Yun-Fat Chow

As of 2018, Chow's net worth stands at HKD$5.6 billion. Chow also said he would donate 99% of his wealth to charity via setting up a foundation to help the needy.

In October 2014, Chow supported the Umbrella Movement, a civil rights movement for universal suffrage in Hong Kong. His political stance eventually resulted in censorship by the Chinese government.

On 26 June 2008, Chow released his first photo collection in Hong Kong, which includes pictures taken on the sets of his films. Proceeds from the book's sales were donated to Sichuan earthquake victims. Published by Louis Vuitton, the books were sold in Vuitton's Hong Kong and Paris stores.

His part in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) was omitted when the movie was shown in China. Government censors felt that Chow's character "vilified and humiliated" the Chinese people.

Chosen one of 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002.

Turned down the role of Morpheus in The Matrix (1999).

With the phenomenal global interest in the HK action genre, Chow was enticed to the United States and appeared in The Replacement Killers (1998) with Mira Sorvino, The Corruptor (1999) with Mark Wahlberg, and, for a change of pace, in the often-filmed romantic tale of Anna and the King (1999).

Joss Whedon originally wrote the role of Christie in Alien: Resurrection (1997) with him in mind. His manager and producer Terence Chang turned down the role for him.

He was considered for Shiwan Khan in The Shadow (1994).

He narrowly avoided being incinerated while filming the explosive climax of Hard Boiled (1992).

He was originally going to be play Luke in Bullet in the Head (1990), as he was really impressed with the script but John Woo had told him that his character was not the essential character of the story (though a pivotal one nonetheless) and that it might not have complimented his leading man status as it was really a supporting role (or more precisely - fourth leading role).

Further hard-edged roles in more John Woo crime films escalated Chow's popularity even higher, and fans all over the world flocked to see A Better Tomorrow II (1987) (aka "A Better Tomorrow 2"), The Killer (1989) (aka "The Killer"), and Hard Boiled (1992) (aka "Hard Boiled").

With these accolades, Chow came to the attention of Woo, who cast Chow in the fast-paced gangster film A Better Tomorrow (1986) (aka "A Better Tomorrow"). The rest, as they say, is history. The film was an enormous commercial success, and Chow's influence on young Asian males was not dissimilar to the adulation given to previous Asian film sensations such as Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. Nearly every young guy in Hong Kong ran out and bought himself a "Mark Coat," as they became known--a long, heavy woolen coat worn by Chow in the movie (although it is is actually very unsuited to Hong Kong's hot and humid climate).

In 1985, Chow started receiving acclaim for his work and scored the Golden Horse (Best Actor) Award in Taiwan and another Best Actor Award from the Asian Pacific Film Festival for his performance in Dang doi lai ming (1984).

However, his popularity increased with his appearance as white-suited gangster Hui Man-Keung in the highly popular drama TV series Shang Hai tan (1980).

Attempted suicide over the break-up after 5-year (1978-1983) romance with popular TV star Idy Chan.

Chow's family moved to urban Hong Kong in 1965 and in early 1973, Chow attended a casting call for TVB, a division of Shaw Bros. productions. With his good looks and easy-going style, Chow was originally a heartthrob actor in non-demanding TV and film roles.

Chow Yun Fat is a charismatic, athletically built and energetic Asian-born film star who first came to the attention of western audiences via his roles in the high-octane/blazing guns action films of maverick HK director John Woo. Chow was born in 1955 on the quiet island of Lamma, part of the then-British colony of Hong Kong, near its famous Victoria Harbour. His mother was a vegetable farmer and cleaning lady, and his father worked on a Shell Oil Company tanker.

Won Taiwan's Golden Horse "Best Actor" Awards Two Times: Hong Kong 1941,1985. An Autumn's Tale, 1987.