty and had to undergo 240 hours of community service. At this point, he decided to take a break from the entertainment industry.
7. The actor plans to give all his wealth to his two sons with Cecilia Cheung
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Nicholas Tse, who is reportedly worth over HKD 1 billion, plans to leave all his wealth with his sons Lucas as well as Quintus. According to a 2020 report in Dimsum Daily, he set up a foundation listing his two sons from ex-wife Cecilia Cheung as beneficiaries. The actor’s businesses Post Production Office Limited as well as food company Chef Nic, his real estate investments, acting, singing, brand deals and more have contributed to his massive net worth.
8. He’s passionate about philanthropy and supporting young talent
Nicholas sternly believes in giving back to society, and his philanthropic efforts speak volumes about his generosity. You’ll find the actor actively participating in charitable endeavours to support numerous causes. He has donated to Hope Primary School as well as launched NiCUBATOR to help young people realise their dreams at the InnoTech Expo 2017 hosted by Our Hong Kong Foundation among his many philanthropic endeavours.
9. Nicholas Tse can speak multiple languages fluently
One of the most interesting facts about Nicholas Tse is that he’s bilingual. Apart from speaking fluently in his native language Cantonese, the star is also well-versed in Mandarin. His linguistic skills have helped him expand his career across regions. Nicholas has produced seven Mandarin albums, all of which have been fairly successful.
10. The actor has bagged many notable awards in his career
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Nicholas Tse has been awarded prestigious acting and singing awards since the inception of his career. For his 1998 debut film Young and Dangerous: The Prequel, the actor won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer. Since then, he has won many Hong Kong Film Awards, Asian Film Awards and more. Moreover, he’s all set to receive the Screen International Star Asia Award at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival this July.
Which of these facts about Nicholas Tse did you already know?
(Hero and feature image credit: chefnicookies/ Instagram)
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Nicholas Tse's mother is actress Deborah Lee.
Nicholas Tse was born to celebrity couple Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee and was always in the limelight since childhood. He finally entered showbiz at the age of 17.
Apart from singing, songwriting and acting, Nicholas has excelled as an entrepreneur and a chef.
Nicholas Tse isn't currently married and is reportedly dating Cantopop diva Faye Wong.
