Chinese name: 黎明
Born: December 11, 1966
From: Beijing, China
Occupation: Singer, actor
Worked with Ziyi: 2 times

Founding of a Republic 2009

Forever Enthralled 2008

Leon Lai-ming, BBS, MH is a Chinese-born Hong Kong actor and Cantopop singer. He is one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Hong Kong. He uses the stage name “Li Ming” or “Lai Ming” which literally means “dawn.”

Lai was born in Beijing, China as Lai Chit, initially, but opted for Lai Ming instead. He is of Hakka ancestry. His family was originally from Meixian. His parents divorced when he was four. He migrated with his Indonesian Chinese father, Lai Xinsheng to Hong Kong during the Cultural Revolution in China. At the age of 15, he attended Lewisham College in the United Kingdom and returned to Hong Kong at the age of eighteen in 1984.

Lai was considered by Lee Ang to act as Li Mu Bai in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, however he had to turn down the offer as he had advertising contract and live concert about to start which would not match his shaven head as was required for the role.

He underwent training in Peking Opera for playing the lead role as Méi Lánfāng in the biographical film Forever Enthralled which was directed by Chen Kaige. He directed the music video for the film where he and Zhang Ziyi sang the theme song, “You Understand My Love”. For the first time in his career, Lai played the role of a beggar in the Peter Chan directed film Bodyguards and Assassins. For his success a wax figure of Lai was revealed at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong. —Wiki