HK actress Cecilia Cheung sports support for Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Soccer; books 18 screenings
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Cecilia Cheung (left), who acted in Stephen Chow’s 2001 hit comedy Shaolin Soccer, has publicly expressed gratitude to the director for launching her to stardom.
PHOTO: WEIBO
- Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung supports Stephen Chow’s new film Kung Fu Soccer by booking 18 private screenings and offering free tickets to fans.
- Kung Fu Soccer, releasing July 11 in China and August 6 in Singapore, is a spiritual successor to Chow’s 2001 hit Shaolin Soccer, focusing on a women’s football team.
- Cheung, a longtime collaborator and protege of Chow, has publicly expressed gratitude for his mentorship and maintains a close bond with him, highlighting their ongoing mutual support.
AI generated
Hong Kong film-maker Stephen Chow has scored strong support from one of his former co-stars ahead of his upcoming film, Kung Fu Soccer, which is scheduled for release in July.
The film, said to be a spiritual successor to the 64-year-old director’s hit comedy Shaolin Soccer (2001), is slated to premiere in China on July 11, and will hit Singapore cinemas on Aug 6.
The movie stars Chinese actress Zhang Xiaofei, pop idol Lay Zhang and actress Dilraba Dilmurat, with special appearances by Hong Kong actress Carina Lau and Japanese actor Takeru Satoh.
In a display of support, Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung – Chow’s protege and co-star in films such as King Of Comedy (1999) and Shaolin Soccer – has booked out 18 private screenings for his latest directorial project.
In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo displaying on July 6, the 46-year-old actress shared what appears to be screen grabs of bookings made for Kung Fu Soccer screenings and offered free tickets to her fans, with the caption: “It’s confirmed. Nationwide release on July 11. See you at the cinemas.”
Her agency shared the post on Weibo a minute later, writing: “We’ve booked screenings in support of Stephen Chow’s film Kung Fu Soccer, which carries the spirit of Shaolin Soccer after 25 years.
“The passion for women’s football is reignited with gongfu as its core... here’s to a huge box-office success.”
The posts did not specify the venue of the screenings.
Kung Fu Soccer, which follows the journey of a women’s football team making a miraculous comeback to win a championship, is said to be a spiritual successor to the hit comedy, Shaolin Soccer.
The 2001 cult classic, which grossed US$42.8 million at the box office worldwide on a budget of US$10 million, tells the story of a group of misfit monks who use their martial art skills to form a football team against a thuggish rival team of champion players.
Cheung made her film debut in King Of Comedy, acting opposite Chow as his character’s love interest, for which she earned a Best New Performer nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2000.
Over the years, Cheung has publicly expressed gratitude to Chow for launching her to stardom.
She also made a guest appearance in Shaolin Soccer alongside Hong Kong singer-actress Karen Mok, with the pair playing football teammates whose lightning quick speed makes them appear to float off the field.
Cheung and Chow have continued to maintain a close bond over the years, with the actress sending him birthday wishes on social media and both showing support for each other’s projects.
Chow, who has largely kept a low profile in recent years, made a surprise video appearance to support Cheung on Chinese variety show The Blooming Journey 2 in October 2025.
