For over 15 years, rumors swirled in the Chinese entertainment industry that actor-singer Nicholas Tse may have played a role in sabotaging the career of veteran music icon Dave Wang. Once celebrated as an Asian solo record-breaking artist who even gave Leslie Cheung a run for his money, Wang suddenly lost his voice at the peak of his career in 2005—raising suspicion of foul play.
At the center of speculation was a conspiracy that a younger peer from the same management company may have poisoned him. As Wang’s vocal abilities diminished, he blamed the incident on a mysterious colleague. In a 2010 TV appearance, he claimed, "I know who did it, but I didn’t report them. If that young man were arrested, his life in Hong Kong would be over. I'd rather he live with the guilt." Ever since, Nicholas Tse and his father Patrick Tse were often named in gossip as suspects, especially since both were also managed by the same agency and Nicholas’s career benefited after Wang’s decline.
But now, famed director Wong Jing has stepped in to clear the air. In a livestream, Wong bluntly refuted the poisoning claims, saying, "If someone was really poisoned, how could it take a whole month to lose their voice? And what kind of toxin would only damage your vocal cords and not your life?" He further suggested that Dave Wang’s unhealthy lifestyle, including chain-smoking, heavy drinking and shouting during performances, was more likely to blame for the deterioration of his voice.
According to media outlet 163, Wang had long struggled with substance habits—reportedly smoking up to two packs of cigarettes a day and consuming alcohol before performances. One assistant even revealed Wang once drank two bottles of liquor before a concert. An acclaimed producer was quoted expressing his frustration, "If he keeps singing like that, he’ll end up as a mime actor."
Medical diagnoses showed that Wang suffered vocal cord hemorrhaging, and by his 40s, his vocal health had sharply declined. Despite public statements claiming he was poisoned via coffee with heavy metals or mercury, his accounts varied over the years, raising questions about the consistency of his story.
Though Nicholas Tse never directly addressed the rumors, he lived under suspicion for over a decade. Wong Jing’s comments now offer a rare public defense of the actor, declaring him uninvolved in the alleged sabotage.
While many netizens agreed with Wong Jing, blaming Wang’s downfall on his own lifestyle, others believe only those involved know the full truth. Today, Dave Wang has withdrawn from public life, reportedly living in quiet retirement abroad. As the speculation fades, so too does one of the entertainment industry’s longest-running unsolved dramas.
K14
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