Stephen Chow

Stephen Chow (born 22 June 1962) is a Hong Kong comedian, film director, producer and screenwriter.

Early life

Stephen Chow was born in Kowloon, British Hong Kong, to parents of Ningbo, Zhejiang ancestry. His name is inspired by a line in the classical Chinese essay "Teng Wang Ge Xu": “The stars run swiftly.” He has one elder sister and one younger sister. His parents divorced when he was seven, and he was raised by his mother, Ling Po‑yee. He attended Concordia Lutheran School and graduated Form Five from St. Mario’s English Secondary School.

Career

Television

In 1980, Chow began as a part‑time actor at Rediffusion Television, first appearing in the youth drama “I.Q. Matures.” In 1981, he joined TVB’s Actor Training Class Night Course. He went on to host the children’s show “430 Shuttle” from 1983 to 1987 and starred in its segment “Black and White Zombie.”

Film

In 1987, Chow made his film debut in “The Private Eyes.” He rose to fame in 1990 with the low‑budget comedy “All for the Winner,” which set Hong Kong box office records. He followed with “Fight Back to School” (1991), solidifying his status alongside Jackie Chan and Chow Yun‑fat. In 1992 he won the Best Actor award at the Asia‑Pacific Film Festival for “Justice, My Foot!”

Chow moved into writing and directing with “King of Comedy” (1999), then achieved record‑breaking success with “Shaolin Soccer” (2001) and “Kung Fu Hustle” (2004). His 2016 film “The Mermaid” grossed over US$550 million worldwide, making it the highest‑grossing non‑Hollywood film of all time.

Business and other roles

In 2010 Chow became a major shareholder and executive director of Bravo Group, refocusing it on film production. He has also invested heavily in real estate and served as a member of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (2013–2020).

Personal life

Chow dated actress Teresa Mo from 1987 to 1990. In 2020 he won a court case to dismiss a HK$70 million commission claim by former manager Yau Man‑fung.

Selected filmography

• All for the Winner (1990)
• Fight Back to School (1991)
• Justice, My Foot! (1992)
• From Beijing with Love (1994)
• The God of Cookery (1996)
• King of Comedy (1999)
• Shaolin Soccer (2001)
• Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
• CJ7 (2008)
• Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013)
• The Mermaid (2016)

Awards

• Asia‑Pacific Film Festival Best Actor, 1992, Justice, My Foot! (won)
• Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor and Best Director, 2002, Shaolin Soccer (won)
• Golden Horse Award Best Director, 2004, Kung Fu Hustle (won)
• Hundred Flowers Award Outstanding Film, 2006, Kung Fu Hustle (won)

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