Eddy Ko Hung's decision to sit down with a German journalist five years ago was initially thought to be a one-off meeting. Despite being one of Hong Kong's most bankable and well-regarded actors, Ko's career, which began in 1967 at the Shaw Brothers studio, had already slowed down, and he was being cast in more secondary roles.
Ko's early career was marked by his starring role in a string of wuxia epics in the 1970s, which solidified his status as a household name. He then became a beloved figure after playing the iconic Chinese literary hero Lam Chung in the prime-time TVB series The Unyielding Master Lim in 1986.
However, rather than fading into obscurity after migrating to Vancouver, Canada, with his family, Ko has found a new stage for himself in productions made outside Hong Kong. Having signed with a Canadian agent, Ko's international career began in 1998 with a role as an illegal immigrant in Lethal Weapon 4, alongside Jet Li.
Ko's recent work has been diverse, ranging from art-house fare such as Night Corridor to mainstream films and soap operas. He has also starred in an Italian film, which he describes as being of debatable quality, and played a fictional Chinese head of state in a Canadian television series.
His latest non-Chinese-language role is in the French conspiracy thriller Largo Winch, where he plays a tattooist who helps the film's titular hero, Tomer Sisley. When Ko first set foot in the studio, he could already speak English and Japanese, which has since helped him secure roles in international productions.
The actor now splits his time between his Vancouver home, where he is a student of continuing education, and the mainland, where he acts and makes TV appearances. Career-wise, Hong Kong now seems very much an afterthought, although he did draw TVB's ire three years ago by agreeing to appear in an ATV series about real-life crimes as a father who chopped his daughter's head off in a rage.
Ko's early years in the film industry began in 1967 at the Shaw Brothers studio, marking the start of his illustrious career. He went on to star in a string of wuxia epics in the 1970s, cementing his status as a household name.
After migrating to Vancouver with his family, Ko found a new stage for himself in productions made outside Hong Kong. He signed with a Canadian agent and began his international career in 1998 with a role as an illegal immigrant in Lethal Weapon 4.
Ko's recent work has been diverse, ranging from art-house fare to mainstream films and soap operas. He has also starred in an Italian film and played a fictional Chinese head of state in a Canadian television series.
His latest non-Chinese-language role is in the French conspiracy thriller Largo Winch, where he plays a tattooist who helps the film's titular hero. When Ko first set foot in the studio, he could already speak English and Japanese, which has since helped him secure roles in international productions.
Ko now splits his time between his Vancouver home, where he is a student of continuing education, and the mainland, where he acts and makes TV appearances.
