Tse’s mother was a beauty queen in the 70s. When the actress married Patrick Tse in 1979, the couple had a presence in Hong Kong’s entertainment scene not unlike that of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Hollywood. They divorced in 1996 but have remained friends.
Despite her multiple comebacks, Cantopop queen Sandy Lam loves the quiet life
Despite her multiple comebacks, Cantopop queen Sandy Lam loves the quiet life
Tse made his debut as a pop singer in 1997 with the release of his first album, My Attitude. His music gained popularity and he established himself as one of the most popular figures in the Cantopop music scene, with successful albums such as Jade Butterfly (2001), Believe (2002) and One Inch Closer (2005).
In addition to his musical career, Tse has made a name for himself as a talented actor. His notable film credits include Bodyguards and Assassins, which won him the best supporting actor prize at the 2010 Hong Kong Film Awards, and The Stool Pigeon, for which he won the 2011 awards’ best actor prize.
Growing up in the limelight can be a tough experience for anyone, and having superstar parents can make that worse. While it makes it a lot easier to break into the entertainment industry, the ensuing rumours and gossip can have a detrimental effect.
When he was in his early twenties, Tse had a collection of fast cars. He was involved in a few car accidents and made headlines when he was reported to have left the scene of an after he crashed a HK$2 million Ferrari and got his record company’s driver to take the blame for him.
On October 2, 2002, Tse was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. He was sentenced to 240 hours of community service, and it was at this point that Tse announced that he would take a break from the entertainment industry.
For most other celebrities, the story might have ended there. Tse’s was complicated by rumours that he had been pushed into the entertainment industry by his parents to clear their debts.
After Tse announced his break, reporters asked Lee in an interview whether she was worried about making ends meet, infuriating the actress.
Lee said she would forbid her younger daughter, Jennifer Tse Ting-ting, from entering the business. “I told her that it’s not because you’re not as attractive or smart as Nicholas, but being in show business is a tough gig and I strongly advised her against it.” Jennifer went on to become a model and actress and starred in a few films in the 2010s.
Tse’s personal life has been the subject of much media attention. Most notable is his romance with the Cantopop diva Faye Wong, who is 11 years his senior. The couple dated publicly for two years in the early 2000s before breaking up.
Wong married Chinese actor Li Yapeng, in her second marriage, in 2005. A year later Tse married Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi, with whom he has two sons. Tse’s relationship with Cheung was highly publicised – as was their separation in 2011.
When asked about his split with Cheung in an interview, Tse said: “We both just had more growing up to do. We share two children and we’ve agreed to prioritise them above all else. She’s a great mother but we’re better off as friends.”
It was reported that Wong and Tse crossed paths again in 2014 and rekindled their romance. The two made appearances together in 2017 but did not comment on their relationship. In an interview in 2019, Tse confessed that he has been in love with Wong for over 20 years. The couple have been extremely private about their relationship.
Tse’s accomplishments extend beyond the entertainment industry. In the 2010s, he fashioned himself as a pastry chef, making appearances in public and on the small screen with cooking demonstrations and starting his food merchandising business, Chef Nic.
He is also the founder of restaurant chain The Food Gallery, which offers a variety of dining options in Hong Kong and mainland China.
But his greatest source of pride is perhaps his company Post Production Office, which specialises in post-production for films, advertisements and videos. He saw a need for this in the industry when he was 23.
“I mortgaged my house to start this business with four people and an office in Sheung Wan,” he said in an interview. Tse did not go public that he owned such a business at first because he wanted to make sure he could do this without his fame; he only came forward as the CEO in 2011.
“I didn’t want people to give me business just because of who I am and then ask me to make a film for them afterwards,” he recalled. “My parents were against me starting a business, as they said they’ve never seen a celebrity successfully transition into an entrepreneur and make it last.”
Tse’s hopes for his children are that they can navigate the world on their own two feet.
“I had the eyes of six million Hongkongers on me because Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee were my parents,” he said. “Now my sons have the eyes of 1.4 billion people in China on them because they are the children of Cecilia and me, and the grandchildren of Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee.
“If they can walk out of this noise, be their own person and make something of their own, now that’s a man.”
