1st November 2025 – (Taipei) Veteran Hong Kong actor and filmmaker Stanley Fung Shui‑fan has reportedly died in Taiwan at the age of 81. The news was disclosed in the early hours of 1st November by New Taipei City councillor Tsai Shu‑chun on social media and was swiftly echoed by multiple Taiwanese outlets.
Fung, a defining face of Hong Kong screen comedy across the 1970s, 80s and 90s and a member of the famed Lucky Stars ensemble, also directed and wrote for film during a prolific career. He made his acting debut in 1967 and stepped behind the camera in 1974 with his directorial bow The Looks of Hong Kong. Over the decades, he amassed credits in more than 135 films as an actor, alongside 10 directing projects, four writing credits and three producing roles.
Tributes and shock greeted the sudden report of his passing. In her post, Tsai described feeling hollow upon hearing the news and recalled Fung as an artist whose words carried drama and whose smile hinted at stories, warm and genuine on and off camera. She noted the timing of his departure felt mischievously apt and tender in a way that was “very Director Fung,” prompting online reactions such as “too sudden,” “shocking,” and “a regrettable loss.”
Although many of Fung’s performances became staples of Hong Kong popular cinema and collective memory, he later voiced stark dissatisfaction with portions of his comedic oeuvre. In forthright remarks in his later years, he criticised certain collaborations and derided some productions as beneath standard, saying he considered parts of that body of work a lifelong regret.
Fung relocated to Taiwan in 1989 and obtained Taiwanese citizenship in 1996. Known for his conservative political leanings, he publicly addressed cross‑strait issues on several occasions.
