Stephen Chow's past unveiled: Family secrets and cosmetic surgery

Wong has recently launched his YouTube channel to reflect on his 50-year career in filmmaking, sharing personal experiences and industry insights. In the debut episode on July 27, Wong discussed how Chow remains a frequent topic of interest, largely due to their successful collaboration and the numerous hit films they created together in the 1990s.

Stephen Chow in the 1990s. Photo from Weibo

During his childhood, Chow's parents were unhappy. One day, while sneaking into a cinema, Chow saw his father with another woman. He informed his mother, leading to his father's departure. His mother then had to support Chow and his two siblings alone by running a small shop.

At the beginning of his career, Chow had eyelid surgery and took time off to recover, during which his girlfriend provided him with meals. In 1989, he had a private relationship with actress Jacqueline Law, but he confided in Wong.

Despite his feelings for Law, Chow wasn't ready for marriage, while Law wanted a stable family life. Their relationship ended, and in 2008, Law married a wealthy Singaporean businessman. She passed away from cancer in 2012.

In the show, Wong revealed that during the 1992 filming of "Fight Back to School," Chow had a romantic interest in Hong Kong actress Athena Chu. At this time, Chow and Wong's relationship was strained, so Chow didn't discuss his feelings further.

Wong mentioned their close friendship, sharing everything, but later grew distant due to differing thoughts and ideals. Chow preferred to direct himself and kept his true thoughts private. Wong, a celebrated Hong Kong director, producer, and screenwriter, had a successful collaboration with Chow, directing several hit films including "God of Gamblers" and "Royal Tramp."

Chow began his career as an extra for Hong Kong broadcast station Rediffusion Television. He later joined TVB in 1982 and made his acting debut in 1988 with "Final Justice," which earned him the Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He ventured into directing films in 1994. His most notable works include "Shaolin Soccer," "Kungfu Hustle," and "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," which was the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time at its release, according to The Hollywood Reporter.