Stephen Tung

Stephen Tung Wai (born 2 February 1954) is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, and film director.

Tung was born on 2 February 1954 in Shanghai, China.

He was smuggled to Hong Kong with his grandmother at the age of four.

Due to their family's financial situation, his grandfather sent him to learn wing chun and practice Cantonese opera with actress Ju-hua Fen.

Tung was only enrolled in primary school at the age of eleven, upon his aunt's request, but his grandfather withdrew him after the third year to support their livelihood.

Tung starred in the war film Squadron 77 as a child actor in 1965 and began working as a stunt double when he was sixteen.

He began his career as a stuntman at the age of sixteen and transitioned into action choreography in the 1970s.

Tung followed actor and action choreographer Han Ying-chieh to Taiwan to pursue a career in action choreography in the 1970s.

He dedicated several years to researching action choreography, drawing inspirations from Hong Kong and Japanese action films.

He became a stunt coordinator in 1974, making his debut with the action film Golden Mask Killer.

After working in Taiwan for four years, Tung returned to Hong Kong in 1981 and joined TVB as a contracted actor.

He starred as Ding Siu-bak, alongside Adam Cheng and Angie Chiu, in the drama series The Hawk, and as martial artist Fong Sai-yuk in the martial arts series The Young Heroes of Shaolin in the same year.

His performance impressed producers Yau Ka Hung and Lee Ting-leun, and was offered lead roles in the drama series The Restless Trio and as Lam Ping-chi in the martial arts series The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.

Tung has collaborated extensively with directors John Woo, Tsui Hark, and Wong Kar Wai, contributing to films such as A Better Tomorrow (1986) and Hard Boiled (1992) (directed by Woo), The Blade (1995) and The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) (directed by Tsui), and As Tears Go By (1988) and 2046 (2004) (directed by Wong).

In 1986, Tung served as the action choreographer for John Woo's A Better Tomorrow and Tsui Hark's Peking Opera Blues.

Tung maintained good relations with Woo, and the duo collaborated closely in the future, but Tung and Tsui had a falling out and dropped out of the project midway.

Tung continued to work as a choreographer in the horror comedy film Mr. Vampire III and action film Magnificent Warriors the following year.

In 1988, Tung participated in Wong Kar Wai's crime drama film As Tears Go By.

Tung acknowledged Wong's creativity and boldness in producing action scenes, and the duo continued a close collaboration as well.

In 1989, Tung choreographed Lam Ching-ying's horror film Vampire vs. Vampire and the horror comedy film Vampire Buster.

He directed the horror film Magic Cop (1990) and the action film Hitman (1998), and is best known for his leading roles as Lam Ping-chi in the martial arts series The Smiling, Proud Wanderer (1984) and Cheung Fuk-wai in the drama film In Your Dreams (2017).

In return for Tung's involvement, Lam starred in Tung's directorial debut, the horror comedy film Magic Cop later in 1990.

Tung admitted that he did not enjoy directing as he struggled with interpersonal relationships and chose to remain focused on action choreography.

Tung also returned to collaborate with Wong Kar Wai in the drama film Days of Being Wild in 1990 and with John Woo in the action thriller film Hard Boiled in 1992.

In 1994, Tung choreographed and executive produced the drama film The True Hero, for which he received a nomination for Best Action Choreography in the 31st Golden Horse Awards.

In 1995, Tung served as the action choreographer for Tsui Hark's martial arts film The Blade.

Despite their falling out while filming Peking Opera Blues, the two reunited through the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild and developed a better understanding of each other after communicating.

Tung joined The Blade only in the last two weeks of filming, when Tsui thought of asking Tung to help out in the final stages.

Tung has been nominated for Best Action Choreography in the Hong Kong Film Awards seventeen times, and won seven times with Downtown Torpedos (1997), Purple Storm (1999), The Accidental Spy (2001), Seven Swords (2005), Bodyguards and Assassins (2009), Kung Fu Jungle (2014), Operation Mekong (2016), and Bursting Point (2023), making him the most awarded individual in this category.

In addition to action choreography, Tung has also taken on acting and directing roles.

In 1997, Tung choreographed Teddy Chan's action film Downtown Torpedoes, which earned Tung his first award for Best Action Choreography in the 17th Hong Kong Film Awards, as well as a nomination for the 34th Golden Horse Awards.

The film also marked the beginning of Tung's collaborations with Chan.

In 1998, Tung directed and choreographed the action film Hitman, which received nominations for Best Action Choreography in the 35th Golden Horse Awards and the 18th Hong Kong Film Awards.

In 1999, Tung served as the action choreographer for Teddy Chan's action film Purple Storm, for which he won Best Action Choreography in both the 36th Golden Horse Awards and the 19th Hong Kong Film Awards.

Tung received dual nominations again in the 38th Golden Horse Awards and the 21st Hong Kong Film Awards for the 2001 action film The Accidental Spy.

Tung also directed the action film Extreme Challenge (2001 film) in 2001.

He took up the role as action choreographer in the 2002 drama film Princess D and wuxia film Hero, which received nominations in the 22nd and 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards respectively.

The film earned Tung a nomination for Best Action Choreography in the 15th Hong Kong Film Awards.

In the same year, Tung directed the action film Fox Hunter and choreographed the crime drama film Shanghai Grand, for which the latter received a nomination in the 16th Hong Kong Film Awards.

Tung also received a nomination for the thriller film Hot War in the same year in the 18th Hong Kong Film Awards.