Daniel Wu : biography
Daniel Yin-Cho Wu ( jyutping: Ng Yin Jou) (born 30 September 1974) is a Hong Kong actor, director and producer. Since his film debut in 1998, he has been featured in over 60 films. Wu has been called "the young Andy Lau," and is known as a "flexible and distinctive" leading actor in the Chinese-language film industry.
Early life
Wu was born in Berkeley, California, and raised in Orinda, California. His parents were immigrants from Shanghai, China. Wu developed an interest in martial arts when he saw Jet Li in The Shaolin Temple, and consequently began studying the form known as wushu at age 11. His childhood role model was Jackie Chan, a man who now considers Wu "like a son." Wu attended the Head-Royce School in Oakland, California and later majored in architecture at the University of Oregon. While there, he founded the University of Oregon Wushu club in 1994 and served as the team’s first coach. During this time, Wu also took film classes and frequented local theaters, and came to enjoy the works of filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa and Luc Besson, who he describes as "men of vision." Following graduation, Wu traveled in 1997 to Hong Kong to witness the handover of Hong Kong, with no intention of taking on a movie career. At the suggestion of his sister, Wu began modeling. Four months later, film director Yonfan, after seeing Wu featured in a clothing ad at an MTR station, approached Wu about starring in an upcoming movie.
Personal life
Wu’s parents, George (a retired engineer) and Diana (a college professor) are natives of Shanghai, China. His father emigrated to the United States after the communist revolution in China in 1949, and met his mother in New York, where she was a student. After marrying they settled in California. Wu also has two older sisters, Greta and Gloria. He maintains residences in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. He continues to actively train in wushu as well as other martial arts.
On April 6, 2010, Wu married Lisa S. in South Africa.
Their daughter, Raven, was born on June 2 2013 http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20130603-427080.html
Other projects
In April 2007, Wu re-launched his band’s old website, AliveNotDead.com, with Terence Yin and RottenTomatoes.com founders Patrick Lee and Stephen Wang, as a place for filmmakers, musicians, and other artists to collaborate, receive exposure, network, and interact with fans. He continues his modeling career as spokesperson for a variety of products such as Seiko and L’Oréal. Wu posed for the charity photography album SuperStars by Leslie Kee, and performed on rapper Jin’s song, "HK Superstar." Wu is an investor in Racks MDB Shanghai, which opened in 2008.
Filmography
Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Bishonen | 美少年の恋 | Sam Fai | |
City of Glass | 玻璃之城 | Daniel | credited as Daniel Ng;nominated: Hong Kong Film Awards, best new actor | |
Young and Dangerous: The Prequel | 新古惑仔之少年激鬥篇 | Big Head | credited as Daniel Ng | |
1999 | Gorgeous | 玻璃樽 | photographer’s assistant | |
Gen-X Cops | 特警新人類 | Daniel | ||
Purple Storm | 紫雨風暴 | Todd Nguyen | ||
2000 | 2000 AD | 公元2000 | Benny | |
Undercover Blues | 刑 「殺之法」 | Joe Wong | ||
2001 | Headlines | 頭號人物 | Peter Wong | |
Hit Team | 重裝警察 | Inspector Chung Chai | ||
Cop on a Mission | 知法犯法 | Mike | ||
Born Wild | 野獸之瞳 | Tide Ho | ||
Beijing Rocks | 北京樂與路 | Michael Wu | ||
Peony Pavilion | 遊園驚夢 | Xing Zhi Gang | ||
2002 | Beauty and the Breast | 豐胸秘Cup | Harper | |
Love Undercover | 新紮師妹 | Au Hoi Man | ||
Princess D | 想飛 | Joker | ||
Devil Face, Angel Heart | 變臉迷情 | Long | ||
The Peeping | 偷窺無罪 | Calvin | ||
Naked Weapon | 赤裸特工 | Jack Chen | ||
2003 | Night Corridor | 妖夜迴廊 | Sam Yuen/Hung | also producer;nominated: Golden Horse Film Awards, best actor |
Love Undercover 2: Love Mission | 新紮師妹2: 美麗任務 | Au Hoi Man | ||
Hidden Track | 尋找周杰倫 | Police officer | ||
Miss Du Shi Niang | Miss 杜十娘 | Ken Li | ||
2004 | Magic Kitchen | 魔幻厨房 | Kevin | |
Chiseen | 黐線 | DVD version of some segments of MTV’s Whatever Things | ||
Enter the Phoenix | 大佬愛美麗 | Georgie Hung | ||
One Nite In Mongkok | 旺角黑夜 | Lai Fu | nominated: Hong Kong Film Awards, best actor | |
Around the World in 80 Days | 80日環遊世界 | Bak Mei | ||
The Twins Effect II | 千機變II: 花都大戰 | Wei Liao | ||
Beyond Our Ken | 公主復仇記 | Ken | ||
New Police Story | 新警察故事 | Joe Kwan | winner: Golden Horse Film Awards, best supporting actornominated: Golden Rooster Film Awards, best supporting actor | |
2005 | DragonBlade | 龍刀奇緣 | Hung Lang | voiceover |
House of Fury | 精武家庭 | Jason | ||
Divergence | 三岔口 | Coke | ||
Drink-Drank-Drunk | 千杯不醉 | Michael | ||
Everlasting Regret | 長恨歌 | Kang Mingxun | ||
2006 | Rob-B-Hood | 寶貝計劃 | Brokeback Security agent Daniel | |
McDull, the Alumni | 春田花花同學會 | Hostage-taker | ||
The Banquet | 夜宴 | Prince Wu Luan | ||
The Heavenly Kings | 四大天王 | Daniel Wu | also writer & director;winner: Hong Kong Film Awards, best new director | |
2007 | Protégé | 門徒 | Nick | |
Ming Ming | 明明 | D | ||
Blood Brothers | 天堂口 | Ah Fung | ||
2009 | Shinjuku Incident | 新宿事件 | Jie/Joe | |
Overheard | 竊聽風雲 | Max Lam | ||
Like a Dream | 如夢 | Max | nominated: Golden Horse Film Awards, best actor | |
Jump | 跳出去 | Doctor | ||
2010 | Hot Summer Days | 全城熱戀 | Sushi master | |
Triple Tap | 鎗王之王 | Chong Tze-wai | ||
2011 | Don’t Go Breaking My Heart | 單身男女 | Kevin Fong | |
The Founding of a Party | 建党伟业 | Hu Shih | ||
Overheard 2 | 竊聽風雲2 | Joe Szema | ||
Inseparable | 形影不離 | Li | ||
2012 | The Great Magician | 大魔術師 | Captain Tsai | guest star |
Tai Chi 0 | 太极 | Mad Monk | ||
Tai Chi Hero | 太極2 英雄崛起 | Mad Monk | ||
The Man with the Iron Fists | 与铁腕的男人 | Poison Dagger | ||
The Last Supper | 王的盛宴 | Xiang Yu | ||
CZ12 | 十二生肖 | Hospital Doctor | cameo | |
2013 | Europa Report | 木衛二報告 | Awaiting release August 2, 2013 | |
Overheard 3 | 竊聽風雲3 | Awaiting release September 12, 2013 | ||
Control | 控城計 | Mark | Awaiting release November 18, 2013 | |
That Demon Within | 魔警 | post-production | ||
2014 | Iceman 3D | 3D冰封俠 | filming |