Actor Lee Kin Yan, a regular in Stephen Chow movies, half-paralysed after stroke

The actor, who plays Ru Hua, a character in Hong Kong actor-director Stephen Chow's movies, suffered a stroke in 2019 that left him half-paralysed. Photo: Weibo/Lee Kin Yan

Ru Hua is a character in Hong Kong actor-director Stephen Chow's movies who has left a deep impression on viewers.

The name means "like a flower" in Chinese, but this is no delicate bloom. Rather, he is a cross-dresser who wears thick make-up and usually seen digging his nose with his pinky finger.

The role was played by Hong Kong actor Lee Kin Yan, who reportedly suffered a stroke in 2019 and was said to be half paralysed.

Hong Kong's Oriental Daily News reported on Sunday (July 5) that Lee, who has been based in China in recent years, fell unconscious at a sauna in Shenzhen and was sent to hospital, where he was diagnosed to have suffered a stroke.

The 59-year-old actor was revived by doctors, but could not move the right side of his body and had difficulty speaking.

He returned to Hong Kong for further treatment and his health has improved given the care of his wife and family. He has two daughters and one son with his wife.

Lee responded to the report by Oriental Daily News on Weibo on Monday: "I will try my best to recover and return to the screen as fast as possible. Thank you everyone for your concern."

He first played the iconic role in King Of Beggars (1992), then known as the "sister of the aunt of the friend" of Beggar So, played by Chow in the movie.

The character also appeared in 1993's Flirting Scholar and was finally given the name Ru Hua in Hail The Judge (1994). He has appeared in other movies such as Forbidden City Cop (1996), God Of Cookery (1996) and Just Another Pandora's Box (2010). – The Straits Times/Asia News Network