[2025.11.11] GOLDEN BOY LOUIS CHEUNG TEACHES HIS SON ABOUT CHASING DREAMS WITHOUT REGRET

Chasing a dream is priceldss. Whether damaged physically or financially, Louis Cheung still feels it is worthy

Leander Lau is already all grown up and can even "spar" with "Dad" Louis Cheung
courtesy of on.cc

Louis Cheung pays six figures out of his own pocket to finish GOLDEN BOY's post production

Louis Cheung gains 50 pounds and trains for months in order to play a boxer

Louis Cheung praises his onscreen son Leander Lau for his outstanding performance
courtesy of mingpao.com

The Louis Cheung Kai Chung starred movie GOLDEN BOY (GUM TUNG) waited for 6 years to finally be released. He once was worried that it would end badly. Finally he paid 6 figures out of his own pocket for the post-production, so that he would be able to put this effort on the big screen. Before the production started, he received boxing training and was injured all over. He admitted that he has tried his best because of his ambition and wanted to win the award and be recognized with GOLDEN BOY. Having gone through a low ebb, Cheung Kai Chung now has seen everything, thinking that some scenery is the most beautiful from a perspective in hell. He treated the movie like a human experiment, to give his son Cheung Chim an ultimate example. When chasing dreams without regrets, something has already been gained from the process; do not be obsessed with the result.

Cheung Kai Chung said that he did not just take the role in GOLDEN BOY, but even took part in planning it. When he was working a drama on TVB in 2017, he worked closely with producer Joe Chan Wai Koon and they admired each other very much. While chatting we talked about working together on a movie. "I thought what movie should we make? I have loved the movie "Rocky" since I was a child, because the movie is about being indomitable, crawling up from a low place. The movie affected my entire life value. The night before I got married I was still watching "Rocky 2", which tells the story of family. The movie encouraged myself to become an adult. Some movies would affect people's lifelong values. The last Hong Kong movie about boxing was the (Aaron) Kwok Fu Sing starred SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME (LONG MAN FUNG BO), so I decided for Chan Wai Koon to direct this movie. Before finding an investor I have already begun to discuss scripts and train my body."

GOLDEN BOY took two years of preparation before starting production. During this period Cheung Kai Chung accepted boxing training with Hong Kong boxing champion Rex Tso Sing Yu, gained 50 pounds from muscle training in order to make himself look like a boxer. "So for a period of time everyone saw that I was shaped like a refrigerator, without a neck. I couldn't work on many commercials, and many directors did not use me. At the time I was preparing to shoot GOLDEN BOY, but I couldn't tell others. After training everyday, I had to ask my wife to step on my body to loosen my tendons. I endured until the last 5 days of the boxing scenes shoot. My body was seriously injured, and I believed that my internal organs were 'crooked'. At the time I couldn't drink too much water, I went to the bathroom it really was just a few drips. In recent years I have started to have pelvic herniation and sciatica. I have to do a lot of physical therapy, and my wife is also very worried."

Cheung Kai Chung endured all the physical pain to complete the shoot, but unexpectedly because the stakeholder film company closed, no one was responsible for the 7-figure amount owed. Even if a white knight wanted to make a move, many complex problems were involved that it did not happen. "Last year I originally wanted to release it, but due to technical and editing problems I thought it hasn't reached its best. I really wanted to make it a little better. Since I have contributed so much to the movie, I should try my best to finish the product. So I proposed to edit it anew then work on post-production. I decided to pay myself, more than 6 figures. I also had to take on behind-the-scenes planning and coordination work, which I don't know anything at all about as an actor. Now I feel that this is a very precious experience, and I owe a lot to the elders for their assistance and kindness."

The 45-year-old Cheung Kai Chung tried his best to make GOLDEN BOY 6 years ago, admitting that he was still young and ambitious at the time. He hoped to win awards and recognition for this film, "This didn't happen, but I still feel blessed. I am still very lucky to be alive, and I have also been nominated for other films. Even at the moment of announcement I didn't in, I still had many movies to make afterward. Actually in this business if you can't get over this psychological obstacle then you would overthink. I started with the music awards ceremony, and when I heard the prelude music of the awards ceremony I would be scared. I saw my wife and friends kept winning awards nonstop, but I didn't. What could I do? I have already put in a lot of effort into it. If I don't get one I don't. Then at the TVB awards, I knew that I wouldn't get an award because I wasn't one of theirs; but I was very grateful to TVB for giving me a lot of opportunities. The nomination meant that I did pretty well. With this movie, I would be very happy to win an award in the end. It doesn't matter if I don't win though. Now I feel that everything happens is the best arrangement, and I have no regrets after doing my best." He said that if the audience would respond well to GOLDEN BOY and like it, he would be a living inspirational film from being looked down upon back then to having a masterpiece after 20 years. However even if it would be mediocre after its release, he would not consider it as a failure. "This is How life is. I have the passion to do one thing. Don't think too much about it in the end."

Cheung Kai Chung said that Golden Boy was the name of his character in the film, but it actually referred to the son who made him get back up. "There is a line that touched me very much. In the end everyone told me to give up, but I said I don't want to disappoint my son. I believe that being a father is like this, in reality I am the same way. I don't want to disappoint the next generation, I have to be a good example This movie is also family education, a crazy lead by example. I just want the son to know, if you want to pursue your dream you have to try your best to pursue it. You would already gain something from the process, don't be obsessed with the result."

Playing Cheung Kai Chung's son in the film, Leander Lau Ho Lan is the same age as his real eldest son Cheung Chim. They even learned to dance together. Cheung Kai Chung strongly praised Lau Ho Lan's outstanding performance, almost without any bad take at all. Lau Ho Lan said that he was only 11 years old when he made GOLDEN BOY. He remembered seeing "Papa" Cheung Kai Chung on the set constantly stretching and practicing, which he admired very much. "If I have the chance I want to try it once and see where my limits can go." He said that at this stage, he hoped to develop in music. He has formed a band with his classmates, and wanted to become a singer-songwriter.