Hong Kong screen legend Patrick Tse dies at 89

PETALING JAYA

Widely known to generations of fans as “Sei Gor” or “Fourth Brother”, he died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones after his health deteriorated in recent years, his family announced on Monday.

In a statement, they describe him as a respected actor and artiste whose charisma, passion for life and distinctive personality brought joy to those around him and left a lasting mark on Hong Kong entertainment.

For audiences, Patrick was much more than a familiar face on screen. With his swept-back hair, sunglasses, immaculate clothes and effortless swagger, he embodied a brand of old-school movie-star glamour that remained recognisable even as Hong Kong cinema changed around him.

His son, singer and actor Nicholas Tse, paid an emotional tribute on Instagram, recalling a father who had devoted his life to film and entertainment.

Nicholas said he had seen his father struggle through difficult moments when he was younger – yet Patrick always insisted on appearing before the cameras at his best.

“The show must go on,” he would say.

“So, if you think of Sei Gor, if you think of my father, don’t cry or be overly heartbroken,” Nicholas wrote. “All we need to do is keep in our hearts the image of him forever full of charm, always smiling and looking his very best. That will be enough.”

Born Tse Ka-yuk in Guangzhou in 1936, Patrick began acting in the early 1950s and rose to prominence during the golden age of Cantonese cinema.

Over the decades, he played romantic heroes, suave adventurers, villains and authority figures, while also working behind the camera as a director, writer and producer in the 1970s.

Younger international audiences may remember him as Hung, the ruthless coach of Team Evil in Stephen Chow’s 2001 comedy “Shaolin Soccer” – a role that made playful use of Patrick’s elegant but intimidating persona and introduced his distinctive style to a new generation.

Yet one of his most celebrated performances arrived considerably late. In the 2021 black comedy-drama “Time”, Patrick played Chau, an ageing former contract killer who finds unexpected purpose after returning to work.

The film earned him the Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2022, making the then 85-year-old the oldest recipient of the honour.

It was fitting recognition for a performer whose career stretched across vastly different eras of Hong Kong entertainment, from black-and-white productions and matinee-idol stardom to television appearances and modern cinema.

Although Patrick kept a lower profile following his award win, he continued to attract attention whenever he appeared in public.

During what was reported to be his final public outing in April, he was photographed having coffee with friends at a café. Noticeably frail and using a wheelchair, he still wore his trademark sunglasses and ponytail, and smiled while posing for photographs with fans.

It was a fitting final glimpse of the star: older and physically diminished, but still unmistakably Patrick Tse.

Nicholas reportedly returned to Hong Kong from mainland China following his father’s death, while Patrick’s daughter, actress and model Jennifer Tse, was also expected to return from Canada. Funeral arrangements are expected to remain private.

For his family, the loss is deeply personal; for Hong Kong cinema, it marks the passing of a performer who belonged to its history while never allowing himself to seem old-fashioned.

Yet, as he often reminded his son, the show must go on.