PUBLISHED ONMarch 03, 2019 8:41 PMByKimberly FooVeteran Hong Kong actor Benz Hui may be a familiar face to all of us who grew up watching Hong Kong dramas.
In fact, he shocked Singaporeans when it was revealed that he moved to Yishun last year.
With a career spanning 48 years across Hong Kong dramas and movies, the actor earned his English moniker from the Mercedes Benz he used to drive to work every day even when he was not a highly-paid actor.
While it is surprising how he was able to afford the luxury car at such an early stage in his career, reports have linked the actor's affluence to his illustrious family history.
According to Hong Kong's Next media, Benz's background was back in the spotlight after his 21-year-old daughter moved to Singapore to be together with her Singaporean boyfriend. For her happiness, Benz and his Singapore-born wife decided to relocate along with her.
The report speculated that her boyfriend must come from a respectable family, and have the potential of being Benz's son-in-law, for the family to be willing to uproot themselves.
BENZ'S ILLUSTRIOUS FAMILY HISTORY
Hailing from the first influential and prominent family in Guangzhou, the actor's great-grandfather was a scholar in the Qing Dynasty and was adored by Empress Dowager Cixi, who took him as her godson. He was also a high-ranking official and one of the few people allowed to ride horses inside the Forbidden City.
In addition to the already impressive lineage, Benz's aunt is the wife of prominent Chinese writer, Lu Xun, while his uncle helped set up the Whampoa Military Academy and became its commander-in-chief. Another uncle was the director of the Guangzhou Bureau of Education. There was even a movie titled 'Seven Sons', produced about his family. Benz's own father owned a shop specialising in jade.
Despite his family history, the actor says he's never considered his status to be above others.
Speaking to media on the topic, Benz shared: "What's there to say? Comparing (me to them) makes me look bad, and placing me on the same level as them would be disrespectful. The glory years of my family would have been during my great-grandfather's time, and it just went downhill after that."
He joked: "If I was born a few generations earlier, I could've gotten some benefits."
kimberlyfoo@asiaone.com
