"The coolest actor in the world" Appropriate title for self-described acting machine, Chow Yun Fat. He started his acting career in Hong Kong television in the mid-70s, starring in his first role as a young man in a television drama called Hotel. This resulted in a huge fan following. His popularity increased when he played a crime boss in the 1980 series Shanghai Bund. In 1986 audiences hailed A Better Tomorrow, which began Chow Yun Fat's extremely mutually beneficial relationship between director John Woo. Chow soon became Woo's perfect cinematic alter ego, as did Mifune for Kurosawa, as did Delon for Melville. By far the most sought after actor in the 1980s , demand for Chow Yun Fat was overwhelming, "My record was three days working without sleep! I know that if I don't slow down I'll die."