Biography
Who is Maggie Cheung?
Early life and background
Maggie Cheung was born in Hong Kong on September 20, 1964, to Shanghainese parents. She attended St. Paul's Primary Catholic School in Happy Valley during her early years.
Her family emigrated from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom when she was eight years old. She spent part of her childhood and adolescence in Bromley, London, and attended St Edmund's School in Canterbury.
She returned to Hong Kong at the age of 18 in 1982 for a vacation. She ended up staying to pursue modelling assignments and briefly worked a sales job at the Lane Crawford department store.
Pageant success and television career
In 1983, Maggie Cheung entered the Miss Hong Kong pageant and won the first runner-up position as well as the Miss Photogenic award. She also competed as a semi-finalist in the Miss World pageant during the same year.
Following her pageant success, she spent two years working as a television presenter. This role led to a formal contract with TVB, which was the television arm of the Shaw Bros. Studio.
Film career and breakthrough
Maggie Cheung quickly transitioned into the film industry, starring in the comedy Prince Charming in 1984. She gained wide recognition through her collaboration with Jackie Chan in the popular Police Story film series starting in 1985.
Seeking to move away from typecast roles, she took on dramatic parts in films such as As Tears Go By in 1988, directed by Wong Kar-wai. Her international breakthrough came with her starring role in In the Mood for Love in 2000.
She achieved historic success at major European film festivals. She won the Silver Bear for Center Stage in 1991 and later won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her performance in Clean in 2004.
Personal life and later work
Maggie Cheung married Olivier Assayas in 1998, and she spent time living mainly in France during their marriage. Due to her upbringing and extensive travels, she became a polyglot with fluency in multiple languages.
Since the late 2000s, she has largely stepped back from acting in feature films. She transitioned toward music and art while taking on selective philanthropic roles, including serving as a UNICEF ambassador.
Birthday and age
Maggie Cheung was born on September 20, 1964, which makes Maggie 62 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Maggie shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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