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Jet Li born Li Lian Jie in Beijing, China. He started training at the Beijing wushu academy (wushu is China's national sport, largely a performance version of various martial art styles) at age eight. He won five gold medals in the Chinese championships, his first when he was only 11. In his teens, he was already a national coach, and before he was 20 he had starred in his first movie: The Shaolin Temple (1982), which started the 1980s Kung-Fu boom in mainland China. He relocated to Hong Kong, where he was the biggest star of the early 1990s Kung-Fu boom. His first directorial effort was Born to Defense (1988).- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Donnie Yen was born in Guangzhou, China. His mother, Bow-sim Mark, was a kung fu master and his father, Kylster Yen, a newspaper editor and amateur musician. When Donnie was just two years old, the family moved to Hong Kong and then, when he was 11, to Boston, Massachusetts.
There, Master Bow-sim Mark became a pioneer for Chinese martial arts in America, and it was only natural that her only son was trained from early childhood in the same skills. At the same time, Donnie was influenced by his parents' love of music and reached a high level of proficiency as a pianist. All these interests would have a manifest influence on Yen's later life.
In his teens, Donnie defined his own persona by rebelling against his parents edicts. Beyond the limitations of his mother's school, Yen began training in various different fighting arts, including Japanese karate, Korean taekwondo and western boxing. Donnie also took up hip-hop and break-dancing. At the same time, he began spending his nights in Boston's notorious Combat Zone. Given that he was by now a serious practitioner of modern Wu Shu, his parents decided to send him to Beijing to train at the Chinese capital's famed Wu Shu academy.
It was when Yen returned to Hong Kong en route back to Boston that he met the famed martial arts movie director Yuen Woo-ping.
Donnie exploded onto the Hong Kong movie scene when he was cast in the lead role of director Yuen Woo-ping's 'Drunken Tai Chi'. His debut film immediately established him as a viable leading man, and Yen has remained a major figure in Chinese action cinema to this day.
Yen skills as a street dancer were to the fore in his second starring role, 'Mismatched Couples', in which he showed off his breakdance moves, as well as his general athleticism. This slapstick romantic comedy was produced by Hong Kong's prestigious Cinema City studio.
Donnie was subsequently signed by the newly formed D&B Films, and cast in the hit cop actioner 'Tiger Cage'. In this movie, and his follow-up features for the company ('In the Line of Duty 4', 'Tiger Cage 2'), Yen showed off his own unique form of contemporary screen combat, a form that included elements of rapid fire kicking, Western boxing and grappling moves.
Having established a worldwide fan base, Yen moved on to star in a string of independent Asian action features before director Tsui Hark tapped him to co-star in 'Once Upon A Time In China 2'. The film's two action highlights saw Donnie's character duel the legendary martial arts master Wong Fei-hung, played by his old friend Jet Li. The film brought Yen his first real attention as a thespian and he was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category at that year's Hong Kong Film Awards.
Tsui Hark went on to produce a remake of King Hu's classic 'New Dragon Inn', which provided another showcase role for Donnie as the film's apparently invincible villain.
Donnie was reunited with director Yuen Woo-ping for 'Iron Monkey', a film which brought Yen's acting and action skills both into focus. In 'Iron Monkey', Yen played the father of Wong Fei-hung, and its success prefigured that which he would later enjoy as another pugilistic patriarch in 'Ip Man'. Donnie collaborated with Yuen on the action for the film, designing a new on-screen interpretation of Wong Fei-hung's classic 'Shadowless Kick'.
'Iron Monkey' was all the more remarkable in that, years after its Asian release, it was acquired by the American studio Miramax, re-cut, re-scored and given a wide release in US theatres. After premieres in New York and Los Angeles, the film enjoyed great acclaim from the American critics, and won a prize at that year's Taurus Awards, an event held to celebrate action in cinema.
After working on a number of independent features, Yen went on to enjoy huge success on the small screen when he accepted a lucrative offer from Hong Kong's ATV to film a series based on the Bruce Lee classic 'Fist of Fury'. The show was the top-rated action drama show around the region, and was subsequently re-edited for international distribution on video.
Donnie went on to make his directorial debut with 'Legend of the Wolf', a stylish period actioner that even attracted the attention of legendary American film-maker Francis Coppola. The film, about an amnesiac warrior returning to his home village, has become a bona fide cult classic.
As director, Donnie followed 'Legend of the Wolf' with a very different venture, 'Ballistic Kiss', an urban thriller about a conflicted assassin. The film played at the prestigious Udine Festival in Italy, and took home awards at several other events, including the Japanese Yubari International Action Film Festival.
Donnie's body of work had by then attracted the attention of Hollywood, and Yen was approached to choreograph the action for the mainstream franchise films 'Highlander: Endgame' and 'Blade 2'. After a period where he was based in Los Angeles, Donnie returned East by way of the West when Jackie Chan requested that Yen play his nemesis in the hit 'Shanghai Knights', a shoot that took the star from Prague to London.
Yen returned to China to co-star in director Zhang Yimou's epic wu xia master work 'Hero'. Yen's duel with Jet Li brought his skills to the emerging Mainland Chinese theatrical audience, and paved the way for Donnie to become the country's biggest action star. The film received a wide US theatrical release from Miramax, and remains one of the most successful foreign language titles ever distributed in the America market.
Donnie returned to Hong Kong to choreograph the smash hit fantasy-horror-comedy 'The Twins Effect', and went on to enjoy his most productive partnership with a director. Beginning with the cop actioner 'SPL', Donnie teamed with helmer Wilson Yip for a series of very different films that Yen would star in and action choreograph and Yip would direct. Star and director subsequently teamed to create the comic book inspired fantasy actioner 'Dragon Tiger Gate' and the gritty police thriller 'Flashpoint', in which Donnie created what fans feel is the definitive on-screen MMA action scene. Yen was to return to this hard-hitting, urban action style for the later 'Special ID'.
Donnie now found himself in demand as a leading man in a series of prestigious period actioners produced for the Chinese market. 'Seven Swords' premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and proved a hit with worldwide audiences. The film was released in North America by The Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty label, and remains its biggest hit.
Yen also attracted rave reviews when he played an honorable general in 'An Empress and her Warriors' and an offbeat ghost-buster in Gordon Chan's 'Painted Skin'.
Yen took his career to a new level when he accepted producer Raymond Wong's suggestion that he play Bruce Lee's teacher, 'Ip Man', in an eponymous film relating the life of the great master. The film was a huge success in Hong Kong and China, and 'Ip Man' went on to find favor with audiences worldwide. Donnie also received a Best Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
'Ip Man' confirmed Donnie's position as China's greatest action hero, and he was immediately signed to lead a strong ensemble cast for Teddy Chen's 'Bodyguards and Assassins', produced by Peter Chan. Besides his on-screen performance, Donnie was also called on to choreograph the dynamic duel between himself and MMA champion Cung Le. The movie went on to sweep the board at the Hong Kong Film Awards winning Best Film, among many other prizes. Yen himself was nominated for Best Actor at the Chinese Hundred Flower awards.
Yen followed this with 'Ip Man 2', a rare example of a sequel that proved a match for its predecessor. The film followed Ip's life journey to Hong Kong, where he faces both rival kung fu masters, led by the film's choreographer, Sammo Hung, and a brutal foreign boxer, portrayed by the late Darren Shahlavi. 'Ip Man 2' was the biggest local hit of the year in China, and enjoyed a limited theatrical release in the US.
The film's success led to Donnie being cast as a number of legendary Chinese heroes: He played General Qin-long in Daniel Lee's '14 Blades', Guan Yu in 'The Lost Bladesman' and reprised Bruce Lee's Chen Zhen role in Andrew Lau's 'Legend of the Fist'. Yen also used the lighter side of his screen persona to good effect in two installments of the hit Hong Kong comedy movie series 'Alls Well Ends Well'.
Yen was cast opposite Tang Wei and Takeshi Kaneshiro in director Peter Chan's 'Wu Xia' (aka 'Dragon'), a dark, elegant period martial arts murder mystery. The film premiered to great acclaim at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and subsequently received a North American theatrical release from The Weinstein Company.
Donnie Yen played 'The Monkey King' in a hit reimagining of the Chinese classic. Donnie starred opposite screen legend Chow Yun-fat in the film, which smashed box office records in Mainland China.
Showing his versatility, Yen went on to play a kung fu master facing challenges in the modern era in director Teddy Chen's 'Kung Fu Jungle'. The movie, which premiered at the London Film Festival, paid tribute to the great history of Hong Kong martial arts cinema.
During the shooting of his ambitious, time travel themed action fantasy 'Iceman 3D', Yen was approached to revitalize the greatest brand in the history of Chinese martial arts cinema. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny' was shot primarily on location in New Zealand, with Yen in the lead role. The world class creative team gathered by producer Harvey Weinstein included legendary kung fu film director Yuen Woo-ping, acclaimed directors Peter Berg and Morten Tyldum (as producers), 'X-Men' series DP Tom Sigel as well as the Oscar-winning production, costume and FX designers from the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Hobbit' film series.
The film debuted in most international territories as a Netflix Original movie, making it the most widely seen wu xia of all time. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Sword of Destiny' also played at selected Imax theatres in North America, and enjoyed a wide theatrical release in China, where it was screened in its 3D version.
Yen reteamed with his former mentor Yuen Woo-ping for the hugely popular 'Ip Man 3'. The film, with Wilson Ip as director and Yuen as choreographer, pitted the title character against legendary boxing champion Mike Tyson. The film out-performed all the previous movies featuring the character of Ip Man, smashing box office records throughout Asia. Following a high profile Los Angeles premiere, 'Ip Man 3' enjoyed a Los Angeles premiere and a US theatrical release, earning rave reviews in the mainstream American media.
Having conquered every territory beneath the Asian skies, Donnie accepted an invitation to join the cast of an entry in the world's biggest film franchise. In 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story', Yen plays one of the Rebel warriors responsible for the theft of the Death Star plans, the adventure that, within the 'Star Wars' universe, leads to the events of the very first film in the series. The film was shot primarily at the famed Elstree Studios in England.
Donnie had a role opposite Vin Diesel and his fellow Asian action star, Tony Jaa, in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), which filmed in Toronto, Canada.
Now firmly established as a leading player across the globe, Donnie Yen continues to present a unique blend of Eastern experience and Western innovation, of musical grace with martial impact, from Hong Kong to a galaxy far, far away....
Donnie is one of the leading martial arts choreographers in the world of action cinema. His skills behind the camera began developing from his early days in the industry, and he was very much involved with the action choreography of his films for D&B Films. He received his first full action directing credit on the Michelle Yeoh, kung fu drama 'Wing Chun', in which he also starred.
Yen further developed his style of choreography in the high pressure world of Hong Kong television, where he created the action for his hit series 'Kung Fu Master' and 'Fist of Fury', and as a low-budget film-maker, when he directed, starred in and choreographed the movies 'Legend of the Wolf' and 'Ballistic Kiss'.
It was after Yen had helmed his first two Chinese features that Hollywood made its first serious bid for his services. He was signed to co-star in and action direct 'Highlander: Endgame', the latest in a series of fantasy actioners. The film, which starred Adrian Paul and Christopher Lambert, was produced by the US studio Dimension, and enjoyed a successful worldwide theatrical release.
Having relocated to Los Angeles, Yen paid his dues by directing action scenes for the Dimension action thriller 'Stormbreaker' and providing the fight sequences for the German TV series 'The Puma'.
Donnie agreed to both action direct and cameo in the major New Line action franchise entry 'Blade 2', starring Wesley Snipes. The film, directed by Guillermo del Toro, was a huge hit, earning almost twice the box office of the original 'Blade'.
Returning to Hong Kong, Yen found he now had a major contribution to make behind the camera, co-directing the SFX action adventure 'The Twins Effect'. The film, which starred two of China's top pop idols, told the tale of young vampire hunters with well-honed martial arts skills. A huge hit for Emperor, the film earned Yen his first Best Action Director prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
'The Twins Effect' saw Donnie start to introduce elements of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in his film fight scenes. He took the on-screen depiction of the style to new heights with the film 'SPL', released in the US as 'Kill Zone'. Yen's final reel duel with Sammo Hung is now regarded as a classic of the genre. The film won Donnie his second Best Action Choreography prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
He took his on-screen depiction of MMA to new heights in 'Flashpoint', which featured an even longer and more intense final showdown, this time between Yen and 'Matrix Reloaded' actor Collin Chou. The film won Donnie his third Best Action Choreography prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards, as well as a prize for Best Action in a Foreign Language Film at the Taurus Awards.
Yen explored different styles of screen combat when he choreographed the stunning kung fu fights for the period actioners 'Legend of the Fist' and 'The Lost Bladesman', the fantasy combat for 'The Monkey King' and the time travel adventure 'Iceman Cometh 3D'.
Many fans feel that Yen delivered his best choreographic work to date in Peter Chan's masterful 'Wu Xia', released in the US as 'Dragon'. The film saw Donnie bring his own unique flair to classical Shaw Bros style kung fu action.
Donnie brought traditional Chinese martial arts into the modern era with 'Kung Fu Jungle', for which his work won yet another Best Choreography prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Away from the cameras, Yen entered into the most rewarding partnership of his life when he married former beauty queen, Cissy Wang. The couple now has two children, a girl and boy, Jasmine and James.- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Bruce Lee remains the greatest icon of martial arts cinema and a key figure of modern popular media. Had it not been for Bruce Lee and his movies in the early 1970s, it's arguable whether or not the martial arts film genre would have ever penetrated and influenced mainstream North American and European cinema and audiences the way it has over the past four decades. The influence of East Asian martial arts cinema can be seen today in so many other film genres including comedies, action, drama, science fiction, horror and animation... and they all have their roots in the phenomenon that was Bruce Lee.
Lee was born Lee Jun Fan November 27, 1940 in San Francisco, the son of Lee Hoi Chuen, a singer with the Cantonese Opera. Approximately one year later, the family returned to Kowloon in Hong Kong and at the age of five, a young Bruce begins appearing in children's roles in minor films including The Birth of Mankind (1946) and Fu gui fu yun (1948). At the age of 12, Bruce commenced attending La Salle College. Bruce was later beaten up by a street gang, which inspired him to take up martial arts training under the tutelage of Sifu Yip Man who schooled Bruce in wing chun kung fu for a period of approximately five years. This was the only formalized martial arts training ever undertaken by Lee. The talented and athletic Bruce also took up cha-cha dancing and, at age 18, won a major dance championship in Hong Kong.
However, his temper and quick fists got him in trouble with the Hong Kong police on numerous occasions. His parents suggested that he head off to the United States. Lee landed in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1959 and worked in a close relative's restaurant. He eventually made his way to Seattle, Washington, where he enrolled at university to study philosophy and found the time to practice his beloved kung fu techniques. In 1963, Lee met Linda Lee Cadwell (aka Linda Emery) (later his wife) and also opened his first kung fu school at 4750 University Way. During the early half of the 1960s, Lee became associated with many key martial arts figures in the United States, including kenpo karate expert Ed Parker and tae kwon do master Jhoon Rhee. He made guest appearances at notable martial arts events including the Long Beach Nationals. Through one of these tournaments Bruce met Hollywood hair-stylist Jay Sebring who introduced him to television producer William Dozier. Based on the runaway success of Batman (1966), Dozier was keen to bring the cartoon character the Green Hornet to television and was on the lookout for an East Asian actor to play the Green Hornet's sidekick, Kato. Around this time Bruce also opened a second kung fu school in Oakland, California and relocated to Oakland to be closer to Hollywood.
Bruce's screen test was successful, and The Green Hornet (1966) starring Van Williams aired in 1966-1967 with mixed success. His fight scenes were sometimes obscured by unrevealing camera angles, but his dedication was such that he insisted his character behave like a perfect bodyguard, keeping his eyes on whoever might be a threat to his employer except when the script made this impossible. The show was canceled after only one season (twenty-six episodes), but by this time Lee was receiving more fan mail than the series' nominal star. He then opened a third branch of his kung fu school in Los Angeles and began providing personalized martial arts training to celebrities including film stars Steve McQueen and James Coburn as well as screenwriter Stirling Silliphant. In addition he refined his prior knowledge of wing chun and incorporated aspects of other fighting styles such as traditional boxing and Okinawan karate. He also developed his own unique style Jeet Kune Do (Way of the Intercepting Fist). Another film opportunity then came his way as he landed the small role of a stand over man named Winslow Wong who intimidates private eye James Garner in Marlowe (1969). Wong pays a visit to Garner and proceeds to demolish the investigator's office with his fists and feet, finishing off with a spectacular high kick that shatters the light fixture. With this further exposure of his talents, Bruce then scored several guest appearances as a martial arts instructor to blind private eye James Franciscus on the television series Longstreet (1971).
With his minor success in Hollywood and money in his pocket, Bruce returned for a visit to Hong Kong and was approached by film producer Raymond Chow who had recently started Golden Harvest productions. Chow was keen to utilize Lee's strong popularity amongst young Chinese fans, and offered him the lead role in The Big Boss (1971). In it, Lee plays a distant cousin coming to join relatives working at an ice house, where murder, corruption, and drug-running lead to his character's adventures and display of Kung-Fu expertise. The film was directed by Wei Lo, shot in Thailand on a very low budget and in terrible living conditions for cast and crew. However, when it opened in Hong Kong the film was an enormous hit. Chow knew he had struck box office gold with Lee and quickly assembled another script entitled Fist of Fury (1972). The second film (with a slightly bigger budget) was again directed by Wei Lo and was set in Shanghai in the year 1900, with Lee returning to his school to find that his beloved master has been poisoned by the local Japanese karate school. Once again he uncovers the evildoers and sets about seeking revenge on those responsible for murdering his teacher and intimidating his school. The film features several superb fight sequences and, at the film's conclusion, Lee refuses to surrender to the Japanese police and seemingly leaps to his death in a hail of police bullets.
Once more, Hong Kong streets were jammed with thousands of fervent Chinese movie fans who could not get enough of the fearless Bruce Lee, and his second film went on to break the box office records set by the first! Lee then set up his own production company, Concord Productions, and set about guiding his film career personally by writing, directing and acting in his next film, The Way of the Dragon (1972). A bigger budget meant better locations and opponents, with the new film set in Rome, Italy and additionally starring hapkido expert In-shik Hwang, karate legend Robert Wall and seven-time U.S. karate champion Chuck Norris. Bruce plays a seemingly simple country boy sent to assist at a cousin's restaurant in Rome and finds his cousins are being bullied by local thugs for protection.
By now, Lee's remarkable success in East Asia had come to the attention of Hollywood film executives and a script was hastily written pitching him as a secret agent penetrating an island fortress. Warner Bros. financed the film and also insisted on B-movie tough guy John Saxon starring alongside Lee to give the film wider appeal. The film culminates with another show-stopping fight sequence between Lee and the key villain, Han, in a maze of mirrors. Shooting was completed in and around Hong Kong in early 1973 and in the subsequent weeks Bruce was involved in completing overdubs and looping for the final cut. Various reports from friends and co-workers cite that he was not feeling well during this period and on July 20, 1973 he lay down at the apartment of actress Betty Ting Pei after taking a headache medicine called Equagesic and was later unable to be revived. A doctor was called and Lee was taken to hospital by ambulance and pronounced dead that evening. The official finding was death due to a cerebral edema, caused by a reaction to the headache tablet Equagesic.
Fans worldwide were shattered that their virile idol had passed at such a young age, and nearly thirty thousand fans filed past his coffin in Hong Kong. A second, much smaller ceremony was held in Seattle, Washington and Bruce was laid to rest at Lake View Cemetary in Seattle with pall bearers including Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Dan Inosanto. Enter the Dragon (1973) was later released in the mainland United States, and was a huge hit with audiences there, which then prompted National General films to actively distribute his three prior movies to U.S. theatres... each was a box office smash.
Fans throughout the world were still hungry for more Bruce Lee films and thus remaining footage (completed before his death) of Lee fighting several opponents including Dan Inosanto, Hugh O'Brian and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was crafted into another film titled Game of Death (1978). The film used a lookalike and shadowy camera work to be substituted for the real Lee in numerous scenes. The film is a poor addition to the line-up and is only saved by the final twenty minutes and the footage of the real Bruce Lee battling his way up the tower. Amazingly, this same shoddy process was used to create Game of Death II (1980), with a lookalike and more stunt doubles interwoven with a few brief minutes of footage of the real Bruce Lee.
Tragically, his son Brandon Lee, an actor and martial artist like his father, was killed in a freak accident on the set of The Crow (1994). Bruce Lee was not only an amazing athlete and martial artist but he possessed genuine superstar charisma and through a handful of films he left behind an indelible impression on the tapestry of modern cinema.- Producer
- Actor
- Stunts
Hong Kong's cheeky, lovable and best-known film star, Jackie Chan endured many years of long, hard work and multiple injuries to establish international success after his start in Hong Kong's manic martial arts cinema industry.
Jackie was born Kong-sang Chan on April 7, 1954, on Hong Kong's famous Victoria Peak, to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan, and the family immigrated to Canberra, Australia, in early 1960. The young Jackie was less than successful scholastically, so his father sent him back to Hong Kong to attend the rigorous China Drama Academy, one of the Peking Opera schools. Chan excelled at acrobatics, singing and martial arts and eventually became a member of the "Seven Little Fortunes" performing troupe and began lifelong friendships with fellow martial artists / actors Sammo Kam-Bo Hung and Biao Yuen. Chan journeyed back and forth to visit his parents and work in Canberra, but eventually he made his way back to Hong Kong as his permanent home. In the early 1970s, Chan commenced his movie career and interestingly appeared in very minor roles in two films starring then rising martial arts superstar Bruce Lee: Fist of Fury (1972) (aka "The Chinese Connection"), and the Warner Bros. production Enter the Dragon (1973). Not long after Lee's untimely death, Chan was often cast in films cashing in on the success of Bruce Lee by utilizing words like "fist", "fury" or "dragon" in their US release titles.
Chan's own film career was off and running and he swiftly appeared in many low-budget martial arts films that were churned out at a rapid-fire pace by Hong Kong studios eager to satisfy the early 1970s boom in martial-arts cinema. He starred in Shaolin Wooden Men (1976), To Kill with Intrigue (1977), Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978) and Magnificent Bodyguards (1978), which all fared reasonably well at the cinemas. However, he scored a major breakthrough with the action comedy Drunken Master (1978), which has become a cult favorite among martial arts film fans. Not too long after this, Chan made his directorial debut with The Young Master (1980) and then "Enter the Dragon" producer Robert Clouse lured Jackie to the United States for a film planned to break Jackie into the lucrative US market. Battle Creek Brawl (1980) featured Jackie competing in a "toughest Street fighter" contest set in 1940s Texas; however, Jackie was unhappy with the end result, and it failed to fire with US audiences. In a further attempt to get his name known in the United States, Jackie was cast alongside Burt Reynolds, Sir Roger Moore and Dean Martin in the Hal Needham-directed car chase film The Cannonball Run (1981). Regrettably, Jackie was cast as a Japanese race driver and his martial arts skills are only shown in one small sequence near the film's conclusion. Stateside success was still a few years away for Jackie Chan!
Undeterred, he returned to East Asia to do what he did best--make jaw-dropping action films loaded with amazing stunt work. Chan and his legendary stunt team were without parallel in their ability to execute the most incredible fight scenes and action sequences, and the next decade would see some of their best work. Chan paired with the dynamic Sammo Kam-Bo Hung to star in Winners & Sinners (1983), Project A (1983), Wheels on Meals (1984), My Lucky Stars (1985) (aka "Winners & Sinners 2"), Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985) (aka "Winners & Sinners 3"). Chan then journeyed back to the United States for another shot at that market, starring alongside Danny Aiello in The Protector (1985), filmed in Hong Kong and New York. However, as with previous attempts, Jackie felt the US director--in this case, James Glickenhaus--failed to understand his audience appeal and the film played to lukewarm reviews and box-office receipts. However, Jackie did decide to "harden" up his on-screen image somewhat and his next film, Police Story (1985) was a definite departure from previously light-hearted martial arts fare, and his fans loved the final product!
This was quickly followed up with the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)-influenced Armour of God (1986), during filming of which Jackie mistimed a leap from a wall to a tree on location in Yugoslavia and fell many quite a few feet onto his head, causing a skull fracture. It was another in a long line of injuries that Chan has suffered as a result of doing his own stunt work, and he was soon back in front of the cameras. Project A 2 (1987), Police Story 2 (1988), Miracles: The Canton Godfather (1989) (aka "Mr. Canton and Lady Rose)", Armour of God 2: Operation Condor (1991) (aka "Armour of God 2") and Supercop (1992) (aka "Police Story 3") were all sizable hits for Jackie, escalating his status to phenomenal heights in Asia, and to his loyal fanbase around the globe. US success was now just around the corner for the hard-working Jackie Chan, and it arrived in the form of the action film Rumble in the Bronx (1995) (though it was actually filmed in Canada) that successfully blended humor and action to make a winning formula in US theaters.
Jackie did not waste any time and went to work on First Strike (1996) (aka "Police Story 4"), Mr. Nice Guy (1997), Who Am I? (1998), which all met with positive results at the international box office. Jackie then went to work in his biggest-budget US production, starring alongside fast-talking comedian Chris Tucker in the action comedy Rush Hour (1998). The film was a bigger hit than "Rumble in the Bronx" and firmly established Jackie as a bona fide star in the United States. Jackie then paired up with rising talent Owen Wilson to star in Shanghai Noon (2000) and its sequel, Shanghai Knights (2003), and re-teamed with Tucker in Rush Hour 2 (2001), as well as starring in The Tuxedo (2002), The Medallion (2003) and the delightful Around the World in 80 Days (2004). Not one to forget his loyal fanbase, Jackie returned to more gritty and traditional fare with New Police Story (2004) and The Myth (2005). The multi-talented Chan (he is also a major recording star in Asia) shows no sign of slowing down and has long since moved out of the shadow of Bruce Lee, to whom he was usually compared early in his career.
Chan is truly one of the international film industry's true maverick actor / director / stuntman / producer combinations - he has done this the hard way, and always his way to achieve his dreams and goals to be an international cinematic star. Off screen, he has been directly involved in many philanthropic ventures providing financial assistance to schools and universities around the world. He is a UNICEF GoodWill Ambassador, and he has campaigned against animal abuse and pollution and assisted with disaster relief efforts to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami victims.- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Born in Hong Kong, Sammo Hung's acting career began while he was training in acrobatics, martial arts and dance as a child at the China Drama Academy, and he received acclaim for his performance with a troupe called "The Seven Little Fortunes." He made his feature film debut as an actor at the age of 12, and has worked in numerous martial arts films as an actor, director, producer and/or choreographer, collaborating with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, two superstars of the genre.
He is now internationally renowned as a pioneer and trend-setter in Hong Kong action films. Hung's big break as a film actor came with a role as a sparring partner in the Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon (1973). He established his reputation as a skilled physical comedian in several kung-fu comedies, beginning with "Enter the Fat Dragon" (Enter the Fat Dragon (1978)). He also produced and starred in numerous successful films throughout the 1970s and 1980s for Hong Kong's leading film studio, Golden Harvest.
Hung collaborated in the 1980s with long-time friend Jackie Chan in a highly successful series of action comedies that cemented Hung's reputation as a consummate actor/director and launched Chan's career as an international star. For a while, Hung also starred in an American TV series, Martial Law (1998).
He directed Once Upon a Time in China and America (1997), his first film shot in the US. He and his wife, Mina, now divide their time between homes in Hong Kong and Los Angeles.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Yuen Biao is regarded as one of the most acrobatic martial artists ever. Unfortunately, he is still underrated and not as popular as other contemporaries such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, and Jet Li even though he is the most critically acclaimed out of all of them and the most talented as well. And now he is receiving a cult following due to word of mouth. Born of his parents Ha Kwong-Tai (father) and Ha Sau-Ying. Yuen Biao was first enrolled in the China Drama Academy at the age of 5 (he was the youngest there). He met Sammo Kam-Bo Hung and Jackie Chan while attending the Academy. Jackie Chan took him under his wing, and they became lifelong friends. Yuen Biao stayed at the Academy until the age of 16 where he moved with Master Jim-Yuen to America. However, two years later he came back, citing there were no opportunities for Chinese martial artists to star in American films. After being in some bit part roles in films such as The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss (1974) (aka Stoner), The Hand of Death (1976) (aka Hand of Death), he didn't receive his first major breakthrough role until Sammo Kam-Bo Hung cast him in Knockabout (1979) (aka Knockabout). However, his first role which gave him full exposure and established his status as a A-list star was The Prodigal Son (1981) (aka The Prodigal Son), which also starred and was directed by Sammo Kam-Bo Hung. After that, 'Jackie Chan' cast him in the classic Project A (1983) (aka Project A). After starring in some other films with Sammo Kam-Bo Hung and/or Jackie Chan, he decided to go his own way and to forge his own career to get out of the shadows of Jackie Chan and Sammo Kam-Bo Hung. He met his future wife DiDi Phang Sau-Ha in 1984 while working as a stunt coordinator on the film DiDi Phang was working on: Carry on Pickpocket (1982) (aka Carry On Pickpocket). They have two children. His daughter Yi-Bui was born in 1986 and his son Ming-Tsak in 1988. The film On the Run (1988) (aka On The Run) confirmed his abilities as a brilliant actor as his portrayal as a married man seeking vengeance for his wife's brutal murder was critically acclaimed. The following year he starred in probably his best film, The Iceman Cometh (1989) (aka The Iceman Cometh), in which he starred with acclaimed actress Maggie Cheung. The film is regarded as a cult classic and is remembered not only for the fantastic fighting scenes and hilarious comedy, but also the wonderful acting of Biao Yuen and Maggie Cheung and the wonderful simmering sexual chemistry between them. After starring in the acclaimed Once Upon a Time in China (1991) (aka Once Upon a Time in China, in which most of his scenes were cut), he directed his first movie (A Kid from Tibet (1991). aka A Kid From Tibet), in which he also starred. In 1994, he worked for the first time in years, with Sammo Kam-Bo Hung in the gloriously titled Don't Give a Damn (1995) (aka Don't Give a Damn). In recent years, Yuen Biao has complained of poor scripts, so he appears in films sparsely nowadays. He also has a second home in Canada where he spends most of time pursuing his hobby of golf.- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Ching-Ying Lam was born on December 27, 1952 in Shanghai, China, the third of six children. He attended Shun Yi Association Elementary School in Hong Kong for 2 years. He later attended the Chun Chau Drama Society to learn Peking Opera, where he portrayed female roles and did stunt-doubling for actresses. At age 17, he joined the film industry, working as a martial arts stunts man and coach for the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest studios. At age 19, he was a personal assistant for Bruce Lee, and later joined the stunt team of Sammo Kam-Bo Hung.
Lam did stunt coordination and action choreography for numerous Chinese movies and appeared in scores of films playing fighters, henchmen and police officers. However, his shot to fame came when he appeared as "Master Gau" in Mr. Vampire (1985). From this film on, Lam was most famous for his various "Vampire Buster" roles in the dozens of ghost, fantasy, and horror movies from Hong Kong that followed, trying to rid the land of restless ghosts, evil demons, hopping vampires and bewitching elves. In these films, Lam often portrayed the "Master" of several apprentices, some of which have been played by actors Ricky Hui, Siu-Ho Chin, Biao Yuen and Hoi Mang. In addition to these movies, Lam originated the role of "Master Mo Siu Fong" in a TV-series produced by ATV Studios called "Vampire Expert" in the 1990s.
Lam passed away in Hong Kong on November 8, 1997 at the age of 44.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Wah Yuen was born on 2 September 1950 in Hong Kong, China. He is an actor, known for Kung Fu Hustle (2004), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and The Way of the Dragon (1972).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Born in Beijing China in 1974, he was sent to train at Beijing Wushu Academy when he was 6 years old as both his Father and Grandfather were also Martial artists. In 1995 he was spotted by Yuen Woo-Ping who had come to the academy to look for a martial artist for the film Tai Chi 2 (aka Tai Chi Boxer). His dedication and skill won his a lot of respect across East Asia. Often contributing to the scripts and choreography of his work, his natural talent and his sense of humour are vividly expressed.- Actor
- Stunts
Jin Zhang was born on 19 May 1974 in Chongqing, China. He is an actor, known for The Grandmaster (2013), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). He has been married to Ada Choi since 12 January 2008. They have three children.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Tiger Hu Chen was born on 3 March 1975 in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. He is an actor, known for The Matrix Reloaded (2003), Man of Tai Chi (2013) and The Matrix Resurrections (2021).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Baoqiang Wang was born on 29 April 1984 in Hebei, China. He is an actor and director, known for Never Say Never (2023), Mr. Tree (2011) and Kung Fu Jungle (2014).- Actor
- Stunts
Collin Chou was born on 11 August 1967 in Taiwan. He is an actor, known for The Matrix Revolutions (2003), The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Forbidden Kingdom (2008). He has been married to Wanda Yung since 10 December 1997. They have two children.- Actor
- Stunts
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Born in Hong Kong in 1948, 'Bruce' Leung Siu-Lung was the eldest of twelve brothers (which included stuntman/martial arts actor/action choreographer 'Tony' Leung Siu-Hung) and he obtained his martial arts training from his father at the Cantonese Opera. He also learned different forms of Karate and Kung Fu from different masters, which would serve him well later in films where he showcased his talent in traditional combat and became a kung-fu star during the 70s & 80s.
Even though Leung Siu-Lung (Cantonese) "aka Liang Hsiao-Lung (Mandarin)" is his real name, he was known best to international kung-fu fans as Bruce Leung and/or Bruce Liang. His American name, "Bruce" was added on when he took his shot at the Bruce Lee clone phenomenon in the late 70s alongside Bruce Li (real name Ho Chung-Tao), Bruce Le (real name Huang Kin-Lung) and Dragon Lee. Unlike the other Bruce Lee look-a-likes, Leung Siu-Lung was compared to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan for his effective martial arts, acrobatics and laughable humor; and tried his hand at only a few 'Brucexploitation' films which included 'Bruce and the Iron Finger' (aka Bruce Against the Iron Hand) with Bruce Li, and 'The Dragon Lives Again'.
His beginnings in the film industry took off in the early 70s when the legendary Ng. See-Yuen (producer of Jackie Chan's 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' and 'Drunken Master') gave him his first role in 'Little Superman', the film that gained him recognition as a kung-fu star. He continued to showcase his mastery in martial arts in classic films like 'My Kung Fu 12 Kicks', Ten Tigers of Shaolin', Showdown at the Equator', 'Kung Fu: The Invisible Fist', 'The Fists, The Kicks & The Evils', 'Black Belt Karate', 'The Fighting Machine' and one of his most memorable roles in the Golden Harvest-produced cult classic, 'Broken Oath', which featured one of Hong Kong's first internationally acclaimed female kung-fu stars, 'Angela' Mao-Ying (Enter the Dragon, Sting of the Dragon Masters "aka When TaeKwonDo Strikes") and Sammo Hung (TV's Martial Law, Jackie Chan's Project A, Magnificent Butcher).He went on to work in numerous kung-fu films in the other years.
Some sources say that Leung Siu-Lung gathered the public's attention and earned his fame when he encountered 13 armed attackers and defeated them single-handedly.
He was also a talented action choreographer for films where he crafted some quality martial arts sequences for 'The Tattoo Connection' with African-American Karate Champion Jim Kelly (Enter the Dragon, Black Belt Jones), 'Bruce and the Iron Finger' (aka Bruce Against the Iron Hand) with Bruce Li, 'Rich & Famous' with Chow Yun-Fat (Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon; Bulletproof Monk) and many more throughout the 80s and early 90s.
Leung Siu-Lung's unfortunate disappearance from films would follow when he took a visit to Mainland, China, where the Communist government banned his film work. He wouldn't be present in front of the cameras again for almost two decades but that wouldn't stop him from returning in 2004, where he was given the opportunity to make a surprising comeback to play the part as the main villain, The Beast, in Stephen Chow's blockbuster comedy, 'Kung Fu Hustle'. That was his very first bad guy role ever.
Dispite his disappearance from films, Leung Siu-Lung's on-screen return in 'Kung Fu Hustle' will hopefully reinvent him as the kung-fu legend he's been throughout the 70s & 80s and help him gain some recognition to international newcomers.- To Yu-hang probably has his close resemblance to Donnie Yen to thank for winning the titular role in The Legend Is Born: Ip Man. After all, it was Yen's portrayal of the late Wing Chun master in Ip Man and its sequel that turned the character into a cinematic canon.
At first glance, Hong Kong star To comes off as a younger, leaner Yen. But there is more to the 29-year-old than his comely physique. For one, he is the reigning World Kung Fu Champion.
He is also an expert in numerous kung fu styles, including Wing Chun, which he studied for eight years. Moreover, he is the "grand-student" of Ip Chun, 86, Ip Man's real-life eldest son. To was also a flame bearer in the 2008 Olympics. - Actor
- Stunts
- Director
Siu-Wong Fan was born in Hong Kong in 1973, the son of 1970s kung fu film actor Mei-Sheng Fan. At the age of 14, Siu-Wong traveled to Xushou on the request of his father to take up martial arts because he was virtually a toothpick. There, Siu-Wong studied gymnastics, kung fu, and taekwondo. Fan made his film debut as a teen in Zhi fa xian feng (1986), aka Righting Wrongs, alongside Biao Yuen, Cynthia Rothrock, and Corey Yuen. However, his breakout role came in 1991 when he starred as the titled character in Lik wong (1991), aka The Story of Ricky. By then, Siu-Wong has emerged into a true action star with the muscles to match. He continues to work in films today, although they are not exactly the big Hong Kong blockbusters everyone goes out to see.- Actor
- Stunts
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Philip Ng is a Hong Kong actor who is also a master in the martial arts. Trained in Ving Tsun Kung Fu under the late Sifu Wong Shun-Leung. Philip is also a 6th generation disciple of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu, training from his father, Sam Ng. Philip is also a trained expert in Hung Gar Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Jiujitsu, and Escrima. He is also an accomplished fight choreographer, having worked some films in addition to acting.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
For someone who never considered entering showbiz, Eddie Peng has certainly carved out an amazing acting career. He is arguably the Chinese film industry's most recognizable and bankable star today, having starred in over 30 box-office hits - a canny mix of epic blockbusters and indie projects.
Peng migrated to Canada when he was 13 and spent the next 10 years there. In 2002, the Economics major (University of British Columbia) returned to Taipei to attend his grandmother's funeral, and was cast in the TV series Tomorrow as the second male lead.
This serendipitous casting marked the beginning of his swift rise to fame. Peng made his big screen debut in Exit No. 6 in 2006, and quickly proved just how committed he was to his newfound profession. To play a gymnast in Jump Ashin! (2011), Peng spent 12 hours a day over an eight-month period practicing gymnastics. The film was a box-office hit and he went on to star in police thriller Cold War (2012) and Unbeatable (2013), for which he endured rigorous workout regimes to play an MMA athlete.
Peng's dedication to the craft did not go unnoticed. He earned nominations for Best Newcomer at Golden Horse Awards for My DNA Says I Love You (2007), Best Actor for Jump Ashin! (2011), and Best Supporting Actor for Unbeatable (2013) at the Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards.
In 2014, Peng landed the coveted role of martial arts legend Wong Fei Hung in Rise of The Legend, which earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Peng then put in months of grueling training to play a professional cyclist in To The Fore (2015), which was Hong Kong's entry for the best foreign-language film at the 88th Academy Awards. Peng was also appointed the first Chinese Goodwill Ambassador of the 2015 Tour DE France.
Another breakthrough came in 2016 with Peng's portrayal of an undercover cop in Operation Mekong, which received critical acclaim and became the highest-grossing Chinese crime action at that point. That same year, he also starred in romance drama Run for Love alongside Zhang Ziyi, police thriller Cold War II, war epic Call of Heroes, and Zhang Yimou's historical epic The Great Wall.
In 2017, Peng starred in director Ann Hui's war film Our Time Will Come, and scored a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 12th Asian Film Awards. Peng then went on to headline fantasy epic Wu Kong. In 2018, Peng starred in director Jiang Wen's Hidden Man, which was mainland China's entry in the best foreign-language film category at the 91st Academy Awards. Jiang was highly complimentary of his leading man: "Eddie's self-discipline is beyond imagination - he commands the body with his soul."
After a year-long break, Peng returned to star in The Rescue in 2020, director Dante Lam's action thriller about China's emergency rescue ops teams. Peng also starred in Ann Hui's Love After Love, adapted from novelist Eileen Chang's romance classic. The film was selected for the out-of-competition category at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, where director Hui was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
For the film Are You Lonesome Tonight released in 2021, Peng stayed true to form and lost 35 pounds for his role. The film had its special screening in the official selection of the 74th Cannes Film Festival and was selected for the a Window on Asian Cinema category at the 26th Busan International Film Festival. In addition, it was also selected for the Contemporary World Cinema category at the 46th Toronto International Film Festival and the Perlak section at the 69th San Sebastian International Film Festival.
Off camera, Peng devotes time to causes close to his heart. He partnered with international organization WildAid to encourage protection of sea turtles, appearing in a campaign and documentary aired on World Wildlife Day in 2019. He is well-known for his charity work for children with cancer. Peng is also official ambassador for international brands Longines and Berluti.- Actor
- Director
Sik Siu-Lung was a former student at the Shaolin Temple in China who gained fame in Hong Kong as a child actor in martial arts films. He made his debut at the age of 6 with Shao Lin xiao zi (1994) opposite Jimmy Lin and Hilary Tsui. He returned for the sequel and made a series of action films and television series in Hong Kong and Taiwan as a kid and teen, showcasing the martial arts skills that made him a champion.
In 2005, Sik decided to take time off from acting to concentrate on school. He left Asia for to attend the Professional Children's School in New York. In the summer of 2008, at the age of 20, he graduated from the school and has plans to return to Hong Kong to work on movies again.- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Lo Wai-kwong (aka Ken Lo) was born in Srung Treng, Cambodia. His father was from Hong Kong and his mother was from Laos. When he was 15 years old, he fled Cambodia and later moved to Udon Thani, Thailand in 1975. He was a huge fan of Bruce Lee and was inspired to take up martial arts such as Muay Thai and Taekwondo. He won the freestyle fighting championship seven times. Five years after the move to Udon Thani, he departed for Hong Kong in 1980 and worked as a tour guide.
After being in Hong Kong for a few years he made his first onscreen appearance in 1985's Working Class (1985), where he played a kick-boxer. But 1986 was the most pivotal year in is career, as it was then, while working as head of security at a disco that he would meet Jackie Chan. Jackie brought him on as a member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and as one of his own personal bodyguards, a role he would continue for another 25 years. Ken proved to be an invaluable member of the team and appeared in many of Jackie's own movies in fighting roles.
But he also branched out, working for many different directors and stunt coordinators, staring in many films as a leading cast member and working on over 140 films altogether. One of his most famous roles was as "John", the main fighting villain in 1994's Drunken Master II (1994). After one of the other actor's sustained an injury, Ken was put forward to take over, showing of his superb kicking skills, including his famous 180 standing split. The final fight scene of Drunken Master II is widely considered one of the greatest of all time.- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Producer
Meng Lo was born on 4 August 1952 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. He is an actor and producer, known for Ip Man 3 (2015), Ip Man 2 (2010) and Hard Boiled (1992).- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Kuan Tai Chen was born on 24 September 1945 in Guangdong, China. He is an actor and director, known for The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), Bloody Monkey Master (1977) and Kera Sakti (1978).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
He was educated in art school in Beijing, left China for Hong Kong in 1949 and entered the film industry in 1951 in the art department. In the 1950s he began acting and in 1958 joined Shaw Brothers as an actor and writer, and later a director. In 1967 he left to start his own studio in Taiwan, returned to Hong Kong in 1970s, working in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China before his death.- Director
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- Actor
His father was a famed Cantonese film actor. After studying in the Department of Chemistry in Zhongsha University for 3 years, Chor joined the movie industry as a writer in 1956. His film debut was "The Soul Stealer" directed by Ng Wui. Soon he began working as an assistant director and finally debuted as a director with Chin Chien in the film "Bloodshed in the Valley of Love" in 1957. "Grass by the Lake" (1959) was his first film in solitaire. In 1970, after more than 70 Cantonese films, Chor directed and wrote his first Mandarin "wuxia" film, "Cold Blade", which attracted the attention of the major Chinese film studio at that time, Shaw Bros., so in 1971 Chor finally joined that studio. In 1976 he began his long series of adaptations of Ku Lung's novels with "Killer Clans", which gave him an international reputation.- Director
- Writer
- Music Department
Chang Cheh was the leading Martial Arts director in Hong Kong in the 1970s, now with close to 100 films to his name. His has influenced other directors such as John Woo and Liu Chiau Liang, and made famous such Hong Kong stars as Phillip Chung-Fung Kwok, Fu Sheng and Lung Ti. Chang has declared that he will stop working after he has made his 101st film. During the 1970s, Chang was the most prolific of the directors for the now legendary Shaw Brothers Studios, and most revered works include Dynasty of Blood (1973) (aka Blood Brothers) and the awesome film which is Five Deadly Venoms (1978) (aka Five Venoms).- Actor
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- Additional Crew
Already a veteran of the Peking Opera, he starred in countless black and white costume dramas before son Woo-Ping Yuen cast him in _Snake in Eagle's Shadow_ , the film which launched Jackie Chan's career. He then went on to feature alongside Chan and Jeong-lee Hwang(_Snake in Eagle's Shadow_'s main villain and the villain again in this film) in the sequel _Drunken Master_. These two films saw his stock rising and on the production of one film, he had to change hotels every night to avoid producers with dubious connections. He died during the filming of the Sammo Hung picture _The Magnificent Butcher_, meaning his scenes had to be re-filmed. This film was also directed by his son, who directed his last completed film _The Buddhist Fist_.- Director
- Stunts
- Actor
Woo-Ping Yuen was born on 1 January 1945 in Guangzhou, China. He is a director and actor, known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Fearless (2006) and The Grandmaster (2013).- Actor
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- Additional Crew
Cheung-Yan Yuen is known for Tai Chi Master (1993), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003).- Actor
- Stunts
- Writer
Yat-Chor Yuen is known for The Close Encounters of Vampire (1986), Tiger Cage (1988) and Da qi ying xiong chuan (1982).- Actor
- Stunts
- Director
Chia-Liang Liu was born on 1 August 1936 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. He was an actor and director, known for Drunken Master II (1994), Legendary Weapons of China (1982) and My Young Auntie (1981). He was married to Jing-Jing Yung and Hsiu-Hsia Ho. He died on 25 June 2013 in Hong Kong, China.- Actor
- Stunts
- Director
Chia-Yung Liu was born in 1944 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. He is an actor and director, known for Once Upon a Time in China (1991), Armour of God (1986) and The Dragon Family (1988).- Actor
- Stunts
- Director
Chia-Hui Liu was born on 22 August 1951 in Guangdong, China. He is an actor and director, known for Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) and Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). He was previously married to Ma Fei-feng.- Actor
- Stunts
- Director
Corey Yuen was born on 15 February 1951 in Hong Kong. He is an actor and director, known for Righting Wrongs (1986), Red Cliff (2008) and The Transporter (2002).- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Siu-Tung Ching was born in 1953. He is an actor, known for Hero (2002), A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) and Curse of the Golden Flower (2006).- Actor
- Director
- Stunts
Hwang Jang-Lee is the ultimate bootmaster. Known for his powerful and deadly kicks on screen as well as off, Hwang has a reputation as the Lord of the Superkickers. Born in Japan, Hwang's family moved back to their native Korea, where at the age of 14, Hwang began taking the national martial art of Tae Kwon Do. Hwang went on to teach the Korean Army TKD, and during his service, he killed a Vietnamese knife fighter in self defense. Hwang began his film career in his native Korea. In 1976, Ng See-Yuen, the founder of Seasonal Films, hired Hwang to play the villain Silver Fox in The Secret Rivals, where he goes toe to toe with Chinese superkicker John Liu. Hwang went on to establish himself as the best on screen kicker anyone has seen. He even played the villain in the two films that boosted Jackie Chan's career, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master. In 1980, after playing the villain for so long, Hwang directed, produced and starred as the hero in Hitman in the Hand of Buddha.
After making many films, Hwang retired in 1990, where at first he ran a golf-tee manufacturing company and hotel in Seoul. He also suppsedly ran a bodyguard agency. Nevertheless, Hwang has established and stamped his Hong Kong career as the king of the Bootmasters. In 1994, Hwang starred in two low budget Korean films while running a hotel as well as a bodyguard service.- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Wu Ma was born on 18 August 1942 in Tianjin, China. He was an actor and director, known for A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), Righting Wrongs (1986) and The Dead and the Deadly (1982). He was married to Ma Yan. He died on 4 February 2014 in China.- Actor
- Director
- Stunts
Ka-Yan Leung was born on 20 January 1949 in Guangdong, China. He is an actor and director, known for The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), Mr. Nice Guy (1997) and Profile in Anger (1984).- Actor
- Stunts
When Eddy Ko Hung agreed to talk to a German journalist five years ago, he thought it would be a one-off meeting. Although he remains one of Hong Kong's most bankable and well-regarded actors, his career - which began in 1967 at the Shaw Brothers studio - had already slowed and he was being cast in more secondary roles.
He starred in a string of wuxia epics in the 1970s and became a household name after playing an iconic Chinese literary hero Lam Chung in the prime-time TVB series The Unyielding Master Lim in 1986.
So rather than settling into obscurity after migrating to Vancouver, in Canada, with his family, Ko has found a new stage for himself in productions made outside Hong Kong.
Having signed to a Canadian agent, Ko's international career began in 1998 with a role as an illegal immigrant in Lethal Weapon 4 (which also stars Jet Li). In addition to his frequent forays into Hong Kong cinema, his recent work has ranged from art-house fare such as Night Corridor to mainstream films and soap operas. His performance as folk hero Huo Yuanjia in an ATV series in 1995 won him a large following on the mainland, he has also starred in an Italian film ('of debatable quality,' murmurs Ko) and played a fictional Chinese head of state in a Canadian television series.
His latest non-Chinese-language role is in French conspiracy thriller Largo Winch, in which he plays a tattooist who helps the film's titular hero (Tomer Sisley).
When he first set foot in the studio, he could already speak English and Japanese, which has since helped him secure roles in international productions.
The actor now splits his time between his Vancouver home, where he is a student of continuing education, and the mainland, where he acts and makes TV appearances. Careerwise, Hong Kong now seems very much an afterthought, although he drew TVB's ire three years ago by agreeing to appear in an ATV series about real-life crimes as a father who chopped his daughter's head off in a rage.- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Fat Chung is known for To Be Number One (1991), Millionaires' Express (1986) and The Return of Pom Pom (1984).- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
When he was 13 years old, he joined an entertainment troupe on tour of Singapore. During these years he began to study performing. In 1932 he debuted in the film "Gor Nui Ching Chiu" ("Sentimental Song of Companions' Tide") playing a bit part, shot in San Francisco (USA). Soon he came back to Hong Kong to participate in anti-Japanese opposition movement. His first leading role was in 1935 with "Song of the Yesterday", filmed the first version in Hong Kong and the second in the USA in 1937. During World War II Kwan travelled through USA to raise funds for China. In 1947 a Singaporean film company hired him to play martial arts master Wong Fei-Hung in a movie trilogy directed by Wu Peng. Kwan was hired because of his martial arts knowledge. The success was so great that Wu and Kwan would collaborate on 79 films, 59 of which were about Wong. After almost 90 films about Wong Fei-Hung, Kwan played the same character in his first TV series in 1976. In total Kwan made more than 130 films.- Actor
- Stunts
- Production Manager
Kien Shih was born on 1 January 1913 in Shígang Village, Panyu, Guangdong, China. He was an actor and production manager, known for Enter the Dragon (1973), Rivals of Kung Fu (1974) and Na Zha nao dong hai (1957). He died on 3 June 2009 in Hong Kong, China.- Actress
Kara Hui Ying-Hung was born in Shandong, China; her family moved to Hong Kong in 1966 and at 14 she quit school and started working at nightclubs. Penniless after her family lost their savings from her father's business acquaintances, Hui and her mother and siblings resided in the poor shanty town of Rennie's Mill and were forced to peddle goods on the streets of Hong Kong. Hui was discovered by film director Chia-Liang Liu and cast in Challenge of the Masters (1976) in 1976. Soon after, she started in many films directed by Liu Chia-Liang. She signed with Shaw Brothers Studios in February of 1975 and made over 40 action movies. She won the very first Best Actress Award for her critically-acclaimed role as Jing Dai-Nan in the 1981 classic My Young Auntie (1981) at the first Hong Kong Film Awards in 1982. After Shaw Studios closed down in 1985, Kara's career transition was very smooth and she has since portrayed more serious roles with very great success, winning the Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards, Changchun Film Festival, Pacific Meridian, Asian Film Awards, and Golden Horse Awards for her portrayal of a mother in the 2009 film At the End of Daybreak and winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Yeung Feng in Rigor Mortis in 2014 at the 33rd Hong Kong Film Awards. Kara Hui is a legend. She has acted in over 138 films and is still active in the Hong Kong film industry today.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Moon Lee was born on 14 February 1965 in Hong Kong. She is an actress, known for Fighting Madam (1987), Fatal Termination (1990) and Mission of Justice (1992).- Linda Lin was born on 26 December 1934 in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. She is an actress, known for Drunken Master (1978), Xiang Gang Dong Jing mi yue lu xing (1957) and Dance of the Drunken Mantis (1979).
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Michelle Yeoh was born in Ipoh, Malaysia. She's the daughter of Janet Yeoh & Kian Teik Yeoh. She's of Hokkien descent, speaking English and Malay before Chinese. A ballet dancer since 4, she moved to London to study at the Royal Academy as a teen. After a brief dance career, she won the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant title in and the Miss Moomba beauty pageant title in Melbourne, Australia in the early 1980s. Her first on camera work was a 1984 commercial with martial arts star Jackie Chan. In 1985, she began making action movies with D&B Films of Hong Kong. She was first billed as Michelle Khan, then Michelle Yeoh. Never a trained martial artist, she relied on her dance discipline and on-set trainers to prepare for martial arts action scenes.
She uses many dance moves in her films and does most of her own stunts. In 1988, she married wealthy D&B Films executive Dickson Poon & retired from acting. Even though they divorced in 1992, she's close to Poon's second wife and a godmother to his daughter. When she returned to acting, she became very popular w/ Chinese audiences. She later became known to Western audiences through role in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and in the phenomenally successful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). She turned down a role in a sequel to The Matrix (1999).
She has her own production company, Mythical Films. She trained with the Shen Yang Acrobatic team for her role in The Touch (2002), an English-language film she both starred in and produced. She hopes to use her company to discover and nurture new film-making talent. She also aspires to act in roles that combine both action and deeper spiritual themes.- Celina Horan, professionally known as Celina Jade, is a Chinese American actress, model, singer/songwriter and martial artist most known for her work as "Shado" in the CW series Arrow. Jade's acting career started in Hong Kong in 2007. She was cast as the leading lady in her first film, Legendary Assassin alongside Wu Jing. In 2012, she landed her first role in a US film by Universal Pictures, The Man with the Iron Fists, starring Russell Crowe & Lucy Liu. In 2012, Jade was cast to play the recurring role of Shado (DC's Oliver Queen's martial arts teacher & girlfriend) in the hit CW series Arrow. In 2015, Jade starred opposite Asian action star Tony Jaa and Ron Perlman in Skin Trade as the leading lady. Shortly after, she was cast to lead the Indie film April Flowers. In 2017 Jade stars as the female lead opposite Wu Jing and Frank Grillo (Captain America) in Wolf Warrior 2. In less than two days, the movie surpassed the $88 million scored by the franchise's first installment in 2015. Ten days later, it overtook last year's sensation, "The Mermaid," as China's top-grossing film of all time. Now, its $860 million take after just five weekends has made "Wolf Warrior II" the second-highest-earning title in a single territory in history, behind "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in North America. Jade was awarded the Kineo Anica International Icon Award at the 74th Venice film festival and was awarded Most Popular Actress of China 2017 by Instyle Magazine.
- Actress
- Producer
JuJu Chan Szeto (aka JuJu Chan) is a Chinese American actress, best known for her fight action. She graduated with a Masters degree from the prestigious New York University-Tisch School of the Arts (Film/TV). An award winning actress, she's also a martial artist of several styles but is best known for her Taekwon-Do (ITF) where she was on the Hong Kong National Team winning several medals, including gold, in international competitions both in forms and combat. She was later recruited and trained by a Hong Kong champion Thai boxer, where she then beat a veteran opponent in WMC The One Muay Thai Championship. JuJu is also a master of the nunchaku, including double nunchakus. Because of her real fighting skills and mastery of the nunchakus she was coined as the Female Bruce Lee by the Hong Kong media.
In the beginning of her career JuJu competed in beauty pageants where she won in several competitions. After starring in some Hong Kong TV shows and on a web series, she was signed to a record management company. As an accomplished singer and songwriter she released an album in Hong Kong which won her two prestigious music awards. It was then she returned to acting where she finally showed off the martial art skills that she had from training since the age of 10. At the time, action actresses were not in vogue so up till then she never saw the use of showing off her martial art skills.
JuJu is best known for her role as Zan in Wu Assassins, a Netflix original 10 episode series, where she did all her own on-screen fighting for her character. She appeared in 9 of the 10 episodes, with the series ending on a cliff-hanger hinging on her character. To date she has worked with some of the best known martial art stars of the new generation including Donnie Yen, Iko Uwais, Tony Jaa, Scott Adkins, and Max Zhang.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Daniel Wu, is a renowned Hong Kong- American actor, director, and producer. With a career spanning over twenty five years, Wu has made significant contributions to the Asian film industry, and gained recognition for his roles in martial arts and action films as well as drama, showcasing both his broad acting range and physical agility.
Wu's journey in the entertainment world began when he moved to Hong Kong in the late 1990s and was discovered by auteur director Yonfan who cast him in the lead role of gay art house film, "Bishonen". He then quickly rose to fame, starring in films like Benny Chan's "Gen-X Cops", "Purple Storm", and most notably in "City of Glass" for which he earned the first of five Hong Kong Film Award nominations, as Best New Performer.
He received two more Hong Kong Film Award nominations in 2005, for Best Actor in "One Night in Mongkok", Best Supporting Actor in Jackie Chan's "New Police Story", an iconic role that also brought him Taiwan's Golden Horse Award as Best Supporting Actor. The following year Daniel made his directorial debut with "The Heavenly Kings" , a humorous glimpse into the Hong Kong music industry, which won him the prestigious Hong Kong prize as Best New Director for his 2006 feature. Daniel was again nominated for Best Actor in 2015 for his role in Dante Lam's psychological thriller "That Demon Within".
His string of international film hits includes Frank Coraci's 2004 remake of "Around the World in 80 Days", "Blood Brothers" (2007), "Overheard" (2009), Quentin Tarantino's presentation of "The Man with the Iron Fists" (2012), "Europa Report" (2013), China's submission to the 88th Academy Awards "Go Away Mr. Tumor," Duncan Jones' adaptation of the renowned video game, "Warcraft" (2016), "Geostorm" (2017), as well as the remake of "Tomb Raider" (2018). He also starred and executive produced the AMC TV show "Into the Badlands" (2015-2019). Most recently, Wu starred in the box office hit "Caught in Time" (2020), as well as appearing in Lisa Joy's feature directorial debut, romantic sci-fi noir thriller "Reminiscence" (2021), and the HBO series, "Westworld" (2022).
He can also be seen in the Disney+ limited series, "American Born Chinese" (2023) based on the award-winning graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. Wu appears as Sun Wukong, better known as The Monkey King, a mythological and all-powerful god who journeys into our world in a pursuit to find his son.
Beyond his cinematic accomplishments, Daniel Wu is recognized for his advocacy work, supporting the Asian American community as well as other charitable causes. Daniel was also the 2022 recipient of The Bruce Lee Award, in honor of the legendary actor, presented each year by AWFF and the Bruce Lee Foundation to an individual in the film industry whose efforts in the field of martial arts has created a legacy of excellence. Daniel is also an accomplished race car driver currently racing in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series. Daniel Wu's multifaceted career, marked by talent and versatility, has solidified his status as a prominent figure in the global entertainment landscape and making him a household name throughout the global Chinese community.- Actor
- Director
Born Chang Fu-Sheng to a wealthy family on October 20th, 1954, in Hong Kong. His English adopted name was Alexander. He was the ninth of 11 siblings. He was considered his father's favorite. Unlike the rest of his family, he showed little interest in academic and had no desire to try his hand in business. He left school after only 2 years of secondary education and had showed a keen interest in Kung Fu. At 16, he joined the Shaw-TVB training center. He was the among the 45 graduates who graduated as the 1st class of the Shaw-TVB training center on Sept 28, 1972. After his stint at training school, Fu Sheng got his start at Shaw Brothers at 17. He was discovered by legendary director, Chang Cheh and trained for 6 months under the martial tutelage of legendary director and Martial Arts Master, Lau Kar-Leung. Some of his early appearances in film were Man of Iron (1972), Young People (1972), The 14 Amazons (1972). He got his 1st big role with the 1973 film, Police Force. He next appeared in Chang Cheh's youth action drama, Friends in 1974 co-starring David Chiang and Lily Li. He won the 'Best Young Newcomer' award at the 20th Annual Asian Film Festival for his performance. He joined Chang Cheh in Taiwan and made true and classic kung fu films such as Men From The Monastery (1974), Heroes Two (1973), Shaolin Temple and Shaolin Avengers (both 1976). He teamed up with legend Chun-Kuan Chi in the 1st of many films starting with Shaolin Martial Arts (1974). In the films Men From The Monastery, Heroes Two, Shaolin Temple, Shaolin Avengers, Fu Sheng played a role that he would become universally synonymous with--that of famed Chinese folk hero, Fang Shi-Yu. Fu Sheng was a star, but he rose to true super and mega status with Disciples of Shaolin (1975). Disciples of Shaolin (1975) is arguably the finest and greatest acting performance of of his career. He met Jenny Tseng, who was a popular singer who toured around the world and lent her voice to Chinese movies and television programs, in 1975 on the set of Boxer Rebellion. They fell quickly in love and married on December 4th, 1976. Fu Sheng would continue to rise to mega-star status in Asia and gained international stardom with the popular and classic movie, Chinatown Kid (1977) (1977). With his star on rise, he suffered two significant setbacks, both in September, giving the title, "The Black Septembers". On September 17th, 1978, he complained about being dizzy while shooting on the set of Sun Chung's Deadly Breaking Sword (1979). He fell backwards 8 feet in height with his head crashing through an urn, almost breaking his neck. It caused a serious concussion in his skull with internal bleeding. He wore a neck brace for a couple of months. He suffered permanent dizziness, poor diction, slurred speech and vision problems. The second accident occurred in September 19th, 1979 during the filming of Heroes Shed No Tears, his right leg was shattered when the harness holding him up broke sending him crashing to the hard floor. He had to undergo another procedure as the bone didn't set properly while he was recuperating from the first operation and a special contraption was put in place to keep him still. He was out of work for the of six months. Due to his injuries happening in September, he proclaimed to no longer film in the month of September for the rest of his career. At the time, he moved into a house once owned by the late Bruce Lee and known for it's negative feng shui. He made his comeback in 1981 with the classic and funny The Treasure Hunters (1981), a film he made with his brother, Chang Chan-Peng. His career was back on track and he kept on rising. He left his longtime director Chang Cheh, who he made a total of 23 films with. He became a actual student of martial arts master, Lau Kar-Leung, who was becoming a superstar director in his own way. Fu Sheng was filming the all time classic from Lau Kar-Leung, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, when tragedy struck. July 7, 1983 Fu Sheng was returning to his home after dinner out at Clearwater Bay Country Club around 10pm. He was a passenger in his Porsche 911 Targa that was driven by his older brother, Chang Zheng Sheng. His brother took one of the winding curves on Clearwater Bay Road too fast and hit a cement barrier around 10:30pm. Fu Sheng's older brother suffered injuries, but Fu Sheng himself suffered a collapsed chest and severe wounds in the abdomen with unstoppable bleeding. He was rushed to the hospital. The doctors tried revive him by trying to get blood back into his body through transfusion but that was unsuccessful because he kept on losing more blood. The horrible realization set in that surgery was going to be impossible because Fu Sheng also had a broken back. After 5 hours in agony, at 3:43am, Shaw's and Asia's brightest movie star had died. He was only 28 years old. His funeral took place on Thursday, July 14th, 1983. His death was celebrated with a state honors funeral. The day of his death, the Hong Kong television programming stopped and showed chain pictures of his life and career. Over 2,000 actors and 30,000 people attended. The amount of attenders and spectators rivaled that of Bruce Lee's funeral a decade earlier. His funeral was organized by the Shaw Brothers committee. His remains were cremated. Fu Sheng left a long lasting legacy in the kung fu film history. With his mischievous good looks, versatility, amazing acting ability and agility, he quickly became a favorite of martial arts fans and luminaries. Fu Sheng's film work is still revered in Hong Kong and he has strong cult following among kung fu fans around the world. Considered Hong Kong's best loved actors and one Shaw Studios best actors ever, Fu Sheng left a wealth of entertainment for all to enjoy. He will always be one of the cinema's most treasured personalities and bonafide legend in kung fu film history. His films and legacy lives on.- Chiu Chi-ling (born 1943) is a martial artist and actor who appears mostly in Kung Fu style movies produced in Hong Kong. He also teaches Hung Gar Kung Fu at Chiu Chi-ling Hung Gar Kung Fu Association, a San Francisco-based martial arts school he founded, and at the old Chiu Family Kwoon in Hong Kong rooted under the lineage of Lam Sai-wing. Every year he visits his students and grand students around the world and organizes worldwide Kung Fu tournaments. The Kung Fu style he is part of was passed down directly from southern Shaolin temple and carries names like Hung Hei-gun and Wong Fei-hung.
He has appeared in over 70 movies, both as an actor and stunt man. His abilities as an actor and martial arts practitioner has allowed him to work with most of the top Hong Kong film makers including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat and Stephen Chow.
He started practising Hung Gar Kung Fu when he was six years old under the tutelage of his father Chiu Kau (who won with the famous tiger-crane set over the whole of China in his sixties) and mother Chiu Shiu-ying, who were renowned for their solid Hung Gar. They were also both well-known doctors and Chiu learned from his father, beside the art of Kung Fu, the art of bone setting (Dit-Da).
In the early 1970s, he opened a school which attracted many celebrities, athletes and performers. This exposure to the entertainment industry gave him his start in acting. He has appeared in such well-known Kung Fu style movies as Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, Duel of the Seven Tigers, the comic smash-hit Kung Fu Hustle, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons. Adventures of Power and The Mermaid. Chiu Chu-ling has also appeared in "Tiger and Crane Shaolin Kung Fu" demonstrating the techniques from Shaolin tiger and crane. - Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Tony Leung Chiu Wai was born in Hong Kong on 27 June 1962. He and his younger sister were raised by their mother after his father left them. In 1982, after passing the training courses of TVB, Tony became a TV actor and became famous for his comedy style in such TV shows as Tales of a Eunuch (1983) or The Proud Twins (1979). However, he didn't limit himself to television and began showing his versatility in films like My Heart Is That Eternal Rose (1989) and A City of Sadness (1989). After he starred in several movies directed by 'Kar wai Wong'; such as Chungking Express (1994) and Happy Together (1997), he gained more respect as an actor and finally received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes International Film Festival for his outstanding performance in In the Mood for Love (2000). In addition to his acting career, he is also known as a singer.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Ke Huy Quan, also known as Jonathan Ke Quan, is a Vietnamese-born Chinese-American actor and stunt choreographer. Quan played Short Round in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984) and Data in "The Goonies" (1985). In 1990 and 1991, he co-starred as Jasper Kwong in the sitcom "Head of the Class" over two seasons. Quan stopped acting due to a lack of opportunity in the late 1990s, when he received his film degree from USC School of Cinematic Arts. He went on to work as a stunt coordinator and assistant director. He returned to acting as Waymond Wang in the film "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022), a role for which he received critical acclaim, and which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.- Stunts
- Actor
- Director
Brian Le is a stunt performer in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Brian Le is the brother of Andy Le. He worked previously with him in The Paper Tigers and worked again with him, as well as Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once.- Actor
- Stunts
- Writer
Andy Le is known for his work on 'Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings', 'Everything Everywhere All At Once', 'The Paper Tigers', and 'Wu Tang: An American Saga'. Andy grew up in Orange County, California. With very little formal training, the majority of his martial arts abilities are self- taught. Together with his brother, Brian Le, and his friend, Daniel Mah, Andy Le formed the independent action group 'Martial Club'. In 10 years of independent filmmaking, Martial Club has garnered Andy over half a million subscribers, tens of millions of view and the opportunities to work with Kung Fu superstars such as Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh.
A consummate martial artist, Andy considers it his mission to elevate the martial arts and inspire others to lead a life of passion and discipline.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Andy On was born on May 11, 1977, in Los Angeles, California. A non-martial artist, Andy had always loved Jackie Chan movies and emulated his moves from flips and kicks at his home. In early 2000, while working as a bartender in Rhode Island, someone suggested he should become an actor. Andy, who didn't like the bartending job anyway, decided to go with his gut and head for Hong Kong to begin his career. He was approached by Chinastar founder Charles Heung and world renowned filmmaker Hark Tsui to take over the role of one of Jet Li's famous movie character, Black Mask, in Black Mask 2: City of Masks (2002). Andy went to the Shaolin Temple to train for a month in stretching and martial arts for the role. Despite the poor reviews and bad box office, Andy has continued to act and, in fact, improve in not only martial arts but acting as well. He was nominated for Best New Actor for his role in Siu nin a Fu (2003) (aka Star Runner) and shared the screen with the man who influenced him, Jackie Chan, in New Police Story (2004) (aka New Police Story).