Hong Kong’s veteran actor Benz Hui, known as the “King of Supporting Actors,” dies at 76

Benz Hui, a veteran Hong Kong actor affectionately known as the “King of Supporting Actors” during his five-decade career, has died at the age of 76.

Local media reported that Hui passed away early Tuesday morning at a Hong Kong hospital after complications related to cancer.

Though Hui — whose real name was Hui Shiu-hung — was not an A-list celebrity, his familiar face made him one of Hong Kong cinema’s most recognisable performers. Over his long career, he appeared in more than 200 films and television dramas, often portraying police officers, gangsters, or endearing fatherly figures.

Among his most notable performances was his role as “Chung Sir,” a police superintendent in the 2002 romantic comedy Love Undercover. His portrayal of a triad boss in the 2014 crime film Line Walker earned him the nickname “Foon-hei Gor,” or “Brother Foon-hei,” after his character.

Hui adopted the name “Benz Hui” after he began driving a Mercedes-Benz to work, a moniker that stuck throughout his career.

Rising to prominence during the golden age of Hong Kong entertainment from the 1970s to the 1990s, Hui became a familiar presence on TVB dramas watched by millions across East and Southeast Asia.

Few fans knew of his distinguished family background. According to Chinese reports, Hui was descended from a wealthy salt merchant family, with one ancestor serving as a minister under Empress Dowager Cixi. Another was said to have been a business partner of Lu Xun, regarded as the father of modern Chinese literature.

Reflecting on his heritage, Hui once remarked humbly: “Every tree has dead branches, and every large tribe has beggars. I am both a dead branch and a beggar, as I am really not as great as them.”

Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment industry. Actress Shu Qi wrote on Weibo: “May you have a peaceful journey.” Singer and actress Miriam Yeung Chin-wah paid tribute on Instagram, saying she was grateful to have met Hui “at the starting point of my career.”

Many fans described his passing as the end of an era for Hong Kong entertainment. “This is a sad day for everyone who grew up with TVB,” one user wrote on social platform RedNote.

Hui is survived by his wife and daughter.