Louis Koo

Louis Koo Tin-lok (古天樂; born 21 October 1970) is a Hong Kong actor, singer and film producer.[1][2] He began his professional career as an actor in local television series, winning TVB's Best Actor award in 1999 and 2001. After 2001, he fully focused on film career and became one of the stalwarts of the Hong Kong film industry.[3] In 2018, Koo was awarded the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor, Asian Film Award for Best Actor and the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Award for Best Actor for his performance in the 2017 film, Paradox. Koo founded "One Cool Group Limited" in 2013. As of 2018, One Cool Group has produced 20 films.[4] He was the ambassador of Hong Kong International Film Festival from 2014 to 2018.

Louis Koo
古天樂
Koo in August 2017
Born
Koo Tin-lok

(1970-10-21) 21 October 1970
Occupation
  • Actor
  • model
  • singer
  • film producer
Years active1994–present
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 12 in)
Parents
  • Koo Chun-kwong (father)
  • Lee Yee-man (mother)
Awards
Hong Kong Film AwardsBest Actor
2018 Paradox

Asian Film AwardsBest Actor
2018 Paradox


TVB Anniversary AwardsBest Actor
1999 Detective Investigation Files IV
2001 A Step into the Past
My Favourite Television Character
2000 At the Threshold of an Era
2001 A Step into the Past

Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Websitewww.kootinlok.com/blog

Early life

Koo is his family name. Louis is his English given name, as Tin-lok is the Chinese given name. Tin means “sky” or “day” , and Lok means “happy” in Cantonese.

Koo's father was an actor and then changed career to a businessman. Koo was born and received education in Hong Kong. He is an alumnus of St. Teresa's School Kowloon and Carmel Secondary School.[5]

Teenage life

When Louis was a teenager, he made mistakes with his friends in a robbery case. Convicted by the court and sentenced to 22 months in the Correctional Services Lai King Training Centre. Louis didn't mention this matter after joining the entertainment industry. After being exposed by the media in 1994, he acknowledged the matter to the public.

Career

During 1992 to 1993, Koo was a modelling agent, sometimes he worked as a model for advertisements and karaoke videos.

Television actor

In 1993, Koo signed as a contract artist with TVB (Television Broadcasts Limited).

Koo started gaining wide recognition in 1995 with his leading role in a costume drama The Condor Heroes 95, a popular series based on a classic wuxia novel. In 1997, Koo began sporting an extreme tan (for which he is well known for), which apparently enabled him to take on more contemporary roles. In 1999, Koo received TVB's Most Popular Actor Award for Detective Investigation Files IV. In 2000, Koo received TVB's Most Favorite Character Award for At the Threshold of an Era ll. Koo took a different approach to his role in A Step Into the Past. This deviation from his usual cool aloof on-screen persona to a funnier, carefree and down-to-earth one resonated with the audience and widened his acting range. In 2001, Koo was given TVB's Most Popular Actor Award and Favorite Character Award Award once again for A Step into the Past. He then went on an indefinite hiatus from television and has since focused on his film career.

Due to the popularity of TVB dramas in the late 1990s, Koo amassed a sizeable fan base in Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China and South-east Asia.

Film actor

Since 1994, Koo began taking on roles in films, such as the paranormal Troublesome Night series and many action films including Wilson Yip's Bullets Over Summer(1999). Koo acted as a mute boy living on rural island in romantic literary film Sealed with a Kiss (1998).

During 2001 to 2004, Koo signed contract with China Star Entertainment Group and starred in many romantic comedies, such as La Brassiere and Naked Ambition.

In 2004, Koo took on the role of Sze-to Bo, a perpetually drunk and despondent former judo champion with hereditary eye disease, in Johnnie To’s Throw Down which was premiered at the 61st Venice International Film Festival. The movie was a marked departure from his usual commercial genres, and he also began his long-term collaboration with To and Milkyway Image.

Koo later received international acclaim[6] for his chilling performance in Johnnie To's Election 2 (a.k.a. Triad Election), which was screened at the "Out of Competition" section at the 59th Cannes Film Festival (Election was competitive film at the 58th Cannes Film Festival). He won the award for Most Beloved Actor in the Hong Kong UA Film Awards 2006 through public voting for his role in Election 2.

In a female perspective romantic film Happy Birthday (2006) adapted by Sylvia Chang from 'Rene Liu's novella, Koo portrayed a sensitive man who took care of ex-girlfriend after death.[7]

Koo also took supporting roles in action movies, such as Jackie Chan's Robin B Hood (2006), Donnie Yen's Flash Point (2007).

His character as an unscrupulous drug addict in Derek Yee's Protégé (2007) differed from his previous performances, as he forwent his suave image for an emaciated look. The supporting role earned him positive critical feedback and Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards.

In Sylvia Chang's female perspective gangster film Run Papa Run (2008), Koo played a reckless triad leader who tried to shield his daughter from his past misdemeanours. Koo earned Best Actor nominations in the Hong Kong Film Awards and Golden Horse Award for this role, which required him to portray a character from his late teens to his fifties.[8] Since then Koo took more chanllegings on father roles and middle-aged roles.

In the remake of Cellular, Connected(2008) directed by Benny Chan, he played an average Joe[9] cast in a race against time to save a stranger.

In Soi Cheang's Accident(2009) which was a competitive film at the 66th Venice International Film Festival, Koo acted as a high-strung killer-group leader who was good at disguising murder as accidents.

In Overheard(2009) directed by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, he put on 30 pounds weight to take the role of a middle-aged cop and four kids' father more convincingly,[10] and earned Best Actor nominations in Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards. This film was successful and then made into series with the same cast and directors but different stories.

In 2010 Koo signed pre-paid contracts with Pegasus Motion Pictures, then appeared in its All's well, ends well comedy series, and anti-corruption film series (Z Storm, S Storm).

In costume A Chinese Ghost Story (2011), Koo acted as a Chinese "Van Helsing" fell in love with a fox-fairy and sacrificed himself in the end. Koo made a return to his romantic comedy roots in Don't Go Breaking My Heart and sequel Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014) directed by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Hui, acted as a dissolute stock broker.

In Drug War (2012) directed by Johnnie To, Koo took the role of a ruthless and deliberate Hong Kong drug lord who dared to do anything to get away from mainland China's death penalty.

Koo received a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor nomination again for his undercover cop role in Benny Chan's 2013 film The White Storm.

In Out of Inferno (2013), Koo acted as a resigned firefighter who encountered high building fire.

In Overheard 3 (2014), he acted as a revenge with artificial limb.

In Soi Cheang's SPL II: A Time for Consequences (2015), Koo took the role of an ill and evil mastermind of a criminal organization. In Johnnie To's Three (2016), Koo acted as a cop leader at the edge of crime.

In Shed Skin Papa (2017), a competitive film at the 29th Tokyo International Film Festival, Koo acted as a frustrated director understood his father after mother's funeral and a series of fantastic incidents.

In Paradox (2017), Koo play a cop who is determined to avenge his daughter and performed most of the film's action sequences without the use of a stunt double. For his performance in the film, Koo won Asian Film Award for Best Actor at the 12th Asian Film Awards as well the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Award for Best Actor at the 12th Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Award in March 2018. Koo's performance also won him the Best Actor award at the 37th Hong Kong Film Awards held on 15 April 2018.

Film producer

Koo was captivated by Star Wars film series when he was a child. After decades of actor careers in film industry, he expects the arise of Chinese own Sci-fi films, so he purchased several Visual effects and Prosthetic make-up companies. In 2013, Koo founded "One Cool Group Limited". As of 2018, One Cool Group has produced 20 films. The Sci-fi film Warriors of Future will be released on fall of 2019.

Social work in film industry

Koo has been the ambassador of Hong Kong International Film Festival[11] from 2014 to 2018.

In 2015, Koo joined the board of Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival[12] held in Hong Kong.

In Jan 2018, Koo was elected as the president of Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild.[13]

Other works

Writer

Koo has published several books over the years including his photo albums Present (1999) and Cool (2001), as well as his autobiography Find Happiness (2002).[14] He also released Toys Battle (2008), a book chronicling his love for comic book characters and movie superheroes, and donated all proceeds to UNICEF.[15] Koo has been writing blogs everyday on his own website since December 2006.[16]

Singer

Koo recorded several theme songs for the TVB dramas he had starred in and several TV advertisement songs he had endorsed. He had also cut four albums: Boyfriend and Popular Louis in 2000, optimism in 2001, Mr.Cool in 2003.[17]

Designer

Koo was a designer of his own eyewear brand ZeroX, Level Nine, and Louis Koo. He also participated in designs of his own books, websites, company logos and some endorsed brands.

Brand spokesperson

With a career spanning two decades, Koo has endorsed a large number of brands in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Some of the major brand endorsements include, Pepsi,[18] Brooks Brothers, Samsung Galaxy,[19] Xbox 360 Kinect,[20] Toyota Corolla, Yokohama Tire,[21] Lay's, Lipton, Lotte chewing gum, Tropicana,[22] Gillette, OSIM,[23] Tag Heuer, Epson printer, Matisse, Johnnie Walker, Pentax camera, Clinique, Hugo Boss Perfume, Bally, Puma, DBS Black World MasterCard.

Charity

On July 2012, Chinese microblogs caught on to the news of Koo's low profile philanthropy in China, which became a trending topic, more and more people born in different remote rural areas found that local elementary schools were built with donation of Koo, and upload photos to the microblogs. Major Chinese dailies further reported that he had helped build 49 schools to help the underprivileged in remote areas in rural China for the past three years[24] without any publicity. Koo was reluctant to comment on the issue but it was learnt that Koo set up his charity foundation after witnessing the devastation from the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.[25] According to "Grace charity" website,[26] Koo has helped build 97 elementary school buildings, 18 clinics and 751 small water supply projects in remote undeveloped areas of rural China through "Grace Charity Foundation Limited" and local government by 2017.

Koo is also a UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) ambassador[27] since 2007.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994Organized Crime & Triad BureauTung's underling
Let's Go Slam Dunkbasketball player
1996On Fire
Man Wanted 2Rung
Street of FuryLung
1997Troublesome NightKen Ng Chi-keung
Troublesome Night 2Sam
1998Troublesome Night 3Cheng Lik
T.H.E professionalOfficer Jiang
God.comOfficer Chan
The SuspectDon Lee
Troublesome Night 4Wing
1999Troublesome Night 5Lam Chung-fat
Troublesome Night 6Inspector Wong
Rules of the GameDavid Chow
Super Car Criminals
Bullets Over SummerBrian
Century of the DragonWong Chi-shing
Sealed with a KissKam Sui
The Masked ProsecutorTong Hiu-tai
The Young OnesCameo
2000For Bad Boys OnlyJack Shum
Troublesome Night 7Lok
Conman in TokyoCool
2001Born WildTan Ho
The Legend of ZuRed
La BrassiereWayne
2002The Lion RoarsSeasonal Chan
Fat Choi SpiritLouis
Dry Wood Fierce FireRyan Li
Women From MarsServant of HellCameo
Mighty BabyWayne
2003Love for All SeasonsTiger Hung
Why Me, Sweetie?!Dong
Good Times, Bed TimesPaul Ko Chi-keung
Naked AmbitionAndyactor and producer
Lost in TimeAh ManSpecial appearance
2004FantasiaSam
Love on the RocksWong Kai-ming
Throw DownSze-to Bopremiered at 61st Venice International Film Festival
2005ElectionJimmy Leecompetitive film at 58th Cannes Film Festival
2006Election 2Jimmy Lee"Films out of Competition" at 59th Cannes Film Festival
Rob-B-HoodOctopuspremiered at 62nd Venice International Film Festival
Happy BirthdayNam
2007ProtégéJane's HusbandNominated - 27th Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated - 44th Golden Horse Award For Best Supporting Actor
TriangleFai"Films out of Competition" at 60th Cannes Film Festival
Flash PointWilson
2008Run Papa RunTiger Lee Tin-yunNominated - 28th Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor
Nominated - 45th Golden Horse Award For Best Actor
ConnectedBob
2009AccidentBraincompetitive film at 66th Venice International Film Festival
All's Well, Ends Well 2009Dick Cho
On His Majesty's Secret ServiceRoyal Dog
Poker KingJack Chang
OverheardGene YeungNominated- 6th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards for Best Actor
2010All's Well, Ends Well 2010Emperor
Triple TapKen Kwan
2011The Road Less TraveledHui Shing-leung
All's Well, Ends Well 2011Sammy Shum
Mr. and Mrs. IncredibleGazer Warrior
Don't Go Breaking My HeartSean Cheung
A Chinese Ghost StoryYin Chek-ha
Overheard 2Jack Ho Chi-keung
Magic to WinWood MagicianCameo
2012All's Well, Ends Well 2012Peng Kin
Romancing in Thin AirMichael Lau
2013Drug WarTimmy Choi Tim-ming
Out of InfernoKeung
The White StormSo Kin-chowNominated - 33rd Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor
premiered at 10th International Rome Film Festival
2014Hello BabiesCameo
Golden ChickensssJiangmen Louis KooCameo
Naked Ambition 2Naoki NagasakiCameo
Also producer
AberdeenCheng Wai-to
Overheard 3Lau Wing-jau
Z StormWilliam Luk
Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2Sean Cheung
2015An Inspector CallsInspector Karl
12 Golden DucksRockyCameo
Triumph in the SkiesBranson Cheung
Little Big MasterTse Wing-tung
SPL II: A Time for ConsequencesMr. HungSpecial appearance
Paris HolidayLam Chun-kit
Wild CityT-Man
2016ThreeKen Chan
League of GodsShen Gongbao
Line WalkerShiu Chi-long
Call of HeroesCho Siu-lun
S StormWilliam Luk
Shed Skin PapaTin Lik-hangcompetitive film at 29th Tokyo International Film Festival
2017Dealer/HealerHalleySpecial appearance
MeowNg Sau-lung
ParadoxLee Chung-chiWon - 12th Asian Film Award for Best Actor[28]
Won - 12th Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Award for Best Actor[29]
Won - 37th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor
Always Be With YouSam
2018L StormWilliam Luk
Kung Fu MonsterFeng Si-hai
2019A Home with a ViewWong Siu-choi
P StormWilliam Luk
Chasing the Dragon II: Wild Wild BunchSky Ho
The White Storm 2: Drug LordsJizoNominated - 39th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Original Film Song
Line Walker 2: Invisible SpyCheng Chun-yin
A Witness Out of the BlueSean WongNominated - 39th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor
2020Money EmpirePost-production
TBDWarriors of FutureTam BingPost-production
Sons of the Neon NightChing Man-singPost-production
Dynasty WarriorsLü BuPost-production
Death NoticePost-production
Back to the PastHong Siu-lungPost-production
G StormWilliam LukPost-production
Storm Cloud 3DDuen LongPre-production
The Strangled TruthPre-production
When It All BeginsPre-production
Un Coevr D'ArtichautPre-production
The Trier of FactPre-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1994Knot to Treasure
Class of Distinction
1995Happy Harmony
The Condor Heroes 95Yeung Kuo
1996Cold Blood Warm HeartYip Sing-hong
1997The Hit Man ChroniclesYan Hua
War & Remembrance4th Prince
Against the Blade of HonourDing Pang
I Can't Accept Corruption
A Recipe for the HeartKiu Pak-koNominated - 2nd TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actor
1998Burning FlameLau Hoi-pak
1999Man's Best FriendTai Jin Sek
Detective Investigation Files IVTsui FeiWon - 3rd TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actor
At the Threshold of an EraNick Cheung
2000At the Threshold of an Era IINick CheungWon - 4th TVB Anniversary Award for Top Favourite Television Characters
2001A Step into the PastHong Siu-lungWon - 5th TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actor
Won - 5th TVB Anniversary Award for Top Favourite Television Characters

Honors

In 2018, 55382 Kootinlok, a main-belt asteroid discovered by Bill Yeung at the Desert Eagle Observatory in 2001, was named in honor of Koo.

References

  1. "Louis Koo". chinesemov.com. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  2. "TV". Louis Koo Tin-Lok Official Website. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  3. "2012福布斯 中国名人榜". Forbes China. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  4. "One Cool Film Production Limited".
  5. "2004年週記". Louis Koo Tin-Lok Official Website. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  6. Kerr, Elizabeth. "Election 2". Hollywood Reporter. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  7. Ho, Yi. "A nostalgic romance". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  8. Ho, Yi (25 April 2008). "When the going gets tough, the tough get soft". The Taipei Times.
  9. Elley, Derek. "Connected". Variey. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  10. Lee, Edmund. "Louis Koo interview". Time Out. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  11. 香港國際電影節
  12. 鮮浪潮國際短片節
  13. 香港演藝人協會
  14. "Publication". Louis Koo Tin-Lok Official Website. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  15. Mak, Clara (15 March 2008). "Koo's comic book capers". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  16. "Louis Koo International Fansclub".
  17. "Music". Louis Koo Tin-Lok Official Website. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  18. Chan, Candy. "PepsiCo's Thirst For China Continues". Marketing Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  19. Ng, Erica. "Samsung Eyes Apple's Dominance". Marketing Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  20. "News". Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  21. "Louis Koo is the brand ambassador for Yokohama Tire". Yokohama Tire. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  22. Watson, Mark. "Tropicana Launches New Thematic TVC And Interactive Campaign". China Smack. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  23. "Advertisement". Louis Koo Tin-Lok Official Website.
  24. "Louis Koo helped build 49 schools". The Star. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  25. "默默扶貧3年 古仔內地建49學校". Apple Daily Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  26. "慈恩基金会".
  27. "Hong Kong UNICEF Ambassadors". Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  28. "Asian Film Awards: 'Youth' Wins Top Prize From 'Demon Cat'". Variety. March 17, 2018.
  29. "Louis Koo wins another Best Actor award".
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