Renowned Hong Kong actor and martial artist, Sammo Hung, was recently asked about his departure from Stephen Chow’s 2004 film “Kung Fu Hustle” over two decades ago. Hung, who was initially involved in the action choreography for the movie, left midway through, sparking rumors of a falling out between him and Chow.
In a candid interview with Hong Kong personality Manfred Wong, it was mentioned that one reason for Sammo Hung’s departure from the Shanghai set was the overwhelming presence of mosquitoes, which he couldn’t tolerate. Allegedly, Stephen Chow’s subsequent instruction for Hung not to return marked what Hung described as a ‘one-way trip,’ as he returned to Hong Kong to seek medical attention but was advised against going back to the set. When questioned about his thoughts on the 61-year-old Chow, Hung responded diplomatically with four words: ‘Don’t want to evaluate.’
Despite the fallout, Sammo Hung’s contributions to “Kung Fu Hustle” remain notable. He revealed that he was responsible for choreographing key action sequences, including the axe gang battle at the beginning and the sparring scenes between the three masters, which constituted roughly one-fifth of the film’s entirety. His name also remained in the ending credits.
Now a 72 years old, the veteran actor continues to be celebrated for his contributions. Sammo Hung was recently the recipient of lifetime achievement awards from the Asian Film Awards in 2023 and the Hong Kong Film Award 2024. He also just had another box office success with his new movie, “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In“.
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