Introduction to Collin Chou, aka Ngai Sing
Ngai Sing quickly became an essential part of Sammo
Hung's stunt team. He was so talented that he was even accepted by Sammo Hung as
his sole student. 
So far, he is Sammo's only student.
It's an honour that highlights his merits.
Ngai Sing started in the shadow, by being a double for other actors and soon he appeared
under lights. He was overall type-cast as a bad guy, but could sometimes be in the right
side. He appeared in some of the most acclaimed movies ever made in HK, such as Blade
of Fury, The Kung Fu Cult Master and The Blade. Action films being rare in HK
at the moment, Ngai Sing's worked also for TV series.
He married model Wanda Yung. He changed his name for Collin Chou, as he wants to conquer
the US film industry. In 2000, he was cast as the Oracle's bodyguard in Matrix Reloaded
and Revolutions.
Interview
The interview being lengthy, it's been divided
into 3 parts:
Himself & his career - Collin Chou's
work with the greatest ones - When East meets West
Himself
and his career
HKCM: How did you start in
the movie business?
Collin Chou: I come from a large family in Kaohsiung City,
Taiwan. I have 8 brothers and 4 sisters. I am number 8. Our father left us after the
youngest was born, leaving our mother to raise us. Some of my brothers went to an
orphanage so that they could get an education while others stayed with Mom and went to
become apprentices.
I went to school for a couple of years before deciding to go to work at the age of 6 or 7
to support myself and lighten my mother's burden. I was an apprentice in many different
fields including wood-carving and baking.
Working at different places, I learnt about movies and martial arts from my co-workers. I
found 4 different martial arts teachers who taught me various styles. My interest in
movies increased with time until I decided to go to Taipei City at the age of 12.
Upon arriving in Taipei I read in the
newspapers that a movie company was hiring actors. I went to the audition and paid an
exuberant amount of money to join the class. They were actually hiring extras, not actors,
but I didn't know it at the time. I was very lucky because on my first job as an extra,
they needed someone who could do a reaction to being "killed by a sword". At
first they wanted a stuntman to do it, but I told them I could handle it and showed them
my moves. They were all impressed with me and took my phone number. That was how I got
started in the movie / TV industry - as a stuntman.
In the beginning of my stuntman career I mainly doubled female roles because of my height
and small frame.
As I got older, taller and my skills improved, I was given
more challenging stunts. I learned about 'movie Kung Fu' which involves working with
camera angles and merging different styles to make it look good for the shot. I suffered
many injuries including numerous cuts and broken bones, but I still loved the work. When
there weren't any stunt jobs, I would wait tables at restaurants and bars, or do other
kind of odd jobs to survive. Sometimes there was so much work that I had to go from one
set straight to another, sneaking in naps in between shoots.
When I was 18, I got my first leading man role in a movie about Tai Kwon Do. Sammo Hung
was a producer of this movie and that was how I got to join Sammo's Team in Hong Kong
after I completed my 2-year military service in Taiwan.
You are
Sammo Hung's only student,
aren't you?
Can you tell us about your relationship with him?
After finishing my first movie in Hong Kong under Sammo Hung's
direction, Sammo announced to the press that I was his first student. Before that
announcement, I considered myself just another member of his team. So you can say I was
pretty surprised and very grateful that he regarded me so highly.
Until 1997, I was still Sammo's only student. I left Sammo's company in 1997 to try and
branch out on my own.
Sammo is a very powerful and intelligent man. He knows a lot about the different aspects
of the movie industry. Sammo is a great martial arts actor, a comedian and also a
successful dramatic actor. Other than being a well-rounded actor, Sammo is also a great
director. He knows where the camera should be placed in order to get maximum impact for
the scene. He is also great at controlling the set. If the movie set is compared to that
of the army, then Sammo is definitely a great General.
During the time I was with Sammo's team, I had a feeling that Sammo wanted to train me to
be like him, versatile both in front and behind the camera. I once thought that I could be
like him, but I realised that I am not smart enough to do all the things he can. So I have
decided to concentrate on my acting.
You come from Taiwan and
worked mostly in the Hong Kong cinema.
Did you feel any difference in the way people from Hong Kong were treating you?
Was there any language barrier considering you speak mandarin and not the local dialect,
Cantonese?
I was pretty lucky when I went to Hong Kong in 1989. I was recruited by Sammo Hung 2 years
earlier in Taiwan when I was the lead in a movie, which he produced. After completion of
my military service, I went to Hong Kong and became a part of Sammo Hung's Team.
Sammo Hung was really influential in the Hong Kong movie
industry at that period of time and my work was both in front and behind the camera. Up
until the mid 90s, most Hong Kong movies were still dubbed so it didn't matter if the
actors spoke Cantonese, Mandarin or even English. Action movies were a big draw at the
box-office.
I was treated well because of Sammo Hung, but Cantonese was still the main dialect spoken
so communication with cast, crew and reporters was quite limited. I was also very shy at
the time and concentrated on doing my work instead of socialising. Although I didn't make
many friends, I know others were impressed with the work I did. However, socialising was
an important part of the movie business. You had to hang out with 'movie people' in order
to get more work. 'Making up news' for the media was considered good PR for an actor too.
I was good at neither!
Being in the business for this long I have realised that the 'language barrier' was the
same worldwide. In Hong Kong you have to speak Cantonese, but in China, Taiwan and other
Chinese speaking countries you have to speak Mandarin. In the US, you have to speak
American English in order to get into the movie industry.
Your name in
Chinese is Chou Siu Lung, the same as Lee Siu Lung (Bruce Lee's Chinese name). Was it an homage to Lee Siu Lung ?
Actually the Chinese character 'Sui' in my name does not mean
'Little'. In Cantonese it sounds similar but in Mandarin the pronunciation 'Zhao'. It was
not in homage to Bruce Lee, although I do admire him. However, my friends do call me Sui
Lung - 'Little Dragon'.
Do you have some
disappointments about the fact that you played mostly bad guys? Is it something you would
like to change in the future of your career?
I am not disappointed with just playing bad guy roles. Being an actor I have to perform
every role that I accept to the best of my capabilities. I have also learnt a lot from
working with all those different martial arts actors and directors. Of course I would have
liked to play different types of roles, but the trend in the Hong Kong movie industry is
to cast actors in roles that they have played well previously.
I hope that I would be able to do different roles here in the US. As you know, there are
still not that many roles written specifically for Asians. But there are more
opportunities here in the US given to actors to try different roles. My aim is to do as
many different and meaningful roles as I can to help me build a long lasting and
well-rounded career.
You are mostly known for your
action parts but it also happened that you played not fighting part, in Hail the Judge with
Stephen Chow, for instance. Is it an aspect of your career you would like to develop?
Of course I would like to play different characters, but type casting is very typical in
the Hong Kong movie industry. Action movies will always be important in the Hong Kong
movie industry and there are not many actors who can do their own stunts.
I have tried to do other non-action roles, but those roles are hard to come by.
What is the role you are the
most proud of?
Up until now I still haven't found a role that I am completely satisfied with. But I am
hoping that the release of The Matrix 2 and 3 will be the changing point of my
acting career.
Homepage - Introduction - Interview - Filmography - Top
His
work with the greatest ones
HKCM: It happened that you even had to double some of the best
martial artists from HK. You were a double for Jackie Chan in Thunderbolt, for
instance. Can you confirm this?
Collin
Chou: Sammo Hung was the director for the Thunderbolt and I was there to
help him co-ordinate the stunts. Jackie was still recovering from his leg injury so I did
some double work for him - mostly close up of some kicks. Jackie did as much as he could
himself and I only doubled for him in a few scenes. Jackie is a very hard working actor.
He always tries to do all his stunts by himself.
You've worked with some of
the best martial artists from Hong Kong. I'm thinking about people like Jet Li, Donnie
Yen, Ken Lo or Billy Chow. What memories do
you keep from these collaborations?
I have been very luck to have had the opportunity to work with all these top martial arts
actors. They all have different martial art background including Wu-Shu, kickboxing and
Thai boxing.
Since I started my career as a stuntman and had to learn many different styles of martial
arts, I found that I had no difficulties in working with them.
You have worked under some of the top action
directors in the world. They are for instance people like Yuen Woo Ping and Sammo Hung of
course but also Yuen Tak, Corey Yuen Kwai and Ching Siu Tung. Can you tell us what you
think of their own way of working and their action choreographer skills?
I have worked mostly with Sammo Hung during my years in Hong Kong and have already
mentioned his abilities as a director previously.
The other directors that you have mentioned are all great directors and have their own
styles. I have only worked with them briefly years ago and their skills have broaden since
then. Therefore, I feel I am not at a level to comment on their abilities until I work
with them again.
Homepage - Introduction - Interview - Filmography - Top
When
East meets West
HKCM: What do you think of the use of westerners in the Hong Kong
cinema?
Do you think they are able to do a good work and to adapt themselves to the HK cinema
environment?
Collin Chou: In the 80s and early
90s, action movies were a big draw at the box office. Some westerners who knew martial
arts worked well in the Hong Kong movie industry. However, in the mid to late 90s most
westerners only got trivial roles, such as 'bad guys' or henchmen. Perhaps that was due to
the 1997 change over situation and the Hong Kong movie industry wanted to show its
patriotic side.
With Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh doing Hollywood movies, and Crouching Tiger
Hidden Dragon's success in the west, the Hong Kong movie industry seems to be
incorporating more global ideas to expand their market. The prospect for westerners in the
Hong Kong movie industry seems to be looking good once more.
Dubbing is no longer popular and the industry recognises that multi-lingual movies are
beginning to be accepted.
What does the poor situation of current HK action cinema inspire you?
Is it one of the reasons why you left for the USA?
Having left
for the US in 1999, I am not very up on the Hong Kong action cinema today. From what I
hear though, the movie industry has started to pick up again and that more time and
thought are being put into the preparation and production.
During 1997-1999, the movie industry was not doing so well with all the pirate copies and
poor box office revenue and reviews. There were few jobs available, so I went to America
in 1999 because I wanted to learn English. I never had the chance to go to school and
decided that this would be a good time to improve myself.
I had decided to give myself 5 years in American to try and get into an A-movie in
Hollywood. I am happy to say that my hard work has given me a good start, because in 2000
I got my first Hollywood movie: The Matrix 2 &3.
What do you think about the working conditions in the USA?
Do you feel satisfied about your
first steps there?
Since my first Hollywood experience is working on Matrix 2 and 3, it is impossible
to compare the working conditions to those of any Hong Kong movies I've done so far.
Of course I am extremely satisfied with the working conditions and general atmosphere on
the set of the Matrix. During the shooting, I was told by other members of the cast
and crew that this is the ultimate working condition that only happens once in about 10 or
even more years.
To conclude, would you say a word to your fans?
First let me thank them for their support. I hope that they will continue to watch my
movies and give me some time to build up my career in the US. I also hope that they will
like my future role selections. They are welcome to visit my website www.collinchou.com.
Our warmest thanks go to Collin Chou for
answering our questions with much kindness and patience.
Interview by Arnaud Lanuque for HK Cinemagic, January 2003.
Page made by Thomas, March 2003.
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Filmography
1989
Into the Fire
Shyly Spirit
1990
Licence to Steal
1991
Lover's Tear
Slickers vs Killers
1993
Blade of Fury
The Kung Fu Cult Master
1994
Hail the Judge
Bodyguard from Beijing
Defender
Return to a Better Tomorrow
1995
Don't Give a Damn
My Father is a Hero
Teenage Master
The Red Wolf
Drug Fighters
The Blade |
1996
Dr Wai in The Scripture with No Words
War of the Underworld
God of Gamblers 3 - The Early Stage
1998
Rumble Ages
I Shoot Myself
1999
The Victim
Night Club
Temptation of an Angel
2000
The Vampire Combat
AT&T TVC for the US " Martial Arts Teacher "
2001
AT&T TVC for the US " Abacus Teacher "
AT&T TVC for the US " Weightlifter "
2002
No Problem 2
2003
Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions (by Andy and Larry Wachowski) |
Homepage - Introduction - Interview - Filmography - Top
