Andy Lau has dominated Asian show business for three decades in music, stage and screen. In exchange, he has had to make the sacrifice of keeping wife Carol Chu and his family in the shadows, away from the public eye. [China Foto Press]

For Lau, there was the case of Yang Lijuan, a Lanzhou woman who had stalked him for 13 years at fan gatherings, concerts and public appearances. She gave up her studies and got into such serious debt that her father committed suicide in desperation.

Lau has protected his privacy with extreme measures for almost a quarter of a century. He deflects direct questions with practiced dexterity and even erupts in rare displays of anger when pressed too hard.

"Do not challenge me. Do not touch me here," he says, eyes blazing. The atmosphere becomes tense for a moment, but Lau soon switches on the charm again.

While Lau has chosen to guard his privacy so fiercely, others have chosen to diffuse media curiosity by coming clean about their relationships - like Jacky Cheung, Leon Lai, Eason Chen and Aaron Kwok.

One last attempt to ask Lau if he ever regrets the price he has to pay for fame meets with some unguarded honesty at last.

After two seconds of hesitation, he says: "I never really change. I stayed true to myself all these years. What you see is my natural personality. I pay out much, but I also get much in return, although some may think it's a heavy price."

His assistants get restless and start to herd him off to the next interview. As Lau rises from his chair, he stops and leaves these words with us.

"To be an idol or to be an actor, this was not a choice I made myself. I just want to do the best I can."