Veteran Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang, who appeared in ‘A Better Tomorrow’ and ‘Supercop,’ dies at 87

Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang, known in Hollywood for his roles in the blockbuster “Rush Hour” and James Bond franchises, was found dead at the age of 87 in his hotel room on Wednesday.

Having just returned from Singapore two days prior, Tsang was adhering to the mandatory COVID-19 quarantine regulation at the Kowloon Hotel in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui district.

Workers from the Department of Health were performing routine checks at the hotel when they failed to get a response from his room, a government source told South China Morning Post.

Hotel staff were then instructed to open the door that afternoon, where Tsang was found unconscious and later declared dead at the scene.

His cause of death is still unknown, though a rapid antigen test Tsang had taken on Tuesday was revealed to be negative.

The veteran actor had a career spanning over 65 years with over 220 acting credits. A fixture of the Golden Age of Cantonese cinema, Tsang’s most notable roles emerged between the ‘80s and ‘90s in films including “A Better Tomorrow,” ”The Killer,” “Supercop,” “Peking Opera Blues” and “Once A Thief.”

While he was widely considered a household name in Hong Kong, Tsang was also one of the few stars from that era to join Hollywood productions.

Debuting in the 1998 film “The Replacement Killers” with Chow Yun-fat, Tsang later went on to star as Captain Chin in “Rush Hour 2” with Jackie Chan, and the villainous General Moon in the James Bond film “Die Another Day” opposite Pierce Brosnan. He also took on supporting roles in films “Anna and the King” and “Memoirs of a Geisha.”

In 2015, Tsang took home the Hong Kong Film Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in “Overheard 3.”

Hong Kong, like much of mainland China, has observed a strict zero-COVID policy requiring overseas travelers to quarantine at select hotels upon returning home.

Feature Image via TVB (Official)

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