In the golden age of Hong Kong\u2019s entertainment industry, Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing was a star so bright that he rewrote the rules of conservative Asian society. Affectionately nicknamed Gor Gor \u2013 Cantonese for \u201colder brother\u201d \u2013 the Cantopop legend\u2019s talent spanned disciplines and extended far beyond the city\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n
Even now, decades after his death in 2003, fans from around the world gather every year on April 1 to commemorate him. But despite the glamour of his superstardom, Cheung\u2019s sensitive soul was plagued by internal hardship.<\/p>\n
![\"Leslie](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/03\/26\/d28bf8a4-0621-4596-a2d0-985d83da9d68_87eb9b66.jpg\" "\\"Leslie")
<\/div>Born in 1956 into a relatively affluent family as the youngest of 10 children, Cheung grew up feeling lonely and unloved.<\/p>\n
His father \u2013 a tailor to Hollywood stars like Cary Grant and Marlon Brando \u2013 was rarely home. His mother was similarly absent, preoccupied with the family atelier. As a result, Cheung \u2013 raised largely by his grandmother and a hired nanny \u2013 felt estranged from his parents early on.<\/p>\n
He was sent to a boarding school in England as a teenager and studied textiles at the University of Leeds, where he discovered a passion for fine arts and design.<\/p>\n
However, his UK education was cut short during his second year when his father suffered a stroke \u2013 induced by \u201cconstant drinking\u201d, Cheung later said \u2013 and summoned him back to Hong Kong. Upon his homecoming, Cheung returned to school, where he discovered a love for singing.<\/p>\n