Hong Kong show business mourned the loss of prominent actor Benz Hui, who died on Oct 28 from complications arising from cancer. He was 76.
Hui is survived by his Singaporean wife Angeli Lung and their daughter Charmaine Hui.
Here are some facts about the late star.
Hui was a doting father to daughter Charmaine, 28. He would shuttle between Hong Kong and Singapore as Charmaine was enrolled in a kindergarten in Singapore.
Growing up, their bond remained tight, and their close-knit relationship is seen through both their social media accounts.
Hui was the main investor in Charmaine’s three F&B ventures – two Cafe Bakeaholic outlets and a Hong Kong-style eatery called Juju, where he also helped out as service staff.
He was photographed by fans when he pitched in at Charmaine’s kiosk at AMK hub in 2023, selling egg tarts and other pastries.
Though the three eateries are now closed, Hui continued to be Charmaine’s foodie partner as depicted in his Instagram posts.
Hui’s presence lives on in the YouTube videos he created with Charmaine on the channel Mad Workers.
An online series titled My Father Is Seeking Joy premiered on Oct 5. The first episode showed father and daughter trying to cook a Hong Kong-style reunion dinner.
The second episode, released on Oct 12, saw Hui making fun of Charmaine’s driving skills, joking that his life was in her hands since she had not driven in seven years.
They also talked about how he got his name Benz. It came from his love of Mercedes-Benz cars, and he told Charmaine over a dim sum meal that he found them reliable and safe.
The Cantonese-language series is well received due to the pair’s camaraderie. The second episode had more than 480,000 views.
Hui joined Hong Kong broadcaster TVB’s inaugural Artist Training Class in 1971 and stayed in the industry for over 50 years.
Though he is usually cast as the supporting actor, in an illustrious career that included 150 films and drama series, his versatility and charisma made him a respected and well-rounded performer.
In TVB’s tribute to Hui in an Instagram post on Oct 28, the station thanked the actor for his contributions and outstanding acting skills.
It praised his performance in dramas such as Line Walker (2014 to 2020), You’re Hired (2019) and To Get Unstuck In Time (2004).
According to Hong Kong publication The Standard, Hui hailed from a highly regarded family in Guangzhou, China.
His ancestors were Guangzhou’s leading salt merchants, and his great-grandfather Xu Yingkui, a 19th-century Qing Dynasty politician, was a godson of Empress Dowager Cixi.
The late actor’s extended family includes Chinese writer-politician Xu Guangping, partner of famed Chinese writer Lu Xun.
Hui grew up in a comfortable environment, and the family relocated to Hong Kong in 1958. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
