As one of Hong Kong’s most respected and well-liked actresses, Maggie Cheung has thrived on versatility. In the last twenty years, Cheung has appeared in over seventy movies to date, playing everything from an action hero, a comedienne, a damsel in distress, and in one film, herself. Despite numerous awards and widespread recognition in her native land, success overseas, particularly in America, has eluded the talented actress. But with “Hero” (2002), Zhang Yimou’s epic historical fantasy, Cheung finally had the opportunity to be recognized by a foreign audience.

Cheung was born in Hong