Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1953-04-12
- Born Place: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Also Known As:
Wu Hsing-Kuo
Wu Hsing-Guo
Wu Hsing-Kuo (born April 12, 1953) is a highly acclaimed Taiwanese actor, playwright, and director, celebrated for his innovative adaptations of Western classics into traditional Peking Opera. Trained in classical Peking Opera from the age of 11 at Fu Hsing Drama School, he specialized in wu sheng (male martial) roles. He later graduated from the Theatre Department of Chinese Culture University and also studied contemporary dance with the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, expanding his artistic range.In 1986, Wu founded the Contemporary Legend Theatre in Taipei, aiming to revitalize traditional Chinese theatre by blending it with modern elements. He gained international recognition for his groundbreaking adaptations of Shakespearean plays like "Kingdom of Desire" (Macbeth) and "King Lear," in which he famously performs all the roles himself. His work has earned him comparisons to legendary Western actors like Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles.Beyond his stage work, Wu Hsing-Kuo has a significant filmography, including roles in "Temptation of a Monk" (1993), for which he won a Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer, "Green Snake" (1993), "The Soong Sisters" (1997), and "The Accidental Spy" (2001). More recently, he is known for his role as Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong in the "Creation of the Gods" film trilogy, appearing in "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms" (2023) and "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force" (2025). Wu Hsing-Kuo is a recipient of numerous accolades, including the Taiwan National Award for Literature and Arts and the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He continues to push boundaries in theatre, bridging traditional Chinese opera with contemporary performance forms.
