Since his daughter was born, Andy Lau has devoted considerable time and effort to caring for her despite his consistently packed schedule.
Over the years, Andy Lau has given his only daughter a carefully protected childhood, but what draws attention to his parenting goes beyond the fact that she was born into a wealthy family. Despite his busy schedule and a life constantly lived in the spotlight, the actor has reportedly tried to personally take his daughter to school, sit beside her while she studies and patiently support her individual interests. Behind the image of one of Hong Kong’s biggest superstars is a father who cares for his daughter in surprisingly ordinary ways.
Andy Lau met Carol Chu when he traveled to Malaysia with a Hong Kong celebrity football team. After they began dating, Chu gave up her work and moved to Hong Kong to be with him. They had been together for more than two decades before marrying in Las Vegas in 2008 and publicly confirming their relationship a year later.
After getting married, the couple wanted to have a child, but Carol Chu becoming pregnant at the age of 45 meant that Lau’s happiness was also accompanied by concern. In 2012, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Hanna Lau. Lau treasured his daughter deeply and began preparing a comfortable and secure life for her from her earliest days.
During Hanna’s first year of life, Andy Lau reportedly spent HK$500 million preparing for his daughter’s life, including HK$200 million on a villa alone. The spacious home was designed to allow the family to live comfortably while maintaining the level of privacy particularly important for the child of a major celebrity. When Hanna turned three, Lau reportedly even purchased a private jet to make traveling more convenient for his daughter.
Andy Lau also paid particular attention to Hanna’s living environment. The family home reportedly has as many as 14 air purifiers to maintain optimal air quality. Three nannies help take care of Hanna and her mother, while 10 bodyguards are reportedly responsible for protecting Hanna whenever she goes outside.
However, focusing only on the enormous sums Andy Lau reportedly spent would overlook something more important about the way the Hong Kong superstar raises his daughter: he does not use money as a substitute for his own presence.
Despite his demanding career, Lau reportedly still takes his daughter to school himself. He accompanies Hanna all the way to her classroom before leaving, trying to maintain a close bond with her through seemingly ordinary routines. For someone who frequently has to film, perform and travel, those moments become even more precious.
The The Return of the Condor Heroes star also personally helps Hanna with her studies. When his daughter does not understand something, Lau patiently explains it rather than losing his temper or scolding her. He wants her to take her education seriously without allowing studying to become a source of excessive pressure. When Hanna develops an interest in something, he reportedly asks for her opinion before enrolling her in extracurricular classes and finding professional teachers to guide her.
This approach to parenting suggests that Lau wants his daughter not only to enjoy excellent material conditions but also to have a rich and fulfilling childhood. He gives her opportunities to explore the things she enjoys while respecting her opinions rather than making every decision on her behalf.
Much of Hanna’s childhood has also been carefully shielded from the media. Andy Lau rarely allows his daughter to appear publicly because he does not want her to grow up under intense media scrutiny simply because she is the child of a superstar. For many years, clear images showing Hanna’s face were almost never seen by the public.
Hanna Lau is now 14 years old and continues to live a relatively private life, rarely appearing in public. After all these years, Andy Lau has maintained the same principle of protecting his daughter’s privacy rather than turning Hanna into a public figure for attention.
What stands out about the way Andy Lau dotes on his daughter is that while he provides Hanna with material privileges that very few people could ever experience, he also gives her the companionship of a present father. For that reason, what makes Hanna Lau’s life remarkable is not simply that she was born into an extraordinarily privileged family.
Behind that carefully protected life are 14 years in which Andy Lau has served as his daughter’s source of support while trying to give her the things any ordinary father would want for his child: safety, the freedom to explore and, most importantly, time together.
Sources: k14