Benedict Wong Explained

Benedict Wong
Birth Date:1971 7, df=yes
Birth Place:Eccles, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Years Active:1992–present
Occupation:Actor
Module:
Child:yes
T:王漢斌
S:王汉斌
P:Wáng Hàn Bīn
J:Wong4 Hon3 Ban1
Y:Wòhng Hon-bān

Benedict Wong (born 3 July 1971)[1] [2] is an English actor. He began his career on stage before starring in the film Dirty Pretty Things (2003), which earned him a British Independent Film Award nomination, and the BBC sitcom 15 Storeys High (2002–2004). This was followed by roles in the films On a Clear Day (2005), Sunshine, Grow Your Own (both 2007), and Moon (2009), and the CBBC series Spirit Warriors (2010).

Wong gained further recognition in the 2010s for his roles as Kublai Khan in the Netflix series Marco Polo (2014–2016), Bruce Ng in the film The Martian (2015), and Wong in the Marvel Cinematic Universe media franchise since the film Doctor Strange (2016). He has since starred in the Syfy series Deadly Class (2019). His performance in the film Nine Days (2020) earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination. He currently has a main role in the Netflix series 3 Body Problem.

Early life and education

Wong was born in Eccles, a town within the City of Salford, in 1971, the son of Hong Kong immigrant parents who had travelled through Ireland before settling in England.[3]

He was brought up in Salford[4] and attended De La Salle Sixth Form College in the city, where he took a two-year performing arts course.[5]

Career

Early career

Wong's first role was in the 1993 BBC Radio play Kai Mei Sauce, written by his cousin, Kevin Wong. He appeared as Errol Spears alongside Sean Lock in the situation comedy 15 Storeys High, and as Franklin Fu in the second series of Look Around You.[6] In 2003, he was nominated at the British Independent Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Guo Yi in Dirty Pretty Things.[7]

In 2007, Wong starred in the feature film Grow Your Own.[8] He appeared in the second episode of Series 4 of the Channel 4 comedy The IT Crowd as Prime, a previous Countdown contestant who had won the sixteenth Countdown teapot when he was known as Harold Tong.[9] He also appeared in the film Shanghai as Juso Kita, and played Li in the BBC series Spirit Warriors.[10]

In 2012, Wong appeared in the Ridley Scott film Prometheus as the ship's pilot, Ravel.[11] In 2013, he played the lead role in #aiww: The Arrest of Ai WeiWei at the Hampstead Theatre.[12] Shortly after, the Almeida Theatre announced that he had joined the cast of the play Chimerica as Zhang Lin.[13] Also in he played gangster Lau in the BBC Two comedy-drama The Wrong Mans. He was nominated for the West End Frame Award for Best Dramatic Performance for his role in Chimerica.[14] [15] [16]

International breakthrough

In 2014, Wong played Kublai Khan in the Netflix series Marco Polo,[17] [18] which on 7 January 2015 was renewed by Netflix for a 10-episode second series.

The next year, he appeared in another Ridley Scott science fiction film, playing Jet Propulsion Lab director Bruce Ng in The Martian.[19] In 2016, he co-starred as Wong in the superhero film Doctor Strange (2016)[20] and later reprised the role in (2018),[21] (2019),[22] Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021),[23] [24] (2021),[25] Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022),[26] and the 2022 Disney+ series .[27]

He appeared in "Hated in the Nation", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror, playing Shaun Li, an agent with the National Crime Agency in 2016. In 2017 he voiced Alex Yu in the Arkane Studios game Prey and starred in "", a promotional short film prequel to Blade Runner 2049 directed by Luke Scott and co-starring Jared Leto. He appeared as the scientist Lomax in the 2018 science fiction horror film Annihilation.[28]

In 2019, he performed the voice of Skeksis general skekVar in the Netflix series and the voice of Bull in the film Lady and the Tramp. In 2020, he appeared as a Necromancer in an episode of the FX television series What We Do in the Shadows. Wong's 2013 political play #aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei was streamed through the news network The Guardian again in May 2020.

In 2021, Wong voiced the warrior giant Tong in the Disney animated film Raya and the Last Dragon. In 2021, he was nominated for a Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance as Kyo in Nine Days.[29] He joined the cast[30] of the Netflix live action adaptation of the Chinese novel The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin, which began shooting later that year.[31] In 2022, through BBC Radio, he partnered with Ai WeiWei again as the narrator for Ai's memoir 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows.[32]

In 2024, 3 Body Problem was released. The show was well received, with Wong's performance being singled out.[33] [34]

Personal life

Wong is a fan of Manchester United FC.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleclass=unsortable Notes
2000Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)Pat Proudence
2001WitFellow 2
Spy GameTran
2002Dirty Pretty ThingsGuo Yi
2003Code 46Medic
2005On a Clear DayChan
A Cock and Bull StoryEd
2007SunshineTrey
Grow Your OwnKung Sang
2008Largo WinchWilliam Kwan
2009MoonThompson
2010ShanghaiJuso Kita
2011The LadyKarma Phuntsho
Johnny English RebornChi Han Ly
PainkillerJayShort film
2012PrometheusRavel
2013The CounselorLeescenes deleted[35]
2013HummingbirdMr Choy
Kick-Ass 2Mr Kim
2015The MartianBruce Ng
2016Doctor StrangeWong
2018AnnihilationLomax
Wong
2019
The Personal History of David CopperfieldMr Wickfield
Gemini ManBaron
Lady and the TrampBull (voice)
2020Nine DaysKyo
2021ExtinctDr. Chung (voice)
Raya and the Last DragonTong (voice)[36]
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsWong
2022Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
2023The Magician's ElephantThe Magician (voice)
2026WeaponsFilming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1992ScreenplayLe Van Dong1 episode
1993Last of the Summer WineChinese Man1 episode
1994The ChiefPeng1 episode
1994Frank Stubbs PromotesLee1 episode
1995Cardiac ArrestRadiographer1 episode
1995Hearts and MindsChinese Interpreter1 episode
1996Pie in the SkyMichael Cheung1 episode
1996CrackerPeter Yang1 episode
1997Supply & DemandFrankie LiTelevision film
1997The BillLi Mann1 episode
1997BreakoutJerryTelevision film
2000Arabian NightsHassanMiniseries
2000; 2002The BillMichael Wei / DS David Chiu8 episodes
2002TLCTerry CheungRecurring role, 6 episodes
2002Look Around YouChess Player1 episode
2002–200415 Storeys HighErrol SpearsMain role, 12 episodes
2003State of PlayPete ChengRecurring role, 6 episodes
2005Look Around YouDr Franklin Fu1 episode
2006Eleventh HourDanny1 episode
2007FrankensteinDr. Ed GoreTelevision film
2008The Peter Serafinowicz ShowVarious characters4 episodes
2010Spirit WarriorsLiMain role, 7 episodes
2010The IT CrowdHarold "Prime" Tong1 episode
2010SpooksKai1 episode
2010–2011Eli Smart2 episodes
2011Covert AffairsShen Yue1 episode
2011–2013Top BoyVincentRecurring role, 6 episodes
2013The Wrong MansMr. Lau4 episodes
2014PreyDS Ashley Chan3 episodes
2014–2016Marco PoloKublai KhanMain role, 20 episodes
2016Black MirrorShaun LiEpisode: "Hated in the Nation"
2017Philip K. Dick's Electric DreamsEd Andrews1 episode
2019Deadly ClassMaster LinMain role, 10 episodes
2019The General (skekVar) (voice)Main role, 9 episodes
2020, 2023What We Do in the ShadowsWallace the Necromancer2 episodes
2021What If...?Wong (voice)Episode: "What If... Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?"
2022WongSpecial guest star; 3 episodes
20243 Body ProblemDa ShiMain role, 8 episodes

Theatre

Year Title Role Theatre
1995The LetterOng Chi SengLyric Theatre
1998The Merchant of VeniceSolanioShakespeare's Globe
The Honest WhoreCastruccio
1999Julius Caesar
Antony and CleopatraMenas / Scarus
2003In Arabia We'd All Be KingsVic / CopHampstead Theatre
2009The PillowmanArielCurve
2012HamletLaertesYoung Vic
2013ChimericaZhang LinAlmeida Theatre
2013
  1. aiww: The Arrest of Ai WeiWei
Ai WeiweiHampstead Theatre

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2003British Independent Film AwardsBest Supporting ActorDirty Pretty Things[38]
2018Behind the Voice AwardsBest Vocal Ensemble in a Video GamePrey
BAM AwardsBest CastAnnihilation
2021Independent Spirit AwardsBest Supporting MaleNine Days
2022Gold ListBest Supporting Actor[39]
Saturn AwardsBest Supporting ActorDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness[40]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Famous Salfordians . Salford City Council . 30 May 2024 . Actor. Born on 3 July 1971..
  2. Web site: Solanki . Misha . INTERVIEW: Benedict Wong . Salford Now . 30 May 2024 . 25 October 2016 . He was born in Eccles in 1971....
  3. News: Susie . Mesure . Benedict Wong: 'I'm the go- to guy for victims of torture' . . 28 July 2013 . 13 July 2014.
  4. Web site: Premier League Predictions . BBC . 15 December 2014 . 17 January 2021.
  5. News: 25 March 2018 . The Greater Manchester actors who hit the big time on stage and on screen . 2 April 2018 . Manchester Evening News.
  6. News: Phelim . O'Neill . First sight: Benedict Wong . . 9 March 2007 . 13 July 2014.
  7. Web site: Benedict Wong . BIFA . Chapter Media . 13 July 2014 . dead . https://archive.today/20130628212110/http://bifa.chaptermedia.com/people/benedict-wong . 28 June 2013.
  8. Web site: Kelly . Ann . Benedict Wong – Grow Your Own interview . . 11 June 2007 . 13 July 2014.
  9. Web site: Benedict Wong discusses playing Prime . Channel 4 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130521063027/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-it-crowd/articles/benedict-wong-discusses-playing-prime . 21 May 2013 . 10 August 2016.
  10. Web site: Press Office – Spirit Warriors press pack: introduction . . 21 December 2009 . 13 July 2014.
  11. Web site: Cameron . K. . Actor Benedict Wong talks about Prometheus . . . 20 February 2012 . 13 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160916024108/http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/18758/actor-benedict-wong-talks-about-prometheus . 16 September 2016 . dead .
  12. Web site: Casting announced for #aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei . . 1 March 2013 . 13 July 2014.
  13. Web site: Benedict Wong People . . 13 September 2013 . 13 July 2014 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192920/http://headlong.co.uk/work/chimerica/people/benedict-wong/ . dead .
  14. Web site: Vote: Best Dramatic Performance 2013 . . West End Frame . 22 October 2013 . 13 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160822072354/http://www.westendframe.com/2013/10/BestDramaticPerformance-VotingPage.html . 22 August 2016 . dead .
  15. Web site: #aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei . 2022-05-31 . Hampstead Theatre.
  16. Web site: AIWW: THE ARREST OF AI WEIWEI . 2022-05-31 . theculturediary.com . en.
  17. News: Benedict Wong: 'Television is reflecting an era that has passed, it's wrong' . Aroesti . Rachel . The Guardian . 13 December 2014 . 10 August 2016.
  18. News: The 'Chinese Game of Thrones': Marco Polo sets sail for Netflix . Sarah . Hughes . The Independent . 29 November 2014 . 10 August 2016.
  19. Web site: 'The Martian' Slammed Over 'White-Washing' Asian-American Roles . Variety . 8 October 2015 . 2 April 2018.
  20. News: 'The Martian' Actor Nabs Key 'Doctor Strange' Role . Borys . Kit . . 21 January 2016 . 10 August 2016.
  21. Web site: Benedict Wong Confirmed For Avengers Infinity War. comicbook.com.
  22. Web site: Avengers 4 Reshoots: Chris Hemsworth Headed to Set, Benedict Wong Already There. 22 September 2018 . Screen Rant.
  23. Web site: Bonaime . Ross . June 24, 2021 . New 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' Trailer Gives a Closer Look at Tony Leung As the Real Mandarin . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210625013959/https://collider.com/shang-chi-trailer-tony-leung-mandarin/ . June 25, 2021 . June 27, 2021 . Collider.
  24. Web site: Meares . Joel . June 29, 2021 . Exclusive: Kevin Feige Confirms That Is The Abomination Fighting Wong in the Shang-Chi Trailer . June 30, 2021 . Rotten Tomatoes.
  25. Web site: Donnelly . Matt . August 23, 2021 . 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Trailer Officially Drops, Multiverse Villains Descend on Tom Holland . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210824020848/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/spider-man-no-way-home-trailer-leak-official-1234968950/ . 24 August 2021 . August 23, 2021 . Variety.
  26. Web site: Vary . Adam B. . Kroll . Justin . February 5, 2020 . Sam Raimi in Talks to Direct 'Doctor Strange 2' (Exclusive) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200206013138/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/doctor-strange-2-sam-raimi-1203475309/ . February 6, 2020 . February 5, 2020 . Variety.
  27. Web site: Paige . Rachel . 17 May 2022 . 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law': First Trailer Introduces Jennifer Walters . 2022-05-17 . Marvel Entertainment . en.
  28. Web site: Film Review: 'Annihilation'. Variety. 21 February 2018. 2 April 2018.
  29. Web site: D'Alessandro. Anthony. 2021-01-26. Spirit Awards Nominations: 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always', 'Minari', 'Nomadland' & 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' Lead Field. 2021-01-29. Deadline. en-US.
  30. Web site: Rosario . Alexandra Del . 2021-10-29 . '3 Body Problem': MCU's Benedict Wong, Tsai Chin, 'GoT's John Bradley & Liam Cunningham Among 12 Cast In Netflix Series . 2022-05-31 . Deadline . en-US.
  31. Web site: 2021-10-25 . The Three-Body Problem . 2022-05-31 . Production List Film & Television Industry Alliance . en-US.
  32. Web site: BBC Radio 4 - 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows by Ai Weiwei . 2022-05-31 . BBC . en-GB.
  33. News: Mangan . Lucy . 2024-03-21 . 3 Body Problem review – the creators of Game of Thrones have done it again . 2024-06-04 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  34. Web site: McIndoe . Ross . 2024-03-09 . ‘3 Body Problem’ Review: Brainy Concepts and Characters . 2024-06-04 . Slant Magazine . en-US.
  35. Web site: Davids . Brian . 2019-10-18 . Benedict Wong on ‘Gemini Man’ and His ‘Doctor Strange’ Future . 2023-08-10 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  36. Web site: How to Watch 'Raya and the Last Dragon,' the New Disney Princess Movie. Bailee. Abell. Inside the Magic. January 26, 2021. January 26, 2021.
  37. wongrel . 857863799705088000 . 28 April 2017 .
  38. Web site: Dirty Pretty Things leads BIFA nominations. Screen Daily. Tim. Dams. 22 September 2003. 5 October 2021.
  39. Web site: 2022-01-18. 'Shang-Chi' Tops Second Annual Gold List for Asian Achievement in Film. 2022-07-10. The Hollywood Reporter.
  40. Web site: Saturn Awards Nominations: 'The Batman', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Spider-Man', 'Better Call Saul' Top List . Tinoco . Armando . . August 12, 2022 . August 25, 2022.