Robin Shou | |
---|---|
Born | Shou Wan-por (仇雲波) July 17, 1960 |
Other names | Wai Lung (威龍, his Cantonese screen name during his Hong Kong acting career. His screen name means "mighty/powerful dragon".) |
Alma mater | California State University, Los Angeles |
Occupation(s) | Martial artist, actor |
Years active | 1987—present |
Style | Kenpō, Wushu |
Shou Wan-por (Chinese: 仇雲波, born July 17, 1960), known professionally as Robin Shou, is a Hong Kong-American actor, martial artist and stuntman. Born in British Hong Kong but raised in Los Angeles, Shou entered the Hong Kong film industry as a stuntman in the late 1980s, before transitioning to acting. He went on to star in films such as City War (1988), Tiger Cage 2, Fatal Termination (both 1990), and Bloody Mary Killer (1993). Shou made over 40 Hong Kong movies before breaking into Hollywood.[1]
His first dramatic role was in the American television film Forbidden Nights (1990) with Melissa Gilbert, in which he portrayed Liang Heng.[2] In 1994, Shou landed his first American leading role as Liu Kang in the martial arts fantasy action film Mortal Kombat (1995). He reprised the role in the 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat Annihilation. That same year, he appeared alongside Chris Farley as Gobei in the martial arts comedy film Beverly Hills Ninja. In 2003, he directed the documentary film Red Trousers - The Life of the Hong Kong Stuntmen. In 2006, he made a cameo appearance in the film DOA: Dead or Alive. He went on to play Gen in the martial arts film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009), and 14K in the Death Race film series (2008-2013).
Shou's interest in martial arts developed during his years as a University student, when he began studying Kenpō. He later transitioned to Wushu. This led him to win several martial arts championships, both in China and the United States. Shou is widely considered one of the greatest martial arts stars in the history of cinema.[3]