Once poor but now worth $200 million, Hong Kong actor Ray Lui credits third wife for turning finances around

People usually joke about "marrying rich" but for Hong Kong actor Ray Lui, he kind of did.

Well, the 63-year-old didn't marry into money, but his third marriage turned out to be a 'windfall' as his wife turned his finances around. The actor is now said to be worth NT$4.3 billion (S$200 million) now, thanks to his financially astute wife, Yang Xiaojun. However, Ray was not always so lucky.

Two failed marriages

He first married Hong Kong actress Kathy Chow in 1988. But they divorced after five months because (as Ray wrote in his autobiography) both of them "did not understand love".

His second marriage was in 1996 and he tied the knot with singer Cally Kwong but their union only lasted a year. While Ray described it as a "failed marriage", he did say the relationship changed his beliefs in love and marriage.

"Cally is someone who is soft on the outside and tough on the inside, and is very opinionated. And I didn't learn anything from my previous marriage. When we fought, both of us wouldn't relent. But no matter how much we quarrelled, we still had feelings for each other," he once said in an interview, adding that the couple started fighting about the small things shortly after they fell in love.

The one who turned his life (and finances) around

When the Asian financial crisis hit eight months after his second divorce, Ray's savings were reportedly almost wiped out as he had to pay alimony. This was when he met his Yang, a Chinese businesswoman who is 14 years his junior.

Yang is said to be an extremely accomplished businesswoman who graduated from the School of Economics in Peking University and is very savvy with her investments. She is also the former president of the Shenzhen General Chamber of Commerce.

The couple got married in 2001 and Yang took over the management of Ray's investments, growing it to what it is worth today.

"I don't have as good foresight as my wife. She is really good with investments and I can't hold a candle to her," the actor said.

The couple has an 18-year-old son and is said to be very much still in love. Looks like third times the charm for Ray.

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bryanlim@asiaone.com