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Russell Wong

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the actor. For the Singaporean photographer, see Russel Wong.
Russell Wong
Russell Wong in 2009
Born
Russell Girard Wong

(1963-03-01) March 1, 1963 (age 62)
Troy, New York, U.S.
Other namesRussell Jan Tak Wong
Alma materSanta Monica City College
OccupationActor
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2003; div. 2012)​
RelativesMichael Wong (brother)
Mark A. Rademacher (cousin)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese王盛德
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWáng Shèngdé
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingWong4 Sing6 Dak1

Russell Girard Wong (Chinese: 王盛德; Jyutping: Wong4 Sing6 Dak1) is an American film and television actor. He began his career in Hong Kong, and made his English-language film debut in Tai-Pan (1986).[1][2][3] He went on to work with director Wayne Wang in Eat a Bowl of Tea (1989), The Joy Luck Club (1993), and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011). He landed the lead role in the TV series Vanishing Son (1994), which is regarded as one of the first American dramatic television series to feature an Asian lead.[4][5]

His breakthrough performance came after he starred opposite Jet Li in the action film Romeo Must Die (2000).[6] He reunited with Li in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), portraying General Ming Guo. Outside film and television, Wong played the protagonist Nicholas Kang in the video game True Crime: Streets of LA (2003). He also lent his voice to the video game Stranglehold (2007).[7][8][9]

Early life and education

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Wong was born in Troy, New York, to a Chinese-American father William S. Wong and Dutch-American mother Connie Van Yserloo (d. 2024).[10] Wong's father emigrated to the United States from Shandong Province, China.[10] His brother is actor Michael Wong. His maternal cousin was Mark A. Rademacher.

Wong attended Santa Monica City College and trained to be a dancer.[11] He trained in martial arts, including taekwondo, shōrei-ryū karate, and Fu Jow Pai kung fu.[12]

Career

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After appearing in several music videos, Wong began his film career in Hong Kong, playing a romantic lead opposite Anita Mui in The Musical Singer (1985). His English-language debut was in the historical drama Tai-Pan (1986), based on the James Clavell's novel of the same name. He was one of several actors considered for the lead role in The Last Emperor (1987).

Wong is one of the first actors of Chinese descent to hold a leading role in a primetime American television series, portraying Jian-Wa with Chi Muoi Lo portraying Wago in the highly rated critically acclaimed Vanishing Son, first in a series of a made-for-television films followed by a 13-episode syndicated series. He has appeared in numerous films and series including Abel Ferrara's China Girl, New Jack City, The Joy Luck Club, Takedown, The Monkey King, Romeo Must Die, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.[12]

In 2014, Wong finished shooting a horror series entitled Grace which was shot in Singapore for HBO Asia, and also directed by Serangoon Road co-director Tony Tilse.[13] Wong has also worked in the Chinese film industry, in films like What Women Want (2011), and Forever Young (2018).

Wong is credited with helping to change the way Asians are represented in American film and television.[14][15]

Personal life

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Russell has one daughter with dancer Eartha Robinson. His daughter, Eja Robinson-Wong, was born in 1988. In 2003, Wong married Hong Kong fashion designer Flora Cheong-Leen. The couple divorced in 2012.

Wong resides in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Musical Singer Russell
1986 Tai-Pan Gordon Chen
1987 Gwai ma hau yuen Mr. Wong
1987 China Girl Yung Gan
1989 Eat a Bowl of Tea Ben Loy
1989 China White Bobby Chow
1990 China Cry Lam Cheng Shen
1991 New Jack City Park
1992 Xia ri qing ren Zeniger
1993 Geoffrey Beene 30 Man Short film
1993 The Joy Luck Club Lin Xiao
1994 Zhong jin shu Ken Chan
1998 The Prophecy II Danyeal
2000 Takedown Tsutomu Shimomura
2000 Romeo Must Die Kai
2004 Twisted Lieutenant Tong
2005 Inside Out Frank
2006 Undoing Leon
2006 Honor Ray
2008 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Ming Guo
2008 House of Wong The Man Short film
2008 Dim Sum Funeral Alexander
2009 The Sanctuary Patrick
2010 Color Me Love Zoe's Ex-husband
2011 What Women Want Peter
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Bank CEO
2013 The Hong Kong Affair Edward Lim
2014 Light from the Dark Room Li Cheung
2016 Lost in the Pacific Gary Gao
Contract to Kill Matthew Sharp Credited as "Russel Wong"
2017 The Jade Pendant Mr. Wong
2018 Forever Young General
2019 Escape Plan: The Extractors Wu Zhang
Miss Boundless Yajin Short film
2021 Clifford the Big Red Dog Mr Yu
2025 Swallowtail & Dragonfly Stuart Morton Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 Harry's Hong Kong Sergeant Lee TV movie
1988 C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf TV movie
The Equalizer Narong Bansari Episode: "Riding the Elephant"
1989 21 Jump Street Locke Episode: "The Dragon and the Angel"
Gideon Oliver Li Song Episode: "Tungs"
1994 Vanishing Son Jian-Wa TV movie
Vanishing Son II TV movie
Vanishing Son III TV movie
Vanishing Son IV TV movie
1995 Vanishing Son: The Series 13 episodes
1997 Hawaii Five-O Nick Wong Unaired Pilot
1998 Touched by an Angel George 2 episodes
Honolulu CRU Failed pilot
2001 The Monkey King Monkey King TV miniseries
The Tracker Rick Tsung TV movie
2003 Black Sash Tom Chang 8 episodes
2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lieutenant Arthur Chen Episode: "No Humans Involved"
2005 Just Legal District Attorney Episode: "Pilot"
2005 Commander in Chief Cabinet Member Episode: "First Disaster"
2006 Numb3rs Jeremy Wang Episode: "Undercurrents"
2010 Nikita Victor Han Episode: "Rough Trade"
2012 Hawaii 5-0 Kong Liang Episode: "Ohuna"
2013 Serangoon Road Winston Episode: "#1.10"
2014 Grace Roy Chan 4 episodes
2015 NCIS: New Orleans Cam Lin Episode: "The Walking Dead"
2017 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Inspector Jin Episode: "Type A"
2018 Lucifer Vincent Green Episode: "High School Poppycock"
2018 Lethal Weapon Stan Episode: "Need to Know"
2019 Supergirl General Tan Episode: "Suspicious Minds"
2019 The Oath 4 episodes
2020 Westworld Brompton 3 episodes
2024 The Brothers Sun Byron Chien Episode: "Country boy"
2024 NCIS Feng Zhao Episode: "The Plan"
2024 High Potential Officer Jean Episode: "The Sauna at the End of the Stairs"

Video games

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Year Title Voice role Notes
2003 True Crime: Streets of LA Nick Kang [16]
2007 Stranglehold Yung Gi

References

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  1. ^ "Actor Russell Wong: Scene Stealer 1/7 | Asian American Personalities | GoldSea". goldsea.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  2. ^ "Heartthrob Is Breaking Barriers / Russell Wong wins TV lead as action hero". Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  3. ^ https://www.tvinsider.com/people/russell-wong/#:~:text=Asian%2DAmerican%20actor%20Russell%20Wong,Romeo%20and%20Juliet%2C%22%20%22China
  4. ^ Chan, Boon (September 3, 2014). "Actor Russell Wong drawn to HBO Asia series Grace because "martial arts genre is not working so well" at his age". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  5. ^ Yip, Jeff (March 25, 1995). "A Heroic Leading Role for One Asian 'Son' : Television: Russell Wong, star of 'Vanishing Son,' knows he's breaking ground and stereotypes. His character's 'got a lot of energy and sex appeal.'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  6. ^ "Russell Wong | Martial Arts & Action Entertainment". March 22, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  7. ^ Boulding, Aaron (December 17, 2002). "True Crime: Streets of LA - First Look". IGN. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  8. ^ Torres, Ricardo (December 17, 2002). "True Crime: Streets of LA impressions". GameSpot. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  9. ^ "Midway Unveils Hollywood Voices For Stranglehold". www.gamedeveloper.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "Constance Van Yserloo Obituary - Sherman Oaks, CA". Neptune Cremation Service. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  11. ^ "Actor Russell Wong: Scene Stealer 1/7 | Asian American Personalities | GoldSea". goldsea.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Entertainment, Martial Arts (March 22, 2010). "Russell Wong". Martial Arts & Action Entertainment. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  13. ^ Frater, Patrick (March 7, 2014). "'Grace' Horror Series Underway at HBO Asia". Variety. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  14. ^ "No Oscars invite for us back then, The Joy Luck Club actor says". South China Morning Post. May 10, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  15. ^ https://administration.ultra-shop.com/stories10/russell-wong-actor.html
  16. ^ "Russell Wong (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors (A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information). Retrieved April 28, 2021.
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