Leung often collaborates with director Wong Kar-wai and has appeared in many of his films . His most notable roles include the lonely policeman in '' Chungking Express '' ( 1994 ) , a gay Chinese expatriate living in Argentina in '' Happy Together '' ( 1997 ) , and a self-controlled victim of adultery in '' In the Mood for Love '' ( 2000 ) for which he won the Best Actor award at Cannes . He trained for five years in wing chun to prepare for his role as Ip Man in Wong 's '' The Grandmaster . '' He is considered by many to be one of the finest actors of his generation in Hong Kong . Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt are admirers of his work , and Leung has been called Asia 's answer to Clark Gable
Cannes
2000 Cannes Film Festival
Tony Leung Chiu-wai