Michael Fitzgerald Wong, born Wong Man-tak in Troy, New York, on 16 April 1965, is an American actor, director and helicopter pilot. His father was a Chinese restaurateur and his mother an American artist of Dutch and French descent, and he grew up in the United States. In 1983 he first came to Hong Kong with his elder brother Russell Wong to shoot a Cinema City film, playing a stuntman, and doubled for Sam Hui in the 'Aces Go Places' series, which sparked his interest in cinema. Built for action, he took many physical roles, above all police officers: he first played a Flying Tigers member in 1985, and his portrayal of a tactical-unit instructor in 'The Final Option' (1994) won him wide recognition and topped a 2003 poll of Hong Kong's ideal screen policemen. In 1996 he was nominated for Best Actor at both the 16th Hong Kong Film Awards and the 33rd Golden Horse Awards for 'First Option'. In 2000 he founded Red Lantern Film Company and made his directing debut with 'Miles Apart', acting as producer, story creator and lead opposite Cecilia Yip and Simon Lui, and he also worked on the script of another 2000 production. After 2000 he turned increasingly to supporting parts, with cameos in 'House of Fury' (2005) and the 'Overheard' series. In 1992 he married the model Janet Ma and they have two daughters and a son. Away from acting he trained as a helicopter pilot in Canada from 1998, gained a commercial licence in the United States in 2000 and became a working pilot, also serving as an honorary officer of the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps. His ancestral home is Shandong, and in 1986 he took his first leading role in a film directed by Clifton Ko. He has appeared in more than 120 films and has also worked as a director, producer, screenwriter and presenter; his brothers Russell Wong and Declan Wong are also actors.
With fluent English and a tough physique, Michael Wong created a rare kind of disciplined-services role in Hong Kong cinema; his instructor figure in the 'Flying Tigers' films made the SDU a hallmark of local action movies and put him at the top of a poll of ideal screen policemen.
Achievements
- 1983 · First came to Hong Kong with his elder brother Russell Wong to take part in film production.
- 1994 · Won audiences over as a tactical-unit instructor in 'The Final Option' and later topped a 2003 poll of ideal screen policemen.
- 1996 · Nominated for Best Actor at both the 16th Hong Kong Film Awards and the 33rd Golden Horse Awards for 'First Option'.