Contents
Stephen Chow
Turning absurdist comedy into hits such as Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle.
Shaolin Soccer · Kung Fu Hustle
- Born
- 22 June 1962
- Birthplace
- Hong Kong
More people
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow is an actor and filmmaker whose comic worlds combine underdogs, martial arts and sudden leaps into nonsense. He moved from television stardom to directing major Chinese-language box-office successes.
Early life
Childhood
Grew up in Hong Kong with two sisters, raised by their mother after their parents separated.
Inspiration
Seeing Bruce Lee’s The Big Boss as a child inspired his interest in martial arts films.
Career
- 1982
Training
Entered TVB’s performing arts programme.
- 1983
Children’s television
Became a host of 430 Space Shuttle.
- 1990
Film breakthrough
All for the Winner became a major Hong Kong hit.
- 1994
Directing
Co-directed From Beijing with Love.
- 2019
Later filmmaking
Co-directed The New King of Comedy.
Selected work
Shaolin Soccer
Combined football with exaggerated kung fu and an underdog team.
Kung Fu Hustle
Created an action comedy set around a neighbourhood threatened by gangsters.
The Mermaid
Directed a fantasy comedy with an environmental theme.
Beyond work
Name
His given name Sing-chi draws on an essay by the Tang poet Wang Bo.
Relationships
Had a long-term relationship with Alice Yu, who also assisted with his investments.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Biography and career evidence ↗Photo: Kit Liew. CC BY 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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