Yuan Yongyi Publicly Apologizes to Son for Star-Child Pressure, Reveals He Developed Mental Health Issues
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
Two-time Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Yuan Yongyi (Cheung Yiu-kwan) has publicly apologized to her son for the pressures he endured growing up as the child of celebrities. Speaking on the radio program "Conversations for the Rest of Life" hosted by veteran media personality Yu Jiaqiang, Yuan revealed that her strict "tiger mom" approach drove her son to develop emotional health issues and even ask his father for "a different mother." Following medical intervention, Yuan acknowledged her own faults and has since rebuilt her relationship with her son.
Key Points
- Yuan Yongyi and husband Zhang Zhilin (Cheung Chi-lun) married in 2001 and have one son, Zhang Mutong, who has been in the public eye since birth
- On the radio show "余生對話," Yuan publicly apologized: "I'm quite unfair to my son because his parents are Zhang Zhilin and Yuan Yongyi, so everything he does and says gets amplified"
- Yuan's authoritarian parenting style created significant tension; her son once told Zhang Zhilin he wanted "a different mom" and developed emotional disorders due to the pressure
- After medical diagnosis, Yuan realized she was too self-centered and gave her son excessive pressure, prompting her to change her approach
- The actress won Miss Hong Kong at 18, then achieved the "triple crown" at the Hong Kong Film Awards: Best New Performer (1992), Best Actress for "New Blood" (1993), and Best Actress for "Hearts of the Moment" (1994)
Why It Matters
This rare public apology from a high-profile Hong Kong celebrity highlights the hidden struggles of "star children" in the entertainment industry and sparks broader conversations about parenting pressure on minors in the public eye. Yuan's willingness to share her mistakes and her subsequent efforts to repair the mother-son relationship offer a relatable example for other parents navigating the challenges of raising children under intense public scrutiny .
This rare public apology from a high-profile Hong Kong celebrity highlights the hidden struggles of "star children" in the entertainment industry and sparks broader conversations about parenting pressure on minors in the public eye. Yuan's willingness to share her mistakes and her subsequent efforts to repair the mother-son relationship offer a relatable example for other parents navigating the challenges of raising children under intense public scrutiny .