Ken Lo

Last updated
Ken Lo
Born
Kenneth Lo Wai-Kwong

(1959-03-17) 17 March 1959 (age 64)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • martial artist
  • stuntman
Years active1985present
Spouse
Lai Sok-yin
(div. 2006)
Children2
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 盧惠光
Simplified Chinese 卢惠光

Kenneth Lo Wai-Kwong (born 17 March 1959), professionally known as Ken Lo, is a Cambodian-Hong Kong actor, martial artist, and stuntman. He is known for his martial arts and stunt work as a former member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, most notably for his antagonistic role as John in Drunken Master II (1994).

Contents

Early life

Ken Lo was born on 17 March 1959 as Kenneth Lo Wai-Kwong in Stung Treng, Cambodia. Lo's father is Hong Kong-Chinese and his mother is a Laotian. In 1975, at age 18, Lo and his family moved from Cambodia to Udon Thani, Thailand. [1]

Five years later, in 1980, he went to Hong Kong and worked as a tour guide. His idol was Bruce Lee which led him to practise Muay Thai and Taekwondo in Thailand. He won the freestyle fighting championships seven times, so his chance[ clarification needed ] came when he made his debut in Working Class (1985).[ citation needed ]

Career

In 1986, Lo met Jackie Chan in a disco in Hong Kong, where he was head of security, and Chan hired him as his own bodyguard. Lo not only became Chan's bodyguard but also acted in many of his martial arts films. One of his best-known roles is "John", the main antagonist and right-hand man of the British ambassador in Drunken Master II (1994), in which he and Chan engaged in a protracted final fight; Lo stepped in when another stunt actor was injured. That climactic ten-minute fight sequence has become legendary and one of the most remarkably sustained examples of martial arts choreography ever filmed in Hong Kong cinema. [2] [1]

In 2005, Lo acted in the American action film Into the Sun (2005) with Steven Seagal, with whom he was involved in a fight scene. Lo is currently[ when? ] active in Hong Kong film industry.

Personal life

Lo married Hong Kong actress Lai Sok-yin (黎淑賢) and they have two sons. The couple divorced in 2006. His cousin Brian Yu has performed stunts for Mark Chao movies.

In addition to his native Cantonese, he also speaks Thai, having learned when he lived in Thailand. As such, some of his film roles have lines in Thai. [3]

Filmography

[4] [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammo Hung</span> Martial artist, film producer, director

Sammo Hung Kam-bo is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreographer for other actors such as Jackie Chan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Chan</span> Hong Kong actor and martial artist (born 1954)

Jackie Chan is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for his slapstick acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically performs himself. Before entering the film industry, he was one of the Seven Little Fortunes from the China Drama Academy at the Peking Opera School, where he studied acrobatics, martial arts, and acting. Chan has been acting since the 1960s, performing in more than 150 films. He is one of the most influential action film stars of all time.

<i>Project A</i> (film) 1983 film by Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung

Project A is a 1983 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film starring and directed by Jackie Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Edward Tang, who produced with Leonard Ho and Raymond Chow. The film co-stars Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. Project A was released theatrically in Hong Kong on December 22, 1983.

<i>Police Story</i> (1985 film) 1985 film by Jackie Chan

Police Story is a 1985 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by and starring Jackie Chan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Edward Tang. It is the first film in the Police Story franchise. It features Chan as Hong Kong police detective "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui, alongside Brigitte Lin and Maggie Cheung. In the film, Ka-Kui helps arrest a drug lord, but must clear his own name after being accused of murder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuen Woo-ping</span> Hong Kong film director

Yuen Woo-ping is a Hong Kong martial arts choreographer and film director who worked in Hong Kong action cinema and later Hollywood films. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong. Yuen is also a son of Yuen Siu-tien, a martial arts film actor. He attended the China Drama Academy for one year as a day student of Master Yu Jim-yuen as well.

Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. Action films from Hong Kong have roots in Chinese and Hong Kong cultures including Chinese opera, storytelling and aesthetic traditions, which Hong Kong filmmakers combined with elements from Hollywood and Japanese cinema along with new action choreography and filmmaking techniques, to create a culturally distinctive form that went on to have wide transcultural appeal. In turn, Hollywood action films have been heavily influenced by Hong Kong genre conventions, from the 1970s onwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chin Ka-lok</span> Hong Kong actor and action choreographer

Chin Ka-lok, sometimes credited as Chin Kar-lok, is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, and television presenter.

Lau Kar-leung was a Chinese actor, filmmaker, choreographer, and martial artist from Hong Kong. Lau is best known for the films he made in the 1970s and 1980s for the Shaw Brothers Studio. His most famous works include The 36th Chamber of Shaolin starring Gordon Liu as well as Drunken Master II starring Jackie Chan.

<i>Drunken Master II</i> 1994 Hong Kong film

Drunken Master II is a 1994 Hong Kong action-comedy kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Jackie Chan as Chinese martial arts master and a Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei-hung. It was Chan's first traditional style martial arts film since Fearless Hyena Part II (1983). The film was released in North America as The Legend of Drunken Master in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Chan Stunt Team</span> Group of stuntmen who work alongside Jackie Chan

The Jackie Chan Stunt Team, also known as Jackie Chan's Stuntmen Association, is a group of stuntmen and martial artists who work alongside Jackie Chan. Founded in the 1970s, it originally included Hong Kong action stuntmen and martial artists, before expanding to include international talent over the next several decades.

<i>Spiritual Kung Fu</i> 1978 Hong Kong film

Spiritual Kung Fu is a 1978 Hong Kong action martial arts film directed and produced by Lo Wei, and starring Jackie Chan and James Tien. The film also features Yuen Biao as one of the Master of the Five Fists martial arts. Chan was also the film's stunt co-ordinator. It was also known in some other dubbed language releases as Karate Ghostbuster.

<i>Dragon Lord</i> 1982 film

Dragon Lord is a 1982 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film starring and directed by Jackie Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Edward Tang and Barry Wong. It was originally supposed to be a sequel to The Young Master and even had the name Young Master in Love until it was changed to Dragon Lord. The film was experimented by Chan with various elaborate stunt action sequences in a period setting, serving as a transition between Chan's earlier kung fu comedy period films and his later stunt-oriented modern action films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Chan filmography</span>

Jackie Chan began his film career as an extra child actor in the 1962 film Big and Little Wong Tin Bar. Ten years later, he was a stuntman opposite Bruce Lee in 1972's Fist of Fury and 1973's Enter the Dragon. He then had starring roles in several kung fu films, such as 1973's Little Tiger of Canton and 1976's New Fist of Fury. His first major breakthrough was the 1978 kung fu action comedy film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, which was shot while he was loaned to Seasonal Film Corporation under a two-picture deal. He then enjoyed huge success with similar kung fu action comedy films such as 1978's Drunken Master and 1980's The Young Master. Jackie Chan began experimenting with elaborate stunt action sequences in The Young Master and especially Dragon Lord (1982).

<i>Righting Wrongs</i> 1986 Hong Kong film

Righting Wrongs is a 1986 Hong Kong action film produced and directed by Corey Yuen, and also produced by and starring Yuen Biao, both of whom also serve as the film's action directors. The film also co-stars Cynthia Rothrock, Melvin Wong, Wu Ma, Roy Chiao and director Yuen himself. Righting Wrongs is the one of Yuen Biao's better known films that he made without film industry compatriots Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan.

Hung Yan-yan is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, stuntman and action director originally from Liuzhou, Guangxi, China. He was the stunt double for martial arts superstar Jet Li.

Cheung Wing-fat, also known as Mars, is a Hong Kong actor, action director, stuntman and martial artist. He is one of Jackie Chan's best friends.

<i>SPL II: A Time for Consequences</i> 2015 Hong Kong film

SPL II: A Time for Consequences is a 2015 Hong Kong-Chinese martial arts action film directed by Cheang Pou-soi and produced by Wilson Yip and Paco Wong. The film starred Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, Simon Yam and Zhang Jin, with Louis Koo making a special appearance. The film was released on 18 June 2015 in both 3D and non-3D formats.

<i>Opium and the Kung-Fu Master</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Opium and the Kung-Fu Master is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Tang Chia, who also serves as one of the film's action directors, and stars Ti Lung as the titular protagonist.

<i>The Godfathers Daughter Mafia Blues</i> 1991 Hong Kong film

The Godfather's Daughter Mafia Blues is a 1991 Hong Kong action film directed by Fung Hark-On, who also served as the film's action director and appears in a supporting role, and starring Alex Man, Yukari Oshima, Mark Cheng and Dick Wei.

Chui Chung-San was a Hong Kong actor, director, choreographer, martial artist and stuntman. He was known for being an action director and stuntman. Chui was known for films such as The Rebellious Reign, Kung Fu Vs. Yoga, Two Fists Against the Law and 7 Grandmasters; as well as other various Taiwanese television shows.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ken Lo". martialartsentertainment.com. November 15, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  2. Ebert, Roger. "The Legend of the Drunken Master (2000)". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0516310/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm [ user-generated source ]
  4. Ken Lo at hkmdb.com
  5. Ken Lo at chinesemov.com