When asked if he preferred to direct or act in a movie, Hong Kong martial arts film icon Sammo Hung said: “Morally speaking, I like both.”
However, the 72-year-old film veteran admitted that he preferred directing.
“(That’s) because directors aren’t ‘humans’, they’re gods! Everyone on set listens to the director,” he said in Mandarin.
Hung is currently in Singapore for the Asian Film Awards Academy’s masterclass series, where he will share his experiences during a two-hour-long session held at LASALLE College of the Arts on Saturday (May 4).
CNA Lifestyle sat down with Hung – who last visited Singapore seven years ago – on Friday for a quick catch-up.
With more than 200 films under his belt, Hung has worked as an action choreographer, actor, director, and producer in his illustrious decades-long career in the Hong Kong film industry.
At a young age, Hung studied under Peking Opera master Yu Jim-yuen, and was known as the “big brother” of the famous Seven Little Fortunes – a troupe of child entertainers that included Hong Kong action titans Jackie Chan and Yuen Wah in its ranks.
“Singapore has changed a lot since, but I can’t quite pinpoint the exact changes because the country has already transformed significantly when we last visited,” he said.
However, the people in Singapore have not changed much, said Hung, describing them as “very cordial, amicable, and polite”.
Hung shared how he “wasn’t used to Singapore” back when he was filming a movie in the country 30 to 40 years ago.
“But (Singapore) has gone through a lot of changes…It’s very clean and it’s full of greenery, there are even trees growing on the buildings!”
TIRING BUT FULFILLING
With a film career spanning decades that involves a lot of stunt choreographing like Hung’s, it can be tiring. But Hung said his heart “feels fulfilled”.
“Because you are achieving everything you’ve always wanted to do.”
For Hung, he shared that from the day he became a stuntman, he “began loving everything” that went into filmmaking.
“If I don’t have any films to shoot, I wouldn’t be happy. I’m happy when that are films (to shoot).”
