Hong Kong  actor Kent Cheng, who has been dogged by persistent rumours about his death, has taken aim at them.

Speculation on his health re-emerged after he posted a video of himself on Chinese social media platforms Douyin and Xiaohongshu on Nov 6 and 7 respectively.

The 74-year-old appeared noticeably thinner, with a greying beard and a slightly hunched gait, looking haggard and causing concern among netizens.

The actor is best known for his role as the Forrest Gump-like character Fat Cat in Hong Kong movies such as Why Me? (1985) and TV series Forrest Cat (1997 to 1999). He released a new clip on Douyin on Nov 20 to set the record straight.

The video begins with Cheng walking outdoors and addressing rumours of his death, with one even claiming that he died in 2021.

“It is Nov 18, 2025, today,” he said in Mandarin, showing a copy of a newspaper with that date on the front page. “The death rumours are false.”

Cheng also addressed rumours of his significant weight loss.

“It’s true I’ve lost a lot of weight – from 270 jin (about 135kg) to 200 jin (about 100kg) now,” he said. “My body couldn’t handle it any more as I grew older, with health issues cropping up. I had to lose weight to regain my health.”

As for his greying beard, he said it was for an acting role, without disclosing the movie. “I’ll shave it off once filming wraps.”

Cheng moved around briskly and looked agile in the video. He returned to acting recently, starring in TVB drama Broken Trust (2024), as well as movies such as The Prosecutor (2024) and A Gilded Game (2025).

He also addressed rumours that he incurred large debts due to failed investments in a film company.

“It’s true that I sold my assets to pay off the debts after my business failed,” he said. “It’s false that my family lived in a slum for years as a result.”

Cheng urged his fans to be discerning.

“Even what you have seen may be fake,” he said. “Technology is so advanced today that it can do things beyond our imagination. We have to analyse them with our brains in the pursuit of truth.”

This is the second time in a month that Cheng has addressed rumours of his alleged death. He joined Douyin on Oct 18 and posted a video of himself with Hong Kong actress-host Dada Wong, saying: “I’m still around.” - The Straits Times/Asia News Network