Christopher Lee Meng Soon (born 23 July 1971) is a Singaporean actor, host and businessman. He is known for starring in many Chinese-language television dramas and films in Singapore, Taiwan and mainland China. At the age of 26, Lee rose to prominence after winning the Star Awards for Best Actor for his role in The Price of Peace, becoming the youngest ever recipient of the award.https://www.asiaone.com/entertainment/i-kept-screaming-christopher-lee-wins-best-supporting-actor-golden-bell-awards-2022-danger-zone-iqiyi
Lee is widely regarded as an "Ah-Ge" (阿哥, "big brother") of Caldecott Hill for being one of the most successful actors in Singapore's Chinese-language entertainment industry. He is the only Singapore-based actor to have won multiple Best Actor accolades at both Singapore's Star Awards and Taiwan's Golden Bell Awards.
Early life Lee was born in Malacca, Malaysia. He has an older sister and two younger brothers, the youngest being Frederick Lee Meng Chong, a Malaysian actor and model.
Career Lee joined Television Corporation of Singapore on a contract in 1995 after emerging as 1st runner-up in the male category of the Star Search programme in 1995. He worked as a factory worker, salesman and part-time model before joining star search in 1995. Lee first started acting in Chinese-language television dramas produced by Channel 8.
Rise to prominence
Lee rose to prominence after winning the Best Actor award at the Star Awards 1997 for his role as a hanjian in the television drama The Price of Peace, set in Japanese-occupied Singapore during World War II. He was voted in as one of the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes that same year.
In 1998, he starred as Yang Guo in The Return of the Condor Heroes, an adaptation of Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The drama achieved high ratings in Taiwan, and Lee was voted in as Taiwan's Most Popular MediaCorp Male Artiste at the Star Awards 1998 for his performance.
Since then, Lee has acted in many television series jointly produced by Singapore and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, co-starring with actors from Hong Kong and Taiwan, such as Nadia Chan, Vincent Chiao, Jimmy Lin and Jordan Chan.
Apart from acting, Lee also recorded the theme songs of MediaCorp's television dramas. He released his first solo album in 1999 and another one in 2002.
Apart from acting, Lee has also ventured into hosting and has hosted several travel and food programmes. He was nominated for the Best Info-Ed Show Host award at the Star Awards 2012.
At the Star Awards 2013, Lee won his second Star Awards for Best Actor for his role in Show Hand.
Regional acclaim
For his role as a depressed workaholic in A Good Wife, Lee won his first Golden Bell Award for Best Leading Actor in a Television Series at the 2014 Golden Bell Awards, Taiwan's equivalent of the Emmy Awards.
Lee would go on to win the Golden Bell Award for Best Leading Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film at the 2021 Golden Bell Awards for his role as a construction worker obsessed with money in the HBO comedy Workers.
In 2022, Lee won the Golden Bell Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series in the iQiyi crime thriller Danger Zone.
In 2023, Lee ended veteran host Quan Yi Fong's five-year winning streak when he won the Star Awards for Best Programme Host at the 2023 Star Awards.
Ventures On 9 November 2021, Lee launched a golf clothing brand, eponymously named LMS, the initials of his Chinese name in pinyin.
Personal life
Lee is married to Fann Wong, his co-star in several television series, on 16 May 2009. They have a son who was born in 2014.
Legal issues On 8 October 2006, Lee was involved in a hit-and-run road accident. He had allegedly knocked down a motorcyclist due to suspected drunk driving, causing the motorcyclist and his pillion rider to suffer superficial injuries on their faces and legs. He failed the breathalyser test and was more than twice the legal limit. He was arrested and released later on bail.
Despite the incident, Lee managed to win a position among the Top 10 Male Artistes in the Star Awards 2006. In his acceptance speech, Lee said that he had been feeling terrible over the incident during the previous two months, and that he would be responsible for what he did. Speaking to reporters later, he mentioned that he had been unable to sleep at times, adding that he was very grateful to his fans for their support.
On 10 May 2007, Lee was fined S$4,500 and disqualified from driving for three years on charges of drunk driving and other traffic offences, as well as being sentenced to a prison term of four weeks after he admitted to drink driving, inconsiderate driving, failing to render aid to the injured motorcyclist and his injured pillion rider and removing his car from the scene without police permission. Lee appealed against his jail sentence but withdrew his appeal later on 28 May. He began serving his sentence at Queenstown Remand Prison on the same day.Ansley Ng, "Christopher Lee begins jail term", Today, 29 May 2007 On 15 June, the prosecution succeeded in appealing against Lee's four-week jail sentence and the court decided to overturn an earlier sentence of a S$3,000 fine for his drunk driving offence. Lee was sentenced to an additional two weeks in prison, making his total prison term six weeks long. On 21 June, the prosecution dropped the last of five charges against Lee for failing to stop after an accident, letting him off with a stern warning instead.Carolyn Quek, "Last of five charges against actor dropped", The Straits Times, 22 June 2007 Lee was released on 25 June, after receiving a reduction in his prison sentence due to good behavior.
Due to his conviction, Lee was dropped from playing the lead role in the 2007 Channel 8 television series Metamorphosis. He was replaced by actor Thomas Ong. On 12 July 2007, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) completed its review on Lee's case and decided to allow him to retain his permanent resident (PR) status in Singapore. After the conviction, he made his comeback in the 2008 television drama Rhythm of Life.
In 2022, Lee revealed that he obtained Singapore citizenship "a few years ago".
Filmography
Television series Year Title Role Notes 1996Kungfu Master Liu Nianrong Of Cops and Man Liu Jiashun Brave New World Jiale 1997The Choice Partner Zheng Fangsheng My Wife, Your Wife, Their Wives Mai Jiawei The Price of Peace Xie Guomin The Guest People Zhang Chongzhi 1998The Return of the Condor Heroes Yang GuoMyths and Legends of Singapore Zhu Heyi / Zhu Gutou 1999Coup de Scorpio Xie Tingzhang Riding the Storm Zhong Qingtang 2000Master Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng Ximen ChuixueLooking for Stars Henry 2001Madam White Snake Xu Xian / Xu Shilin Master Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng 2 Ximen Chuixue The Hotel Shaun 2002Brotherhood He Ping Palm of Rulai Lu Xiaoyu 2003Moon FairyHouyiTrue Heroes Chen Junhao Always on My MindTang Xinyang 2004Timeless Gift Wang Jie To Mum with Love Yang Yijie 2005You Are the One Simon A New Life Zhang Youfu The Dragon Heroes Yan Cheng 2006The Lucky Stars Wu Fuqi Rhapsody in Blue Lan Ziyuan Through It All Guo Yihai Fairy of the Chalice Cao Jing 2007The Peak Fang Hong'anA Mobile Love Story Lin Lizhong 2008Rhythm of Life Li JunjieBeach.Ball.Babes (球爱大战) Ma Tianwu The Shaolin Warriors Qi Jiguang 2009My Buddy Zeng Youquan 2010Breakout Situ Dongcheng 2011Secrets for Sale Zheng Renyi The Oath Wu Guo En 2012Show Hand Zhang Qiming Won Best Actor at Star Awards 2013Game Plan Zeng Haoren 2013A Good Wife Li ShaowenWon Best Leading Actor at Golden Bell Awards 2014Against The Tide Di Shen The Romance of the Condor Heroes Huang Yaoshi Mr. Right Wanted Lun Zheming 2015Crescendo Yang Yiwei 2016Nie XiaoqianYan Qi Yan Chi Xia2018Memories of LoveXin Kai YuDoppelgangerYang Liwei Li Ruiming 2019My Girlfriend is an Alien Fang Shida After The Stars (攻星计) Le Jun DiveMing Ke2020WorkersLin Mingqi2021Danger ZoneTan ChonghuiWon Best Supporting Actor at Golden Bell Awards2023Port of LiesTong Baoju2024Kill Sera SeraQ18 Professor Ko2026Haunted House SecretsTseng Kuo-hsiung
Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1995Love Knows No BoundsHong JieTelevision film2004The Best BetLee Yong Shun2009The Wedding GameJack Fang2010KidnapperAh Huat2012ForgottenLuo Pin-ChungTelevision filmSweetheart Chocolate2014Black and White Episode 2: The Dawn of JusticeFilial PartyPeh Ah BengWhen a Peking Family Meets AupairReporterWho Is Undercover2017The Fortune HandbookSoh HockAll My GoddessGaryThe Long GoodbyeLee Yu ChengWho Killed Cock Robin?2019Wet SeasonAndrewFall in Love at First KissMr JiangIf Thoughts Can Kill2021The SoulWan Yufan2023Workers The MovieLin Mingqi
Variety show hosting Year Title Notes 2001 Travel Hunt2006 Insiders' Australia2008 Life Transformers2010 Life Transformers 22011 The Adventures of Chris2019 Star Search (season 11) Mentor2022 Dishing With Chris Lee
Music video appearances YearArtisteSong title Notes 2019 JJ Lin"The Right Time"2021 Stefanie Sun"What Remains"
Discography
Studio albums Christopher Lee Story (1999) Love, No Boundaries (2002)
Singles Year Title Notes 1997 错爱今生 Theme song from The Choice Partner 和平的代价 Theme song from The Price of Peace 流浪之歌 Theme song from The Guest People 1998 一生太短暂 Insert song from The Return of the Condor Heroes 1999 逃避 Opening theme song from Coup de Scorpio 不告而别 Ending theme song from Coup de Scorpio 2000 义 Ending theme song from Master Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng 2002 平凡 Theme song from Brotherhood 爱，无国界 2003 英雄好汉 Opening theme song from True Heroes 每一天的思念 Insert song from True Heroes 在你左右 Ending theme song from True Heroes 2004 非一般烦恼 Theme song from To Mum with Love 2005 相信 Theme song from You Are the One 福禄寿 Theme song from My Lucky Stars; performed together with Fann Wong 万年红 Chinese New Year song - performed together with Fann Wong 2007 恭喜恭喜07 Chinese New Year song - performed together with Qi Yuwu, Ann Kok and Dawn Yeoh 2008 事如意08 Chinese New Year song 运气-阳光系列3 谈何容易
Compilation albums Year English title Mandarin title 2007 Mediacorp Lunar New Year Album 07 群星贺岁金猪庆丰圆 2008 Mediacorp Lunar New Year Album Compilation 08 群星贺岁福牛迎瑞年 2012 MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 12 新传媒群星金龙接财神
Awards and nominations