Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung recently found herself embroiled in a contract dispute with her former manager, Yu Yuxing, and his company. They accused her of accepting over 40 million Hong Kong dollars in advance payment for film fees in 2012 but failing to fulfill her obligations to shoot multiple movies and cooperate with her management team. They demanded compensation of at least 12.76 million dollars and a detailed account of her income. The case was heard in the High Court on December 8, where she broke down in tears.
On the morning of the 8th, Cecilia Cheung arrived at the court wearing a coat, sunglasses, and a mask. Upon entering the courtroom, she followed her lawyer’s instructions to take the witness stand, yawning several times and even pulling her ears to try to stay focused. Her assistant handed her a cola to keep her alert.
As the hearing progressed, Cecilia Cheung broke down in tears in court, crying out, “I haven’t slept for two days. It’s very unfair to me. The media behind me is giving me pressure. Everything is fake!” The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense for a moment, but the judge quickly calmed her down and asked if she could continue to testify. Cecilia Cheung wiped away her tears and responded, “I can.”
According to reports from Hong Kong media, the crux of the dispute lies in a substantial advance payment for film fees. Former manager Yu Yuxing and his company alleged that Cecilia Cheung had received over 40 million Hong Kong dollars in advance payment but failed to fulfill her commitments to shoot multiple films and cooperate with management. Hence, Yu Yuxing demanded at least 12.76 million Hong Kong dollars from her and requested a complete income statement.
Regarding the contract details, Cecilia Cheung insisted that she did not personally handle the signing process and that all matters were managed by her personal assistant and manager, Emily. At the same time, the defense questioned the authenticity of the “global exclusive management contract” submitted by the plaintiff, claiming that the contract’s signatures were not Cecilia Cheung’s own, suggesting the possibility of document forgery.
In fact, this dispute has been ongoing for several years. Previous reports indicated that the disagreements between the two parties escalated years ago. In 2020, Yu Yuxing’s remarks on songs and related comments sparked a strong rebuttal from Cecilia Cheung’s studio, which explicitly stated that his descriptions were “false and seriously untrue,” and legal action was taken. Cecilia Cheung’s side also revealed that in 2014, Yu Yuxing had forged a seal in her manager’s name to sign contracts without authorization, leading her to issue a lawyer’s letter.
With both sides sticking to their arguments, the focus shifted to several key points: the authenticity of the contract, whether both parties fulfilled their obligations, and how the responsibility for advance film fees should be determined.
The case continued for further trial on December 9, with Cecilia Cheung arriving at the court at 9:05 am. During the hearing, the plaintiff’s lawyer raised questions about two film contracts from 2012, stating that the contracts specified a fee of 2.76 million Hong Kong dollars for her appearance in the films “Ice Skating” and “Killer Couple.”
In response, Cecilia Cheung claimed that she had never received this payment, and the mentioned movies did not exist, so the payment should not be made.
Cecilia Cheung stated that she always insisted on considering various factors such as script, director, male lead co-star, and lighting when accepting film roles. When the plaintiff’s lawyer asked about a film of hers that “did poorly at the box office,” Cecilia Cheung emotionally retorted, “What do you mean by ‘did poorly at the box office’? I don’t understand. What are the reasons? How is ‘not good’ defined?” The lawyer explained that these statements came from media reports, to which Cecilia Cheung reacted passionately, saying, “Just because the media says it’s not good, do I have to admit it’s not good? My mother thinks it’s great! Is the media your relative? The court should focus on the facts. Why rely on media evaluations instead of asking for my opinion on the work?”
The plaintiff’s lawyer also presented a check for 2.76 million Hong Kong dollars paid to “New Asia Company” in 2012, which had been cashed. In response, Cecilia Cheung stated that she had never handled such financial matters and believed the inquiry should be directed to her manager, Emily.
After completing her testimony, Cecilia Cheung left the court at 10:55 am. When asked by reporters if she felt more relaxed, she nodded before leaving in a car.
Cecilia Cheung has appeared in numerous films such as “King of Comedy,” “Running on Karma,” and “The Promise,” gaining widespread fame. The specific details of the case will have to be further clarified by the court, and the public will continue to monitor whether this long-standing dispute can find a resolution through the legal process.