Insider reveals Andy Lau’s Best Actor turning point—Charles Heung Wah-keung’s wife reportedly gifted a $1.44M jade piece that pushed a major career shift

(Hong Kong, April 5) Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau marks his 45th year in the industry, excelling across film, television, and music. Recently, renowned producer Charles Heung's wife Tiffany Chan (Xiang Tai) shared the story behind his first Best Actor win—revealing a legendary bet involving a multi-million-dollar jade necklace.

Over the years, Lau has starred in more than 170 films, winning the Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor three times and the Golden Horse Awards Best Actor twice.

According to Xiang Tai, during a crucial transition period in his acting career, she invited director Johnnie To to collaborate on the 1999 film Running Out of Time, aiming to refine his acting skills and move him beyond idol status.

At the time, Lau lacked confidence and reportedly needed over 30 takes for a simple back-view shot, even suspecting the director was being overly harsh. Xiang Tai addressed it directly: “You’re too much like Andy Lau—even your back gives you away. I don’t want you to remain an idol; I want you to become a true actor.” This became a defining turning point.

On awards night, Lau competed against top actors including Eric Tsang, Anthony Wong, Sean Lau, and Francis Ng, leaving him doubtful of his chances.

He even proposed a bet: if he lost, Xiang Tai must fulfill one of his wishes; if he won, she would gift him a jade necklace worth HKD 28 million (approx. RM14.4 million). Lau jokingly said, “I won’t win anyway.”

Unexpectedly, he clinched the Best Actor award, marking a major milestone, and emotionally thanked Xiang Tai on stage.

She later laughed, revealing he was so nervous that the only thing on his mind was “the jade necklace,” even forgetting to thank Charles Heung, later joking, “All I could think of was that necklace—I had to grit my teeth just to say thank you.”

Looking back, Xiang Tai praised Lau’s transformation, noting that his performance made audiences forget his celebrity identity: “They didn’t see Andy Lau—they saw a true actor.” Netizens echoed the sentiment, applauding his dedication and evolution over the years.