In 1955, in a poor village on Lamma Island in Hong Kong, Chow Yun-fat was born. The boy was destined to change the Hong Kong film scene, but the weight of life put him in a difficult situation at the beginning.
His father Zhou Rong was bedridden all the year round because of illness, and his mother Chen Fang also suffered from asthma, so the burden of the family fell on the young Chow Yun-fat early.
In order to maintain his family, Chow Yun-fat, who was only a teenager, had to drop out of school to work. Despite his poor family, Chow Yun-fat inherited his father's tall and mighty image and his mother's handsome face, paving the way for his future acting career.
By chance, Chow Yun-fat saw in the newspaper that TVB was recruiting and training actors, and he signed up for it with the mentality of giving it a try.
Although Chow Yun-fat felt that his performance was not ideal, it was surprising that he received an offer of admission after only half a month.
After the training, Chow Yun-fat did not passively wait for the opportunity, but carefully squatted at the elevator entrance of the TV station every day, looking for opportunities to contact the director and senior management. And so he held on for two whole years.
The opportunity has finally arrived. One day, Chow Yun-fat met Zhao Zhenqiang, the director of "Shanghai Tang", at the elevator entrance. The director was deeply attracted by Chow Yun-fat's temperament and sincerely invited him to play the leading role of Xu Wenqiang.
This drama hit high ratings as soon as it was broadcast, and Chow Yun-fat became an instant hit with the image of the decadent, mature and mysterious Xu Wenqiang in the play.
Since then, Chow Yun-fat has been given more resources, and finally relied on his masterpiece "God of Gamblers" series of movies to become popular. His bravery at the table and his habit of eating chocolate made him a household name.
From a poor teenager to a superstar in the film industry, Chow Yun-fat's rise has shown people a realistic version of an inspirational story. But with the expansion of his fame, the negative news about him is also growing, involving accusations such as "playing a big name", "being a frivolous actress", and "making bad movies".
Chow Yun-fat, standing in the spotlight, is about to face the biggest challenge of his career, and his perfect public image will also be severely tested.
As Chow Yun-fat's star journey became brighter, negative news about him also emerged. Once known as the "son of Hong Kong", he began to face a severe test of his public image.
During the filming of the movie "Tiger Guard", Chow Yun-fat had a dispute with the heroine Li Zhi, who was only in her early 20s. Due to her lack of experience, Li Zhi proposed to use a stand-in to shoot the intense fight scenes, but Chow Yun-fat insisted that she go into battle in person, claiming that this was to let her experience the hardships of filming.
However, during the filming, Chow Yun-fat seemed to be too "into the play", not only kicking and injuring Li Zhi, but also forcibly adding multiple shots of her head being pressed into the water, which aroused strong doubts from the public, and many people thought that Chow Yun-fat was taking the opportunity to bully the young actress.
What's even more shocking is that Chow Yun-fat not only did not visit Li Zhi when he was hospitalized due to injury, but instead promoted the movie in a high-profile manner. It was not until the pressure of public opinion increased that he reluctantly apologized publicly.
The incident has raised doubts about whether Chow Yun-fat's friendly image is just a well-crafted illusion.
Next, another well-known actress Maggie Cheung revealed in a variety show that when she cooperated with Chow Yun-fat to shoot a kiss scene, Chow Yun-fat refused to part even if the director shouted to stop, which made her feel very uncomfortable.
The news caused another uproar and further damaged Chow Yun-fat's reputation.
In addition to the above, many directors and actors in the same group accused Chow Yun-fat of "playing a big name" and disrespecting others during the filming process. There are also rumors that the famous director John Woo had to replace Chow Yun-fat because he suddenly asked for a 50-fold increase in salary before filming began, and these accusations have seriously questioned Chow Yun-fat's professional ethics.
Chow Yun-fat seems to have lost his way under the impact of this series of negative news, and he took on the extremely low-rated "Macau Vice" series of movies, which caused the audience to criticize him for taking on bad movies in order to "sell feelings".
The God of Gamblers, who used to shine on the screen, seems to be losing a mess in reality at the moment.
These controversial events are like a haze of gloom, gradually covering the perfect image that Chow Yun-fat has carefully created over the years. This former "son of Hong Kong" is now standing on the cusp of public opinion and facing an unprecedented crisis of confidence.
Chow Yun-fat's silence has heightened public suspicions, and people have begun to question whether the Chow Yun-fat they know is just an elaborate illusion, and from the halo to the controversy, Chow Yun-fat's road to stardom seems to have reached a crossroads.
Just as Chow Yun-fat's public image was deteriorating, a blockbuster news instantly detonated the entire entertainment industry: Chow Yun-fat announced that he would donate all his assets with a total value of up to 5.6 billion Hong Kong dollars after his death.
As soon as the news was announced, it immediately caused a huge stir in society, however, as time went on, people became more and more skeptical of this charitable commitment.
Attentive viewers can see every time that Chow Yun-fat talks about donations when promoting his new film. At a film press conference, Chow Yun-fat publicly stated for the first time that he would donate all his wealth after his death.
The news quickly attracted media attention, with reports that Chow Yun-fat had accumulated more than $5 billion in assets and countless properties.
However, Chow Yun-fat was always vague when asked about the specifics. At the press conference of "Macau Vice", when the media asked for specific details, Chow Yun-fat smiled and said, "I'll talk about it in 40 years."
This attitude has led the public to wonder whether the so-called "naked donation" is just a marketing ploy.
In 2018, during the promotion of the movie "Wushuang", Chow Yun-fat mentioned the donation plan again and said that a charitable foundation had been established. However, when asked about the specific details, his answer was still vague, and even said something like "I don't actually have any money, my money is not with me, I'm very poor now, that's why I'm filming".
Such a response contrasts sharply with the fact that he owns multiple mansions in the hundreds of millions of dollars, further eroding his credibility.
In contrast, other celebrities' philanthropic acts are more pragmatic and low-key. Louis Koo has silently built more than a dozen Hope Primary Schools, while Han Hong has always been on the road of donations, and she can always be seen whenever a disaster occurs.
Some actors publicly said that only Andy Lau and Louis Koo are the only ones who really do charity in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, and everyone else is fake, which makes Chow Yun-fat's "naked donation" promise even more powerless.
At the recent "Don't Call Me God of Gamblers" movie press conference, when the audience raised the issue of donations again, Chow Yun-fat did not choose to answer positively, but repeatedly avoided it. Such an attitude raises doubts about his sincerity in fulfilling his promises, and even doubts about whether he is using charity as a marketing tool.
Over time, Chow Yun-fat's promise of naked donation has gradually been made fun of. What was once considered a promise of kindness has now become another evidence of his collapsed image in the eyes of the world.
People began to question whether this former "son of Hong Kong" had been lost in the whirlpool of fame and fortune?
Once upon a time, Chow Yun-fat was an idol in the hearts of many people, and he was praised as the "son of Hong Kong". However, as a series of controversial events erupted, his image of perfection began to crumble.
Recently, the new movie "Don't Call Me the God of Gamblers" starring Chow Yun-fat has once again sparked controversy. Before the release of the film, netizens expressed their disappointment with this work, accusing Chow Yun-fat of "selling feelings" and "eating the old book".
Someone reluctantly commented: "I'm almost 70 years old, I'm still eating the dividends of the God of Gambling, Hong Kong films are really not good" These remarks all reflect the audience's disappointment with Chow Yun-fat.
It is regrettable that at the press conference of "Don't Call Me God of Gamblers", when asked about the previously promised donations, Chow Yun-fat chose to avoid it. His attitude further confirmed the outside world's speculation that he was "hyped by donations".
For a time, Chow Yun-fat seemed to have changed from an idol admired by thousands of people to a target of public criticism.
The collapse of Chow Yun-fat's image not only reflects his personal credibility, but also exposes the impetuousness and hypocrisy of the entertainment industry. People began to reflect, how should the construction of the public image of celebrities be carried out? Is the essence of charity genuine or showmanship?
In this gamble of public trust, Chow Yun-fat's good image accumulated over the years seems to have come to naught in this gamble. The gambling king who used to strategize in the movie "God of Gamblers" is now losing a mess in reality.
From "Son of Hong Kong" to the focus of controversy, Chow Yun-fat's image collapse is not only a personal tragedy, but also a warning to the entire entertainment industry.
The audience began to wonder if the Chow Yun-fat they were familiar with was just a carefully constructed image, whether the personable Xu Wenqiang who played in "Shanghai Tang" and Gao Jin, who was dominant in "God of Gamblers", only existed on the screen.
Chow Yun-fat in reality seems to have moved away from the perfect image in the hearts of the audience.
What is surprising is that Chow Yun-fat's previous classic roles have become a lever for some people to criticize him. The audience lamented that the actor who was once able to create a deeply rooted role now seems to be lost in his role and can't get out.
The collapse of Chow Yun-fat's public image has triggered a reflection on the entire entertainment industry. How to maintain the public image of celebrities? Should philanthropy be used as a hype tool? These problems are not only what Chow Yun-fat needs to face, but also what the entertainment industry urgently needs to think about.
The fermentation of the Chow Yun-fat incident has triggered the public's in-depth reflection on celebrity philanthropy, and people have begun to question: how should celebrities' philanthropic behavior be judged? Should it focus on the amount of money it has promised, or should it focus more on practical actions?
In today's information explosion society, celebrities' words and deeds are in the spotlight. Their philanthropic actions can not only bring a positive social impact, but also create a positive image for them.
However, when philanthropy becomes a marketing tool, it loses its original value.
The public's expectation of stars is not only in their perfect performance on the screen, but also in their sincerity and responsibility in real life. They want to see action, not empty promises.
For example, Louis Koo silently built Hope Primary School, and Han Hong actively participated in disaster relief, and these practical actions can win the respect and recognition of the public.
Chow Yun-fat's case may become a mirror for the entire entertainment industry, reminding all celebrities that credibility needs to be maintained through action. Celebrities should recognize that their influence is not limited to the silver screen, but extends to real life.
In addition, how to use this influence reasonably and correctly is a problem that every star needs to think about seriously.
Although Chow Yun-fat is currently facing a crisis of confidence, as a veteran star with rich acting experience, his future still has a turnaround.
The public is looking forward to seeing a new image of Chow Yun-fat, no longer solidified by the label of "God of Gamblers", showing his diversified acting skills. The audience expects him to be able to choose characters with more depth and challenge, rather than repeating past successes over and over again.
At the same time, it is hoped that he will take concrete actions to fulfill his philanthropic promise and rebuild public trust.
For Chow Yun-fat, this could be an opportunity to make a fresh start. He can regain the hearts of the audience by carefully choosing scripts, improving his acting skills, and practicing public welfare.
Specifically, he could consider taking on some works that reflect social reality, or try some roles that are completely different from his previous images to show the depth of his acting skills.
In terms of public welfare, Chow Yun-fat needs to prove his sincerity with practical actions, and he can consider setting up a charitable foundation with high transparency and regularly announcing the use of funds so that the public can see his actual contributions.
From the "son of Hong Kong" to the focus of controversy, to the possible rebirth, Chow Yun-fat's story continues. Regardless of the outcome, his experience will be an important footnote in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, reminding every star: fame is easy to come by, trust is hard to find.