One would never guess that Hong Kong screen legend Tony Leung is so quiet in real life.

The thespian has had a number of iconic roles in movies such as "Infernal Affairs", "In The Mood For Love", "Lust, Caution" and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" throughout his acting career, which spans 41 years.

Often hailed as the actor who can act with his eyes alone, you might expect that he brings that intensity of his personality into real life.

Things couldn't be more different, however.

The 61-year-old has spoken candidly about his social anxiety on numerous occasions, and to us, exudes a quiet confidence despite being quite content with blending into the crowd when he's not at work.

"The Goldfinger"

Mothership spoke to Leung during his whirlwind trip to Singapore to promote his latest movie, "The Goldfinger", where he plays Ching Yat Yin, who arrives in Hong Kong only wanting to make a living, but ends up founding a multi-billion dollar company through means not everyone agrees with.

Ching is as flamboyant as Leung is reserved — and although nobody will doubt that the actor can pull off whatever role is given to him, the question remains: how does he do it?

"When I get ready for work, I put on my outfit, and get into the right frame of mind," he explains. "By the time I finish putting on the accessories [he wears in the film], it's like I've become [Ching]."

One of the biggest draws of "The Goldfinger" is how Leung and "Infernal Affairs" co-star Andy Lau finally reunite on-screen after over two decades.

Leung beams when he speaks of Lau, who was unable to make it to the press tour.

"He's a great actor, and he works very hard. He does a variety of roles, and I don't think I can do all of them," he muses.

Felix Chong, who directed both "Infernal Affairs" and "The Goldfinger", tells us in a separate interview that the chemistry between the two lead actors is palpable.

He laughs, "Even when the cameras aren't rolling, when one of them helps the other wipe a drop of sweat off the other, it's almost as if they're filming a movie together (...) They understand and complement each other very well."

Affinity with Singapore

While Leung comes alive when he speaks about acting, we notice that another topic that makes his eyes light up is when he speaks about his frequent visits to Singapore.

He recalls coming here since the 80s — "I used to visit quite often back then" — and has continued popping by every once in a while, even when he's off duty.

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Among the reasons he likes it here are the food (he's got a few favourite food places, though he didn't share the list with us), hanging out with his friends based here, museums and the parks.

"Singapore isn't too far from Hong Kong either, so I like to come and unwind once in a while," he smiles.

Back in February, he was spotted by fans at Gardens By The Bay while he was on one of his incognito trips.

He tells us this is one of the places he visits often these days. One of his old favourites was the Jurong Bird Park — which he knows has moved — but has yet to visit the new Bird Paradise.

With how he brightened up at the thought of a new place to explore, don't be surprised if someone spots him there really soon.

"The Goldfinger" opens on Dec. 30 in Singapore.

Top photos by Lee Wei Lin & Gardens By The Bay