Simon Yam

Simon Yam Tat-wah (; born 19 March 1955) is a Hong Kong actor and film producer. He is best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Johnnie To in PTU, Election (2005), Triangle (2007), and Sparrow (2008). His other notable films include SPL: Sha Po Lang (2005), Night & Fog (2009), and Echoes of the Rainbow (2010).

Career Yam started off as a model before becoming an actor in the mid 1970s. He then signed with the Hong Kong television network TVB, starring and co-starring in a number of television series prior to "apply his trades" in the film industry in 1987. His elder brother is Yam Tak-wing, a retired former Deputy Commissioner of Hong Kong Police.

In 1989, he starred in the Japanese-Hong Kong co-production of Bloodfight. This was the first of its kind in which English was spoken throughout the entire film. In 1992, Yam gained critical acclaim for his role as the maniacal Judge in the crime film Full Contact, where he faced off in a bloody battle against Chow Yun-fat's character. In 1993, he starred as "Dhalsim" in the action-comedy film Future Cops, a parody of Street Fighter directed by Wong Jing. In 1996, Yam began his role as Chiang Tin-Sung, the leader of the Hung Hing triads in the first three instalments of the Young and Dangerous film series.

In 2000, Yam starred as Cheung San, the progenitor of all vampires, in the television series My Date with a Vampire II, produced by ATV. In 2003, Yam made his Hollywood film debut in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life as Shaolin crime lord.

In 2013, Yam directed his first film, as part of the Hong Kong portmanteau horror film Tales from the Dark 1.

In February 2021, Yam, Tony Leung and Andy Lau will team up in a new major action movie titled Goldfinger, backed by Emperor Motion Pictures and mainland Chinese partners, with a reported budget of around $30.8 million (RMB200 million).

Personal life Yam was married to his first wife Ho Sui-yi from 1981–86. In 1997, he married Sophia Kao, known as Qi Qi, an international model. She was born in Shanghai but raised in Austria. They have a daughter, Ella.

On 20 July 2019, Yam was stabbed at a promotional event in China. He suffered a minor injury and his manager said, "He was stabbed in the tummy area and also got a cut on his right hand." He underwent a minor operation in Zhongshan and recovered.

Yam's favorite investment is Hong Kong real estate.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1979 Law Don 1980 House of the Lute 1981 The Informer Twins 1982 He Lives by Night Green Killer 1986 Goodbye Mammie New Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre Tong – A Chinatown Story 1987 The Big Brother 1988 Tiger Cage Michael Wong Osmanthus Alley Ah Hai Burning Snow Wah Mistaken Identity Women Prison Wayne Lu 1989 Live Hard Senior Inspector Hui Tat-ming Burning Ambition Lucky Star Chinese Cop Out Framed The Wild Ones Mr. Coconut Timothy Hui Final Run Four Loves Miracles Chief Inspector Ho's man Big Man Little Affair Bloodfight 1990 Bullet in the Head Luke Killer's Romance Jeffrey Hong Kong Gigolo The Cyprus Tigers Fatal Termination Return Engagement Lee Pang Doctor's Heart 1991 The Plot Bullet for Hire Hon Great Pretenders Yam Sai-sung Gigolo and Whore Black Cat Brian Deadly Deal Sea Wolves Queen's High The Good, the Bad, and the Bandit Mission of Condor The Banquet Wai's friend 1992 Gun n' Rose Simon Lung Gigolo and Whore II Jack Cheung Cash on Delivery Once Upon A Time A Hero in China Dr. Lamb Lam Gor-yue Friday Gigolo The Night Rider Naked Killer Tinam Powerful Four 1993 Full Contact Judge Holy Weapon Super Sword Killer's Love The Incorruptible Killer's Love A Day Without Policeman Insanity Can't Stop My Crazy Love For You Love Among the Triad First Shot Sam Mok The Black Panther Warriors Black Jack Love Future Cops Sing (Dhalsim) Prince of Portland Street Final Judgment Run and Kill Ching Fung Raped by an Angel Tso Tat Wah Rose Rose I Love You Micky 1994 The True Hero Awakening The Tragic Fantasy - Tiger of Wanchai Chan Yiu-hing Drunken Master III Gay bus passenger Crystal Fortune Run Crossings The Devil's Box 1995 Passion 1995 Dick Wong Twist Police Confidential Dragon Killer Because of Lies Love, Guns, and Glass Story of a Robber Kon Tin-lap Farewell to My Dearest Ghostly Bus Man Wanted Lok Man-wah 1996 King of Robbery Chan Sing Bloody Friday To Be No. 1 All of a Sudden Tsui Chin-tun Street Angels Walkie Pi Scared Memory Young and Dangerous Chiang Tin-sung Young and Dangerous 2 Young and Dangerous 3 1998 The Suspect Dante Aquino Operation Billionaire Expect the Unexpected Ken Casino Giant Wan Hitman Officer Chan Kwan 1999 The Mission Frank The Legend of Speed Night Club Trust Me U Die 2000 Juliet in Love Model from Hell Horoscope II: The Woman from Hell To Where He Belongs Deathnet.com Cold War Ka Hui Man Wanted 3 2001 Midnight Fly Dr. Tong Fulltime Killer Albert Lee Final Romance Mr. Chuk 2002 My Left Eye Sees Ghosts Ben Partners 2003 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life Chen Lo Looking for Mister Perfect PTU Sergeant Mike Ho Eternal Flame of Fatal Attraction 2004 Explosive City Superintendent Charles Cheung Breaking News Asst. Commissioner Wong Unbilled cameo Wake of Death Sun Quan 2005 Mob Sister Tsan Gor (Chance) Election Lam Lok The Unusual Youth Police Superintendent Unbilled cameo Outback SPL (a.k.a. Kill Zone (US)) Inspector Chan Kwok-chung Dragon Squad Commander Hon Sun 2006 Election 2 (a.k.a. Triad Election (US)) Lam Lok Exiled Boss Fay Cameo 2007 Eye in the Sky Sergeant Wong Man-chin (‛Dog Head’) Triangle Lee Bo-Sam Exodus Sergeant Tsim Kin-yip 2008 Sasori Ballistic Fatal Move Lin Ho-tung Sparrow Ken / The Sparrow Ocean Flame Detective Zhang Also producer Tactical Unit – Human Nature Sam Tactical Unit – No Way Out Tactical Unit – The Code Lee Wing Sam TV movie Ip Man Chow Ching-chuen 2009 Tactical Unit – Partners Tactical Unit - Comrades in Arms Sam TV movie Night & Fog Lee Sam Vengeance George Fung The Storm Warriors Lord Godless Bodyguards and Assassins Fang Tian 2010 Black Ransom Inspector Mann Cheung Bad Blood Funky Echoes of the Rainbow Mr. Law Ip Man 2 Chow Ching-chuen The Blood Bond Lompoc Midnight Beating Gu Zhensheng 2011 The Man Behind the Courtyard House Coming Back Li Zhenmu 2012 Nightfall George Lam Design of Death Yi Sheng Passion Island Simon The Thieves Chen Cross Lee Leung Ripples of Desire 2013 7 Assassins Wu Cold Eyes Suspect Cameo Man of Tai Chi Superintendent Wong Tales from the Dark 1 Kwan Fu-keung Also director A Chilling Cosplay Fang Youwei Control Tiger The Constable Lam Kwok-kuen Les Jeux des nuages et de la pluie French film 2014 As the Light Goes Out Lee Pui-to The Midnight After Fat Iceman Cheung 2015 12 Golden Ducks King Sum Sara Kam Ho-yin Two Thumbs Up Chow Tai-po Lovers & Movies Qiu Guitang SPL II: A Time for Consequences Chan Kwok-wah Wild City Wong Detective Gui Ulterior Motive Ye Cheng Magic Card 2016 Inside or Outside Fei Xin Phantom of the Theatre Gu Ming Shan The Tenants Downstairs Chang Chia-chun Mrs K Scarface 2017 Father and Son OK Gen Legend of the Naga Pearls Xue Lie Colour of the Game Wah S.M.A.R.T. Chase Mach Ren 2018 A Beautiful Moment Air Strike Air Defense Commander Cameo Iceman II Operation Red Sea Albert Justice in Northwest A or B House of the Rising Sons Kin's father 2019 Change of Gangster The Human Comedy Ba Ye Chasing the Dragon II: Wild Wild Bunch Lee Keung Thaiflavor Little Q Li Baoting My People, My Country Wah 2021 Raging Fire Lok Chi-fai Fireflies in the Sun Zhang Zhengyi 2022 Death Notice Officer Tsang Cyber Heist Ben Suen Ban A Light Never Goes Out Biu 2023 I Did It My Way Chung Kam-mibg The Goldfinger K.K. Tsang 2025 Little Red Sweet Cheung Hing Under Current Yeung To Escape from the Outland Zhou Weijie

Television series

Awards and nominations

Hong Kong Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Nomination for The Be No. 1 Best Supporting Actor Nomination for Juliet in Love Best Supporting Actor Nomination for Midnight Fly Best Actor Nomination for PTU Best Actor Nomination for Election Best Supporting Actor Nomination for Election 2 Best Actor Nomination for Eye in the Sky Best Actor Nomination for Sparrow Best Actor Nomination for Night and Fog Best Actor for Echoes of the Rainbow (6 Best Actor Nominations, four Best Supporting Actor Nominations)

Golden Horse Awards Best Actor Nomination for PTU Golden Bauhinia Awards Best Actor for PTU Best Actor for Election Asia Pacific Screen Awards Best Performance by an Actor for Sparrow