Wu Hsing-kuo () is a Taiwanese film and stage actor, known for both his performance of complex movie roles as much as for his innovative adaptations of Western classics into traditional Peking Opera. Life and career
Wu was trained in classical Peking Opera since the age of 11 in Taiwan's state-run Fu-Hsing Chinese Opera School, specializing in wu sheng (male martial) roles. He was admitted with honors into the Theatre Department of Chinese Culture University in Taipei, trained under master Chou Cheng-jung (Zhou Zheng-rong) and became the leading dancer of Lin Hwai-min's Cloud Gate Dance Theater. However, his teacher Chou Cheng-jung (Zhou Zheng-rong) considered him as a pretentious student who didn't focus on study and finally abandoned him in 1989. After that, Chou Cheng-jung (died in 2000) never met him again. In addition, most traditional Chinese opera audiences do not recognize him as a qualified actor.
In 1986, he and a group of enthusiastic friends founded the in Taipei, seeking to revitalize traditional Chinese theatre by adapting Western classical plays to the style and techniques of Peking Opera. He was the leading actor and director of four Shakespeare adaptations, including the critically acclaimed Kingdom of Desire (慾望城國), an adaptation of Macbeth, and King Lear (李爾在此), in which Wu plays all the parts.
In 1992, Wu was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in New York with Richard Schechner. That year, he also won the Hong Kong Film Award for best new actor.
Wu is currently artistic director of the Contemporary Legend Theatre, and continues to take on challenging roles in both the modern theatre and Chinese Opera. He crosses the fields of traditional opera, dance, modern theatre, cinema, and television.
Filmography Films YearEnglish titleOriginal titleRoleNotes199318WeirdoTemptation of a Monk誘僧Shi YanshengGreen Snake青蛇Xu Xian1994The Great Conqueror's Concubine西楚霸王Yu ZiqiRock N'Roll Cop省港一號通緝犯Wong KunRight Here Waiting...等愛的女人Dickson KooGod of Gamblers Return賭神2Chao Siu-chiWhat Price Survival獨臂刀之情Wang NingRed Rose White Rose紅玫瑰白玫瑰1996Shanghai Grand新上海灘Fung King-yiu1997The Soong Sisters宋家皇朝Chiang Kai-shek2000Comeuppance天有眼2001The Accidental Spy特務迷城Lee Sang-zen2009Who Rules Over the Destiny of China誰主沉浮Chiang Kai-shek2011Four Hands麵引子Sun Hou-cheng2012Love on Gallery Bridge爱在廊桥Lin Changtian 2025Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants射雕英雄传：侠之大者Reverend Yideng Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force 封神第二部：战火西岐 Wen Zhong
TV series YearEnglish titleOriginal titleRoleNotes1996Love, Sword, Mountain & River情劍山河Zhao KuangyinThe Story of the President總統的故事Lee Teng-hui1997China at War烽火中國1999Holiday假期Chu Chen-hsiangDangerous Games危险游戏Guan Luochuan2000Tiger's Tenderness老虎的溫柔Huang Ho-chun2001Master Swordsman Lu Xiaofeng陸小鳳之決戰前後Ye Gucheng2003Flaming Romance天命因緣Su Jifei2005Lovelorn High Heels失戀高跟鞋Ma Ta-cheng2006To Live to Love长恨歌Li Puzhi
Awards Awarded Best New Performer at the Hong Kong Film Awards in (1992). Nominated for Best Actor at the 13th Hong Kong Film Awards (1994) for his role in Temptation of a Monk
References
External links
HK cinemagic entry