Chapman To (Chinese: 杜汶澤, born 8 June 1972), born Edward Ng Cheuk-cheung (Chinese: 吳卓彰), is a Hong Kong-Taiwanese actor. He is best known for his roles in films such as Infernal Affairs and Initial D. He is also the founder of his own multimedia platform known as "Chapman To's Late Show". In 2022, To officially naturalised in Taiwan.
Chapman To | |||||||||||
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杜汶澤 | |||||||||||
Born | Edward Ng Cheuk-cheung 8 June 1972 | ||||||||||
Citizenship | Taiwan | ||||||||||
Years active | 1995–present | ||||||||||
Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||
Spouse | |||||||||||
Awards | ATV Awards 1999 Best Supporting Actor (My Date with a Vampire) | ||||||||||
Chinese name | |||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 杜汶澤 | ||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 杜汶泽 | ||||||||||
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Early life and career
editTo was born at Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei. His father worked in a fruit shop in Yau Ma Tei. To studied at Diocesan Preparatory School and Diocesan Boys' School. His stage name was adapted from the horse "Chapman River" (澤汶渡) due to his previous hobby of horse betting.[1] He began his acting career in TV soap operas and moved to the big screen in 2000. He is best known for playing Tsui Wai-Keung in the Infernal Affairs trilogy, as well as the role of Itsuki Tachibana in Initial D. He married Kristal Tin in 2005. In 2006, he starred in Pang Ho-Cheung's film Isabella with Isabella Leong.
Along with acting, To was also a radio personality for Commercial Radio 2(CR2). He hosted the show, On a Clear Day (在晴朗的一天出發), a 2-hour morning show which was co-hosted by Michelle Lo and Jan Lamb. However, after a fall-out with the key personnel of the radio company, Chapman lost the radio hosting job in 2006.
To is also an avid amateur photographer. In 2011, To was hired as the photographer for cantopop singer Prudence Liew's album Love Addict. To stated that this is the first time he is paid for his photography work.
On 3 August 2018, he founded a multimedia platform called "Chapman To's Late Show" (杜汶澤喱騷).[2] The channel mainly made fun of current issues in Hong Kong. It also made tutorials for smores and interviewed famous politicians and actors/singers from Hong Kong. Due to the platform's content being daring, down-to-earth and it's satirical way of presenting current issues, it was widely praised by Hong Kong's netizens.[3] In 2020 Chapman To announced that the platform will be pulling out of YouTube and Facebook, and subsequently established a paid platform at lateshow.net, with subscription fee being HK$60 per month and VIP subscription HK$600 per year; the VIP members get access to special content such as his stand-up comedy live performance of 2020. Celebrities such as Anthony Wong and Gregory Wong have appeared for its shows.[4][better source needed]
Political positions and Chinese blacklist
editIn March 2014, To expressed support for the Sunflower Student Movement in Taiwan, which was skeptical of a proposed agreement to create closer ties between Taiwan and mainland China.
During Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement, he was involved in online arguments with some mainland netizens.[5]
To criticised the Chinese government and proudly stated to netizens to "Stop me from coming to the mainland if you've got guts."[6] Chinese audiences reacted and To's first two movies after the incident, Let Go for Love[6] and Aberdeen, flopped at the Chinese box office.[7] The production companies apologised and regretted casting To.
Hong Kong directors such as Wong Jing subsequently refused to work with To, resulting in him being blacklisted in both the Chinese and Hong Kong movie market.[8]
Exiled from the lucrative Chinese market, To focused on Malaysia and Singapore.[9] Despite not having any Chinese investment, his films have achieved success in their target markets. To acted as director, writer, and actor for these low-budget films.
To moved to Taiwan in November 2020, and announced in February 2022 that he had attained Taiwanese citizenship.[10]
Filmography
editTelevision
editYear | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1995 | Fist of Fury | Jing Wu Men's student |
1996 | The Good Old Days | |
1998 | My Date with a Vampire | Kam Ching-chung |
2000 | Showbiz Tycoon | Sing Lung |
2000 | My Date with a Vampire II | Kam Ching-chung |
2004 | Kung Fu Soccer | Lok |
2010 | OL Supreme | Sze Sap Yat |
Who's the Hero | ||
2025 | Zero Day |
Film
edit- Moonlight in Tokyo (2005) – Hoi
- Nominated - Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Wait 'Til You're Older (2005) – Policeman
- Initial D (2005) – Itsuki Tachibana
- Colour of the Loyalty (2005)
- Confession of Pain (2006) – Inspector Tsui Wing Kwong
- A Melody Looking (2006) – Chapman
- Isabella (2006) – Shing
- Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival Best Supporting Actor Award
- Trivial Matters (2007)
- Simply Actors (2007) – Crazy Sam
- Lady Cop & Papa Crook (2008)
- True Women for Sale (2008)
- Parking (2008)
- Home Run (2008)
- Rebellion (2009) – Blackie
- Ex (2010) Entered into the 2010 Hong Kong International Film Festival
- Once a Gangster (2010) (writer)
- Triple Tap (2010)
- La Comédie humaine (2010) Entered into the 2010 Hong Kong International Film Festival
- The Jade and the Pearl (2010) – Eunuch Yeung
- Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (2010) – Inspector Huang Haolong (voice)
- Who's the Hero (2010) (TV series)
- The Kidnap (2010)
- All's Well, Ends Well 2011 (2011)
- Mr. and Mrs. Incredible (2011)
- Eternal Moment (2011)
- Men Suddenly in Love (2011)
- Hi, Fidelity (2011)
- Love in Space (2011)
- A Simple Life (2011)
- The Sorcerer and the White Snake (2011)
- A Big Deal (2011)
- Turning Point 2 (2011)
- All's Well, Ends Well 2012 (2012)
- Mr. and Mrs. Gambler (2012)
- Marry a Perfect Man (2012)
- Love Lifting (2012)
- The Bounty (2012)
- Vulgaria (2012)
- Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor
- Nominated - Golden Horse Award for Best Actor
- Diva (2012)
- Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
- Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Nominated - Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Bring Happiness Home (2013)
- Hotel Deluxe (2013)
- The Wedding Diary 2 (2013)
- SDU: Sex Duties Unit (2013)
- The Midas Touch (2013)
- Mr. and Mrs. Player (2013)
- Hello Babies (2014)
- Golden Chicken 3 (2014)
- From Vegas to Macau (2014)
- Black Comedy (2014)
- Naked Ambition 2 (2014)
- Let Go for Love (2014)
- Aberdeen (2014)
- Flirting in the Air (2014)[11]
- King of Mahjong (2015)
- Sara (2015) (as producer only)
- Impossible (2015)
- The Mobfathers (2015)
- Let's Eat! (2016)[12]
- The Empty Hands (2017)
- G Affairs (2019)
References
edit- ^ Episode 105-106, aTV 100 Celebrities, Asia Television, 27-28 June 2012.
- ^ "【杜汶澤】新網台喱騷開live狂講鹹濕笑話 明言女主持要身材豐滿". Hk01.com. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ "忘我爆粗夠真實!杜汶澤做Live騷受歡迎". Hk.on.cc. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ "「喱騷」收費台宣傳片". Retrieved 16 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Netizens to HK Actor Chapman To: Stay Out of China". China Digital Times (CDT). 25 March 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Film boycott shows audiences can't 'Let go'". Ecns.cn. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ "业内:杜汶泽毁掉《小团圆》 超5000万投资亏损 (Chapman To ruined Aberdeen's 50 million investment)". Ent.ifeng.com. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ "Director Wong Jing 'unfriends' actors over pro-democracy protest". Straitstimes.com. 17 October 2014.
- ^ seto kit yan (13 December 2014). "HK comedian and producer set up movie production company in M'sia". The Star. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- ^ Wang, Flor; Wang, Hsin-yu (22 February 2022). "Pro-democracy Hong Kong actor Chapman To confirms Taiwan citizenship". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ Kevin Ma (16 May 2014). "Vegas to Macau II leads Mega-Vision slate". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ Kevin Ma (9 September 2015). "Chapman To returns to Malaysia with Let's Eat". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ "Mtime时光网 —— 影人". People.mtime.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ "⓿⓿ Chapman To - Actor - Hong Kong - Filmography - TV Drama Series - Chinese Movies". Chinesemov.com. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
External links
edit- Official Blog of Chapman To Archived 30 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Chapman To on Sina Weibo
- Chapman To at IMDb
- Chapman To Man-Chat at the Hong Kong Movie Database
- Chapman To Man Chat at the Hong Kong Cinemagic
- Chapman To at LoveHKFilm