More than two decades after the tragic death of Hong Kong superstar Leslie Cheung, who took his own life by jumping from the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong in Central on April 1, 2003, a prominent film industry figure has reignited discussion about the circumstances surrounding his passing.
Tiffany Chen Ming-Yin, wife of China Star Entertainment Group founder Charles Heung, recently shared a video on social media claiming that Cheung’s death was not solely due to depression, as widely believed, but may have involved supernatural influences, leaving her haunted by guilt for 22 years.
On the evening of his death, Cheung, aged 46, made a final phone call to Chen at around 5.08pm, while she was in a meeting.
He expressed a desire to hold a press conference to publicly declare that he was not suffering from depression and asked for her support in organizing it.
Chen agreed to arrange the event through her company’s public relations team and continued with her schedule, attending her son’s performance later that evening.
During the event, she received multiple calls informing her of Cheung’s death, which she initially dismissed as an April Fool’s prank, given the date and their recent conversation.
It was only after a trusted journalist confirmed the news, as she stood in the middle of a road, that the reality hit her, leaving her devastated and unable to process the loss of someone known for his elegance and aversion to anything that would tarnish his image.
Chen recounted the harrowing experience of Cheung’s nominal manager, Florence Chan, who was in contact with him moments before his death.
Chan had called Cheung to check on his whereabouts, and he told her he was at the Mandarin Oriental, promising to come down to meet her.
Shortly after, he jumped from a balcony outside the hotel’s gym, an area now sealed off.
Chan, standing at the hotel entrance, witnessed the tragedy unfold, recognizing Cheung’s shoes as he fell.
Chan then developed a brain tumor the following year, requiring surgery.
Chen said that no matter how much time had passed, she couldn't bear to look at the hotel while passing by and would not go to that hotel.
Chen, who had known Cheung for years, firmly believes his death was not a deliberate act driven by depression alone.
She pointed to his recent professional disappointment, as a film he was set to direct collapsed due to funding issues, which left him frustrated but not to the extent that would lead to such a drastic decision.
Instead, Chen suggested that Cheung may have been plagued by supernatural forces, recalling stories from friends who claimed he experienced disturbances at night that prevented him from sleeping.
Chen lamented that Cheung’s partner at the time, widely understood to be Daffy Tong, adhered to Christian beliefs and dismissed such possibilities, limiting her ability to intervene or offer help.
Chen expressed deep regret for not doing more to support Cheung during his final months, a burden she has carried since his death.
