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Andy Lau
A star of over 100 films and one of Asia's most popular singers, Andy Lau Tak-Wah was born on September 27, 1961 in Hong Kong. He grew up in a very poor area where there was not even running water -- the young Tak-Wah had to make up to eight trips a day to collect water for his family. Despite financial problems, Andy's parents encouraged him to do well in school, and upon graduating, he entered the TVB academy, where he studied acting and martial arts. After appearing on television for a couple of years, Lau moved onto films with 1982's Boat People.
As was the norm for many young stars at this time, there was an attempt to diversify Lau by having him record an album. While these types of albums usually provide some extra publicity and money for the actor, for Lau they became a second career. Though it took quite a while -- his first album (I Only Know I Love You) came out in 1985 to a minor buzz. It was not until 1990, when Lau had established himself as one of Hong Kong's top actors and TVB came up with the "Sky Kings of Cantopop" gimmick (which also promoted Aaron Kwok, Jackie Cheung and Leon Lai) that he became a bonafide pop star as well.
Lau's musical career intertwined with his acting, as he began to record songs for the movies he appeared in. Despite his success, Lau's career almost suffered a fatal flaw early on when he refused to sign a contract with TVB. Lau was blacklisted from Hong Kong television, and it was only through the intervention of Chow Yun-Fat (who was a friend of the director of Boat People, Ann Hui) that Lau began to find more work in movies.
Though having never really gained the respect of local critics or many Western fans, Lau's list of film credits is pretty impressive. Unlike many "idols," Lau has never really seemed to be pigeonholed into a certain role. While he is probably best known for romantic comedies like 2001's Love on a Diet, Lau's career has included everything from action (1991's The Last Blood and Saviour of the Soul) to comedy (1991's Tricky Brains) to art-house fare (with two Wong Kar-Wai movies, 1988's As Tears Go By and 1990's Days of Being Wild). Lau has also become a mainstay of the modern gambling movie, appearing in many of the most popular films of the type, including 1989's Casino Raiders, which re-launched the genre.
Despite having a reputation of being hard to work with (one story has Lau refusing to smile because he thought it might make wrinkles show), Lau continues to be one of Hong Kong's most prolific and bankable actors. In fact, there were times when Lau was so popular that he was working on multiple films as well as recording songs all at once, s Leeping in his car as time allowed. This dedication to work seems to have finally paid off in one respect; in 2000 Lau won the Hong Kong Film Award for his work in Running Out Of Time.
News |
What members say |
Filmography
Andy Lau - news / articles
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Hong Kong star Lau loses appeal in film stunt suit -
3 July 2009
-Hong Kong singer/actor Andy Lau is facing an increased compensation payout to a Taiwanese airline after he wrecked a helicopter in a failed film stunt.-
-Bosses at flight company Daily Air loaned Lau a chopper in 1997 for his film The Island of Greed. -
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Andy Lau - what members say
review by from Sheffield
How it should be done... 10 July 2004
review by from Truth or Consequences, Scotland
Traitors, traitors everywhere. This Hong Kong blockbuster shows us how Cop dramas should be done. 15 March 2004
review by Stevieb47 from poole
A fine follow up 6 February 2005
Andy Lau - filmography
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A Simple Life
(2011)
Starring: Andy Lau, Deannie Yip, Sui-man Chim
Director: Ann Hui
Certificate: 
Inspired by a true story, the film tells about a heart-warming relationship between a young master a big family, Roger and the servant of the family who raised him, Sister Peach.
 
57%
from 4 members
Currently unavailable
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Shaolin
on DVD
(2011)
Starring: Jacky Wu, Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse
Director: Benny Chan
Certificate: 
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
China is plunged into strife as feuding warlords try to expand their power by warring over neighbouring lands. Fuelled by his success on the battlefield, young and arrogant Hao Jie sneers at Shaolin's masters when he beats one of them in a duel. But when Hao's family is wiped out by a rival warlord,..read more »
74%
from 574 members
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The Founding of a Republic
on DVD
(2009)
Starring: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau
Director: Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Certificate:
Watch now: £2.49
An action-packed, star-studded story of an heroic battle in one man’s revolutionary fight for freedom, with Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen, together for the first time in film history.
Inspired by true events, Founding of a Republic weaves a rousing tale of one man who fought against the ..read more »
46%
from 215 members
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Founding of a Republic - Blu-ray
(2009)
Starring: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau
Director: Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Certificate:
Watch now: £2.49
Following the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Communist Party started to rule in the mainland and Kuomingtang was forced to retreat to the island of Taiwan. The new power, along with other parties, came together to organize the very first People's Republic of China.
37%
from 154 members
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Warlords
on DVD
(2008)
Starring: Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Director: Peter Chan, Wai Man Yip, Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Certificate:
Watch now: £2.49
Warlords is a heroic tale of three blood brothers and their struggle in the midst of war and political upheaval. It is based on "The Assassination of Ma," a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) story about the killing of general Ma Xinyi.
62%
from 8,001 members
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Protege
on DVD
(2007)
Starring: Louis Koo, Daniel Wu, Anita Yuen
Director: Derek Yee
Certificate: 
Nick (Daniel Wu, NEW POLICE STORY) is a narcotics agent who has gone undercover to win the trust of one of Hong Kong's drug kingpins, known as 'Banker', (Andy Lau, INFERNAL AFFAIRS). Having been groomed as Banker's protege, Nick becomes embroiled in the trade and finds himself entering a murky grey ..read more »
60%
from 1,285 member
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Battle Of Wits - Blu-ray
(2006)
Starring: Andy Lau, Sung-kee Ahn, Zhiwen Wang
Director: Chi Leung Cheung, Chi Leung 'Jacob' Cheung
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
In 370BC, China was separated by several small tribes, one of those being the city state of Liang. The nation of Zhao is led by the terrifying prime commander Xiang Yangzhong who orders his troops to launch an attach on Liang in a bid to conquer the small city. Leaping to the defense of the cowed ..read more »
62%
from 351 members
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Battle Of Wits
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Andy Lau, Sung-kee Ahn, Zhiwen Wang
Director: Chi Leung Cheung, Chi Leung 'Jacob' Cheung
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
In 370BC, China was separated by several small tribes, one of those being the city state of Liang. The nation of Zhao is led by the terrifying prime commander Xiang Yangzhong who orders his troops to launch an attach on Liang in a bid to conquer the small city. Leaping to the defense of the cowed ..read more »
64%
from 1,054 member
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House Of Flying Daggers - Blu-ray
(2004)
Starring: Andy Lau, Ziyi Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Director: Yimou Zhang
Certificate:
Following up his award-winning martial-arts drama HERO, director Zhang Yimou (JU DOU, RAISE THE RED LANTERN) tells an intricately detailed love story in the swordfighting epic HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, set during the final days of the Tang Dynasty. A mysterious group called the Flying Daggers is a ..read more »
74%
from 1,849 member
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House Of Flying Daggers
on DVD
(2004)
Starring: Andy Lau, Ziyi Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Director: Yimou Zhang
Certificate:
Near the end of the Tang Dynasty, police deputies Jin (Kaneshiro) and Leo (Lau) tangle with Mei (Zhang), a dancer suspected of having ties to a revolutionary faction known as the House of Flying Daggers. Enraptured by her, the deputies concoct a plan to save her from capture, and Jin leads her ..read more »
68%
from 64,180 members
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A World Without Thieves
on DVD
(2004)
Starring: Rene Liu, Ge You, Andy Lau
Director: Feng Xiaogang
Certificate:
Hong Kong cinema star Andy Lau stars in director Feng Xiaogang's crime story about con-artist couple Bo (Andy Lau, INFERNAL AFFAIRS), an expert thief from Hong Kong, and Li (Rene Liu), a beautiful grifter from Taiwan. The pair travel across China plying their crooked trade. But suddenly Li decides ..read more »
61%
from 236 members
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Jiang Hu
on DVD
(2004)
Starring: Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Shawn Yue
Director: Wong Ching Po
Certificate:
Triad leader Hung (Andy Lau) wants to leave the triad world, but leaving means death. News coming that someone has hired an assassin to kill Hung in 12 hours. Hung's best friend Left Hand (Jacky Cheung) decides to dig the assassin out. Green triad member Wing (Shawn Yue) has been selected to be the ..read more »
51%
from 141 members
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Magic Kitchen
(2004)
Starring: Sheila Chan, Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng
Director: Li Chi Ngai, Chi-Ngai Lee
Certificate:
Yau is the chef and owner of a speakeasy restaurant who cooks everything by the book. But her successful career can't compensate for an empty love life. During an appearance on the popular Japanese TV show "Iron Chef", Yau bumps into her old flame Chuen, who is about to marry Yau's best friend. ..read more »
50%
from 20 members
Currently unavailable
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Infernal Affairs II
on DVD
(2003)
Starring: Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang
Director: Andy Lau, Alan Mak
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
The prequel to Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's smash hit Infernal Affairs opens in 1991, with Inspector Wong (Anthony Wong) explaining the frustrations of police work to gangster Sam (Eric Tsang). He also expresses his desire to see the seemingly reasonable Sam take over he reins of the local triad from ..read more »
64%
from 7,237 members
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Infernal Affairs
on DVD
(2002)
Starring: Tony Leung, Andy Lau, Anthony Wong
Director: Siu Fai Mak, Andrew Lau
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, INFERNAL AFFAIRS is a tense thriller featuring Hong Kong superstars Andy Lau and Tony Leung. The film follows the parallel lives of Ming (Lau), a cop who secretly reports to ruthless Triad crime boss Sam (Eric Tsang); and Yan (Leung), an undercover police ..read more »
72%
from 16,885 members
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Infernal Affairs - Blu-ray
(2002)
Starring: Tony Leung, Andy Lau, Anthony Wong
Director: Siu Fai Mak, Andrew Lau
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, INFERNAL AFFAIRS is a tense thriller featuring Hong Kong superstars Andy Lau and Tony Leung. The film follows the parallel lives of Ming (Lau), a cop who secretly reports to ruthless Triad crime boss Sam (Eric Tsang); and Yan (Leung), an undercover police ..read more »
86%
from 150 members
Currently unavailable
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Full Time Killer
on DVD
(2001)
Starring: Andy Lau, Takashi Sorimachi, Simon Yam
Director: Johnny To, Wai Ka-Fai
Certificate:
For many years professional assassin O has resided in an isolated world of killing and loneliness, which only becomes worse after the death of his love, Nancy. But his life begins to change once he meets the innocent Chin. Chin, hired to clean O's apartment, has never met her employer. However, ..read more »
62%
from 1,178 member
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The Avenging Fist
on DVD
(2001)
Starring: Sammo Hung, Stephen Fung, Yuen Biao
Director: Andy Lau, Corey Yuen-Kwai
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Loosely based on the popular TEKKEN series of video games, THE AVENGING FIST stars HK luminaries Sammo Hung, Ekin Cheng, and Yuen Biao as three of the cadre of martial artists who have joined in the fight to reclaim the Power Glove. Stolen by the devious special agent Combat 21, the glove confers ..read more »
50%
from 604 members
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The Duel
(2 discs)
on DVD
(2000)
Starring: Andy Lau, Ekin Cheng, Nick Cheung
Director: Wai Keung Lau
Certificate:
A pair of expert swordsmen (Andy Lau and Ekin Cheng) prepare for a climactic duel on top of the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City. Meanwhile, a top minister is assigned to sell tickets and discovers that treachery is afoot and assassination attempts on the emperor must be foiled. THE DUEL is a ..read more »
56%
from 543 members
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Running Out Of Time
on DVD
(1999)
Starring: Wai Ai, Shiu Hung Hui, Suet Lam
Director: Johnny To
Certificate:
Wah's doctors tell him that he has 2 weeks left to live, so he figures he has nothing to lose by committing a few crimes. As he takes on the Hong Kong Police Force, one negotiator is determined to stop him from continuing with his plans, but who will put the most on the line in order to carry out ..read more »
57%
from 843 members
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The Conman 1999
(1998)
Starring: Andy Lau, Nick Cheung, Athena Chu
Director: Jing Wong
Certificate:
The God of Gamblers series continues. King, the successor to the original God of Gambler, accidentally kills an assassin and is sentenced to five years in prison. He eventually tries to help a friend win money on a gambling banker and his assistant, whose brother was the assassin King killed. The "..read more »
56%
from 13 members
Currently unavailable
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Island Of Greed
on DVD
(1997)
Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Paulyn Sun
Director: Michael Mak
Certificate:
A criminal mastermind (Tong Leung) is running for government office in Taiwan. It's up to a police detective (Andy Lau) and his cohorts to probe the candidate's campaign and see if he's cleaned up his act, after all. The action, of course, leads to a violent face-off.
46%
from 213 members
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Rich And Famous
on DVD
(1997)
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Andy Lau
Director: Taylor Wong
Certificate:
A gambling debt gone awry now has Yung (Alex Man) running for his life. In desperation, he turns to triad leader Lee Ah-Chai (Chow Yun-Fat, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) for money, protection and employment for himself, his sister and stepbrother Kwok (Andy Lau). Things looking pretty good for a ..read more »
47%
from 472 members
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Young And Dangerous 3
on DVD
(1996)
Starring: Jordan Chan, Ekin Cheng, Gigi Lai
Director: Andy Lau
Certificate:
Third--and most ambitious--installment in the popular "Triad youth" franchise, which finds unrepentant Hong Kong teenagers climbing the ladder of a Triad gang. Very violent, slick, and stylish, with character chemistry that balances the disturbing subject matter.
62%
from 266 members
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Young And Dangerous 2
on DVD
(1996)
Starring: Jordan Chan, Gigi Lai, Chingamy Yau
Director: Andy Lau
Certificate:
A member of the Hing Hing Society and branch leader opens his first club which he celebrates with his girlfriend and high society members. Later when a power struggle erupts, the Hing Hing Society is threatened...
63%
from 290 members
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Young And Dangerous
on DVD
(1996)
Starring: Jordan Chan, Dior Cheng, Francis Ng
Director: Andy Lau
Certificate:
Andrew Lau's YOUNG AND DANGEROUS follows Chan Ho-Nam (Cheng Ekin) and his friends as they become formidable players within the notorious Hung Hing Society gangster triad. Aided by Uncle B (Chi-Hung Ng) and society head, Mr. Chiang (Simon Yam), Chan and his entourage thrive. However, a failed ..read more »
62%
from 402 members
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Naked Killer 2
on DVD
(1993)
Starring: Chingamy Yau, Mark Cheng, Simon Yam
Director: Andy Lau
Certificate:
This freestanding sequel to NAKED KILLER follows a suave serial rapist and killer in his pursuit of two more victims. Recommended for adults only and available in Mandarin.
40%
from 379 members
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God Of Gamblers
on DVD
(1990)
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau
Director: Wong Jing
Certificate:
Violent action, intense drama and Hong Kong comedy set against the backdrop of Hong Kong's notorious gambling circuit.
64%
from 1,290 member
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Days of Being Wild
on DVD
(1990)
Starring: Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau
Director: Wong Kar-Wai, Kar Wai Wong
Certificate: 
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Set in 1960, the film centres on the young, boyishly handsome Yuddy, who learns from the drunken ex-prostitute who raised him that she is not his real mother. Hoping to hold onto him, she refuses to divulge the name of his real birth mother. The revelation shakes Yuddy to his very core, unleashing ..read more »
62%
from 1,646 member
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Island Of Fire
on DVD
(1990)
Starring: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Jimmy Wang Yu
Director: Yin-Ping Chu
Certificate:
Jackie Chan plays a shrewd cop who goes undercover with a team of mercenaries when a man he put away two years before commits a murder. The film features the great Sammo Hung as well as the terrific Tony Leung Ka Fai.
55%
from 873 members
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As Tears Go By
on DVD
(1988)
Starring: Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung
Director: Wong Kar-Wai, Kar Wai Wong
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai makes his feature film debut with this gritty romantic crime-drama inspired by Scorsese's Mean Streets. The film opens with young gangster Wah (Andy Lau) getting a visit for the day from his beautiful cousin Ah-Ngor (Maggie Cheung), who is coming into Kowloon from the ..read more »
58%
from 959 members
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Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars
on DVD
(1985)
Starring: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao
Director: Sammo Hung
Certificate:
This third installment in the popular LUCKY STARS series -- directed by Sammo Hung -- finds Muscles (Jackie Chan), Kidstuff (Hung), Fung (Yuen Biao), and the gang taking a well-needed vacation in Thailand courtesy of the Hong Kong police department. Also on the trip is police inspector Woo (Sibelle ..read more »
60%
from 1,134 member
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Drunken Master 3
on DVD
Starring: Gordon Liu, Andy Lau
Director: Chia-Liang Liu
Certificate:
Third in the series of DRUNKEN MASTER films, and having absolutely nothing to do with its predecessors, DRUNKEN MASTER III is set in China, 1915, and is based on the story of the folk hero Wong Fei-Hung. The film stars Michelle Reis as Sum Yu, a young princess betrothed to the dictator Yuan Shih-..read more »
43%
from 145 members
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Andy Lau facts
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...ilmed with the kind of swagger that John Woo wishes he could pull off nowadays. Andy Lau brings his usual charisma to the role of Tok, the number 1 assassin around, and...
