“I’m a fanboy, basically, that got to make kung fu movies with my idols. It’s pretty cool.”
When Philip Ng burst onto the scene in his 2014 leading-man debut, Once Upon a Time in Shanghai – co-starring Sammo Hung and with fight choreography by Yuen Woo-ping – followed by his turn as Bruce Lee in the 2016 Hollywood biopic, Birth of the Dragon, the kung fu movie world was introduced to a wonderful new talent. In reality, of course, Philip’s story of overnight success could not have been further from the truth. Since the early 2000s – when Philip decided to leave his home in Chicago to pursue a career in Hong Kong action cinema – he had been working tirelessly both in front and behind the camera, developing his skills as an action director and actor. He has become a leading light in a new generation of Hong Kong actors adept at sharing the screen with everyone from Donnie Yen to Simon Yam, Jackie Chan to Louis Koo, and working with directors as diverse as Ringo Lam, Stephen Fung, Benny Chan and Wong Jing. His 2019 martial arts film, Undercover Punch and Gun – which is out now in North America courtesy of Well Go USA – is a love letter to the sort of Hong Kong action comedies he grew up watching in the 1980s and 90s. It sees him reunite with his long-time buddies and frequent collaborators, Andy On and Van Ness Wu. As well as being a fight-filled homage to the golden age of Hong Kong action movies, the film is equally dedicated to the three actors’ friendship, which first started back in 2003 on the tournament movie, Star Runner. Listen as Philip discusses his journey from an aspiring young martial artist into a fully fledged kung fu film star – and the ups and downs he has experienced along the way. Buy Undercover Punch and Gun on Blu-ray, DVD and digital in North America on Amazon, and follow Philip Ng on Instagram and Facebook.
Jiang Luxia and Philip Ng in Undercover Punch and Gun (2019).
UK poster for Birth of the Dragon (2016), starring Philip Ng
Donnie Yen and Philip Ng on the set of Enter the Fat Dragon, recreating the classic Wu Jing fight scene from S.P.L.
Philip Ng in Once Upon a Time in Shanghai (2016). Image via IMDb.
