Nicholas Tse has faced heavy criticism from the public for his perceived shortcomings as a father.
Not long ago, Lucas — the eldest son of Cecilia Cheung and Nicholas Tse — celebrated his 18th birthday. Netizens quickly noticed that Nicholas was not only absent from the milestone celebration but also failed to post any congratulatory message on social media. This fueled public debate over whether the star was fulfilling his duties as a father.
In response, Nicholas Tse’s studio attempted to counter the criticism by sharing old photos, such as him spending six hours building Lego with his son during Lunar New Year 2024 and baking a chocolate cake for Quintus’s birthday.
However, according to the media outlet 163, Nicholas has been absent from many key moments in his children’s lives — elementary school graduation ceremonies, basketball finals, and even times when a hospital signature was required. Meanwhile, he has been seen happily attending events for Wang Fei’s daughter, further fueling public disapproval.
In 2023, when Quintus had a high fever of 40°C, Cecilia Cheung reportedly rushed him alone to the emergency room, while Nicholas was spotted dining with Wang Fei at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Over the past five years, his total time living with his sons has reportedly been less than three months. A psychologist once diagnosed Lucas with anxiety due to his father’s absence, requiring medication for chronic insomnia.
Veteran Hong Kong reporters note that Nicholas’s lack of family involvement began even before his marriage to Cecilia ended. In the two years leading up to their divorce, he allegedly returned to their shared home only 19 times.
Perhaps this history explains Cecilia’s pointed comment in an interview: “Kids need a father, not a check.” Nicholas himself once admitted, “I was immature to use work as an excuse to avoid my family.”
Still, Nicholas has shown affection for his children in his own way. In 2018, he took them on a ski trip to Hokkaido, and media have captured joyful moments of the three together at his concerts. Financially, he has reportedly set up a 948 million yuan (over $430 million USD) trust for his sons and promised to leave them shares in his Feng Wei business empire.
Critics argue that the Tse family often expresses love through material wealth. Nicholas’s father, veteran actor Patrick Tse, has gifted his grandsons luxury watches and a Qianlong-era porcelain vase from his collection. He is also said to have written a will leaving 90% of his assets to Cecilia and her sons, honoring his promise to secure their future.
Nicholas’s mother, Deborah Lee, was once spotted house-hunting with Cecilia and reportedly spent 40 million HKD (about $5.1 million USD) on a luxury villa for her and the boys — a gesture interpreted as an unspoken apology for Nicholas missing much of his children’s upbringing.
Sources: kenh14
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