5 Hong Kong actors and singers like Kenny Bee and Jordan Chan who got into financial trouble – where are they now?
Ada Choi, Stephen Chow’s frequent co-star Ng Man-tat and Charlie Yeung, who made a comeback in Jackie Chan’s New Police Story, also rang up debts through medical bills, bad investments or gambling
What happens when a celebrity declares bankruptcy in Hong Kong? Like with the rest of us, an Official Receiver becomes their provisional trustee and has the power to arrange how their property – in Hong Kong and elsewhere – is distributed to their creditors.
The bankruptcy period in Hong Kong is four years – relatively short compared to other countries – but it’s not much fun. You aren’t allowed to make major purchases such as a flat or a car, or apply for loans, and any money you make may be used to repay your creditors. Kenny Bee, popular Hong Kong 80s icon, and Stephen Chow’s frequent co-star Ng Man-tat, found this out the hard way.
Here is a list of Hong Kong celebrities who have found themselves in financial strife.
Ng Man-tat
You may recognise him as the fatherly figure in almost all of Stephen Chow’s films, but back in the 70s, Ng Man-tat was hot stuff, rising up the ranks on television alongside Chow Yun-fat and Adam Cheng. However, with great fame came great temptation. By 1980, Ng had fallen into a haze of drinking, gambling and womanising that left him HK$300,000 (US$38,700 then, US$190,000 today adjusted for inflation) in the hole. Ng went to seek help from his good friend Chow Yun-fat, who not only refused but told him to “figure it out for himself”.
Ng admitted he fell into a deep depression after that and even contemplated suicide. But after mulling over the situation, he realised that his friend knew that lending him the money would hinder rather than help him, and he put himself back together after declaring bankruptcy and working hard. He is grateful to Chow now that all is said and done – as he says in this interview.