Former manager accuses Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung of 'ingratitude and betrayal'

Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung. Photo from Cheung's Instagram

According to Sohu, Cheung became the focus of attention in the Chinese entertainment industry last weekend when Yu targeted her by posting a song titled "In the Name of the Dog" on social media.

"I know well you are not innocent, everyone avoids you," the lyrics of the song express. "I know you act well, dark past, yet still, I believed your promises."

Yu then explained his issues with Cheung, as well as the rationale behind the song’s title, on Yiyu. He recounted how Cheung’s career took a downturn and her public image worsened in 2011, following her divorce from Hong Kong actor Nicholas Tse. She then actively sought Yu’s assistance, promising him "loyalty like a dog to its master," which touched him.

Yu alleged that he invested HK$40 million (US$5.1 million), which was a significant financial commitment for him at the time, in a contract with Cheung that year, stipulating that she would star in four films specified by his company.

The following year, they signed a new contract for two additional films, with Yu’s company paying Cheung an upfront sum of nearly HK$2.8 million.

Yu claimed that Cheung failed to honor the contracts, expressing his disappointment and criticizing her for being "ungrateful and burning the bridge after crossing." He said he had also demanded that Cheung return the HK$40 million he invested and pay compensation for the contract breach, noting that this amount represented his hard-earned money.

Cheung issued a statement through her new management company on Sunday evening. She claimed that the song and Yu’s accusations had severely harmed her reputation. She alleged that in 2014, Yu falsified documents and misused his managerial position to sign contracts with other companies without her consent. She has since engaged lawyers to address the issue.

Before her disagreement with Yu, Cheung also had disputes with other managers—Hong Kong producer couple Tiffany Chen and Charles Heung, who publicly denounced the actress in 2015 for being unprofessional by taking payment but not adhering to the film crew’s schedule, and for not managing her temperament during production.

They declared they would never work with Cheung in their films again.

Cheung has not publicly responded to these allegations.

Cheung, 44, is known for her roles in movies like "The Lion Roars," "King of Comedy," and "The Promise."

She married Tse, 44, in 2006, and the couple had two sons before parting ways in 2011.

Cheung gave birth to her third son in 2018 and has kept the father’s identity private, leading to widespread speculation. There were rumors that media mogul Sun Donghai was the father of Cheung’s son, but Sun denied these claims in September last year and threatened legal action against those spreading such rumors.

Rumors have also surfaced about Cheung possibly expecting her fourth child, though she has not yet commented on these speculations.