China
List activity
502 views
• 1 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
30 people
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Crystal Liu, better known by her stage name Liu Yifei, was born in Wuhan, on August 25, 1987. She began modeling at 8. She was trained in singing, dancing & the piano. She moved to the U.S. at 10 w/ her mom, where she lived for 4 years. She returned to China in June 2002 to pursue a modeling & acting career.
In September 2002, she was accepted into the Performance Institute of Beijing Film Academy at 15. Her first TV role was in The Story of a Noble Family. Shortly after, she was chosen to portray the role of Wang Yuyan in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, a drama based on the same-titled novel by the acclaimed martial arts writer, Jinyong.
In October 2003, she made her 1st appearance on the big screen w/ May Day, the well-known Taiwanese rock band, in the movie Love of May. Her fame & popularity went up even further due to her role in the 2004 drama series adaptation of the video game, The Legend of Sword and Fairy. Upon her graduation from the Beijing Film Academy in July 2006, she starred in another TV production based on another book by Jinyong, The Return of the Condor Heroes. This was very well received in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan & Japan.
She made her first foray into a music career in August 2005, when she secured a recording contract w/ Sony Music Entertainment Japan. After taking up singing & dance lessons for a year, her album Liu Yifei was released in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong & Southeast Asia in August 2006, featuring a diverse music repertoire that included rap &soft rock. That same year, she also released a Japanese album. The single, The Gate of Late Night, was chosen to be the theme for an animation series by Tokyo TV.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lucille Soong was born in Beijing, China and moved to Hong Kong when she was 22. Discovered by the famous English director Lewis Gilbert, Lucille was cast to play a bride in the feature Ferry To Hong Kong with Orson Welles. After moving to London during the Swinging 60's, she was chased down by an agent who offered her a role in the historical feature 55 days at Peking with Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner. During this time, she became the first Chinese fashion model in the English Models Directory. She guest starred in the long running British TV series Coronation Street, landed the leading lady in American movie One More Time with Sammy Davis Jr., directed by Jerry Lewis. After making the move to Hollywood Lucille had notable feature roles in Joy Luck Club and Freaky Friday. Her television roles have included a recurring role on Desperate Housewives, According To Jim, Dharma & Greg, Huff and Bones before landing the role of "Grandma Huang" in Fresh Off The Boat.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Chow Yun Fat is a charismatic, athletically built and energetic Asian-born film star who first came to the attention of western audiences via his roles in the high-octane/blazing guns action films of maverick HK director John Woo.
Chow was born in 1955 on the quiet island of Lamma, part of the then-British colony of Hong Kong, near its famous Victoria Harbour. His mother was a vegetable farmer and cleaning lady, and his father worked on a Shell Oil Company tanker. Chow's family moved to urban Hong Kong in 1965 and in early 1973, Chow attended a casting call for TVB, a division of Shaw Bros. productions. With his good looks and easy-going style, Chow was originally a heartthrob actor in non-demanding TV and film roles. However, his popularity increased with his appearance as white-suited gangster Hui Man-Keung in the highly popular drama TV series Shanghai Beach (1980).
In 1985, Chow started receiving acclaim for his work and scored the Golden Horse (Best Actor) Award in Taiwan and another Best Actor Award from the Asian Pacific Film Festival for his performance in Hong Kong 1941 (1984). With these accolades, Chow came to the attention of Woo, who cast Chow in the fast-paced gangster film A Better Tomorrow (1986) (aka "A Better Tomorrow"). The rest, as they say, is history. The film was an enormous commercial success, and Chow's influence on young Asian males was not dissimilar to the adulation given to previous Asian film sensations such as Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. Nearly every young guy in Hong Kong ran out and bought himself a "Mark Coat," as they became known--a long, heavy woolen coat worn by Chow in the movie (although it is is actually very unsuited to Hong Kong's hot and humid climate).
Further hard-edged roles in more John Woo crime films escalated Chow's popularity even higher, and fans all over the world flocked to see A Better Tomorrow II (1987) (aka "A Better Tomorrow 2"), The Killer (1989) (aka "The Killer"), and Hard Boiled (1992) (aka "Hard Boiled"). With the phenomenal global interest in the HK action genre, Chow was enticed to the United States and appeared in The Replacement Killers (1998) with Mira Sorvino, The Corruptor (1999) with Mark Wahlberg, and, for a change of pace, in the often-filmed romantic tale of Anna and the King (1999).
Chow then returned to the Asian cinema circuit and starred in the critically lauded kung fu epic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) (aka "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). His wide appeal can be seen in his "boy next door" type of personality and his ability to play such a broad spectrum of roles from a comedic buffoon to a lovestruck Romeo to a trigger-happy professional killer. A highly entertaining and gifted actor with dynamic on-screen presence, Chow continues to remain in strong demand in many film markets.- 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
- Producer
- Art Department
Andy Lau Tak-wah, (born 27 September 1961) is a Hong Kong actor, singer-songwriter, presenter, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time. In the 1990s, Lau was branded by the media as one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop. Lau was entered into the Guinness World Records for the "Most Awards Won by a Cantopop Male Artist". By April 2000, he had already won a total unprecedented 292 awards. In 2005, Lau was awarded "No.1 Box office Actor 1985-2005" of Hong Kong, yielding a total box office of HKD 1,733,275,816 for shooting 108 films in the past 20 years. In 2007, Lau was also awarded the "Nielsen Box Office Star of Asia" by the Nielsen Company.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Born in Shenyang, grew up in Jinan, the daughter of an economics professor. Loved music from childhood, and dreamed of a singing career. After failing to gain entrance to China's top music school in 1985, applied for and was admitted to the Central Drama Academy in Beijing, from which she graduated in 1989. While still a student, was cast as the female lead in Red Sorghum (1988)(aka "Red Sorghum"), the initial directing effort by Yimou Zhang. China's best-known actress in the West, she was named Best Actress at the 49th Venice International Film Festival for her role in The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) (aka "The Story of Qiu Ju"). Made a series of successful films with Yimou Zhang, a collaboration that apparently ended with the breakup of their personal relationship in 1995 and Gong's subsequent marriage to a tobacco company executive.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Ziyi Zhang is a Chinese actress and model. She is best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Rush Hour 2 (2001), Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).
She made her feature film debut in The Road Home (1999).
For her work in Memoirs of a Geisha she was nominated for an Golden Globe for Best Actress.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Tsai Chin, pinyin Zhou Caiqin is an actor, director, teacher and author, best known in America for her film role as Auntie Lindo in The Joy Luck Club. The third daughter of Zhou Xinfang, China's great actor in the last century, she was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art London (first Chinese student) and later earned a Master Degree at Tufts University, Boston. Her career spans more than five decades working in UK, USA and recently in China. She starred on stage on both sides of the atlantic, (a first for a Chinese actor) in London's West End,The World of Susie Wong and on Broadway, Golden Child; played the two most powerful women of 20th century China; for television, in The Subject of Struggle; for stage Memories of Madame Mao; was twice in Bond films, as Bond girl in You Only Live Twice, and later in Casino Royale. Her single The Ding Dong Song recorded for Decca was top of the charts in Asia. She was the first to be invited to teach acting in China after the Cultural Revolution when universities re-opened. She is now celebrated in China for her portrayal of Jia Mu in the recent TV drama series, The Dream of The Red Chamber. Her international best-selling autobiography, Daughter of Shanghai is to be a stage play by David Henry Hwang which will be produced by the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Perfoming Arts in Beverly Hills.- 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.- Actress
- Producer
- Visual Effects
Li Bingbing (born 27 February 1973) is a Chinese actress and singer. She rose to fame with her role in Seventeen Years (1999) and since then received critical acclaim for her roles in A World Without Thieves (2004), Waiting Alone (2005), The Knot (2006), The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), The Message (2009), Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010), and Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal (2015). Li has also starred in Hollywood blockbusters Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) and Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014).
Li was born in Wuchang, Heilongjiang. She had no intention of becoming an actress initially and she enrolled specifically in a high school for prospective school teachers. However, upon graduation, she discovered her interest in acting and was eventually persuaded by a friend to join the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1993.
Li rose to fame after starring in Zhang Yuan's Seventeen Years (1999), which won her the Best Actress Award in the 1999 Singapore Film Festival. In 2001, Li starred in the television series Young Justice Bao, which propelled her to become one of the most famous actresses in China.
Li was subsequently labelled as an "action actress" as she starred in a number of wuxia television series, such as Taiji Prodigy and Eight Heroes.
Li achieved breakthrough with her performance in Feng Xiaogang's A World Without Thieves. She then starred in Dayyan Eng's romantic comedy film Waiting Alone, for which she received her first Best Actress nomination at the Golden Rooster Awards.
In 2006, Li starred in romance film The Knot, directed by Yin Li. The film was China's entry for the Best Foreign Film award at the 2008 Academy Awards. Li won Best Actress awards at the 2007 Huabiao Awards and at the 2008 Hundred Flowers Awards. In 2008, she co-starred with Jet Li and Jackie Chan in the 2008 blockbuster The Forbidden Kingdom as the White-Haired Witch. The film was her first appearance in an international film, and gave her a solid international following.
In 2009, Li won Best Actress at the 46th Golden Horse Film Awards for her performance in The Message, about Japanese invaders in China who try to ferret out a spy among their Chinese collaborators.
Li then starred in Tsui Hark's 2010 action-mystery film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. She played Shangguan Jing'er, a fictional character based off Shangguan Wan'er, a prestigious politician during the Tang Dynasty. She established her studio in the same year, co-starring and co-producing the film 1911 with Jackie Chan, which was released in September 2011 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution.
Li's first-time in an English-language film is Wayne Wang's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, adapted from Lisa See's 2005 novel of the same title. The film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Li started to gain recognition in Hollywood after starring in Resident Evil: Retribution, playing Ada Wong. The same year, she was cast in action fantasy film 400 Boys, directed by British director Alastair Paton.
In 2013, Li attended the 4th Annual US-China Film Summit and received the East-West Talent Award. Hollywood magazine Variety also named her Asian Star of the Year. The following year, Li featured in Transformers: Age of Extinction, the fourth installment of the film franchise. This helped solidify her success overseas.
In 2015, she was cast in 3D science fiction thriller Nest (also known as Guardians of the Tomb), a Chinese-Australian co-production that was finally released in January 2018. The same year, it was announced that Li would play China's first female superhero in upcoming film Realm, written by Stan Lee.
In 2016, Li joined the cast of Meg, an American shark film based on Steve Alten's 1997 novel.
She is also one of the members of China Zhi Gong Party.- Liu ShiShi(Cecilia Liu) graduated from Beijing Dance Academy, major in Ballet. During her college time, she once had a opportunity to play a role in a TV series. It was that chance that open a new path for the ballerina's future. Upon her graduation from the Academy, she decided to choose acting as her career.
ShiShi is best known for her role as RuoXi in Chinese period drama Scarlet Heart, 2011. Due to the great success of this TV series and her great performance during and after Scarlet Heart, she was named as one of the "Chinese Four Promising Young Famale actresses" by the famous Chinese paper-media Nan Du Entertainment Weekly in 2013.
Liu ShiShi has been married to Taiwanese actor Nicky Wu on Jan 20th 2015, whom she met on the set of Scarlet Heart in 2011.
Now ShiShi is focusing on big screen, preferring roles that realistic complex, challenging and nurturing. - Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Simu is a Chinese-Canadian actor who won a Game Changer Award and People's Choice Award for his role as Shang-Chi in the Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Before his leading role in a Marvel movie, he played Jung Kim on the CBC sitcom Kim's Convenience (2016). He is also a writer and producer.
Immigrating from China at the age of 5, Simu was raised in Mississauga, Ontario. After graduating from the Richard Ivey School of Business and working at a top accounting firm for nearly a year, Liu was laid off. Deciding to pursue work in film and television instead, he quickly landed roles on series such as Heroes Reborn (2015), Nikita (2010), Warehouse 13 (2009) and Air Crash Investigation (2003).
He has since starred on Blood and Water (2015) and Taken (2017), and guest starred on shows such as The Expanse (2015), Bad Blood (2017), and Fresh Off the Boat (2015).
Liu has written and produced for television as well as in film. His short film Meeting Mommy was selected as a semi-finalist for the NBC Universal Shorts Festival. He was also a writer on the second season of Blood and Water, contributing as a story editor for the season and as the main writer for one episode.
Simu trains extensively in martial arts and stunt work in addition to television and theatrical performance.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Bai Ling is recognized for unbridled freedom and creativity, Bai Ling has become undoubtedly one of the world's most diverse and captivating actresses! Born in the city of Cheng Du in southern China, Bai Ling began her career at age of 14. She enlisted In the Chinese People's Liberation Army, where she spent three years in a performance troupe entertaining soldiers stationed in Tibet. She first gained the attention of audiences and critics alike when she won the coveted lead role opposite Richard Gere in Jon Avnet's Red Corner (1997). She received numerous accolades including the prestigious Breakthrough Performance Award from the National Board of Review. She also garnered the Discovery Star awarded by the Hollywood Women's Press Club for their Golden Apple Awards. While developing her remarkable facility with the English language, she has worked with such prestigious filmmakers as Oliver Stone in Nixon (1995), George Lucas in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), Barry Sonnenfeld in Wild Wild West (1999), Spike Lee in She Hate Me (2004), Andy Tennant in Anna and the King (1999), Ang Lee in The Wedding Banquet (1993), Alex Proyas in The Crow (1994) and Luc Besson' in )Taxi 3 (2003)_, in which she spoke French. She also starred in Terrence Malick's Broadway production of "Sansho the Bailiff". She dazzled audiences with her portrayal of the sexy, mysterious Achara in the hit TV series Lost (2004), and intrigued viewers with her seductive yet exhilarating role in HBO's Entourage (2004).
Bai Ling was awarded the Asian Oscar for her brilliant performance in her first Hong Kong film Three... Extremes (2004). It also earned her an additional three major awards in the Far East. She received the Spirit Diversity Award by The Hollywood Motion Picture Association. Her film Southland Tales (2006), directed by Richard Kelly was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
Bai starred in and executive-produced Shanghai Baby (2007). She has worked with Taylor Hackford in Love Ranch (2010), co-starring with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci, and had a leading role in the Jason Statham action comedy Crank: High Voltage (2009) with costar with Jason Statham.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Born in Shenyang, grew up in Jinan, the daughter of an economics professor. Loved music from childhood, and dreamed of a singing career. After failing to gain entrance to China's top music school in 1985, applied for and was admitted to the Central Drama Academy in Beijing, from which she graduated in 1989. While still a student, was cast as the female lead in Red Sorghum (1988)(aka "Red Sorghum"), the initial directing effort by Yimou Zhang. China's best-known actress in the West, she was named Best Actress at the 49th Venice International Film Festival for her role in The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) (aka "The Story of Qiu Ju"). Made a series of successful films with Yimou Zhang, a collaboration that apparently ended with the breakup of their personal relationship in 1995 and Gong's subsequent marriage to a tobacco company executive.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jimmy O. Yang's a stand-up comedian & actor. He was born on June 11, 1987 in Hong Kong as Man-Sing Au-Yeung. He stars as Jian-Yang on Silicon Valley (2014), Bernard Tai in Crazy Rich Asians (2018) & Dun Meng in Patriots Day (2016). As a stand-up, he performed on The Arsenio Hall Show (1989) where he received a standing ovation. He can also be seen on season 9 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005) as Charlie's friend Tang-See. He's fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese & Shanghainese.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Tang Wei was born on 7 October 1979 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China. She is an actress, known for Lust, Caution (2007), Decision to Leave (2022) and Blackhat (2015). She has been married to Kim Tae-yong since 12 July 2014. They have one child.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Born into a family of doctors and educated in China at the Shanghai Film Academy and the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages, Joan Chen was discovered by veteran Chinese director Jin Xie while observing a filming with a school group. Her performance in Xiao hua (1979) (A.K.A. "The Little Flower") won China's Best Actress award, and resulted in the Chinese press dubbing her "The Elizabeth Taylor of China" for having achieved top stardom while still in her teen years. She came to the U.S. to attend college in 1981, first at the State University of New York at New Paltz, later at California State University at Northridge. She a succession of small parts in movies and T.V., with her first break coming in 1986 when, in true Hollywood legend, producer Dino De Laurentiis noticed her in the parking lot of Lorimar Studios and cast her in Tai-Pan (1986). The film bombed, but it led to her being cast as the ill-fated Empress in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor (1987), which won critical acclaim. This, and her role as enigmatic mill owner Josie Packard in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990), are her best-known roles in Europe and North America. However, Hollywood's practice of type-casting East Asians has led to a dearth of major roles for Chen since then, and in recent roles, she has often been cast as a villainess.
After taking a few years off to start a family, Joan returned to the screen in important supporting roles playing women in early middle age, such as the mother of a principle adult character. As a result, her career is flourishing again on both sides of the Pacific. Her two directing efforts were well-received critically, and in a 2008 interview she revealed she planned to direct again but was putting that off until her daughters were grown, since directing took her away from them too much, whereas acting could be done on a part-time basis.- Actor
- Writer
Ludi Lin is a unique actor striding Hollywood and China and one of the most outspoken voices in Asian Representation in Hollywood. Being born in China, he received his education and enculturation in many different countries around the world. Rather than deciding to be an actor, he feels he simply never succumbed to the pressures of giving up on being one because he believes that people are all born actors and we're here to to tell our stories.
Ludi's upcoming projects include: MORTAL KOMBAT, SON OF THE SOUTH, THE GHOST BRIDE, the Chinese adaptation of HUMANS and two shorts including IN A NEW YORK MINUTE and SUMMER KNIGHT. He recently joined the cast of MORTAL KOMBAT as Liu Kang, AQUAMAN as Captain Murk in the 2018 DC film, AQUAMAN. He is well known as Zack, The Black Power Ranger in THE POWER RANGERS, Lions Gate's franchise. He was also seen in Season 2 of Netflix's MARCO POLO along with Chinese films COME ACROSS LOVE and TAKES ME TO THE ENDS OF EARTH. Ludi's other credits include the Chinese MONSTER HUNT and LOST IN HONG KONG - one of China's biggest box office Chinese films released to date.
In 2017, Ludi was honored at the Hawaii European Film Festival Awards, receiving the Rising Star Award. Variety presented their Asian Stars: Up Next Award to Ludi at the 2nd International Film Festival & Awards in Macao.
Ludi was born in Fuzhou, a city along the southern coast of China. His full immersion into western culture came at the age of 9 when he was sent abroad to Sydney Australia to further his studies. Finally, when he was 17 he moved to Vancouver Canada to complete his university education. The allure to act for Ludi began from an early age when he watched his mother's performances from behind the curtain of a Chinese Theatrical stage. Ironically, she urged him not to follow her footsteps but in spite of her dire warnings, he continued to pursue the art and eventually graduated with a double major in Dietetics and Theatre from the University of British Columbia. After graduating, Ludi took a 2 year souljourn around Asia proper where he refined his martial arts skills in Thailand and Japan; studying Muay Thai and JiuJitsu for extended periods. Subsequently, Ludi returned to Vancouver to work as an actor, and honed his skills on shows such as LEVEL UP! and HOLIDAY SPIN. He was also cast in a number of Chinese co-productions, that put to use his unique language skills, films such as, I'M SORRY, I LOVE YOU (2013) and A Servant of Two Masters. Working in China afforded Ludi the chance learn in a different environment and work with legends of the Chinese industry such as Barbara Wong, a revered female director out of Hong Kong, and Jackie Chan and his stunt fighting team. The welcome he experienced and his deepening impression on Chinese audiences made him decide to continue establishing himself in China. Ludi currently maintains residences in Beijing and Vancouver and is a competitive snowboarder, a Master Scuba diver, and student of different martial art forms. He feels grateful to be an actor who can share his art with the world.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Fala Chen was born in China and raised in Atlanta, GA, USA. A recipient of MFA in Drama from The Juilliard School, Fala's mother tongue is in Mandarin, but she is known to be multilingual, and can speak fluently in English, Cantonese, and Japanese as well. Some of her notable TV and film work include her lead roles in Heart of Greed (2007), Steps (2007), Moonlight Resonance (2008), Turning Point (2009), No Regrets (2010), Triumph in the Skies 2 (2013), Will Power (2013), Tales from the Dark 2 (2013), and Despicable Me 3 (Cantonese) (2017). Her latest film, The Treasure, is pending release and was directed by Gordon Chan and Ronald Tsang. Her debut on the theatre stage came in summer 2016 with Skylight - the premiere of Chinese adaptation of the 1995 British play by David Hare that debuted in West End and Broadway. The play was scheduled to run for 24 shows at the Lyric Threatre HKAPA, and due to overwhelming responses, 11 additional shows were added, making that a total of 35 shows running across 1 July 2016 to 14 August 2016. Starring alongside Dayo Wong and Terrance Lau, Skylight was sold out within a few hours, and it received raving positive reviews including praises for Fala's performance as a theatre actor. Fala is the spokesperson for Olay in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. She is also the Ambassador for Hong Kong Cancer Fund's Pink Revolution Campaign, promoting awareness on breast cancer.- Actress
- Costume Designer
- Soundtrack
Born in Shanghai, China to a banker father and a painter mother. The family left for Hong Kong where Irene attended parochial school and studied ballet. At 12 the family immigrated to New York City where Irene attended George Washington HS and Quintano's School for young professionals and studied ballet and jazz at Carnegie Hall. She was a teenage dancer in Flower Drum Song (1961), directed by Henry Koster who gave her her first speaking role as a teenage prostitute in his next film, Take Her, She's Mine starring James Stewart which launched her acting career.
Her career spans four decades in most of the popular TV series (50 titles) and 32 feature films. Irene was able to cross over to play not only Chinese parts but roles originally written for other ethnicities with the help of casting directors and creative writers/directors. Director Paul Mazursky cast Irene as Shiela Waltzberg, the Jewish princess wife in Down & Out in Beverly Hills. Director Frank Tashlin cast Irene as Ray Walston's secretary in Caprice Irene played a Malaysian revolutionary in Paper Tiger. She was also the TV spokeswoman for Chevron Island Wiki Wiki Dollars for Standard Oil, as well as Hawaiian Punch for Proctor and Gamble
Irene Speaks 3 dialects of Chinese, she appeared in the Peter Chan Ho-Sun's hit Hong Kong film Comrades: Almost a Love Story (1996) and Golden Chicken (2002).
Irene studied acting with Ned Manderino and Milton Katselas in Los Angeles For the past two decades, Irene has been a successful realtor in Beverly Hills. She enjoys helping people body mind and spirit. She teaches Bikram yoga for the Beverly Hills Department of Parks.- IMDB Mini Biography
- Actor
- Producer
For over four decades, Tzi Ma (pronounced "TIE MA") has blazed new trails for the representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in Hollywood with a groundbreaking career that encompasses virtually every genre across film, television and theater.
From big budget blockbusters like the Rush Hour series (1998 - 2007) to award-winning independent films like Tigertail (2020), Ma's unforgettable performances and uncanny versatility have garnered unanimous acclaim from critics and audiences around the world.
Since 2021, Ma has co-starred in The CW's hit action adventure series Kung Fu as Jin Shen, a San Francisco restaurant owner and father of the show's heroine, Nicky Shen (played by Olivia Liang).
Born in Hong Kong and raised in Staten Island, Ma worked at his family-owned restaurant while honing his craft in the New York theater scene throughout the 1970s. Despite limited opportunities for AAPI actors, Ma refused to perform roles he considered demeaning or stereotypical. During this period, he collaborated with then-emerging playwrights David Henry Hwang and Eric Overmyer; who both penned works specifically for Ma (The Dance and the Railroad and In Perpetuity Throughout the Universe, respectively).
As a young adult, Ma was a ubiquitous presence in Manhattan's Chinatown where he worked as a counselor specializing in at-risk youth. Ma also volunteered for various community organizations; most notably, the Basement Workshop, a collective of Chinese American artists and activists seeking to promote the arts and arts education in the neighborhood.
In 1978, Ma made his screen debut alongside Jack Palance and Andy Warhol in the cult classic Cocaine Cowboys, directed by Ulli Lommel. Throughout the 1980s, Ma continued to perform in regional and off-Broadway productions while appearing as a guest star on hit television programs like The Equalizer, LA Law, MacGyver and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
During the 1990s, Ma became a ubiquitous presence at the multiplex with memorable roles in films like Rapid Fire (1992), Chain Reaction (1996), Dante's Peak (1997) and Rush Hour (1998).
Since 2000, Ma has successfully balanced a prolific film and television career; appearing in movies like The Quiet American (2002), The Ladykillers (2004), Rush Hour 3 (2007) and Arrival (2016) and playing recurring characters on popular shows like 24, American Dad!, Hell on Wheels, The Man in High Castle and Veep.
In addition to his many high-profile projects, Ma has also been active in the world of independent cinema for over two decades; appearing in features and short films by up-and-coming AAPI and Asian directors. Notable works include Mina Shum's Meditation Park (2017), for which he was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and Lulu Wang's The Farewell (2019).
Now entering his fifth decade in show business, Ma continues to challenge himself with diverse and unconventional roles. In 2020, he earned some of the best reviews of his career with his performance in Netflix's Tigertail, in which he played a divorcee attempting to reconcile with his adult daughter. Later that year, Ma co-starred in Disney's action adventure Mulan, portraying the title character's doting father. In 2021, he joined the cast of The CW's Kung Fu, now in its third season.
Ma's upcoming projects include the Amazon film 5 Blind Dates and making his feature directorial debut with Hanako, a historical drama about Korea's "comfort women".- Actor
- Soundtrack
Yang Yang was born on 9 September 1991 in Shanghai, China. He is an actor, known for The King's Avatar (2019), Love O2O (2016) and Vanguard (2020).- Tom Wu was born on 15 May 1972 in Hong Kong, China. He is an actor, known for Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes (2015), The Gentlemen (2019) and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019).
- 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).- Actress
- Producer
- Composer
Vivian Wu (Chinese name : Wu JunMei) is a Chinese American actress and producer. Born in Shanghai, China, to Zhu ManFang, a famous Chinese actress and Wu ChengYe, a college professor, she was discovered by female director HuangShuQin during her visit to her mother's film set when she was 15 years old and was offered one of the lead roles in Huang's Long Live Youth launching her prolific acting career. While completing high school, Wu was also starring in numerous films and soon became one of the nation's most promising young stars.
During her third year as an actress Vivian was chosen by legendary director Bernardo Bertolucci to play the role of Wen Xiu, in his iconic Oscar-winning film, The Last Emperor. Bertolucci's film introduced Vivian to the international stage outside of mainland China. Vivian was the first Asian actress to receive a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the prestigious Italian David Donatello film festival.
Vivian then went to Hawaii Pacific University to study Travel Industry Management. After moving to Los Angeles in 1990, she was selected by People Magazine as one of the fifty most beautiful people in the world. Since 1990, she has dedicated herself full-time to her acting career.
Besides for The Last Emperor, she is also known for her roles in The Joy Luck Club, and Heaven and Earth. More notably, Vivian starred with Ewan McGregor in Peter Greenaway's award-wining The Pillow Book which also won Cannes' Certain Regard Award. Vivian's remarkable portrayal of Nagiko, a deeply obsessed Japanese woman earned her international raving reviews.
In addition to her notable Western films and television work, Vivian continues her impressive career in China. She has starred in several independent feature films and garnered excellent reviews for such international films as Chinaman and Eve and the Firehorse, the latter which earned her a nomination for Canada's Genie Award, for her outstanding performance of MeiLing.
In 2018, Cathy Yan offered Vivian the leading role in her directorial debut Dead Pigs. Vivian's energetic performance of Candy won her and her three costars a Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Recent television credits then include hit series such as Wo Ju, Ru Yi Zhuan, Hot Mama etc..
Vivian has also been involved in many charity foundations. In 1999, she founded the "Vivian Wu and Friends Educational Charity Foundation" in Shanghai to aid children with special educational needs.
Vivian has been married to Oscar Luis Costo, a Cuban/American producer/writer/director. The two met on the set of Vanishing Son, in which Vivian starred in and Oscar produced. Their 1996 Shanghai wedding in China was featured by People Magazine in their Celebrity Weddings of the Year Special Edition. Vivian was selected as the best-dressed bride of the year. She and Oscar have collaborated on several projects together, and in 2004, Vivian produced and starred in Oscar's feature film Shanghai Red.
In 2019, Vivian spent over half a year in North America, playing the role of Dr. Lu Wang, a series regular, on the Netflix series Away - a new dramatic series premiering globally on September 4th, 2020.- Jing Lusi was born in Shanghai and moved to England with her parents at the age of five. After graduating law from University College London, Lusi went on to become one of the most prominent Asian actresses in the UK. She has appeared across TV (Lucky Man (2016), Scott & Bailey (2011)), film (Survivor (2015), Crazy Rich Asians (2018)) and theatre, as well as presenting a number of documentaries for UK and Chinese broadcasters.
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Jingchu Zhang was born on 2 February 1980 in Fujian, China. She is an actress and director, known for Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015), Protégé (2007) and Rush Hour 3 (2007).- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Her mother (now deceased) was a singer and her father a mining engineer. They moved with her older brother to Hong Kong when she was 18 and she began to take singing lessons. Her teacher introduced her to Cinepoly Records, where she first recorded under the name Wong Jing Man and was given the English name Shirley Wong for three albums. She sang predictable Cantopop and was unsatisfied with her career and eventually left for New York to carve her own identity, returning several months later. Given more creative freedom, she favoured the sounds of R'n'B in her new releases and also started writing her own songs. Her quirky sense of fashion and on-stage antics were often compared to Bjork's. In 1994 she reclaimed her real name and released the self titled "Faye Wong". The album had no cover but a blank white casing and booklet. It cemented her attitude towards music & media, Wong was all about music and did not care for frills and publicity. Her cover of "Dreams" by The Cranberries set her aside from the ballad-crooning Cantopop industry dominated by male singers. In 1995 she released "Restless", with 8 original works by Wong and 2 in collaboration with the Cocteau Twins. This album is widely considered by fans and Wong herself as her best work and most artisically ground-breaking as one song is purely instrumental and 4 sung in a jibberish language invented by Wong. She left Cinepoly in 1997 and was signed to EMI for a record amount. She worked with Cocteau Twins again, who wrote two songs for her first EMI release, "Faye Wong". After 5 albums with EMI she is currently signed with Sony Records. Her first Sony release "To Love" has earnt her nominations in Best Album, Best Female Artist, Best Song, Best Producer, Best Lyrics and Best Arrangment.
She married Dou Wei, the former lead singer of Black Panther, one of China's first successful metal groups. They had a daughter but subsequently divorced. She has been romantically linked on and off again with Nicholas Tse Ting-fung, the bad boy of Cantopop 11 years her junior, since June 2000. Their first breakup was in March 2002 when Tse paired off with Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi, but he and Wong reconciled four months later. Other big Hong Kong entertainments names have been mentioned, including Anita Mui Yim-fong in May 2003, Mui's agent Marianne Wong in November 2003, and on Wong's part, fellow Beijing native and Hong Kong superstar Leon Lai Ming.
Wong is known for being aloof with media and fans, skipping out awards ceremonies, and can be considered the Björk of Asia with regards to both her singing and acting careers. She won the Best Actress award at a Swedish film festival for her role in Chungking Express, her first major feature film. in 2003 she won the Best Actress award in Hong Kong for Chinese Odyssey 2002. She will appear in Wong Kar-Wai's next Cannes Film entry "2046". Unlike most Asian entertainers, acting is a secondary vocation compared to her unique pop sensibilities, becoming successful with both Chinese and non-Chinese audiences, singing primarily in her native Mandarin.- Actor
- Soundtrack
As a child, Wang Kai dreamt of being an actor. Despite some opposition from family, in 2003, he entered the prestigious Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. While still in school, Wang Kai starred in Cold Autumn (2006) as Huang Yuanshang.
After graduating in 2007, Wang Kai's breakthrough role was as Chen Jiaming, an effeminate make-up artist in Ugly Wudi (2008-2011), the Chinese version of American Ugly Betty. In 2008 (though the show aired in 2010), Wang Kai had a small role in Taiwanese, Calling for Love, where he learned how to speak with a Taiwanese accent. While he was successful in his role in Ugly Wudi, Wang Kai ended up rejecting several role offers in the year that followed as the offers were typecast. He later accepted an offer to star as Qi Yong, a rugged and uneducated youth in Youth (2012). While Wang Kai continued to star in several roles, his mainstream success did not come until 2014.
In 2014, All Quiet in Peking aired with Wang Kai starring as Fang Mengwei, a police officer. His dedication and acting skills earned the respect of veteran actors on set. He also starred in A Murder Beside Yanhe River, for which he won the China Film Youth Generation Forum Award.
With the airing of The Disguiser (2015) and Nirvana in Fire (2015) later that year, Wang Kai quickly shot to widespread fame in China. His acting as the loyal Ming Cheng in The Disguiser, with his quick thinking and suave espionage skills quickly helped him gain attention and become a household name. Along with the success of The Disguiser, Wang Kai's emotional and upright Prince Jing in Nirvana in Fire, determined to bring justice and restore the honor of his kingdom further assured his fame.
Wang Kai has gone on to star in several popular dramas such as Love Me If You Dare (2015) and Ode to Joy (2016), as well as two new dramas, Stay With Me (2016) and When a Snail Falls in Love (2016). His acting skills and hard work have also helped him win awards and reach career success.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ni Ni was born on 8 August 1988 in China. She is an actress, known for The Flowers of War (2011), The Rise of Phoenixes (2018) and Lost in the Stars (2022).