Chow Yun-Fat | Biography, Movies, & Facts

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<main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content " data-topic-id="114780"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat">Chow Yun-Fat</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Chow-Yun-Fat">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/28/157828-050-430747B2/Chow-Yun-Fat-1999.jpg" data-href="/media/1/114780/190717" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/28/157828-004-7DC22154/Chow-Yun-Fat-1999.jpg" alt="Chow Yun-Fat" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/93/215693-050-3F69FE4D/Chinese-actor-Chow-Yun-Fat-2007.jpg" data-href="/media/1/114780/245021" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/93/215693-004-5AD60423/Chinese-actor-Chow-Yun-Fat-2007.jpg" alt="Chow Yun-Fat" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button 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Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica" data-title="Chow Yun-Fat" data-published-date="12 Dec. 2024" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=114780] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Chow Yun-Fat" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat">https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> <div> <button class="qa-external-website-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=114780] .md-websites-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 mr-5" data-icon="link"></em> External Websites </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/114780"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/33886%7C0/Chow-Yun-Fat/#overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Turner Classic Movies - Biography of Chow Yun-Fat</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.hkbu.edu.hk/en/about/honorary-doctorates-and-honorary-university-fellows/chow-yun-fat.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Hong Kong Baptist University - Chow Yun Fat</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Chou Jun-fa, Zhou Runfa</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-12-12T00:00:00CST" >Dec 12, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chow-Yun-Fat/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Pinyin: </dt> <dd>Zhou Runfa</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Wade-Giles romanization: </dt> <dd>Chou Jun-fa</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>May 18, 1955, Lamma Island, <a href="/place/Hong-Kong">Hong Kong</a> (age 69)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Works: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/A-Better-Tomorrow">“A Better Tomorrow”</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Married To: </dt> <dd>Jasmine Chow (1987–present)</dd> <dd>On-On Yu (1983–1983)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In): </dt> <dd>"Mo seung" (2018)</dd> <dd>"Cold War II" (2016)</dd> <dd>"Du cheng feng yun III" (2016)</dd> <dd>"Hua li shang ban zu" (2015)</dd> <dd>"Du cheng feng yun II" (2015)</dd> <dd>"Du cheng feng yun" (2014)</dd> <dd>"Xi you ji: Da nao tian gong" (2014)</dd> <dd>"Da Shang Hai" (2012)</dd> <dd>"Tong que tai" (2012)</dd> <dd>"Jian dang wei ye" (2011)</dd> <dd>"Rang zi dan fei" (2010)</dd> <dd>"Shanghai" (2010)</dd> <dd>"Kong Zi" (2010)</dd> <dd>"Dragonball Evolution" (2009)</dd> <dd>"The Children of Huang Shi" (2008)</dd> <dd>"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (2007)</dd> <dd>"Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia" (2006)</dd> <dd>"Yi ma de hou xian dai sheng huo" (2006)</dd> <dd>"Du zi deng dai" (2004)</dd> <dd>"Bulletproof Monk" (2003)</dd> <dd>"Wo hu cang long" (2000)</dd> <dd>"Anna and the King" (1999)</dd> <dd>"The Corruptor" (1999)</dd> <dd>"The Replacement Killers" (1998)</dd> <dd>"He ping fan dian" (1995)</dd> <dd>"Dou san 2" (1994)</dd> <dd>"Hua qi Shao Lin" (1994)</dd> <dd>"Xia dao Gao Fei" (1992)</dd> <dd>"Lat sau san taam" (1992)</dd> <dd>"Wo ai niu wen chai" (1992)</dd> <dd>"Gam yuk fung wan II: To faan" (1991)</dd> <dd>"Dou hap" (1991)</dd> <dd>"Zong heng si hai" (1991)</dd> <dd>"Gat seng gung ziu" (1990)</dd> <dd>"Dou san" (1989)</dd> <dd>"Ying hung boon sik III: Zik yeung ji gor" (1989)</dd> <dd>"Wo zai hei she hui de ri zi" (1989)</dd> <dd>"Ban wo chuang tian ya" (1989)</dd> <dd>"Dip huet seung hung" (1989)</dd> <dd>"Ah Long dik goo si" (1989)</dd> <dd>"Yi dan hong chun" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Zai jian ying xiong" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Yu Ta Fu chuan ji" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Gong zi duo qing" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Dai jeung foo yat gei" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Cheung duen geuk ji luen" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Lo foo chut gang" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Bat sing bou hei" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Jing zhuong zhui nu zi zhi er" (1988)</dd> <dd>"Ying hung boon sik II" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Gam yuk fung wan" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Gui xin niang" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Gong woo lung foo dau" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Chou tin dik tong wah" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Cheng chong chui lui chai" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Gong woo ching" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Yi ben wu yan" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Siu sang mung ging wan" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Lung foo fung wan" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Ying hung ho hon" (1987)</dd> <dd>"Yang ka cheung" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Ni qing wo yuan" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Yi gai yun tian" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Yuan Zhen-Xia yu Wei Si-Li" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Dei ha ching" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Ying hung boon sik" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Din lo jing juen" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Sha qi er ren zu" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Chu yi shi wu" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Mung chung yan" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Qi yuan" (1986)</dd> <dd>"Dai heung kong" (1985)</dd> <dd>"Mei gui di gu shi" (1985)</dd> <dd>"San jaat si hing - juk jaap" (1985)</dd> <dd>"Hoh bit yau ngo?" (1985)</dd> <dd>"Nu ren xin" (1985)</dd> <dd>"Siu mo kong wu" (1984)</dd> <dd>"Dang doi lai ming" (1984)</dd> <dd>"Lung hei bik yan" (1984)</dd> <dd>"Qing cheng zhi lian" (1984)</dd> <dd>"Shang Hai tan" (1983)</dd> <dd>"Fa sing" (1983)</dd> <dd>"But dou san hung" (1983)</dd> <dd>"Xue han jin qian" (1983)</dd> <dd>"Bo yum yan" (1983)</dd> <dd>"Fo fung wong" (1982)</dd> <dd>"Sou hat yi" (1982)</dd> <dd>"Xun cheng ma" (1982)</dd> <dd>"Lie tou" (1982)</dd> <dd>"Ai yu kuang chao" (1982)</dd> <dd>"Woo Yuet dik goo si" (1981)</dd> <dd>"Chin wong kwun ying wui" (1981)</dd> <dd>"Zhi fa zhe" (1981)</dd> <dd>"Xi gan xian" (1980)</dd> <dd>"Meng nu da zei sha zhen tan" (1980)</dd> <dd>"Ban ye" (1980)</dd> <dd>"Shi ba" (1980)</dd> <dd>"Mong chung yan" (1979)</dd> <dd>"Jing wang shuang xiong" (1978)</dd> <dd>"Keung yan" (1978)</dd> <dd>"'O' nu" (1978)</dd> <dd>"Ru ce" (1977)</dd> <dd>"Ga bin" (1977)</dd> <dd>"Chuang shang de gu shi" (1977)</dd> <dd>"Saat sau qi shi er siu si" (1976)</dd> <dd>"Lao jia xie pai gu ye zi" (1976)</dd> <dd>"Chi nu" (1976)</dd> <dd>"Xin Su xiao mei san nan xin lang" (1976)</dd> <dd>"Tou tai ren" (1976)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Movies/Tv Shows (Writing/Creator): </dt> <dd>"He ping fan dian" (1995)</dd> <dd>"Ah Long dik goo si" (1989)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Chow-Yun-Fat"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> <button class="facts-list-show-more-btn mt-15 p-0 mx-auto btn font-14 d-block font-weight-normal"> <span class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></span> <span class="show-more-label">Show More</span> </button> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3290011/chow-yun-fat-slashes-price-luxury-hong-kong-property-14-market-slumps" rel="nofollow">Even Chow Yun-fat is no match for Hong Kong’s real estate slump</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Dec. 9, 2024, 9:41 PM ET (South China Morning Post) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/entertainment/2024/11/19/chow-yun-fat-and-natalie-tong-run-marathon-together-cross-finish-line-4-minutes-apart" rel="nofollow">Chow Yun-Fat and Natalie Tong run marathon together, cross finish line 4 minutes apart</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 19, 2024, 6:08 AM ET (The Star) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref974601"></span>Chow Yun-Fat</strong> (born May 18, 1955, Lamma Island, Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong-born Chinese actor who emerged in the 1980s as one of Asian <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/motion-picture" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">cinema’s</a> most popular leading men, especially known for his roles in action films, and who later forged a successful career in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">After dropping out of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/high-school" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">high school</a> at age 17 and holding a number of menial jobs, Chow began taking <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/acting" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">acting</a> lessons. Eventually he earned a contract to perform on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/television-technology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">television</a>, and by the mid-1970s he was a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/soap-opera" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">soap opera</a> star. His success on television eventually landed him movie roles. His first acclaimed film was <em>Woo Yuet dik goo si</em> (1981; <em>The Story of Woo Viet</em>), in which he played a Vietnamese refugee struggling to reach the United States. He won a Golden Horse Award (in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Taiwan" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Taiwan</a> the equivalent of an <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Academy-Award" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Academy Award</a>) for best actor for his work in <em>Dang doi lai ming</em> (1984; <em>Hong Kong, 1941</em>), a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="poignant" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poignant" data-type="MW">poignant</a> war <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/theatre-art" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">drama</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1986 Chow teamed up with noted action-film director <span id="ref978715"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Woo" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">John Woo</a> in <em>Yingxiong bense</em> (1986; <em><span id="ref978716"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Better-Tomorrow" class="md-crosslink ">A Better Tomorrow</a></em>). The movie made Chow a box-office superstar in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Asia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Asia</a> and launched a series of Chow-Woo pairings that included <em>Yingxiong bense II</em> (1987; <em>A Better Tomorrow II</em> ), <em>Diexue shangxiong</em> (1989; <em><span id="ref1265938"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Killer-film-by-Woo" class="md-crosslink ">The Killer</a></em>), <em>Zongheng sihai</em> (1991; <em>Once a Thief</em>), and <em>Lat sau san taam</em> (1992; <em><span id="ref1088763"></span>Hard-Boiled</em>). Chow also made several popular action films with director Ringo Lam, including <em>Lung fu fong wan</em> (1987; <em>City on Fire</em>), <em>Ban wo chuang tian ya</em> (1989; <em>Wild Search</em>), and <em>Xia dao Gao Fei</em> (1992; <em>Full Contact</em>).</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/pop-culture-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/65/129465-131-8F637272/USA-Annual-Academy-Awards-Closeup-entrance-statue-2009.jpg" alt="USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Pop Culture Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">After Woo and other notable figures in the Asian film world went to work in Hollywood in the 1990s, Chow decided to follow in their footsteps. He made the Chinese film <em>Woh ping faan dim</em> (<em>Peace Hotel</em>) in 1995 and moved to the United States that year. After spending two years studying English and honing his acting skills, he made his Hollywood debut in <em><span id="ref1138513"></span>The Replacement Killers</em> (1998), playing a professional assassin who refuses to complete an assignment and thus becomes a target himself. Although the film was a box-office disappointment, critics lauded Chow’s understated performance. He next starred opposite <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jodie-Foster" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Jodie Foster</a> in <em>Anna and the King</em> (1999), which was based on the popular Broadway musical <em>The King and I</em>. In 2000 he drew <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="accolades" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accolades" data-type="MW">accolades</a> for his performance as a warrior in the martial arts movie <em>Wo hu cang long</em> (2000; <em><span id="ref1138512"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon-film-by-Lee" class="md-crosslink ">Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</a></em>). An international hit, it received an Academy Award for best foreign-language film.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Chow’s subsequent films included the English-language <em>Bulletproof Monk</em> (2003) and <em>Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End</em> (2007), as well as the Chinese production <em>Man cheng jin dai huangjinjia</em> (2006; <em>Curse of the Golden Flower</em>). He later starred as the philosopher <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Confucius" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Confucius</a> in the biopic <em>Kong zi</em> (2010; <em>Confucius</em>). He portrayed mobsters in the action comedy <em>Rang zidan fei</em> (2010; <em>Let the Bullets Fly</em>), which became China’s highest-grossing domestically produced film at that time, and in the espionage noir <em><span id="ref1222817"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Shanghai-motion-picture" class="md-crosslink ">Shanghai</a></em> (2010), set in the Shanghai underworld of the 1940s. In <em>Jian dang wei ye</em> (2011; <em><span id="ref1114534"></span>Beginning of the Great Revival</em>), which dramatized the events leading to the founding of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chinese-Communist-Party" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chinese Communist Party</a>, Chow took on the role of political leader <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yuan-Shikai" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Yuan Shikai</a>. His later films included <em>Tong que tai</em> (2012; <em>The Assassins</em>), in which he portrayed <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cao-Cao" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cao Cao</a>, a Chinese general during the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Han-dynasty" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Han dynasty</a>; the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/musical" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">musical comedy</a> <em>Hua li shang ban zu</em> (2015; <em>Design for Living</em>); and <em>Mo seung</em> (2018; <em><span id="ref1265939"></span>Project Gutenberg</em>), about the mastermind of a counterfeit ring.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span><span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/contributor/encyclopaedia-britannica/12989892">Encyclopaedia Britannica</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":114780,"pageLength":579,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-131/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.131.7"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-131/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.131.7' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Chow Yun-Fat | Biography, Movies, & Facts | Britannica