Damian Lau
A versatile leading man who defined Hong Kong television for decades, moving effortlessly between martial arts epics and modern dramas.
Born 1949 (age 77)·Hong Kong actor·Birthday: October 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born in Guangdong, China, Damian Lau moved to Hong Kong as a child and found his calling in the burgeoning television industry of the 1970s. He became a fixture on screens, his intelligent gaze and commanding presence making him a favorite for heroic roles. Lau didn't just act; he shaped the medium, starring in and later producing seminal series that ranged from wuxia adaptations like 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber' to gritty contemporary stories. His career is a map of Hong Kong's TV history, with long tenures at both rival broadcasters TVB and ATV, proving his adaptability and enduring appeal. Beyond the camera, he served as a chairman for industry associations, advocating for performers' rights and mentoring a new generation of actors.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Damian was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Damian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Damian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred in numerous landmark Hong Kong TVB and ATV series across multiple genres, becoming a household name.
- Served as the Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, influencing the industry beyond acting.
- Successfully transitioned from a leading actor to an executive producer and director for television and film.
- His portrayal of Wong Fei-hung in the 1976 TV series 'The Legend of Master So' is considered a definitive version of the folk hero.
Did You Know?
He is a trained martial artist, which lent authenticity to his many roles in wuxia (martial hero) dramas.
Lau was a champion swimmer in his youth before pursuing acting.
He is married to former actress and Miss Hong Kong Pageant winner, Angie Chiu.
“An actor must be a mirror, reflecting the truth of the character and the story.”
