Hong Kong actor and dancer Lau Siu Ming has died at the age of 94.
His death was confirmed by Hong Kong voice actor Ding Yue, who told Hong Kong media that Lau died at about 6pm on Sept 2.
Lau, known affectionately as “Ming Sir”, had stepped back from the limelight in recent years amid declining health.
Described as a pioneer in Hong Kong’s dance scene, he was among the first of his peers to pursue dance training in Europe.
He received a scholarship in the early 1960s to study at France’s Ecole Superieure de Danse Cannes Rosella Hightower and later directed performances for dance groups in France and Belgium.
He returned to Hong Kong in 1967 and focused on dance instruction, becoming a dance master and choreographer for TV stations Rediffusion Television and TVB.
In 1979, Lau was invited by Hong Kong film-maker Tsui Hark to star in his directorial debut The Butterfly Murders (1979), which marked Lau’s entry into the film industry.
He went on to deliver many memorable performances across film and television, with his portrayal of the villain Lao Lao – an androgynous tree demon – in Tsui’s horror-fantasy film, A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), becoming one of his most famous roles.
Other notable film and TV appearances included The Legend Of The Condor Heroes series (1983), martial arts film Swordsman (1990), and action feature China Strike Force (2000) alongside Hong Kong singer-actor Aaron Kwok and Mandopop star Wang Leehom.
Lau was conferred an honorary fellowship by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2007.
He was awarded the Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong government in 2013 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the TVB Anniversary Awards that same year.
Lau continued to act and dance well into his 80s, according to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
After taking a short break from acting to care for his wife Cheung Wai Ling, who died of cancer in 2012 at the age of 72, he returned to the screen in TVB gambling drama Bet Hur (2017). The couple have two children.
Lau’s final acting role was in Hong Kong TV drama The Gutter (2020).
The actor, who retreated from the public eye in his later years, spent his 93rd birthday in hospital, reported news outlet Sing Tao Headline.
His last public appearance was in October 2025, when he attended a reception in Hong Kong marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law paid tribute to Lau on Sept 3.
“Ming Sir devoted his life to dance and the performing arts. His talent and dedication will always be remembered,” she said in a press statement.
“We deeply mourn his passing and pay the highest tribute to his outstanding artistic achievements.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
