{{Short description|American actor (born 1963)}} {{about|the actor|the Singaporean photographer|Russel Wong}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{infobox person | name = Russell Wong | image = Russell Wong, AFI Film Festival Los Angeles 2009.jpg | alt = | caption = Russell Wong in 2009 | native_name = 王盛德 | native_name_lang = zh | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|3|01}} | birth_place = Troy, New York | other_names = Russell Jan Tak Wong | occupation = {{comma separated entries|Actor}} | years_active = 1985–present | height = | spouse = | partner = | children = 1 | relatives = | website = }}
'''Russell Wong''' ({{zh|c=王盛德|j=Wong4 Sing6 Dak1}}:born March 1, 1963) is an American actor. Born in New York, Wong attended Santa Monica City College while training to become a dancer. With the desire of becoming an actor, he moved to Hong Kong in 1983, where he learned Cantonese and martial arts, leading to his first film role in ''The Musical Singer'' (1985), directed by Dennis Yu.<ref>http://www.brns.com/pages5/drama331.html</ref> His first English-language film was ''Tai-Pan'' (1986).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Actor Russell Wong: Scene Stealer 1/7 {{!}} Asian American Personalities {{!}} GoldSea |url=https://goldsea.com/Personalities2/Wongruss/wongruss.html |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=goldsea.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Heartthrob Is Breaking Barriers / Russell Wong wins TV lead as action hero |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/heartthrob-is-breaking-barriers-russell-wong-3039582.php |access-date=2024-10-11}}</ref><ref> https://www.tvinsider.com/people/russell-wong/#:~:text=Asian%2DAmerican%20actor%20Russell%20Wong,Romeo%20and%20Juliet%2C%22%20%22China</ref>
He went on to work with director Wayne Wang in ''Eat a Bowl of Tea'' (1989) and ''The Joy Luck Club'' (1993). He also had supporting roles in ''China Cry: A True Story'' (1990) and ''New Jack City'' (1991). 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chan |first=Boon |date=2014-09-03 |title=Actor Russell Wong drawn to HBO Asia series Grace because "martial arts genre is not working so well" at his age |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/actor-russell-wong-drawn-to-hbo-asia-series-grace-because-martial-arts-genre |access-date=2024-10-11 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yip |first=Jeff |date=1995-03-25 |title=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.' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-25-ca-47026-story.html |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> His breakthrough performance came after he starred opposite Jet Li in the action film ''Romeo Must Die'' (2000).<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2010-03-22 |title=Russell Wong {{!}} Martial Arts & Action Entertainment |url=https://www.martialartsentertainment.com/russell-wong/ |access-date=2024-10-11 |language=en-US}}</ref> He reunited with Li in ''The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'' (2008), portraying General Ming Guo. Wong is credited with helping to change the way Asians are represented in American film and television.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-10 |title=No Oscars invite for us back then, The Joy Luck Club actor says |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3009467/no-crazy-rich-asians-without-joy-luck-club-russell-wong-how |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>https://administration.ultra-shop.com/stories10/russell-wong-actor.html</ref>
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).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ie.ign.com/articles/2002/12/17/true-crime-streets-of-la-first-look | title=True Crime: Streets of LA - First Look | last=Boulding | first=Aaron | website=IGN | date=December 17, 2002 | access-date=May 8, 2015 | archive-date=September 27, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927213210/https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/17/true-crime-streets-of-la-first-look | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/true-crime-streets-of-la-impressions/1100-2902002/ | title=True Crime: Streets of LA impressions | last=Torres | first=Ricardo | website=GameSpot | date=December 17, 2002 | access-date=May 8, 2015 | archive-date=September 2, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902015100/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/true-crime-streets-of-la-impressions/1100-2902002/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Midway Unveils Hollywood Voices For Stranglehold |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/midway-unveils-hollywood-voices-for-i-stranglehold-i- |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=www.gamedeveloper.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Early life and education==
Wong was born in Troy, New York, to a Chinese-American father William S. Wong and Dutch-American mother Connie Van Yserloo (d. 2024).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Constance Van Yserloo Obituary - Sherman Oaks, CA |url=https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/sherman-oaks-ca/constance-van-yserloo-12086492 |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Neptune Cremation Service |language=en-us}}</ref> Wong's father emigrated to the United States from Shandong Province, China.<ref name=":0" /> His brother is actor Michael Wong.
Wong attended Santa Monica City College and trained to be a dancer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Actor Russell Wong: Scene Stealer 1/7 {{!}} Asian American Personalities {{!}} GoldSea |url=https://goldsea.com/Personalities/Wongruss/wongruss.html |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=goldsea.com}}</ref>
== Personal life == Wong is trained in several martial arts, including Taekwondo, Shoji Ryu Karate, and Fu Jow Pai Kung fu.<ref name="martial">{{Cite web |last=Entertainment |first=Martial Arts |date=2010-03-22 |title=Russell Wong |url=https://www.martialartsentertainment.com/russell-wong/ |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Martial Arts & Action Entertainment |language=en-US}}</ref>
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.
==Career== 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.''<ref name="martial"/>
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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=2014-03-07 |title='Grace' Horror Series Underway at HBO Asia |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/grace-horror-series-underway-at-hbo-asia-1201127472/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1985 || ''The Musical Singer'' || Russell || |- | 1986 || ''Tai-Pan'' || Gordon Chen || |- | rowspan="2"| 1987 || ''Gwai ma hau yuen'' || Mr. Wong || |- | ''China Girl'' || Yung Gan || |- | rowspan="2"| 1989 || ''Eat a Bowl of Tea'' || Ben Loy || |- | ''China White'' || Bobby Chow || |- | 1990 || ''China Cry'' || Lam Cheng Shen || |- | 1991 || ''New Jack City'' || Park || |- | 1992 || ''Xia ri qing ren'' || Zeniger || |- | rowspan="2"| 1993 || ''Geoffrey Beene 30'' || Man || Short film |- | ''The Joy Luck Club'' || Lin Xiao || |- | 1994 || ''Zhong jin shu'' || Ken Chan || |- | 1998 || ''The Prophecy II'' || Danyeal || Direct-to-video |- | rowspan="2"| 2000 || ''Takedown'' || Tsutomi Shimomura || |- | ''Romeo Must Die'' || Kai || |- | 2004 || ''Twisted'' || Lieutenant Tong || |- | 2005 || ''Inside Out'' || Frank || |- | rowspan="2"| 2006 || ''Undoing'' || Leon || |- | ''Honor'' || Ray || |- | rowspan="3"| 2008 || ''The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'' || Ming Guo || |- | ''House of Wong'' || The Man || Short film |- | ''Dim Sum Funeral'' || Alexander || |- | 2009 || ''The Sanctuary'' || Patrick || Thai film |- | 2010 || ''Color Me Love'' || Zoe's Ex-husband || |- | rowspan="2"| 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 || |- | rowspan="2"| 2016 || ''Lost in the Pacific'' || Gary Gao || |- || ''Winter in Tokyo'' || Toru Ishida, Keiko's father || Indonesian-Japanese film |- | ''Contract to Kill''|| Matthew Sharp || Credited as "Russel Wong" |- | 2017 || ''The Jade Pendant'' || Mr. Wong || |- | 2018 || ''Forever Young'' || General || |- | rowspan="2"| 2019 || ''Escape Plan: The Extractors'' || Wu Zhang || |- | ''Miss Boundless'' || Yajin || Short film |- | 2021 || ''Clifford the Big Red Dog'' || Mr. Yu || |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1987 || ''Harry's Hong Kong'' || Sergeant Lee || TV movie |- | rowspan="2"| 1988 || ''C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf'' || || TV movie |- | ''The Equalizer'' || Narong Bansari || Episode: "Riding the Elephant" |- | rowspan="2"| 1989 || ''21 Jump Street'' || Locke || Episode: "The Dragon and the Angel" |- | ''Gideon Oliver'' || Li Song || Episode: "Tungs" |- | rowspan="4"| 1994 || ''Vanishing Son'' || Jian-Wa || TV movie |- | ''Vanishing Son II'' || Jian-Wa || TV movie |- | ''Vanishing Son III'' || Jian-Wa || TV movie |- | ''Vanishing Son IV'' || Jian-Wa || TV movie |- | 1995 || ''Vanishing Son'' || Jian-Wa || 13 episodes |- | 1997 || ''Hawaii Five-O'' || Nick Wong || Unaired Pilot |- | rowspan="2"| 1998 || ''Touched by an Angel'' || George || 2 episodes |- | ''Honolulu CRU'' || || Episode: "Pilot" |- | rowspan="2"| 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" |- | rowspan="2"| 2005 || ''Just Legal'' || District Attorney || Episode: "Pilot" |- | ''Commander in Chief'' || Cabinet Member || Episode: "First Disaster" |- | 2006 || ''Numb3rs'' || Jeremy Wang || Episode: "Undercurrents" |- | 2010 || ''Nikita'' || Victor Han || Episode: "Rough Trade" |- | 2012 || ''Hawaii Five-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" |- | rowspan="2"| 2018 || ''Lucifer'' || Vincent Green || Episode: "High School Poppycock" |- | ''Lethal Weapon'' || Stan || Episode: "Need to Know" |- | rowspan="2"| 2019 || ''Supergirl'' || General Tan || Episode: "Suspicious Minds" |- | ''The Oath'' || || 4 episodes |- | 2020 || ''Westworld'' || Brompton || 3 episodes |- | rowspan="3"| 2024 || ''The Brothers Sun'' || Byron Chien || Episode: "Country boy" |- | ''NCIS'' || Feng Zhao || Episode: "The Plan" |- | ''High Potential'' || Officer Jean || Episode: "The Sauna at the End of the Stairs" |}
===Video games=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 2003 || ''True Crime: Streets of LA'' || Nick Kang || Voice Role<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Russell Wong (visual voices guide) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Russell-Wong/ |website=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=28 April 2021|type= 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}}</ref> |- | 2007 || ''Stranglehold'' || Yung Gi || Voice Role<ref name="btva" /> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.russellwong.com/index.htm}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130321094708/http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=52373 UCLA Asia Pacific Arts Interview] * {{IMDb name|005568|Russell Wong}} * [http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Wong,_Russell/Biography/ Starpulse] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017211130/http://www.starpulse.com/Actors/Wong,_Russell/Biography/ |date=2012-10-17 }}
{{The Prophecy}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wong, Russell}} Category:Living people Category:American male film actors Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:American people of French descent Category:American male taekwondo practitioners Category:American male karateka Category:American wushu practitioners Category:American male actors of Chinese descent Category:American male television actors Category:American male video game actors Category:American male voice actors Category:Male actors from Troy, New York Category:Santa Monica College alumni Category:American expatriates in Hong Kong Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:1963 births