Collection: What Are the Legendary Kung Fu Movie Stars Doing Now?
If you grew up watching classic kung fu movies, you have probably wondered what happened to the stars you watched over and over again. We remember them from the old Shaw Brothers movies, Hong Kong martial arts films and Japanese action movies, but what happened after the cameras stopped rolling?
Some kept acting. Some moved behind the camera, became martial arts teachers or found completely different lives. Some stayed close to the movie business, while others walked away and chose a quieter life.
That is what I wanted to find out.
This page looks at the legendary kung fu movie stars we grew up watching and what they are doing today. These are the people who helped make Shaw Brothers cinema, Hong Kong martial arts movies and Japanese action films such an important part of movie history.
TI LUNG
Ti Lung is one of those names that immediately takes you back to the great days of Shaw Brothers. He became one of Chang Cheh's biggest stars during the 1970s and appeared in some of the most remembered martial arts movies of that era.
What is interesting about Ti Lung is that he never completely walked away from acting. His career has continued for more than five decades, taking him well beyond his Shaw Brothers years and into some of Hong Kong's biggest later films.
He remains active in the entertainment business today, making Ti Lung one of the great links between the classic Shaw Brothers era and Hong Kong cinema today.
DAVID CHIANG
David Chiang was another enormous star of the Shaw Brothers era. If you watched Chang Cheh's movies during the 1970s, you saw him again and again. His partnership with Ti Lung became one of the most famous combinations in Hong Kong martial arts cinema.
David Chiang did not simply disappear when the Shaw Brothers years ended. He continued acting and also worked as a director and producer.
He has continued returning to Hong Kong for acting projects, and in 2024 he won Best Supporting Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards for In Broad Daylight. More than 50 years after becoming a Shaw Brothers star, he was still receiving major recognition for his acting.
GORDON LIU
Gordon Liu is one of the first names that comes to mind when talking about classic Shaw Brothers kung fu. His role as San Te in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin made him one of the most recognizable martial arts stars of his generation.
His career later introduced him to a completely new audience when Quentin Tarantino cast him in Kill Bill. Fans who already knew him from Shaw Brothers suddenly saw Gordon Liu on the screen again in a major international production.
His life became much quieter after suffering a stroke in 2011. He is no longer doing the physically demanding work that made him famous, but his place in kung fu movie history is secure.
LO MENG
If you know the Venom Mob, you know Lo Meng.
He became one of the most recognizable members of the group after appearing as the Toad in The Five Deadly Venoms. His size, strength and martial arts ability made him stand out immediately, but he could also bring a lot of humor to his characters.
Lo Meng continued working after the classic Shaw Brothers period and remained involved with Hong Kong film and television. He is one of the Venoms whose career continued long after those famous movies were made.
HSIAO HO
Hsiao Ho is another name that should never be forgotten when talking about the great Shaw Brothers martial artists.
If you have seen Mad Monkey Kung Fu, you already know why. His speed, acrobatics and unusual movements made him one of the most exciting performers to watch.
Hsiao Ho also worked with Lau Kar-leung and appeared in films such as Legendary Weapons of China. His career later included stunt work and action choreography, taking his knowledge of martial arts and screen fighting behind the camera as well.
KUO CHUI
Kuo Chui, also known as Philip Kwok, was one of the most athletic members of the Venom Mob. Fans remember him from Five Deadly Venoms, Crippled Avengers, Kid with the Golden Arm and many other Shaw Brothers classics.
His career did not end with the Venom Mob movies. Kuo Chui continued working in Hong Kong cinema and became involved with action choreography and directing.
LU FENG
Lu Feng was one of the Venom Mob's most memorable villains. His characters often had a cold, dangerous presence, and he became especially known for his weapons work.
After the great Shaw Brothers years, Lu Feng largely stepped away from the spotlight. But for fans of the Venom Mob, his performances remain some of the most recognizable in classic kung fu cinema.
SUN CHIEN
Sun Chien brought incredible kicking ability and speed to the Venom Mob movies. His athletic fighting style made him easy to recognize, especially in the large group fight scenes that became a trademark of the Shaw Brothers films.
His work with the Venoms remains a major part of his legacy and continues to attract fans discovering these movies for the first time.
WANG LI
Wang Li was another important member of the Venom Mob and appeared in many of the group's best-known films.
Like several of the other Venoms, his work is remembered far more than his later years are known. That is one reason I want to tell these stories. There is a lot about these actors that fans simply never got to hear about.
WEI PAI
Wei Pai became another familiar face during the great Venom Mob period. He appeared in several of the group's most important Shaw Brothers films and became part of one of the greatest collections of martial arts performers ever put together.
ANGELA MAO
Angela Mao is one of the most interesting stories of all. She was one of the biggest female martial arts stars of the 1970s, then walked away from the movie business and built a completely different life in New York.
She eventually became involved in the restaurant business with her family in Queens. She has kept a very private life, but fans still remember her as the Queen of Kung Fu and Lady Whirlwind.
Read the full story: What Happened to Angela Mao?
HUI YING-HUNG
Hui Ying-hung is one of the women who proved that female martial arts stars could be just as tough and convincing as the men. Her work with Shaw Brothers and Lau Kar-leung established her as one of the most respected actresses of the era.
Unlike many performers from the old kung fu movie generation, Hui Ying-hung continued building her acting career long after the Shaw Brothers period ended.
KARA WAI
Kara Wai became one of the most important female stars of Shaw Brothers and later built an acclaimed career in Hong Kong film and television.
She never simply became a name from the past. Her later acting work brought her major awards and introduced her to audiences who may have known nothing about her early Shaw Brothers films.
JOHN LIU
John Liu became famous for his incredible kicking ability and his work in some of the most exciting martial arts movies of the 1970s and 1980s.
He eventually moved away from the center of the Hong Kong film industry, but his kicking style remains one of the things serious kung fu fans remember immediately.
HWANG JANG-LEE
Hwang Jang-lee became one of the most feared villains in classic kung fu movies. His kicking ability was real, and that made his fights with Jackie Chan and other stars so memorable.
His movie career eventually slowed down, but his name remains closely connected with the great martial arts films of the 1970s and 1980s.
TAN TAO-LIANG
Tan Tao-liang was one of the great kicking specialists of Hong Kong martial arts cinema. His speed and flexibility made his fight scenes immediately recognizable.
He eventually moved away from the movie business, but his classic performances remain favorites with fans who appreciate real martial arts ability on screen.
SHO KOSUGI
Sho Kosugi became one of the most recognizable faces of the ninja movie era. His films introduced Japanese martial arts and ninja action to a huge international audience during the 1980s.
His career eventually moved beyond acting, and his family has also remained connected to martial arts and entertainment.
YASUAKI KURATA
Yasuaki Kurata is one of the great Japanese martial arts performers who became a familiar face to Hong Kong movie fans as well.
Unlike many stars from his generation, Kurata has continued working well into his later years. His career is a perfect example of how Japanese and Hong Kong martial arts cinema were connected long before the internet made it easy for fans around the world to find these movies.
THE STORIES CONTINUE
There are many more stars to add to this page. That includes more of the Shaw Brothers women, the remaining Venom Mob members, Japanese action stars, martial artists who worked with Jet Li, and the younger performers who grew up around this movie business.
I want this to be a place where fans can come back and find out what happened to the people behind the classic kung fu movies we still watch today.
Some stories are happy. Some are surprising. Some are sad. But every one of these people helped make the movies we love.