Hong Kong director Wong Jing, never one to hold back on spilling showbiz tea,has dropped yet another bombshell.

This time, he claimed: Anita Mui's "wilfulness caused her death".

The late pop diva died of cervical cancer in 2003 at the age of 40.

Wong Jing, who worked with Anita on films like Fight Back to School 3 (1993) and Trouble Couples (1987), praised her immense talent but described her as extremely headstrong.

Cancer ran in Anita’s family. Her older sister, singer and actress Ann Mui, passed away in 2000 also from cervical cancer.

Doctors reportedly revealed that Anita had known about her diagnosis two years before her death but chose not to undergo treatment.

It’s believed she didn’t want to give up on her dream of marriage and children, and refused to have her uterus removed.

In her final concert, she famously donned a wedding gown, saying she was “marrying the stage.”

He went on to draw parallels with actress Cecilia Cheung.

“Later, when I saw Cecilia Cheung, I thought, 'Oh no... Another Anita Mui. Exactly the same. Wilful and terribly talented,” he said.

Cecilia shot to fame in 1999 after starring in Stephen Chow's King Of Comedy, becoming one of the most sought-after actresses in the early noughties.

But unlike Anita, Cecilia’s headstrong nature derailed what should have been a glittering career, said Wong Jing.

Rumour has it that her unprofessional behaviour on the set of Johnnie To’s 2003 thriller Running on Karma almost pushed co-star Andy Lau to quit the movie.

She was said to have a bad attitude, struggled with her lines, frequently showed up late or not at all.

What infuriated Johnnie most was how she was constantly glued to her phone — even taking calls while in mid-air while suspended on wires during action scenes.

Andy, known for his professionalism, was said to be so fed up when he saw her chatting on her phone and shopping for luxury bags that he vowed never to work with her again.

Ceci’s emotional problems often spilled into her work. Insiders said that whenever she faced relationship troubles, she would prioritise cheering herself up over being professional.

As a result, she fell out with several industry heavyweights and her acting career fizzled out.

But to support her three sons, Cecilia later reinvented herself and found a second wind in variety shows and live streaming.

 Photos: Cecilia Cheung/Weibo