Jordan Chan
Born in Hong Kong in 1968, Jordan Chan Siu-Chun has been in around fifty films since making in screen debut in 1994. While this may seem like a lot, it is the typical output for an "idol" (an artist who works on movies, telvision and music) these days in Hong Kong.
Chan got his start by enrolling in the TVB Dancers' Training Class in 1985. Soon after graduation, he joined a few of the studio's troupes that would accompany popular singers during their live performances. He worked with artists such as Alan Tam, Leslie Cheung, and Anita Mui before being invited by a producer to make a record of his own.
The album was a hit, and like many hot young singers, Chan's managers wanted to push him into acting as well, and in 1994, he made his debut with Twenty Something. Chan's performance netted him a Taiwanese Golden Horse nomination, a Hong Kong Film Award nominatation for Best Newcomer, as well as a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor. Chan has since received several Hong Kong Film Award nominations; two for his role in He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994), and one each for Heaven Can't Wait (1995) and Big Bullet (1996).
Though he seemed like many young singer/actors to be heading for the traditional romantic comedy movies (which are usually always safe box-office territory, especially with fickle young fans), in 1996, Chan completed two movies which allowed him to branch out his career. The aforementioned Big Bullet established him as an action star, a role he has followed with several notable movies, including 1998's Enter the Eagles, where he starred alongside Bruce Lee's daughter Shannon in her Hong Kong debut. With 1996's Young and Dangerous, Chan established himself as a mainstay of the "goo wat jai" (Triad youth) genre. The film was a huge success, and still sprouts sequels and spinoffs to this day, including Those Were the Days (2000), which focused on Chan's character.
Through the years, Chan has also become known for his work in the horror genre (most notably for the 1998 cult hit Bio-Zombie), as well as continuing to work in the comedies which got him his start (2000's Help!!!). He also continues to be a popular singer in Asia, and it looks like he will be a mainstay of Hong Kong movies for years to come.