When you hear the words ‘queer pop icon’, your mind might summon images of Madonna, Elton John or Lady Gaga, but one star, Leslie Cheung, might fly under your radar.

Born in Hong Kong, Cheung had a prolific career in the entertainment industry, starring in 56 films, releasing over 40 albums and garnering accolade after accolade as he climbed the ladder of success.

Cheung got his first taste of showbiz when he competed in RTV’s Asian Singing Contest in 1977, in which he finished as the first runner-up in the Hong Kong round and in fifth place in the pan-Asian division. His performance in the competition played a critical role in launching his career, securing Cheung a Polydor Records deal and an acting contract.

Success, however, did not come immediately for Cheung. His early film appearances and albums did not unlock fame or fortune; he subsequently left Polydor.

Things picked up in the ’80s, when he signed with Capital Artists and released his first hit single, ‘The Wind Blows On,’ and thus began his career as a cantopop artist. This era saw him release two successful albums. Meanwhile, his acting career finally took off, with roles in several teenage films.

In 1984, Cheung’s star continued to rise, thanks, in a large part, to his hugely successful single ‘Monica’, which won him several Hong Kong music industry awards. As he began to certify himself as a key figure in the cantopop industry in the ’80s, he continued to maintain a busy film career. By the end of the decade, he was a certified gold and platinum-selling artist and a well-known celebrity across Asia, thanks to his performance in the action film A Better Tomorrow.

In the late ’80s, Cheung stepped back from singing but continued to compose music and work in film, an industry in which he was also critically acclaimed.

By 1995, Cheung returned to singing, and in 2000, the music video for his song ‘Bewildered’, was banned by the Hong Kong broadcaster for depicting intimacy between Cheung and a male ballet dancer. During this era, Cheung received international acclaim – he was nominated for Best Actor at Cannes for his performances in two films, Temptress Moon and Happy Together.

Cheung is widely considered to be a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ visibility in Hong Kong and China, saying in 1992 that his “mind is bisexual”, and that it is “easy” for him to love men and women. Additionally, his work incorporated queer themes, such as the aforementioned music video and his 1999 song ‘Left and Right Hand’, which many believe was about his sexuality.

Leslie Cheung died in 2003, and tens of thousands of people from all around the world travelled to Hong Kong for the singer’s memorial service. Posthumously, Cheung made a number of prestigious lists, including Kinema Junpo’s Top 100 Foreign Actors of the 20th Century, CNN’s poll of most iconic musicians, in which he was voted third, behind Michael Jackson and The Beatles. He also has a star on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong.