Chow Yun-fat is an actor from Hong Kong. He was born on May 18, 1955 in Hong Kong. Chow became popular when he launched his acting career with TVB, a local television station, while starring in The Bund, about the rise and fall of a gangster in 1930’s Shanghai. After witnessing great success when collaborating with director John Woo to film in A Better Tomorrow, Chow quit acting in television completely and continued his career in movies including A Better Tomorrow 2, The Killer, and Hard Boiled. Chow gained attention in the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Chow is mostly seen in dramatic films and has won three Hong Kong Film Awards for “Best Actor” and two Golden Horse Awards for “Best Actor” in Taiwan.
Chow is known for playing roles as the honorable tough guy or the stereotypical Asian action hero. Chow tried to achieve the same success in Hollywood, but his films were box office disappointments and until he accepted playing the stereotypical Asian action hero role, he gained his reputation in America. Chow went on to play the role of Li Mu-Bai in the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which won both the international box office and the Oscars. Three years later, Chow played the role of a martial art expert in Bulletproof Monk. In 2006, he starred in Curse of the Golden Flower, which also contributed to his success in the West.