"Villain" Phuong Cuong: Quitting his job because of puberty failure, U45 reappeared, just passed away

Phuong Cuong is known as the "great villain" of the Hong Kong (China) screen because he plays many classic villain roles. He has just closed his once glorious, lonely but fulfilling life at the age of 78.

From a bright teenager on stage to a turning point at the age of 42

Phuong Cuong's full name is Luong Phuong Cuong, born in 1947 in Hong Kong, in a well-off family. His parents are both in business, once owning a nightclub in the busy Causeway Bay area, and his uncle is a film producer and runs a company.

Childhood passed between the set and the recording sessions, helping Phuong Cuong soon be exposed to art as well as nurture his dream of becoming an actor. He also had the opportunity to get to know many famous stars.

When he was in school, Phuong Cuong possessed the appearance of a student, once a familiar face of school plays. However, puberty has taken away the advantage of his appearance when his face has severe acne, leaving pitted scars. Guilt about his appearance along with the objections of his parents made him give up his dream of acting, return to support his family in business and gradually leave the stage.

The turning point came at the age of 42, when a friend invited Phuong Cuong to participate in a play adapted from Broadway. Without setting many expectations, he agreed to participate because he thought that the stage was far from the audience, no one paid attention to the flaws on his face. Contrary to initial thoughts, his excellent performance helped the play sell out for 64 seats and caught the eye of the famous director Do Ky Phong.

Since then, Phuong Cuong has officially returned to the arts and started a professional acting career in middle age – an age that is considered late compared to the general level in the entertainment industry.

A brilliant decade of the "great villain" of the screen

Starting in 1989, Phuong Cuong quickly became a familiar face on the Hong Kong screen with a series of unique villain roles. His angular face, cold eyes, and vicious demeanor helped him become a symbol of the villains in TV series and movies of the time.

Although not in the group of the famous "Four Great Villains" including Huynh Thu Sinh, Ngo Chan Vu, Luu Giang and Tang Giang, Phuong Cuong is still known as the "first great villain" because of his flexible incarnation and rich psychological depth. He was once likened to the "dark version of Trinh Shao Thu" – implying a familiar face but with completely opposite colors.

Within a decade, Phuong Cuong left his mark with roles in cult series such as People on the Border, First Red and Second Black, Hao Mon, King of the Film Set, The Last Dance, Hatred of Blood Washing, Heroic Identity 4...

In particular, the role of Trinh Te Phung in "People at the Border" (ATV) has brought his name to the top in the land of Fragrant Harbor. The character is both scheming, cruel, and rich in inner depth, and is considered by critics to be one of the best villains of Hong Kong television in the 1990s.

Not only an actor, Phuong Cuong also tried his hand at the role of director, screenwriter and film producer. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and often incorporates psychological analysis into his roles, creating a depth that is rarely seen in villains who are easily stereotyped.

The legacy of a "villain" of stature

During a career spanning more than 30 years, Phuong Cuong has participated in more than 70 films, mainly taking on the role of villain. However, unlike one-sided villains, his roles often have diverse colors, reasons and emotional depth, making viewers both scared and sympathetic.

For Phuong Cuong, playing a villain is not to scare the audience, but to reflect the hidden corners of society and people's interiors. Many Hong Kong film critics believe that it is the acumen in acting, combined with psychological thinking, that has created the brand of Phuong Cuong – a villain with a "god".

Lonely behind the aura, living a quiet and fulfilling life

In the early 2000s, when Hong Kong dramas began to decline, Phuong Cuong gradually withdrew from the entertainment industry. Partly because of the change in the market, partly because he thinks he has spent enough energy and emotions for psychologically heavy roles. He moved back to live in seclusion in Zhongshan (Guangdong), away from the spotlight and screens.

In the last years of his life, Phuong Cuong did not marry and lived with his adopted son – who had been attached and cared for since he moved to a reclusive lifestyle. Although he is no longer active in art, the actor still keeps in touch with friends in the world and occasionally holds gatherings at home.

Phuong Cuong villa is designed in a classic European style, located in a quiet area, surrounded by trees and a lake. He has a pet dog and especially loves collecting rare antiques and jewelry. In rare everyday photos, the veteran star often appears with strings of celestial beads, hazelnuts, jade beads and gemstone rings – all of which are highly collectible items.

From 2022, Phuong Cuong's health has declined markedly. He had to use a wheelchair, breathe oxygen and be hospitalized several times. Despite being well cared for by his family as well as actively treated, the actor's illness still did not subside.

Closing life at the age of 78

On May 30, 2025, Chinese media reported that veteran actor Fang Cuong – who was once known as the "great villain of Hong Kong's screen" – had died. This information was confirmed by the late artist's adopted son on his personal page and quickly became a widely shared topic. Especially in the audience who loves Hong Kong dramas (China) generations 7X and 8X – who have been attached to the small screen through a series of classic villain roles.

According to sharing from relatives, Phuong Cuong passed away in the arms of his family, after a period of fighting illness. It officially closed an artistic journey that lasted more than three decades, leaving a deep mark on the history of Chinese film and television.

Phuong Cuong's departure is considered a great loss for the Chinese film industry, especially in the context that modern cinema is increasingly lacking in in-depth villains. In the memories of many viewers, he is not only a "villain on the screen" but also an artist who is dedicated to his profession, who has spent his whole life to live his roles to the fullest.

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