View source for Stephen Chow

{{short description|Hong Kong actor and filmmaker (born 1962)}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{family name hatnote|[[Zhou (surname)|Chow]]|Stephen Chow|Chow Sing-chi|lang=Hong Kong}}
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| name               = Stephen Chow
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| caption            = Chow in 2008
| native_name        = {{nobold|周星馳}}
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| birth_name         = Stephen Chow Sing-chi
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1962|06|22}}
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| occupation         = {{csv|Director|actor|comedian|screenwriter|producer}}
| years_active       = '''As a director:'''<br />1994–present<br />'''As an actor:'''<br />1982–2008
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| t = 周星馳
| s = 周星驰
| p = Zhōu Xīngchí
| bpmf = ㄓㄡ ㄒㄧㄥ ㄔˊ
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'''Stephen Chow Sing-chi'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Judgment|url=https://legalref.judiciary.hk/lrs/common/ju/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=133392|access-date=2021-06-03|website=legalref.judiciary.hk|archive-date=3 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603054341/https://legalref.judiciary.hk/lrs/common/ju/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=133392|url-status=live}}</ref> ({{zh|t=周星馳}}; born 22 June 1962) is a [[Hong Kong]] filmmaker and former actor,<ref>[http://yuqing.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0308/c383249-28182181.html Stephen Chow the NO.1 star of China] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190312024235/http://yuqing.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0308/c383249-28182181.html |date=12 March 2019 }}, PEOPLE; accessed 10 October 2018.</ref><ref>[http://money.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0104/c42877-28997974.html Stephen Chow earn US$420 million] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127043726/http://money.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0104/c42877-28997974.html |date=27 January 2020 }}, PEOPLE</ref> known for his [[mo lei tau]] comedy, which has a significant influence on Chinese popular culture. His career began in television, where he gained recognition through variety shows and TV dramas. Chow's breakthrough came in 1989 with the comedy dramas ''[[The Final Combat]]'' and ''The Justice of Life'', the latter marking the beginning of his on-screen collaboration with [[Ng Man-tat]]. He consecutively broke Hong Kong’s box office records in the next two years with films ''[[All for the Winner]]'' (1990) and ''[[Fight Back to School]]'' (1991), cementing his status as one of the region's most popular comedic actors. 

Since the early 1990s, Chow began working as a screenwriter and director, serving as a de facto director for ''[[Flirting Scholar]]'' (1993)<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_MI4Twb_eE |title=今年7月#郑佩佩 走了 70岁还在打拼做客金星秀 金姐由衷敬佩 丨#金星秀 The Jinxing show 1080p 官方干净版 |date=2024-11-18 |last=金星YYDS |access-date=2025-03-07 |via=YouTube}}</ref> before receiving his first directorial credit with ''[[From Beijing with Love]]'' (1994). His first two attempts at Hong Kong–mainland co-productions, ''Flirting Scholar'' and ''[[A Chinese Odyssey]]'' (1995)'','' received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office in both markets upon release. However, they gained popularity over time, and by the 2000s, ''A Chinese Odyssey'' had particularly elevated his status as a cultural icon in China. 

In 2001, he directed and starred in ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]'' (2001), which brought him international recognition, furthered by ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]'' (2004). His final on-screen performance was in ''[[CJ7]]'' (2008), after which he transitioned fully to filmmaking, achieving great success with comedies such as ''[[Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons|Journey to the West]]'' (2013) and ''[[The Mermaid (2016 film)|The Mermaid]]'' (2016).

==Early life and education==
Stephen Chow was born in [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] on 22 June 1962 to Ling Po-yee ({{lang|zh-Hant|凌寶兒}}), an alumna of [[Guangzhou Normal University]], and Chow Yik-sheung ({{lang|zh-Hant|周驛尚}}), an immigrant from [[Ningbo]], [[Zhejiang]].{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=4-5}} Chow has an elder sister named Chow Man-kei ({{lang|zh-Hant|周文姬}}) and a younger sister named Chow Sing-ha ({{lang|zh-Hant|周星霞}}).{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=5-6}} Chow's [[given name]] "Sing-chi" ({{lang|zh-Hant|星馳}}) derives from [[Tang dynasty]] (618&ndash;907) Chinese poet [[Wang Bo (poet)|Wang Bo]]'s essay ''[[Tengwang Ge Xu|Preface to the Prince of Teng's Pavilion]]''.{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=5}} After his parents divorced when he was seven, Chow was raised by his mother.{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=5}} Chow attended Heep Woh Primary School, a missionary school attached to the [[Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China]] in [[Prince Edward Road]], [[Kowloon Peninsula]].{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=11}} When he was nine, he saw [[Bruce Lee]]'s film ''[[The Big Boss]]'', which inspired him to become a martial arts star.{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=15-19}} Chow entered San Marino Secondary School, where he studied alongside [[Lee Kin-yan]].{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=15-19}} After graduation, he joined the [[TVB]]'s acting classes.{{sfnb|Hua|2016|p=69-73}}

==Career==
Chow began his career as an [[extra (acting)|extra]] for [[Rediffusion Television]]. Around 1980 he applied for TVB's famous artist training course<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3159526/hong-kongs-star-factory-without-tvbs-artist-training | title=Inside TVB's artist training course, Hong Kong's 'star factory' | date=14 December 2021 | access-date=12 September 2024 | archive-date=21 August 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821213408/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3159526/hong-kongs-star-factory-without-tvbs-artist-training | url-status=live }}</ref> alongside his friend, [[Tony Leung Chiu-wai]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.8days.sg/entertainment/asian/stephen-chow-tony-leung-tvb-acting-course-night-school-749681 | title=Tony Leung & Stephen Chow Applied for a TVB Acting Course Together when They Were Young but Only Tony Got Accepted }}</ref> Leung Chiu-wai won a place in the class, but Chow was rejected and became an office assistant for a shipping company, a job he describes as "so boring."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://talesacrossthesea.net/57/stephen-chow-sketches-2-i-was-quite-a-trouble-maker-at-school/ | title=Tales Across the Sea » Blog Archive » Stephen Chow Sketches (2): I was quite a trouble-maker at school }}</ref> A year later, his friend and neighbor, Jaime Chik Mei-jan, a veteran of the previous year's training course, put in a word for Chow and he was admitted to the 1982 training class.

He captured the attention of the public as host of the [[TVB Jade]] children's program ''[[430 Space Shuttle]]''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine|last=Walsh|first=Brian|date=April 28, 2003|title=Stephen Chow|url=https://time.com/time/asia/2003/heroes/stephen_chow.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040204090809/https://time.com/time/asia/2003/heroes/stephen_chow.html|archive-date=February 4, 2004|access-date=January 12, 2021|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Mok|first=Laramie|date=2019-06-22|title=5 Stephen Chow movies that made him Hong Kong's comedy king|url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3015490/5-stephen-chow-movies-made-him-hong-kongs-king-comedy|access-date=2021-01-12|website=[[South China Morning Post]]|language=en|archive-date=14 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114192624/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3015490/5-stephen-chow-movies-made-him-hong-kongs-king-comedy|url-status=live}}</ref> He stayed with the show for five years.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/116368.htm | title=Chow's Film Career }}</ref> Producer and actor Danny Lee signed him to a two year contract with his company, Magnum Films,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/article/674626/no-one-seems-comic-actor-director-stephen-chow-any-more | title=No one seems to like comic actor-director Stephen Chow any more | date=26 March 2009 }}</ref> and cast him in a supporting role in the crime drama ''[[Final Justice (1988 film)|Final Justice]]'' (1988),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/kaiju-shakedown-danny-lee/ | title=Kaiju Shakedown: Danny Lee | date=15 September 2015 }}</ref> which won him the [[Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor]] at the Golden Horse Awards.

For the next two years, Chow capitalized on that success, working non-stop. He shot to further television stardom in the TVB ''wuxia'' series ''[[The Final Combat]]'' (1989).<ref>Over 2 million people watched ''The Final Combat'' and Hong Kong only 5.18 million people in that time</ref> In addition to shooting the 30 episodes of ''The Final Combat'', he also appeared in 12 feature films during that same period,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=7230&display_set=eng | title=Stephen Chow Sing-Chi | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=20 June 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620190937/https://www.hkmdb.com/db/people/view.mhtml?id=7230&display_set=eng | url-status=live }}</ref> most of them triad movies, action films, or dramas. [[Jeffrey Lau|Jeff Lau]] directed him in the police thriller ''Thunder Cops II'' (1989) and remembered him in early 1990 when producer Ng See-yuen tried to capitalize on the success of the previous year's hit Chow Yun-fat vehicle ''[[God of Gamblers]]''. Chow would not return to shoot a sequel and so, sensing a hole in the marketplace, Ng hired Jeff Lau to direct a parody.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/kaiju-shakedown-jeff-lau-stephen-chow-wong-kar-wai/ | title=Kaiju Shakedown: Jeff Lau | date=7 March 2014 }}</ref> Remembering his work with Stephen Chow, Lau hired him to star, pairing him with [[Sharla Cheung]] (who would appear as Chow's co-star in 12 more films)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3235944/rise-hong-kong-actress-sharla-cheung-star-stephen-chow-and-wong-jing-films-and-surprise-movie-she | title=God of Gamblers actress and Stephen Chow co-star Sharla Cheung: Her career | date=29 September 2023 | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=27 September 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927102011/https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3235944/rise-hong-kong-actress-sharla-cheung-star-stephen-chow-and-wong-jing-films-and-surprise-movie-she | url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Ng Man-tat]], a big star in the Seventies before a gambling addiction wrecked his career. He was then trying to make a comeback as a character actor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.todayonline.com/8days/sceneandheard/entertainment/ng-man-tat-hated-chow-yun-fat-not-lending-him-money-clear-his|title=Ng Man Tat Hated Chow Yun Fat for Not Lending Him Money to Clear His Debts Years Ago|author-last1=Fam|author-first1=Jonathan|publisher=Mediacorp Pte. Ltd.|access-date=13 September 2024|archive-date=1 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301173047/https://www.todayonline.com/8days/sceneandheard/entertainment/ng-man-tat-hated-chow-yun-fat-not-lending-him-money-clear-his|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[All for the Winner]]'' (1990) became the highest grossing Hong Kong film of all time and the number one film for the year.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.hkbo.com.hk/top10.html?year=1990 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409044149/http://www.hkbo.com.hk/top10.html?year=1990 | archive-date=9 April 2018 | title=Hong Kong Box Office Limited }}</ref> Wong Jing hired Chow to star in the official sequels ''[[God of Gamblers II]]'' (1990)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7342&display_set=eng | title=God of Gamblers II (1990) }}</ref> and ''[[God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai]]'' (1991)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7457&display_set=eng | title=God of Gamblers Part III: Back to Shanghai (1991) | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=13 September 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913142131/https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7457&display_set=eng | url-status=live }}</ref> sequels which Wong wrote and directed (Chow Yun-fat would return to the role he made famous in 1994's ''[[God of Gamblers Return]]'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7941&display_set=eng | title=God of Gamblers Return (1994) | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=27 December 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227011300/https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7941&display_set=eng | url-status=live }}</ref> also written and directed by Wong). Lau had vowed never to work with Stephen Chow again after ''All for the Winner''<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Hendrix, Grady |date=August 2024 |title=Hong Kong's Greatest Comedian |trans-title= |type=motion picture |language=English |url=https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products/love-on-delivery |access-date= |format=Blu Ray Special Feature |time= |location=Love on Delivery |publisher=Vinegar Syndrome |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= |archive-date=13 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913142130/https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products/love-on-delivery |url-status=live }}</ref> and so when it came time to make the sequel to that hit, Stephen Chow only appeared in a brief cameo.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/top_bet.htm | title=The Top Bet (1991) | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=25 July 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725124931/http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/top_bet.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>

After ''All for the Winner'', Chow had two more major hits, ''[[God of Gamblers II]]'' and ''[[Tricky Brains]]'', which grossed HK$40 million<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7342&display_set=eng | title=God of Gamblers II (1990) }}</ref> and HK$31 million respectively<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7461&display_set=eng | title=Tricky Brains (1991) | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=13 September 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913213457/https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7461&display_set=eng | url-status=live }}</ref> at the box office, but they were followed by what appeared to be a fall from grace as the sequel to ''All for the Winner'', ''The Top Bet'', under-performed at the local box office,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7459&display_set=eng | title=The Top Bet (1991) }}</ref> and his next films ''[[Legend of the Dragon (film)|Legend of the Dragon]]'' and ''[[Fist of Fury 1991]]'' failed to crack the HK$25 million barrier.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7463&display_set=eng | title=Legend of the Dragon (1991) | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=20 August 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820162712/https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7463&display_set=eng | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7444&display_set=eng | title=Fist of Fury 1991 (1991) }}</ref> ''City Entertainment'' magazine reported that Chow's career was over and he was repeating himself after the hit that was ''All for the Winner''.<ref name="Truant Hero">{{cite AV media |people=Chan, Gordon |date=September 2023 |title=Truant Hero |trans-title= |type=Blu Ray special feature |language=Cantonese |url=https://88-films.myshopify.com/products/fight-back-to-school-trilogy |access-date= |format= |time= |location= |publisher=88 Films |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= }}</ref> Win's Entertainment courted writer and director Gordon Chan to helm Chow's next project, ''[[Fight Back to School]]'' (1991). Chan claims he was unsatisfied with the script and rewrote the film as an outline with 15 bullet points and the rest of the movie was improvised.<ref name="Truant Hero"/> The result was a movie that cast Chow in a heroic lead role and the result was HK$43 million at the local box office, a new franchise (there would be sequels in [[Fight Back to School II|1992]] and [[Fight Back to School III|1993]]), and in what's considered a local benchmark of success, it represented the first time Chow unseated Jackie Chan from the number one spot at the Hong Kong box office.

Over the next decade, Chow appeared in more than 40 films.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Hale|first=Mike|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/06/movies/stephen-chow-the-king-of-comedy-film-retrospective-at-bam.html|title=Lightning Fast With His Feet and His Jokes|date=2014-10-05|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-03-06|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=28 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328204040/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/06/movies/stephen-chow-the-king-of-comedy-film-retrospective-at-bam.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and wind up taking the number one spot at the box office eight times over the course of his career.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cine-hk.chez-alice.fr/Hkcine/SITE/FGUIDE/boxoffice/BoxOffices-79-98.htm | title=Box Offices 79-98 }}</ref>  Often, more than one of his movies would appear in the top ten, as in 1992 when all five of the top spots were held by Chow's films.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cine-hk.chez-alice.fr/Hkcine/SITE/FGUIDE/boxoffice/BO-92.htm | title=Box Office 92 }}</ref> (Jackie Chan would not retake the number one spot until 1995.<ref name="Box Office 95">{{cite web | url=http://cine-hk.chez-alice.fr/Hkcine/SITE/FGUIDE/boxoffice/BO-95.htm | title=Box Office 95 }}</ref>)

In 1994, Chow teamed up with director [[Lee Lik-chi]] and writer [[Vincent Kok]] for ''[[Love on Delivery|Love On Delivery]]'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7797&display_set=eng | title=Love on Delivery (1994) }}</ref> a movie that would only be the sixth highest-grossing movie of the year, a significant step down in status. Fortunately, Chow re-teamed with Kok and Lee again that same year for a James Bond parody he's credited as co-writing and co-directing, and ''[[From Beijing with Love]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=7896&display_set=eng | title=From Beijing with Love (1994) }}</ref> became the number three movie at the annual box office, beaten only by Chow Yun-fat's return to the ''God of Gamblers'' franchise and Jackie Chan's return to the character of a young Wong Fei-hung in ''[[Drunken Master III|Drunken Master II]]'',<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cine-hk.chez-alice.fr/Hkcine/SITE/FGUIDE/boxoffice/BO-94.htm | title=Box Office 94 }}</ref> a character he'd last played in 1978 in the first ''[[Drunken Master]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=5923&display_set=eng | title=Drunken Master (1978) | access-date=13 September 2024 | archive-date=25 June 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625210346/https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=5923&display_set=eng | url-status=live }}</ref>

Around this time, Chow established his own film production company, Choi Sing Company (variously translated as Caixing Film Company and Hong Kong Color Star Film Company),<ref name="揭秘周星馳商業王國：身家超15億港元的周模式【2】--財經--人民網">{{cite web | url=http://finance.people.com.cn/money/BIG5/n/2013/0301/c218900-20646582-2.html | title=揭秘周星馳商業王國：身家超15億港元的周模式【2】--財經--人民網 | trans-title=Unveiling Stephen Chow's Business Empire: Stephen Chow's Model, Worth Over HK$1.5 Billion [2] -- Finance -- People's Daily Online | date=2013-03-01}}</ref> and approached Jeff Lau about writing and directing his next movie. Lau told Chow that if he kept making the same movie over and over again he would never find popularity with female audiences and he needed to play a romantic lead. In a hotel meeting, he pitched Chow on filming a two-part adaptation of the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West, and Chow agreed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.yesasia.com/global/0-0-0-arid.96-zh_TW/featured-article.html | title=YESASIA: YumCha! - 劉鎮偉 十年西遊夢 - 專題文章 }}</ref> In order to shoot on Mainland locations the movie became a Mainland-Hong Kong co-production between Chow's Choi Sing Company and Xi'an Film Studios.<ref name="Jeffrey Lau's journey to the mainla">{{cite journal | doi=10.1080/25785273.2024.2375126 | title=Jeffrey Lau's journey to the mainland: Strategic hybridization in Hong Kong-mainland film co-production | date=2024 | last1=Zhang | first1=Hening | journal=Transnational Screens | volume=15 | issue=2 | pages=157–178 | doi-access=free }}</ref> The remote Xi'an Studios had always encouraged innovation and become home to China's celebrated wave of Fifth Generation arthouse directors like Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige<ref>{{cite web | title=Xi’an Film Studio | website=Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias | publisher=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture | url=https://contemporary_chinese_culture.en-academic.com/877/Xi%E2%80%99an_Film_Studio | access-date=2025-08-10}}</ref> and they were reluctant to work with a commercial, Hong Kong production.<ref name="Jeffrey Lau's journey to the mainla"/> However, recent cuts in government subsidies forced them to look for new sources of financing and they embraced the co-production model.<ref>{{cite web | title=Xi'an Film Studio | website=Audiovisual Identity Database | date=2025-06-13 | url=https://www.avid.wiki/Xi%27an_Film_Studio | access-date=2025-08-10}}</ref> The resulting shoot was chaotic, with the Hong Kong crew speaking only Cantonese and the Mainland crew speaking Mandarin.<ref name="Jeffrey Lau's journey to the mainla"/> Actors like Lu Shuming and Wu Yujin said they had very little idea of what was going on<ref name="Jeffrey Lau's journey to the mainla"/> and actor Law Kar-ying described Chow as "arrogant."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yinxi |first1=Yi |title=Dark Faces of the Kings of Comedy |url=https://issuu.com/pacexisu/docs/pace_p4_i22 |work=Pace Entertainment |date=December 6, 2014}}</ref> The two films were titled ''[[A Chinese Odyssey Part One - Pandora's Box]]'' and ''[[A Chinese Odyssey Part Two - Cinderella]]'' and released in January and February, 1995 where they underperformed at the box office,<ref name="Box Office 95"/> leading to Choi Sing Film Company declaring bankruptcy.<ref name="揭秘周星馳商業王國：身家超15億港元的周模式【2】--財經--人民網"/> Chow, however, earned substantial money from the movie over the years through licensing and advertising opportunities<ref>{{cite web | url=https://finance-people-com-cn.translate.goog/money/BIG5/n/2013/0301/c218900-20646582-2.html?_x_tr_sch=http&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp | title=揭秘周星馳商業王國：身家超15億港元的周模式【2】--財經--人民網 }}</ref> and in the late '90s and early 2000s it became a cult favorite in the Mainland<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/726039/%E5%91%A8%E6%98%9F%E9%A6%B3%E7%9C%BC%E5%85%89%E8%B6%85%E7%8D%A8%E5%88%B0-%E5%83%85%E4%BB%A3%E8%A8%80%E9%81%8E%E5%85%A7%E5%9C%B0%E5%85%A9%E5%93%81%E7%89%8C%E7%9A%86%E6%88%90%E5%95%86%E6%A5%AD%E5%B7%A8%E9%A0%AD | title=周星馳眼光超獨到 僅代言過內地兩品牌皆成商業巨頭 | date=19 January 2022 }}</ref> with phrases, expressions, and memes from the two films becoming a foundational part of early Chinese internet culture.<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1177/2059436420928058 | title=Discovering the digital Stephen Chow: The transborder influence of Chow's films on the Chinese Internet in the 2010s | date=2020 | last1=Chew | first1=Matthew Ming-tak | journal=Global Media and China | volume=5 | issue=2 | pages=124–137 | doi-access=free }}</ref> This also became known in part as the ''Stephen Chow Phenomenon'' (周星驰现象).<ref>[http://paper.people.com.cn/fcyym/html/2013-01/25/content_1190672.htm Chinese watched Stephen Chow's films and grew up. So they knew Stephen Chow's words and use them customarily.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101070727/http://paper.people.com.cn/fcyym/html/2013-01/25/content_1190672.htm |date=1 January 2019 }}, PEOPLE</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bjweekly.com/archives/2504453.html|title=What is Stephen Chow Phenomenon|access-date=4 May 2016|archive-date=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603185003/http://www.bjweekly.com/archives/2504453.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180918052723/http://www.xinhuanet.com/legal/2018-09/15/c_1123433427.htm Tencent： WeChat's icon is made of Stephen Chow's action], xinhua</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/41288.html |title=SINA：2001年5月2日晚，周星驰到访北京大学，在百周年纪念讲堂直接面对北大的学生与网友。近5、6年来由各著名高校的学生倡导形成的"周星驰热"也终于达到了一个高潮。周星驰和他的电影的影响已经远远超出了大屏幕的范围，渗透到了当今中国的文化甚至是日常生活中。 |access-date=24 May 2020 |archive-date=22 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522035903/http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/41288.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2001–2010: International stardom ===
In 2001, his film ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]'' grossed over US$50 million worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2006.163.com/06/0704/04/2L5MEQ6R00321QNI.html|title=《少林足球》风靡意大利 意甲球星为电影配音_2006德国世界杯|website=2006.163.com|access-date=26 June 2017|archive-date=16 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316214308/http://2006.163.com/06/0704/04/2L5MEQ6R00321QNI.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://xh.xhby.net/mp1/html/2006-06/13/content_3372039.htm 2006 FIFA World Cup]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.sohu.com/20080623/n257682800.shtml|title=奥地利热播 周星驰粤语小调德语配音-搜狐体育|website=sports.sohu.com|access-date=14 June 2017|archive-date=7 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407100519/http://sports.sohu.com/20080623/n257682800.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/030801/20030801_shaolinsoccer.html|title=Shaolin soccer kicks an international goal|date=1 August 2003|website=asiaarts.ucla.edu|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721061800/http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/030801/20030801_shaolinsoccer.html|archive-date=21 July 2012}}</ref> Chow won Best Director and Best Actor at the 2002 [[Hong Kong Film Awards]], and the film went on to garner additional awards including a [[Blue Ribbon Awards]] for Best Foreign Language Film and the [[Golden Bauhinia Awards|Golden Bauhinia Award]] for Best Picture and Best Director.<ref name="sljkawards">{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286112/awards|title=Siu lam juk kau awards (2001)|date=1 January 2009|website=imdb.com|access-date=29 June 2018|archive-date=15 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215203312/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286112/awards|url-status=live}}</ref> It was [[List of highest-grossing films in Hong Kong|the highest-grossing Chinese film in Hong Kong]] at the time, grossing $46 million in the Asia region.<ref name=":2" />
[[File:Stephen Chow in Malaysia.jpg|thumb|upright|Chow promoting ''CJ7'' in [[Malaysia]] (2008)]]
In 2004, his film ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]'' grossed over US$106 million worldwide. Chow also won Best Director at the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards and Best Picture of [[Imagine Film Festival]] as well as over twenty international awards.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chow|first=Vivienne|title=Kung Fu Hustle wins Stephen Chow top award|date=7 March 2005|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/491627/kung-fu-hustle-wins-stephen-chow-top-award|access-date=30 May 2021|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212817/https://www.scmp.com/article/491627/kung-fu-hustle-wins-stephen-chow-top-award|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="kfawards">{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373074/awards|title=''Kung Fu'' (2004) – Awards|date=1 January 2009|website=imdb.com|access-date=29 June 2018|archive-date=8 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170408234719/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373074/awards|url-status=live}}</ref> Comedian [[Bill Murray]] said that the film was "the supreme achievement of the modern age in terms of comedy".<ref>{{cite web|last=Fierman|first=Dan|title=Bill Murray Is Ready To See You Now|url=https://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201008/bill-murray-dan-fierman-gq-interview?currentPage=2|work=GQ|date=19 July 2010|access-date=2 October 2011|archive-date=4 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904084602/http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201008/bill-murray-dan-fierman-gq-interview?currentPage=2|url-status=live}}</ref>

His final role film ''[[CJ7]]'' began filming in July 2006 in the eastern Chinese port of [[Ningbo]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/007688.html|title=Stephen Chow's Sci-fi/Comedy will give 'A Hope' to audiences|date=29 September 2006|access-date=19 September 2008|website=twitchfilm.net|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012220942/http://twitchfilm.net/archives/007688.html|archive-date=12 October 2008}}</ref> In August 2007, the film was given the title ''CJ7'', a play on China's successful [[Shenzhou (spacecraft)|Shenzhou]] crewed space missions—[[Shenzhou 5]] and [[Shenzhou 6]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stephen Chow's Movie 'A Hope' Changes Title|publisher=Asian Popcorn|url=http://www.asianpopcorn.com/default.asp?Display=919|date=17 August 2007|access-date=31 August 2007|archive-date=28 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928202222/http://www.asianpopcorn.com/default.asp?Display=919|url-status=live}}</ref>

For his work in comedy, he has received praise from notable institutions such as the [[Brooklyn Academy of Music]], which has called him the King of Comedy.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hale|first=Mike|title=Lightning Fast With His Feet and His Jokes|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/06/movies/stephen-chow-the-king-of-comedy-film-retrospective-at-bam.html|date=2014-10-05|access-date=6 March 2020|archive-date=28 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328204040/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/06/movies/stephen-chow-the-king-of-comedy-film-retrospective-at-bam.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== 2010–present: Focus on directing ===
In 2010, he became the executive director and major shareholder of 比高集團 (BingoGroup Limited).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Yan|first=Pei|date=May 28, 2010|title=Movie star Stephen Chow takes control of Emcom|work=China.org.cn|url=http://www.china.org.cn/business/2010-05/28/content_20139257.htm|access-date=May 28, 2010|archive-date=27 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627052054/http://www.china.org.cn/business/2010-05/28/content_20139257.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2013, his film ''[[Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons]]'' was the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time.<ref name="THRrelease">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cineasia-sony-takes-north-american-rights-stephen-chows-journey-west-2-953692|title=Stephen Chow's last two films set all-time China box-office records at the time of their release|author=The Hollywood Reporter|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=7 December 2016|access-date=7 December 2016|archive-date=8 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208114635/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cineasia-sony-takes-north-american-rights-stephen-chows-journey-west-2-953692|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Stephen Chow: A Guide for the Perplexed|date=25 February 2016|url=https://cinema-scope.com/cinema-scope-online/11043/|access-date=30 May 2021|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212544/https://cinema-scope.com/cinema-scope-online/11043/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016, his film ''[[The Mermaid (2016 film)|The Mermaid]]'' broke numerous box office records,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://p2.pstatp.com/large/10a00033be6b96edec7|title=Stephen Chow in China=Star War in American|access-date=10 August 2016|archive-date=30 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730234340/http://p2.pstatp.com/large/10a00033be6b96edec7|url-status=dead}}</ref> and became the highest-grossing film of 2016 in China.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yuqing.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0308/c383249-28182181.html|title=NO.1 star in China – Stephen Chow|access-date=21 February 2016|archive-date=12 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190312024235/http://yuqing.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0308/c383249-28182181.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''The Mermaid'' was released in [[Vietnam]] on 10 February 2016. On 14 March, it became the third-highest-grossing film of all time in Vietnam. It has now grossed over US$553.81 million worldwide.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/gmik45eeeg/9-stephen-chow/#326a306d7299 |title=Stephen Chow Movie: The Mermaid Worldwide Box Office: US$553.81 million |magazine=Forbes}}</ref> Chow became the ninth-top-grossing Hollywood Director in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/gmik45eeeg/9-stephen-chow|title=Top-Grossing Hollywood Directors|author=Forbes|work=[[Forbes]]|date=31 December 2016|access-date=31 March 2017|archive-date=3 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503042416/https://www.forbes.com/pictures/gmik45eeeg/9-stephen-chow/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Chow spent 4 years writing, directing and producing the remake of his 1999 film ''[[King of Comedy (film)|King of Comedy]]'', the film was titled ''[[The New King of Comedy]]'', released in February 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hsia |first1=Heidi |title=Stephen Chow unveils "The New King of Comedy" poster |url=https://sg.style.yahoo.com/stephen-chow-unveils-king-comedy-061800208.html |website=[[yahoo.com]] |access-date=15 September 2024 |language=en-SG |date=4 December 2018 |archive-date=7 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007052501/https://gum.criteo.com/syncframe?origin=publishertag&topUrl=sg.style.yahoo.com&gdpr=0&gdpr_consent=&us_privacy=1YNN&gpp=DBABBg~BVoIgACY.QA&gpp_sid=8 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Chow and [[Jacqueline Law]] met while filming the TV series ''[[The Final Combat]]'' in 1989 and began dating shortly thereafter. In the autumn of 1992, they broke up. Law later struggled with depression and recalled mentioning marriage to Chow, only to be dismissed as “crazy,” which left her heartbroken: “I longed to start a family with him, but he treated me like a lunatic.” Years later, when Law announced she had cancer, Chow was working on ''[[Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons]]''. Among other memorial references, he named the film’s female lead Miss Duan, referencing ''The Final Combat'', where Chow and Law portrayed Mr. and Mrs. Duan. The film premiered after Law's death.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-14 |title=周星驰：电影全是她的影子 首坦承挂念罗慧娟 |url=https://www.enanyang.my/%E5%A8%B1%E4%B9%90/%E5%91%A8%E6%98%9F%E9%A9%B0%EF%BC%9A%E7%94%B5%E5%BD%B1%E5%85%A8%E6%98%AF%E5%A5%B9%E7%9A%84%E5%BD%B1%E5%AD%90-%E9%A6%96%E5%9D%A6%E6%89%BF%E6%8C%82%E5%BF%B5%E7%BD%97%E6%85%A7%E5%A8%9F |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=www.enanyang.my |language=zh-hans |archive-date=7 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007101443/https://www.enanyang.my/%E5%A8%B1%E4%B9%90/%E5%91%A8%E6%98%9F%E9%A9%B0%EF%BC%9A%E7%94%B5%E5%BD%B1%E5%85%A8%E6%98%AF%E5%A5%B9%E7%9A%84%E5%BD%B1%E5%AD%90-%E9%A6%96%E5%9D%A6%E6%89%BF%E6%8C%82%E5%BF%B5%E7%BD%97%E6%85%A7%E5%A8%9F |url-status=live }}</ref>

Chow and [[Athena Chu]] started dating after working together on ''[[Fight Back to School]]''. Their secret relationship lasted for more than three years, ending due to Chow's alleged infidelity. In a 2008 interview on [[Be My Guest (talk show)|''Be My Guest'']], Chu recalled the breakup: "One day, after wrapping up work, I went to visit my boyfriend’s room. The door was locked, and when he opened it, he looked flustered. I touched the bed, and it was warm, while the bathroom door was locked from the inside." Chu stated that she didn't know who the other person was and suspected there were more than just one. Despite this, Chu continued to work alongside Chow until the film finished. [[Karen Mok]], the often suspected mistress at the time, denied being involved with anyone during the filming of ''[[A Chinese Odyssey]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=朱茵痛述14年前"捉奸在床"情伤 疑是周星驰(图) |url=https://www.chinanews.com.cn/yl/yrfc/news/2008/08-18/1351255.shtml |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=www.chinanews.com.cn}}</ref> According to [[Tiffany Chen]], however, during the filming Chow had relationships with [[Yammie Lam]], Chu and Mok.<ref>{{Cite web |title=向太再炮轰周星驰：曾与朱茵等3女星同时联系_新闻频道_央视网(cctv.com) |url=https://news.cctv.com/2016/08/10/ARTIne1qmJEjiCvfBsNMiOTv160810.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402085324/https://news.cctv.com/2016/08/10/ARTIne1qmJEjiCvfBsNMiOTv160810.shtml |archive-date=2024-04-02 |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=news.cctv.com |url-status=live}}</ref> From 1995 to 1998, Chow had a public relationship with [[Karen Mok]], who starred alongside him in several films.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Koh|first=Lydia|date=2019-07-27|title=Is Stephen Chow secretly married? Ex-girlfriend Karen Mok comments|url=https://theindependent.sg/is-stephen-chow-secretly-married-ex-girlfriend-karen-mok-comments/|access-date=2021-09-23|website=The Independent Singapore|language=en-US|archive-date=28 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128141636/https://theindependent.sg/is-stephen-chow-secretly-married-ex-girlfriend-karen-mok-comments/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Chow had a relationship with Alice Yu Man-fung, daughter of business mogul Yu Ching-Po, for 12 to 13 years until March 2010, during which Yu also assisted Chow with personal investments and was paid a salary based on a written contract from 2002, initially at HK$20,000 a month. Chow had paid Yu HK$19.5 million at her request between 2007 and 2011, and an additional HK$10 million in February 2012 in “appreciation for [her] friendship and support over the years”. In September 2012, Yu filed a lawsuit against Chow, asserting that there was an additional oral agreement purportedly reached around Christmas of 2002 for Chow to pay her a 10 per cent share of net profits on all successful investments she recommended. Yu’s claim for damages of some HK$80 million was based on her purported share of the profits from Chow’s investments in his current luxury home at 12 Pollock’s Path on The Peak, three houses at The Beverley Hills in Tai Po and a private equity fund. In 2021, a lower court ruled the pair never made that deal, a decision that was upheld on appeal.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-07 |title=Hong Kong court rules against ex-girlfriend of Stephen Chow in fight over millions |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3147883/hong-kong-court-rejects-appeal-ex-girlfriend-stephen |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref>

Additionally, Chow has been noted for strained relations with former friends and colleagues, though he has rarely commented on them publicly. His high-profile feuds include those with [[Charles Heung]] and [[Tiffany Chen]] of [[China Star Entertainment Group|China Star Entertainment]], [[Wong Jing]], and [[Sammo Hung]]. He has also faced complaints from [[Ng Man-tat]], [[Tony Leung Chiu-wai]], [[Lee Lik-chi]], [[Danny Lee (actor)|Danny Lee]], [[Huang Shengyi|Eva Huang]], [[Law Kar-ying]], and [[Johnnie To]], mostly alleging that he was greedy, selfish, and autocratic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=拉仇恨！盘点周星驰的10大明星敌人 |url=http://ent.sina.com.cn/zl/bagua/blog/2014-09-11/18282248/1414660444/5452015c0102v1st.shtml |access-date=2025-09-14 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}}</ref>

==Politics==
In 2013, Stephen Chow was elected a member of the 11th [[Guangdong]] Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference ([[Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference|CPPCC]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stephen Chow elected political advisor – China.org.cn |url=http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2013-01/15/content_27691867.htm |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=www.china.org.cn |archive-date=3 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203051310/http://china.org.cn/arts/2013-01/15/content_27691867.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> According to media exposure, Chow often arrives late and leaves early at the conference, and has not put forward any proposals.<ref>{{cite news |title=广州媒体：周星驰做政协委员四年无一提案，不是迟到就是早退 |url=https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1424327 |accessdate=2020-11-13 |work=The Paper |date=2016-01-24 |archive-date=2017-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213181513/http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1424327 |language=zh-cn }}</ref>
==Filmography==

===Film===
'''Acting roles'''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! English title
! Chinese title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1987
|''Back To The Beyond''
|陰陽界
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4| 1988 
| ''[[Final Justice (1988 film)|Final Justice]]''||霹靂先鋒 || Boy ||
|-
| ''[[Faithfully Yours]]''||最佳女婿 || Puddin Lai ||
|-
| ''[[The Last Conflict]]''||刑警本色 || Lau Ting Kin ||
|-
| ''He Who Chases After the Wind'' ||捕風漢子 || Sing ||
|-
|rowspan=3| 1989
| ''[[Thunder Cops II]]'' ||贼公差婆 || Sui Yuen ||
|-
| ''[[Just Heroes]]'' ||義膽群英 || "Jacky" Yuen Kei-hao ||
|-
| ''[[Dragon Fight]]'' ||龍在天涯 || Yao ||
|-
|rowspan=11| 1990 || ''[[Love Is Love (film)|Love Is Love]]'' ||望夫成龍 || Shi Jinshui ||
|-
| ''[[My Hero (1990 film)|My Hero]]'' ||一本漫畫闖天涯 || Sing ||
|-
| ''[[Lung Fung Restaurant]]'' ||龍鳳茶樓 || Rubbish Pool ||
|-
| ''[[Curry and Pepper]]'' ||咖喱辣椒 || Chiu Man-keung / "Pepper" ||
|-
| ''Sleazy Dizzy'' ||小偷阿星 || rowspan="3" | Sing ||
|-
| ''[[Look Out, Officer!]]'' ||師兄撞鬼 ||
|-
| ''[[All for the Winner]]'' ||賭聖 || 
|-
| ''When Fortune Smiles'' ||無敵幸運星 || Vincent Hing ||
|-
| ''Triad Story'' ||江湖最後一個大佬 || Sing ||
|-
| ''[[Legend of the Dragon (1990 film)|Legend of the Dragon]]'' ||龍的傳人 || Chow Siu-lung ||
|-
| ''The Unmatchable Match'' ||風雨同路 || Cheung Long ||
|-
| rowspan="9" |1991
| ''[[Crazy Safari]]'' ||非洲和尚 || Narrator (voice) ||
|-
| ''[[God of Gamblers II]]'' ||賭俠 || Chow Sing-cho ||
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Top Bet}}'' ||賭霸 || Sing || Cameo
|-
| ''[[Fist of Fury 1991]]'' ||新精武門1991 || Lau Ching / Saint of Gamblers ||
|-
| ''[[Fight Back to School]]'' ||逃學威龍 || Star Chow / Chow Sing-Sing || 
|-
| ''[[God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai]]'' ||賭俠2之上海灘賭聖 || Chow Sing-cho ||
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Magnificent Scoundrels}}'' ||情聖 || Romeo / Ching Sing ||
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Banquet|dab=1991 film}}'' ||豪門夜宴 || Himself || Cameo
|-
| ''[[Tricky Brains]]'' ||整蠱專家 || Jing Koo / Man-yuk ||
|-
|rowspan=8| 1992 || ''[[Fist of Fury 1991 II]]'' ||漫畫威龍 || Lau Ching ||
|-
| ''[[All's Well, Ends Well]]'' ||家有囍事 || Seung Foon ||
|-
| ''[[Fight Back to School II]]'' ||逃學威龍2 || Chow Sing-sing ||
|-
| ''[[Justice, My Foot!]]'' ||審死官 || Sung Sai Kit || 
|-
| ''[[Royal Tramp]]'' ||鹿鼎記 || rowspan="2" | Wai Siu-bo ||
|-
| ''[[Royal Tramp II]]'' ||鹿鼎記2神龍教  ||
|-
| ''[[King of Beggars]]'' ||武狀元蘇乞兒 || [[So Chan]] ||
|-
| ''The Thief of Time'' ||群星會 || Duen Siu-fei ||
|-
|rowspan=3| 1993 || ''[[Fight Back to School III]]'' ||逃學威龍3之龍過雞年 || Star Chow ||
|-
| ''[[Flirting Scholar]]'' ||唐伯虎點秋香 || [[Tang Yin|Tong Pak-Fu]] ||
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Mad Monk}}'' ||濟公 || [[Ji Gong]] / [[Mahakasyapa|Dragon-Fighter Lohan]] / Lee Xu Yuen ||
|-
|rowspan=3| 1994 || ''[[Love on Delivery]]'' ||破壞之王 || Ho Kam-ang ||
|-
| ''[[Hail the Judge]]'' ||九品芝麻官 || Judge Bao Sing / Pao Lung Sing ||
|-
| ''[[From Beijing with Love]]'' ||國產凌凌漆 || Ling-ling-chat || 
|-
|rowspan=4| 1995 || ''[[A Chinese Odyssey|A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box]]'' ||西遊記第壹佰零壹回之月光寶盒 || rowspan="2" | [[Monkey King|Sun Wukong]] / Joker 
| 
|-
| ''[[A Chinese Odyssey|A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella]]'' ||西遊記大結局之仙履奇緣 || 
|-
| ''[[Out of the Dark (1995 film)|Out of the Dark]]'' ||回魂夜 || Leo ||
|-
| ''[[Sixty Million Dollar Man]]'' ||百變星君 || Lee Chak-Sing ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1996 || ''[[Forbidden City Cop]]'' ||大內密探零零發 || Ling Ling-fat ||
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|God of Cookery}}'' ||食神 || Stephen Chow ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1997 || ''[[All's Well, Ends Well 1997]]'' ||97家有囍事 || Lo Kung ||
|-
| ''[[Lawyer Lawyer]]'' ||算死草 || Chan Mong-Gut ||
|-
| 1998 || ''{{sortname|The|Lucky Guy}}'' ||行運一條龍 || Ho Kam Sui ||
|-
|rowspan=3| 1999 || ''[[Gorgeous (film)|Gorgeous]]'' ||玻璃樽 || Policeman || Cameo
|-
| ''[[King of Comedy (film)|King of Comedy]]''  ||喜劇之王 || Wan Tin-sau ||
|-
| ''[[The Tricky Master]]'' ||千王之王2000 || Master Wong ||
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]'' <ref>{{cite news |url= https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/bestdvd/20021129.htm |title= Shaolin Soccer the NO.1 DVD Sale of 2002 in JAPAN |date= 11 July 2019 |work= watch.impress.co.jp |access-date= 11 July 2019 |archive-date= 22 September 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200922015350/https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/bestdvd/20021129.htm |url-status= live }}</ref> || 少林足球<ref name="watch.impress.co.jp"/> 
| Sing / Mighty Steel Leg
| 
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]'' ||功夫 || Sing || 
|-
| 2008 || ''[[CJ7]]''  ||長江七號 || Chow Ti || 
|-
|}

===Filmmaking credits===
'''Feature film'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! English title
!width=65| Director
!width=65| Writer
!width=65| Producer
! Chinese title
! Notes
|-
|1994
| ''[[From Beijing with Love]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|國產凌凌漆
|Co-directed with [[Lee Lik-chi]]
|-
|rowspan=2| 1996 
| ''[[Forbidden City Cop]]'' 
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|大內密探零零發
| Co-directed with [[Vincent Kok]]
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|God of Cookery}}'' 
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|食神
|rowspan=2| Co-directed with [[Lee Lik-chi]]
|-
| 1999 
| ''[[King of Comedy (film)|King of Comedy]]''  
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|喜劇之王
|-
| 2001 
| ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]''<ref>{{cite news |url= https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/bestdvd/20021129.htm |title= Shaolin Soccer the NO.1 DVD Sale of 2002 in JAPAN |date= 11 July 2019 |work= watch.impress.co.jp |access-date= 11 July 2019 |archive-date= 22 September 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200922015350/https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/bestdvd/20021129.htm |url-status= live }}</ref> 
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|少林足球<ref name="watch.impress.co.jp">{{cite news |url= https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20020924/pldc.htm |title= Shaolin Soccer grossed over 3.5 Billion in JAPAN |date= 11 July 2019 |work= watch.impress.co.jp |access-date= 11 July 2019 |archive-date= 10 March 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210310044124/https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20020924/pldc.htm |url-status= live }}</ref> 
|
|-
| 2004 
| ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]'' 
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|功夫
| 
|-
| 2008 
| ''[[CJ7]]''  
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|長江七號
| 
|-
| 2013 
| ''[[Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons]]'' 
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|西遊·降魔篇
| Co-directed with [[Derek Kwok]]
|-
| 2016 
| ''[[The Mermaid (2016 film)|The Mermaid]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmdivider.com/4439/stephen-chow-casting-his-new-mermaid-movie-with-a-public-talent-search|title=Stephen Chow casting his new Mermaid movie with a public talent search|access-date=10 August 2016|publisher=Filmdivider.com|archive-date=20 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220131618/http://www.filmdivider.com/4439/stephen-chow-casting-his-new-mermaid-movie-with-a-public-talent-search/|url-status=live}}</ref> 
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|美人魚
| 
|-
| 2019 
| ''[[The New King of Comedy]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|新喜劇之王
| 
|-
|}

'''Producer'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! English title
! Chinese title
|-
| 2008 
| ''[[Shaolin Girl]]''  
|少林少女
|-
|rowspan=2| 2009 
| ''[[Jump (2009 film)|Jump]]'' 
|跳出去
|-
| ''[[Dragonball Evolution]]''  
|七龍珠
|-
| 2010 
| ''[[CJ7: The Cartoon]]'' 
|長江7號愛地球
|-
|2017 
| ''[[Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back]]''
||西遊伏妖篇
|-
|rowspan=2|2019 
| ''Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons TV''
||劇版西遊降魔篇
|-
| ''The Mermaid TV''
||劇版美人魚<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.163.com/17/0609/20/CMH255L5000187VE.html|title=掘金星爷：爱奇艺为剧版《美人鱼》和《西游降魔篇》花了7.08亿|access-date=11 June 2017|archive-date=14 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814152431/http://news.163.com/17/0609/20/CMH255L5000187VE.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! English title
! Chinese title
|-
|rowspan=2| 1983 
| ''The Nuts'' ||黑白殭屍
|-
| ''Crossroads – Pocket Money'' ||臨歧：零用錢
|-
|rowspan=2| 1988 
| ''[[Behind Silk Curtains]]'' ||大都會
|-
| ''[[My Father's Son (TV series)|My Father's Son]]'' ||鬥氣一族
|-
|rowspan=2| 1989 
| ''[[The Final Combat]]'' ||蓋世豪俠
|-
| ''The Justice of Life'' ||他來自江湖
|-
| 1990
| ''It Runs in the Family'' ||孖仔孖心肝
|}

==Awards==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Awards won
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Imagine Film Festival|Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival]]'''
* 2005: Silver Scream Award for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Asia Pacific Film Festival]]'''
* 1992: Best Actor for ''[[Justice, My Foot]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Blue Ribbon Awards]]'''
* 2002: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Boston Society of Film Critics Awards]]'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards]]'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Florida Film Critics Circle Awards]]'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Golden Bauhinia Awards]]'''
* 1996: Best Actor for ''A Chinese Odyssey''
* 2002: Best Director for ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Golden Horse Awards]]'''
* 1988: Best Supporting Actor for ''[[Final Justice (1988 film)|Final Justice]]''
* 2005: Best Picture for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
* 2005: Best Director for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Hong Kong Film Awards]]'''
* 2002: Best Picture for ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]''
* 2002: Best Director for ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]''
* 2002: Best Actor for ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]''
* 2002: Best New Director for ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]''
* 2005: Best Picture for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards]]'''
* 1995: Best Actor for ''[[A Chinese Odyssey|A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box]]''
* 2016: Best Director for ''[[The Mermaid (2016 film)|The Mermaid]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild|Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Awards]]'''
* 2016: Best Director for ''[[The Mermaid (2016 film)|The Mermaid]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Hundred Flowers Awards]]'''
* 2006: Outstanding Feature Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''Utah Film Critics Association Awards'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards'''
* 2005: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[BAFTA Awards]]'''
* 2006: Nomination: Best Film not in the English Language for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|-
|align="left"|'''[[Golden Globe Award]]'''
* 2006: Nomination: Best Foreign Language Film for ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''
|}

==See also==
*[[Sing girls]]
*[[Mo lei tau]]
*[[Cinema of China]]
*[[Cinema of Hong Kong]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book|last=Hua |first=Cheng |script-title=zh:《周星驰：做人如果没有梦想，跟咸鱼有什么分别》|trans-title=Stephen Chow: Without Dream, What's the Difference between Men And Salted Fish|year=2016 |publisher=Sino-Culture Press |location=Xicheng District, Beijing |isbn=978-7-5075-4635-4 |language=zh}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Stephen Chow}}
* {{instagram}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0159507}}
{{Stephen Chow}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Stephen Chow
|list =
{{Best Actor HKFA}}
{{Best Director HKFA}}
{{Best Actor HKFCSA}}
{{Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Golden Horse Award for Best Director}}
}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Hong Kong|Film}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chow, Stephen}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Male actors from Zhejiang]]
[[Category:Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2012–2017]]
[[Category:20th-century Hong Kong male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Hong Kong male actors]]
[[Category:Hong Kong film directors]]
[[Category:Chinese comedy film directors]]
[[Category:Hong Kong film producers]]
[[Category:Hong Kong screenwriters]]
[[Category:Hong Kong male film actors]]
[[Category:Hong Kong male television actors]]
[[Category:Hong Kong male comedians]]
[[Category:Hong Kong martial artists]]
[[Category:Hong Kong philanthropists]]
[[Category:Hong Kong television presenters]]
[[Category:Hong Kong idols]]
[[Category:TVB veteran actors]]