Veteran Hong Kong performer Benz Hui, known as the “King of Supporting Actors,” has passed away.
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Hui died in a Hong Kong hospital during the early hours of Oct. 28 from cancer-related complications, as reported by local media via the BBC. He was 76.
Hui (real name Hui Shiu-hung) wasn’t an A-list star, but his face was instantly recognizable, making him one of Hong Kong cinema’s quintessential “I know that guy” actors. He consistently appeared in TV shows and movies, amassing over 200 acting credits on his IMDb page.
Hui was best known for playing tough cops or gangsters, but he had plenty of range. He could just as easily pull off the lovable sidekick or the grumpy uncle next door.
His most famous roles include “Chung Sir,” a police superintendent in the 2002 movie Love Undercover. He also famously played a triad boss in a 2014 film, earning him the nickname Foon-hei Gor (Brother Foon-hei), after his character.
Meanwhile, the story behind his nickname is pretty on-brand. Early in his career, he was one of the first actors to drive a Mercedes-Benz to the TVB studio, earning him the English nickname “Benz Hui.” The name stuck.
However, few of Hui’s fans knew of his family’s prominent connections. Chinese reports, via the BBC, revealed he descended from a wealthy salt merchant family. One ancestor was a key minister in Empress Dowager Cixi’s court, and another was the partner of Lu Xun, the father of modern Chinese literature.
“Every tree has dead branches, and every large tribe has beggars,” the actor once observed of his family’s legacy and his place in it. “I am both a dead branch and a beggar, as I am really not as great as them.”
Benz Hui’s Daughter Pays Tribute with Poignant Social Media Post
Meanwhile, the actor’s daughter, Charmaine, took to social media earlier this week to pay tribute to her late father.
“Dad, today is your birthday,” she wrote in Chinese on November 4, per The Straits Times. “The past few days have felt so surreal. May you now be carefree and go wherever you need to go.”
She posted a childhood photo of herself with him, as well as a video in which she can be heard asking if he was starting work soon.
“Which team are you joining today?” she asked in the footage.
“Team B,” he shot back. Meanwhile, someone holding a “Team B” sign walked past in the background.
“I’ll just pretend that you’ve gone to work. Team B is ready,” she added in the caption to her tribute.