Hong Kong heart-throb Tony Leung and Chinese starlet Zhang Ziyi have picked up acting awards voted for by HK film critics, organisers said.

Leung and Zhang were named best actor and best actress respectively for their roles in acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai's futuristic romance "2046" at the 11th Hong Kong Film Critics' Society Awards.

The organisers said the awards came after nine hours of "heated discussions" and three rounds of voting.

"Tony Leung performed with skills and great ease, and strengthened his sense of humour and caused sparks with different actors," the group said.

It added he outperformed his previous role in "In the Mood for Love", Wong's previous film that won Leung the best actor award at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.

Zhang, who has also starred in martial arts hits "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers", was praised by the critics for her "expressive" body language that was combined with her "reserved and complex emotions".

Source: China Daily/Agencies