Daniel Wu

A renowned Hong Kong actor, Daniel Wu has had an unusual career trajectory for an Asian movie star. A native of Northern California, Wu embraced his Chinese roots and studied the wushu form of martial arts while attending school. Traveling abroad in Hong Kong as a young adult, the strikingly handsome Wu was approached about modeling, with acting offers soon following. Quickly ascending the ranks of the Hong Kong film world despite being unfamiliar with Cantonese, Wu appeared in a series of hit movies, including the action film "Gen-X Cops" (1999) and the thriller "Purple Storm" (1999). Opting for lighter fare with productions such as the romantic comedy "Love Undercover" (2002), Wu made a rare appearance in an English-language movie with a small part in "Around the World in 80 Days" (2004), starring his hero and mentor, Jackie Chan. By the time Wu had a featured role in RZA's Hollywood-meets-Hong-Kong action film, "The Man with the Iron Fists" (2012), he was firmly established as a versatile major player in Asian cinema.