HK actor Chow Yun Fat says his late mother Chan Lai Fong had taught him to never give up. Photo: IFENG Entertainment/Weibo
From imparting valuable life lessons to being a pillar of support and guidance, the influence of a mother on her children is indeed immeasurable.
Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat recently appeared on the variety programme, The Popcorn Show, where he talked about the profound influence his late mother, Chan Lai Fong, had on him.
According to Chow, his mum had taught him to never give up.
"My mum (had a big influence in my life). She was a good role model who never gave up and was very hardworking," Chow, 68, said.
Reminiscing on the good old days of his childhood, the actor added: "When I was younger, my mum would take me to the fields and let me play nearby while she worked tirelessly all day."
During the interview, Chow revealed that although his mum never received formal education, she was highly intelligent.
"She has a way with words and is very good at rhyming. She could be selling vegetable and will find a way to turn it into poetry.
"Even though she couldn't read, she could speak so eloquently," the superstar said, adding that he admired his mum's talent.
The influence Chow's mother had on him has indeed shaped him into the determined actor we see today.
While filming his upcoming movie, One More Chance, Chow was reportedly slapped 62 times and needed five stitches.
In a series of promotional clips shared on the production's Weibo account, the actor can be seen telling his co-star Kenny Wong, 60, to slap him repeatedly for a scene.
As if that wasn't painful enough, Chow accidentally knocked his head against a prop while filming another scene.
Even as he was bleeding, the Project Gutenberg star refused to give up and insisted on going back to work.
It was said that he only spent two hours at the hospital before heading straight back to the set after getting treated.
Chow's mother passed away in her sleep on Feb 13, 2020. According to Hong Kong media, she was very proud of Chow and would watch all his movies.
Among the films he is famous for include the A Better Tomorrow trilogy (1986 to 1989), the God Of Gamblers movies (1989,1994) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
