Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-fat Actor Information
Chow Yun-fat is one of Hong Kong’s most iconic movie stars and a classic case of rages to riches and fame. Hit hits include the famed God of Gamblers movies that enthralled a generation of Chinese movie goers and block buster western movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Replacement killers. He is charismatic, extremely versatile and the roles he has played have ranged from comedic buffoons to love struck Romeos and trigger happy psychotic killers.
Names
English name – Chow Yun-fat
Chinese name – 周润发
Pinyin – Zhou Run Fa
Details
Date of birth – 18th May 1955
Place of Birth- Lamma Island, Hong Kong
Height – 1.85 meters
Background
Chow Yun-fat was born in a small farming community in Hong Kong’s Lamma Island. His mother was a cleaning lady and vegetable farmer and his father was a worker on a Shell Oil company tanker. His home had no electricity and his early life was very tough with him daily helping his mother sell their produce in the mornings and working in the fields in the afternoon.
He moved to Kowloon when he was 10 and quit school when he was 17 to support his family by work in odd jobs such as a taxi driver, hotel bell boy and camera sales. One of the reasons for Chow Yun-fat’s success is the work ethic he developed in his early life.
Acting Career
Chow’s acting career began when he responded to a newspaper advertisement for a trainee actor at Hong Kong’s commercial television station TVB. He signed up for a three year contract and quickly became a house hold name from his appearances in TV series such as The Bund. Chow Yun-fat’s first few movies were low budget failures and it was not until he appeared in the John Woo gangster movie A Better Tomorrow in 1986 that he achieved success.
Since 1986, Chow has set the standard for gun fu (heroic action movies with lots of skilled gun fighting) with a string of hits that are now classic Chinese gangster movies. One of his most outstanding movies was the God of Gamblers where he used a combination of suave charm, comedy and action to create a mesmerizing character. God of Gamblers broke Hong Kong’s all time box office records and spawned a number of successful sequels.
He moved to Hollywood in the mid 90’s and made The Replacement Killers (1998) and The Corrupter (1999) that were both box office failures. His third film Anna and the King with Jodie Foster was also unsuccessful. His first film to achieve success in the west was Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000). Chow’s next US movie the Bullet Proof Monk in 2003 was also a box office success. Chow Yun-fat’s success in the US and western market was limited to Asian action hero roles and his ability at comedic or dramatic roles was not recognized.
Personal Life
Chow’s first notable romance was with TV star Idy Chan in 1978 that lasted for 5 years and he attempted suicide over the breakup. He married a fellow Hong Kong TV star Candice Yu in 1983 and divorced 9 months later. He married again in 1986 to Jasmine Tan from Singapore who is the daughter of one of China’s richest businessmen.
Chow Yun-fat Yen Trivia
-Chow’s action movie trademark is a toothpick in his mouth, dark shades, twin berretta hand guns and a long heavy woollen coat.
-Chow Yun-fat made four movies and two TV series with Andy Lau and helped Andy Lau with his movie career when Andy was down and out.
Chow Yun-fat with his trademark toothpick and twin pistols
Chinese Titles
The Last Tycoon (2012)
Cheng Daqi
The Monkey King (2012)
Jade Emperor
Beginning of he Great Revival (2011)
Yuan Shikai
Let the Bullets Fly (2010)
Master Huang
The Children of Huang Shi (2008)
Chen Hansheng
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
Emperor Ping
The Postmodern Life of My Aunt (2006)
Pan Zhichang
Waiting Alone (2004)
Fa Ge
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Master Li Mu Bai
Woh ping faan dim (1995)
The Killer
God of Gamblers' Returns (1994)
Ko Chun
National Treasure (1994)
Chang Ching
Xian ren zhang (1994)
Hall
Full Contact (1992)
Gou Fei (as Chow Yun Fat)
Hard Boiled (1992)
Insp. 'Tequila' Yuen
Wo ai chou wen chai (1992)
Ng Shan-shui
Dei ha ching (1991)
Detective Lan
Prison on Fire II (1991)
Chung Tin Ching
Once a Thief (1991)
Red Bean Pudding (Joe) (as Chow Yun Fat)
God of Gamblers II (1991)
Ko Chun
The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon (1990)
Lam Bo Sun/Mr. Stink
God of Gamblers (1989)
Ko Chun
A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon (1989)
Mark
Ban wo chuang tian ya (1989)
Lau Chung Pong/'Mew-Mew'
All About Ah-Long (1989)
Ah-Long Yeung
Wo zai hei she hui de ri zi (1989)
Li Man-Ho
Yi dan hong chun (1988)
Officer Dick Lee Chiu
Daai jeung foo yat gei (1988)
Chow Chen-fat
Chang duan jiao zhi lian (1988)
Joe
Tiger on Beat (1988)
Sgt. Francis Li
The Eighth Happiness (1988)
'Handsome' Long
Jing zhuong zhui nu zi zhi er (1988)
Wong Yat Fat
Gong zi duo qing (1988)
Locomotive
Yu Ta-fu chuan ji (1988)
Yu Da Fa as adult
Zai jian ying xiong (1988)
Hung
A Better Tomorrow II (1987)
Ken
Prison on Fire (1987)
41671 / Chung Tin Ching
Flaming Brothers (1987)
Chang Ho-tien
An Autumn's Tale (1987)
Boat-head / Figurehead / Figgy
Cheng chong chui lui chai (1987)
Wong Yat Fat
Rich and Famous (1987)
Li Ah-Chai
Xiao sheng meng jing hun (1987)
City on Fire (1987)
Ko Chow
Gui xin niang (1987)
Double Circle Pu
Code of Honour (1987)
Hui
Meng zhong ren (1986)
Song Yu
Chu yi shi wu (1986)
Peter
Din lo jing juen (1986)
Chung
Ni qing wo yuan (1986)
100 Ways to Murder Your Wife (1986)
Football Fat
A Hearty Response (1986)
Ho Ting-Bon
Yuan Zhen-Xia yu Wei Si-Li (1986)
Wei
Nu ren xin (1985)
Hoh bit yau ngoh (1985)
Mr. Chow
1985 Mei gui de gu shi
Charles Wong/Ga-Ming
Dang doi lai ming (1984)
Yip Kim Fay
Qing cheng zhi lian (1984)
Fan Liu-Yuan
Ling qi bi ren (1984)
Valentino Chow
Blood Money (1983)
Bullet
Shang Hai tan xu ji (1983)
Fa sing (1983)
Kwong-Ping
Xun cheng ma (1982)
Fu Jun
Lie tou (1982)
Nguyen Dich
Ai yu kuang chao (1982)
Ko Ming-Chung
God of Killers (1981)
Wu Yuet
Zhi fa zhe (1981)
Xi gan xian (1980)
Chu Ka-Wah
Meng nu da zei sha zhen tan (1980)
Ban ye (1980)
Hei kek wong
Jen Lung (1980)
See-Bar (1980)
'O' nu (1979)
Kuan Yen-Ping
Jing wang shuang xiong (1978)
Ng To (as Chow Yun Fat)
Ren ce (1977)
Bed for Day, Bed for Night (1977)
Lao jia xie pai gu ye zi (1976)
Chi nu (1978)
Xin Su xiao mei san nan xin lang (1976)
Tou tai ren (1976)
Chow Yun-fat with Sean William Scott
International Titles
Shanghai (2010)
Anthony Lan-Ting
Dragonball: Evolution (2009)
Master Roshi
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Captain Sao Feng
Bulletproof Monk (2003)
Monk With No Name
Anna and the King (1999)
King Mongkut
The Corruptor (1999)
Nick Chen
The Replacement Killers (1998)
John Lee
TV Series
Yang ka cheung (1986)
Lui Dong-bun
The Battle Among the Clans (1985)
Lok Ching Hing
San jaat si hing – juk jaap (1985)
Ging Shing
Siu mo kong wu (1984)
Lingwu Chung
But dou san hung (1983)
Bo yum yan (1983)
Wai Yip-Cheung
Shang Hai tan (1983)
Hui Man-keung
Fo fung wong (1982)
Ngai Chun
Sou hat yi (1982)
Beggar So
Chin wong kwun ying wui (1981)
Lung
Mong chung yan (1979)
Ching Wai
Keung yan (1978)
Ga bin (1977)
Saat sau qi shi er siu si (1976)
Leui Gong
Chow Yun-fat suave and cool in Let the Bullets Fly
Awards for Film and TV
30th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Confucius
27th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Supporting Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – The Postmodern Life of My Aunt
26th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Curse of the Golden Flower
20th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
15th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Peace Hotel
14th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Treasure Hunt
11th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Once a Thief
9th Hong Kong Film Awards
Winner – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – All About-Ah Long
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – God of Gamblers
Nominee – Best Original Film Song – Chow Yun-Fat – Triads: The Inside Story
8th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Original Film Song – Chow Yun-Fat – The Diary of a Big Man
7th Hong Kong Film Awards
Winner – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – City on Fire
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Prison on Fire
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – An Autumn's Tale
6th Hong Kong Film Awards
Winner – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – A Better Tomorrow
Nominee – Best Supporting Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Love Unto Waste
5th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Women
4th Hong Kong Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Hong Kong 1941
24th Golden Horse Awards (1987)
Winner – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – An Autumn's Tale
23rd Golden Horse Awards (1986)
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – A Better Tomorrow
22nd Golden Horse Awards (1985)
Winner – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Hong Kong 1941
2011 Huabiao Film Awards
Winner – Outstanding Abroad Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Confucius
2011 Asian Film Awards
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Let the Bullets Fly
2001 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films – Saturn Award
Nominee – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
1984 Asia-Pacific Film Festival
Winner – Best Actor – Chow Yun-Fat – Hong Kong 1941
2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
Nominee – Favorite Action Team – Chow Yun-Fat – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
1999 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
Winner – Career Award – Chow Yun-Fat
2000 Next TV Awards
Winner – Century Unforgettable Role – Chow Yun-Fat – The Bund
1992 Next TV Awards
Winner – Top Ten TV Artist – Chow Yun-Fat
1991 Next TV Awards
Winner – Top Ten TV Actor – Chow Yun-Fat