• Hong Kong actor, martial artist and former bodybuilder Bolo Yeung was born Yang Sze in Guangzhou, China in 1946
• He won the Mr. Hong Kong bodybuilding title in 1967 and is known for playing Chong Li in the 1988 movie "Bloodsport"
• He's had roles in more than 110 movies, and has also worked as a stunt coordinator and director
• He's married with three children, and is active on Instagram with over 70,000 followers
• He has a net worth of over $1.5 million and stands at 5ft 6ins tall.
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Who is Bolo Yeung?
Hong Kong actor, martial artist and former bodybuilder Bolo Yeung, was born Yang Sze in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China on 3 July 1946, making his zodiac sign Cancer. He’s had roles in more than 110 movies (but not a single TV series), and is perhaps still best known for playing Chong Li in the 1988 biographical action “Bloodsport”, directed by Newt Arnold, and which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. It follows an American martial artist who’s decided to quit the military and enter a martial arts competition in Hong Kong; the movie was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst New Star (Jean-Claude Van Damme).
Education and early life
Bolo was raised in Guangzhou by his parents, but has shared very little about them because he’s respective of their privacy; apparently his father was a local businessman, and his mother a housewife. Bolo hasn’t spoken of having siblings either, and it’s believed that he has none.
He was 10 when he began practicing martial arts, and then in his late teenage years became interested in bodybuilding. Bolo matriculated from a local high school in 1964, and then went on to become Mr. Hong Kong (bodybuilding champion) in 1967, holding the title for 10 years; his muscular body helped him win many roles, as also did his friendship with the late Hong Kong-American actor and martial artist Bruce Lee, and Belgian actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Bolo hasn’t attended college.
Acting credits
Bolo’s debut film appearance was his playing of ‘Unicorn’ Du Kuo Lung in the 1970 action “The Wandering Swordsman”, and some of his following roles were in the 1970 historical action “The Heroic Ones”, and in 1971 the action adventure thriller “The Lady Professional” and the action “Xie sa Tian Lao”.
What marked the ’70s for him was perhaps his playing of Ta Niu in the 1978 crime action “The Tattoo Connection”, directed by Tso Nam Lee, and which starred Jim Kelly, Sing Chen and Tao-Liang Tan; it follows an American investigator who’s come to Hong Kong to find a stolen diamond.
In 1986, Bolo was cast to play Cotton Weaver in the popular action western comedy “Millionaires’ Express”, written and directed by Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, who also starred in it, alongside Biao Yuen and Olivia Cheng. The movie follows a group of criminals who’ve found themselves on the same train – it was nominated for a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Original Film Score. Some of Bolo’s other notable performances in the ‘80s were in the 1983 horror “The Boxer’s Omen”, the 1984 comedy “Silent Romance”, and the 1989 action adventure “Fainaru Faito – Saigo no Ichigeki”.
In 1991, he played Moon in the popular crime action “Double Impact”, written and directed by Sheldon Lettich, and which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Geoffrey Lewis and Alonna Shaw. It follows twin brothers who were separated following their parents’ murder, and have now reunited as adults to seek revenge on the perpetrators – the movie was nominated for two awards.
The year 1996 saw Bolo appear in the action movies “Tiger Claws II” and “Shootfighter II”, and he then semi-retired from acting, however, he’s since returned twice to the film industry: the first time in 2007, to play Askar Trainer in the action “Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter”, and the then in 2015 to portray Bulo in the action adventure “Diamond Cartel”.
He today splits his time between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, California.
Other credits
Bolo’s worked as a stunt coordinator on four movies, making his debut in the 1973 action “Zhao Chou Quan Wang”. In 1977, he worked on both the action comedy “Bolo” and the action “Shi da Sha Shou”, and in 1978 was involved in the action “Amsterdam Connection”.
Bolo has two directing credits: the 1977 action comedy movie “Bolo”, which follows two former convicts who’ve now become lawmen, and the 1979 action “Wen Da”, which tells the story of a schoolteacher, who’s learning kung fu wanting to defend his village.
He was featured in the 1973 documentary movie “Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend”, the 1994 documentary film “The Life of Bruce Lee”, and a 2011 episode of the documentary series “Jean Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors”.
Love life and wife
Bolo prefers to maintain his privacy, and is thus rarely heard talking about his love life in public.
It’s still widely known that he’s been married for several decades now, but has managed to keep his wife’s name and profession, as well as the date of their wedding a secret. Bolo and his wife have two sons together, Danny and David Yeung, as well as a daughter Debbra Yeung. Several pictures which feature the family spending time together in Hong Kong, can be found uploaded onto the internet; these were shared by Bolo’s fans rather than by him.
Bolo hasn’t spoken of other women whom he’s been with, he’s married as of December 2022, and has three children with his wife.
Interesting facts and hobbies
For several years, Bruce Lee was Bolo’s martial arts trainer.
Bolo’s favorite martial arts style is Tai-Chi.
He was once also a Mainland China Powerlifting Champion.
Bolo swam from China to Hong Kong sometime in the ‘60s, running away from communism.
He’s today working for the Tapei International Bodybuilders Squad as their team manager, and is also the Hong Kong Gym Business Association’s Chairman.
Bolo’s deadlift record is over 700lbs (317kgs).
He’s active on Instagram, and has posted more than 50 pictures and videos, while there are today over 70,000 people following him; most of Bolo’s content are scenes from the movies in which he’s appeared.
His favorite actors are Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and some of his favorite movies include “The Way of the Dragon”, “Fist of Fury” and “Enter the Dragon”.
Height, eyes and wealth
Bolo’s age is 76. His hair’s brown and he has short black hair, he’s 5ft 6ins (1.68m) tall and weighs around 145lbs (65kgs).
Bolo’s net worth’s been estimated at over $1.5 million, as of December 2022.
