The 72-year-old action star Sammo Hung has been dedicated to the film industry for over 60 years. Known as the “big brother” of the Hong Kong film industry, he participated in an interview at the press conference of the Chinese-language Film Festival in Singapore on May 3. In front of his wife Joyce Godenzi, Sammo Hung humorously stated, “I dare not disobey my wife’s words,” and showed affection by saying, “Although my brothers and apprentices listen to me, I only listen to my wife.”
Being dubbed as the “most agile fat man”, Sammo Hung has appeared in nearly 200 films and has won numerous awards. Despite significantly reducing his workload in recent years, he still expresses excitement when talking about acting, mentioning that he still has unrealized dreams in film and is willing to play any role. As the “featured filmmaker” of the 12th Singapore Chinese Film Festival, Sammo Hung received a tribute and blessings from the local martial arts instructor Feng Tuishou during the press conference on May 3.
Feng Tuishou expressed his admiration for Sammo Hung, stating that he has been a fan since childhood. Sammo Hung humorously replied, “The chubby kid from before has become an old chubby man now. It’s been a long time since I last made a movie, and I hope I can continue to do so.”
During the press conference, Sammo Hung’s responses to media questions were concise and to the point, much like his dazzling martial arts moves on the big screen, showcasing the skills and experience accumulated over many years of martial arts practice. When a Hong Kong journalist in Singapore greeted him with “How are you? Have you eaten?” Sammo Hung jokingly replied, “I haven’t had dinner yet, but I ate lunch.” Bringing laughter to the audience.
Sammo Hung, who juggles roles as an actor, action director, director, and film producer, was specifically asked about what it feels like to be a director. He chuckled and said, “No feeling, just daring to do it.”
In the Hollywood movie “John Wick: Chapter 4,” there is a character paying tribute to Sammo Hung’s performance in the 2005 film “SPL: Sha Po Lang.” When asked about his influence, Sammo Hung modestly remarked, “I don’t feel it. It’s a good thing if there’s something for others to learn.”
While Sammo Hung is perceived to possess a wide array of martial arts skills, he jokingly mentioned that he “dares not disobey his wife’s words”, highlighting the importance of his wife Joyce Godenzi’s opinions to him. He emphasized, “What my wife says is the most important. I dare not not listen to her.”
Prior to marrying Joyce Godenzi, Sammo Hung was married to the Korean actress Jo Eun-joo for 14 years, with whom he had three sons and one daughter, namely Timmy Hung, Tim Hung, Andrew Hung, and Chao Xuyu Hung.
Sammo Hung revealed that his union with Jo Eun-joo was hasty, with the couple not having a deep understanding of each other. Their post-marriage life was filled with constant conflicts and arguments. Despite having a large family, the marriage could not be salvaged.
In 1991, Sammo Hung and Jo Eun-joo agreed to divorce, and he then married Joyce Godenzi, who is 13 years younger than him, causing some controversy at the time.
Joyce Godenzi has maintained a low profile since marrying Sammo Hung, not only withdrawing from the entertainment industry but also becoming his all-around secretary, wholeheartedly managing his show business and business affairs. To avoid accusations of favoritism as a stepmother, she staunchly decided not to have children of her own. She treats Sammo Hung’s children from his previous marriage as her own, raising them with care. The relationship between her and Timmy Hung, Andrew Hung, and Tim Hung, who are now working in the entertainment industry, is very harmonious, and the stepchildren hold Joyce Godenzi in high respect and filial piety.
Standing at 172 cm tall, Sammo Hung once weighed up to 108 kg. Known for his large appetite, he humorously admitted that he was a “big eater” in his youth, consuming up to 8 bowls of rice in one meal, which eventually led to him being diagnosed with diabetes and other hidden health issues. In 2019, he announced a commitment to lose weight for his health and his family’s sake, with his wife assisting him and closely monitoring his attempt at the “16/8 fasting method.”
In recent years, Sammo Hung has been seen using a wheelchair on multiple occasions, but he can still stand and even walk with the help of crutches or someone supporting him. His appearance at the Singapore Film Festival this time reflects his good condition, though he lamented the challenges facing the Hong Kong film industry nowadays.
Sammo Hung recalled his past experiences in filmmaking, where in pursuit of perfection, a single shot could take a month to film. However, nowadays, a film has a budget of only three to four million Hong Kong dollars and must be completed within just over ten days.
Despite the current challenges in the film industry, Sammo Hung still encourages the younger generation of filmmakers to persevere, believing that true gold is not afraid of the furnace. Using himself as an example, he stated, “It’s been 8 years since I filmed ‘The Old Way 4,’ and I’ve been wanting to film a sequel. The script is written, but we haven’t started filming yet. For people like us, it’s very difficult to make a good movie. In a word—work hard.”