# Kevin Cheng

**Kevin Cheng** (郑嘉颖; born 1969) is a Hong Kong actor and singer who was born in San Francisco, California, and raised in Hong Kong. His role as the Eighth Prince in the 2011 mainland costume drama *Scarlet Heart* (步步惊心) made him widely known in mainland China<sup>[1](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup>.

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2011 awards sweep | Best Actor, My Favourite TV Male Character, and tvb.com Weibo Popularity Award at the 2011 TVB Anniversary Awards, all for *Ghetto Justice*<sup>[2](https://tvb-horizon.blogspot.com/2011/12/tvb-anniversary-awards-ceremony-2011.html)</sup> |
| International award | Best Drama Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, 16th Asian Television Awards (2011), for the role of Law Lik-Ah in *Ghetto Justice*<sup>[3](https://img.b.tvb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/tvbi/files/2011/12/20111208_16th-asian-tv-awards-2011_pdf_eng.pdf)</sup> |
| Breakout mainland role | The Eighth Prince Yinsi ("八爷") in *Scarlet Heart* (2011)<sup>[1](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup> |
| Family | Married Grace Chan (陈凯琳) in 2018; three children<sup>[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0155588/bio/)</sup> |

## Early life and education

He majored in civil engineering and left university in his third year<sup>[5](https://bgm.tv/person/16953)</sup>. In a 2011 interview with the *Yangcheng Evening News*, he explained that during a summer trip back to Hong Kong a teacher introduced him to PolyGram, he passed an audition, and he decided to stop studying one year short of graduation to stay in Hong Kong and sing<sup>[6](https://yule.sohu.com/20110109/n278758252.shtml)</sup>.

## Music career, 1993–1998

He won the Commercial Radio gold award for new male singer (叱咤乐坛新力军男歌手金奖) and a bronze Most Promising Newcomer award at the 16th RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards<sup>[1](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup>.

**A career low point.** After his first album sold modestly and the 1997 Asian financial crisis cut label budgets, his releases stalled. In 2006, Tai pursued him for commissions under a 1993 contract, an episode that drew public sympathy toward Cheng<sup>[7](https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/entertainment/20180812/bkn-20180812130005789-0812_00862_001.html)</sup>.

## Television career

**Entry into acting.** In 1999 Cheng played the villain Jiang Yulang (江玉郎) in the Taiwanese costume series *The Legendary Siblings* (绝代双骄), starring [Jimmy Lin](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-lin) and Alec Su<sup>[1](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup>.

**First TV King award, 2006.** After becoming a drama lead in *Life Art* and related series, his popularity rose sharply with the 2006 romance *Under the Canopy of Love*, opposite Niki Chow, and he won Best Actor at the 2006 TVB Anniversary Awards<sup>[8](https://img.tvb.com/p/weekly/file/748/748_24.10.2011.pdf)</sup>. The win drew public criticism, with some viewers questioning the result, and Cheng said in a later interview that he responded by working harder to prove he deserved it<sup>[9](https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/60343223/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E%E6%98%94%E6%97%A5%E8%A8%AA%E8%AB%87%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F-%E6%8F%AD%E7%AB%A5%E5%B9%B4%E5%AD%A4%E7%8D%A8%E7%BC%BA%E5%AE%B6%E5%BA%AD%E6%BA%AB%E6%9A%96-%E5%A4%9C%E6%99%9A%E5%B0%B1%E4%BF%82%E5%B0%8D%E4%BD%8F%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E9%81%8E)</sup>.

**2011: the peak year.** Cheng played dual roles in *A Fistful of Stances* (铁马寻桥) in 2010<sup>[1](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup>. In 2011 he took the role of the scruffy lawyer Law Lik-Ah ("Law霸") in *Ghetto Justice*, a deliberate break from his refined image that won wide praise<sup>[10](https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/entertainment/20111128/00282_007.html)</sup>. At the 2011 TVB Anniversary Awards he won Best Actor, My Favourite TV Male Character, and the tvb.com Weibo Popularity Award, all for the same series<sup>[2](https://tvb-horizon.blogspot.com/2011/12/tvb-anniversary-awards-ceremony-2011.html)</sup>. The same month he was named My Favourite Actor in a Leading Role at the My AOD Favourites Awards in Malaysia<sup>[11](https://img.b.tvb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/tvbi/files/2011/12/20111127_my-aod-favourites-awards-2011_pdf_eng.pdf)</sup>, and on December 8, 2011 he won Best Drama Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role at the 16th Asian Television Awards in Singapore, where TVB artistes took all four leading and supporting acting awards<sup>[3](https://img.b.tvb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/tvbi/files/2011/12/20111208_16th-asian-tv-awards-2011_pdf_eng.pdf)</sup>.

**Mainland fame.** Also in 2011, Cheng played the Eighth Prince Yinsi in the mainland time-travel costume drama *Scarlet Heart*, adapted from Tong Hua's novel; the role made him a household name in mainland China<sup>[1](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup>. In 2012 he signed a singer's contract with Emperor Entertainment Group and ranked first in the Huading Awards public-image survey of Chinese television actors<sup>[1](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup>.

**Later TVB years and departure.** His later TVB series included *Eye in the Sky* (2015), *Blue Veins* (僵, 2015), and *Mystery* (迷, 2016)<sup>[12](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kevin_Cheng)</sup>. After completing *Mystery* in 2016 his contract expired and he left TVB after 15 years, moving into film work and the stage musical *风云5D音乐剧*, in which he played Cloud (步惊云) on a Hong Kong and mainland tour<sup>[13](https://image.agentm.tw/artist_page?a_id=bd4115c4fce4df9c513b3037979b512bb74bc0ac70253167c0df6bfc80b0eaec)</sup>. In 2021 he starred in the TVB anniversary drama *Kids' Lives Matter* successor production *Big White Duel* era series *Children's Hospital* (星空下的仁医), playing a pediatric surgeon<sup>[12](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kevin_Cheng)</sup>.

## Personal life

Cheng married actress and former Miss Hong Kong Grace Chan in 2018; the couple have three children<sup>[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0155588/bio/)</sup>. Since 2021 he has taken markedly less acting work to care for the children while Chan's media and business career has grown, a division of roles widely reported in Hong Kong and mainland media<sup>[14](https://www.stheadline.com/film-drama/3571712/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E%E5%86%87%E6%8B%8D%E5%8A%875%E5%B9%B4%E8%AE%8A%E5%85%A8%E8%81%B7%E6%B9%8A%E4%BB%94%E5%85%AC-%E7%8B%82%E6%8E%A5%E5%85%92%E5%AD%90%E6%94%BE%E5%AD%B8%E6%90%B5%E9%8C%A2%E9%9D%A0%E9%99%B3%E5%87%B1%E7%90%B3-%E8%A2%AB%E6%8C%87%E6%9B%BE%E8%87%B4%E9%9B%BB%E6%A8%82%E6%98%93%E7%8E%B2%E7%88%86%E5%96%8A)</sup>. In a resurfaced interview he described a childhood in which his nurse mother worked night shifts and his businessman father was often away, and he was largely raised by a caregiver he calls "Ling jie" (玲姐)<sup>[9](https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/60343223/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E%E6%98%94%E6%97%A5%E8%A8%AA%E8%AB%87%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F-%E6%8F%AD%E7%AB%A5%E5%B9%B4%E5%AD%A4%E7%8D%A8%E7%BC%BA%E5%AE%B6%E5%BA%AD%E6%BA%AB%E6%9A%96-%E5%A4%9C%E6%99%9A%E5%B0%B1%E4%BF%82%E5%B0%8D%E4%BD%8F%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E9%81%8E)</sup>.

## Reception

Cheng's 2006 Best Actor win was contested by a section of the Hong Kong online audience, and his public standing dipped around 2009 with *Burning Flame III*; the *Ghetto Justice* role is credited with restoring his popularity and, with the 2011 awards sweep, securing recognition of his acting<sup>[15](https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/60343223/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E%E6%98%94%E6%97%A5%E8%A8%AA%E8%AB%87%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F-%E6%8F%AD%E7%AB%A5%E5%B9%B4%E5%AD%A4%E7%8D%A8%E7%BC%BA%E5%AE%B6%E5%BA%AD%E6%BA%AB%E6%9A%96-%E5%A4%9C%E6%99%9A%E5%B0%B1%E4%BF%82%E5%B0%8D%E4%BD%8F%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E9%81%8E)</sup>. His birth year is given as 1969 by most biographical sources; the streaming platform iQIYI lists 1970<sup>[16](https://www.iq.com/actor-info/kevin-cheng-200088705?_from=iqiyi&lang=en_us)</sup>.

## References

1. [鄭嘉穎 - 中文百科全書 (newton.com.tw)](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)
2. [TVB Anniversary Awards Ceremony 2011 results (tvb-horizon)](https://tvb-horizon.blogspot.com/2011/12/tvb-anniversary-awards-ceremony-2011.html)
3. [TVBI Press Release: 16th Asian Television Awards 2011](https://img.b.tvb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/tvbi/files/2011/12/20111208_16th-asian-tv-awards-2011_pdf_eng.pdf)
4. [Kevin Cheng - Biography - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0155588/bio/)
5. [鄭嘉穎 - Bangumi 番组计划](https://bgm.tv/person/16953)
6. [郑嘉颖：我不是"乐易玲派" 我是"TVB派" - 搜狐娱乐/羊城晚报](https://yule.sohu.com/20110109/n278758252.shtml)
7. [入行25年兩度封帝　鄭嘉穎谷底反彈振雄風 - on.cc 東網](https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/entertainment/20180812/bkn-20180812130005789-0812_00862_001.html)
8. [TVB Weekly, 24 October 2011 (PDF)](https://img.tvb.com/p/weekly/file/748/748_24.10.2011.pdf)
9. [鄭嘉穎昔日訪談出土　揭童年孤獨缺家庭溫暖 - 香港01](https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/60343223/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E%E6%98%94%E6%97%A5%E8%A8%AA%E8%AB%87%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%9F-%E6%8F%AD%E7%AB%A5%E5%B9%B4%E5%AD%A4%E7%8D%A8%E7%BC%BA%E5%AE%B6%E5%BA%AD%E6%BA%AB%E6%9A%96-%E5%A4%9C%E6%99%9A%E5%B0%B1%E4%BF%82%E5%B0%8D%E4%BD%8F%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E9%81%8E)
10. [鄭嘉穎：我唔接受換獎 - 東方日報](https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/entertainment/20111128/00282_007.html)
11. [TVBI Press Release: My AOD Favourites Awards 2011](https://img.b.tvb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/tvbi/files/2011/12/20111127_my-aod-favourites-awards-2011_pdf_eng.pdf)
12. [Kevin Cheng - DramaWiki](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kevin_Cheng)
13. [鄭嘉穎 Kevin Cheng 人物介紹 - 電影神搜](https://image.agentm.tw/artist_page?a_id=bd4115c4fce4df9c513b3037979b512bb74bc0ac70253167c0df6bfc80b0eaec)
14. [鄭嘉穎冇拍劇5年變「全職湊仔公」 - 星島頭條](https://www.stheadline.com/film-drama/3571712/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E%E5%86%87%E6%8B%8D%E5%8A%875%E5%B9%B4%E8%AE%8A%E5%85%A8%E8%81%B7%E6%B9%8A%E4%BB%94%E5%85%AC-%E7%8B%82%E6%8E%A5%E5%85%92%E5%AD%90%E6%94%BE%E5%AD%B8%E6%90%B5%E9%8C%A2%E9%9D%A0%E9%99%B3%E5%87%B1%E7%90%B3-%E8%A2%AB%E6%8C%87%E6%9B%BE%E8%87%B4%E9%9B%BB%E6%A8%82%E6%98%93%E7%8E%B2%E7%88%86%E5%96%8A)
15. [鄭嘉穎 - 香港網絡大典](https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/%E9%84%AD%E5%98%89%E7%A9%8E)
16. [Kevin Cheng - iQIYI](https://www.iq.com/actor-info/kevin-cheng-200088705?_from=iqiyi&lang=en_us)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of East and Southeast Asia › Hong Kong actors*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license