Veteran Hong Kong actor and filmmaker Patrick Tse dies at age 89

The elder Tse made his acting debut at the age of 17 in the 1952 film The Stormy Night and went on to become one of Hong Kong cinema’s biggest stars in the 1960s and 1970s.

Throughout his career, he was known for his romantic leading-man roles, comedies, martial arts films and television dramas, including Swordsman Siu Sap Yat Long in 1978 and The Shell Game in 1980.

In 2022, Patrick won Best Actor at the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards for his performance as a retired contract killer in the black comedy film Time. He later became the oldest recipient of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor for the same role.

According to Hong Kong newspaper The Standard, his last reported public appearance was in late April, when he was spotted having coffee with friends at a cafe. Although he appeared noticeably thinner and was using both a wheelchair and a walking stick, he remained cheerful, smiling and posing for photographs with members of the public.

Following his Best Actor win in 2022, Patrick had largely stepped away from the public eye and did not take on any new acting projects.