David Wu (American actor)

David Wu (Cantonese: Ng Dai-Wai, simplified Chinese: 吴大维; traditional Chinese: 吳大維; pinyin: Wú Dàwéi; born Southbridge, Massachusetts, 2 October 1966), also known by the nickname Wu-Man, is a Chinese American film actor, TV personality and formerly MTV Asia and Channel V video jockey.

Early life and education

Wu grew up in Taiwan and attended an American international school, but attended middle and high school in America.[1] He graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle.[2]

Career

Wu started his media career with an English teaching show Go West on Channel V in 1996.[3] Initially, the show was to be an English classroom until Wu convinced the channel to turn the show into five-minute slots teaching slang.[3][4]

Personal life

Wu married his wife in May 2018[5] and has a daughter in January 2020.[6][7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1985 The Young and Old Wanderers
1986 Pom Pom Strikes Back Doctor
1987 The Game They Call Sex Burglar
Kung Fu Kids IV
1988 My Dream Is Yours 7-11 manager
Starry Is the Night Cheung Tien-On [5]
1989 Perfect Match David Shek
Lost Souls (1989 film) Chao Te-Chu
1990 Tiger Cage 2 David
Goodbye Hero Jerome
A Tale from the East Huang Zhin [5]
Middle Man David Ng [8][9]
Return Engagement David
1991 Robotrix Chou
The Banquet Jogger
Lover at Large Leung Ho
1991 Sisters of the World Unite (1991 film) Ray
1992 Evil Black Magic Wai
The Unleaded Love Peter
Let Me Speak Up
1993 Treasure Island Polo
Cohabitation
Finale in Blood Ma Kuang Shen
Farewell My Concubine Red Guard
Young Wisely 1
1994 One of the Lucky Ones
Let's Go Slam Dunk (男兒当入樽) Ng Koon Nam
I Have a Date with Spring Karl Sum
Young Wisely 2
1995 Full Throttle David Kwan
Passion Unbounded Officer Shek Dai Hung / Daai Wai
1996 Hu-Du-Men Director Lam
Temptress Moon Jing Yun
July 13th Alan Kwok Ka Lun
1998 Restless Lead role playing Chinese-American visiting Beijing with grandfather's ashes
2000 When I Fall in Love - with Both Tung
Devils on the Doorstep Major Gao
2003 Hidden Track Joe [10]
2004 Waiting Alone One-Take Liu
2008 Five Bullets
Ha! Ha! Ha! (哈哈哈)
The One Man Olympics (一个人的奥林匹克)
Gun of Mercy
2010 You Deserve To Be Single Xiao Feng
My Belle Boss (我的美女老板) Cousin
2011 I Phone You Yu Guanghao
2014 Live a Love (2014 film)
2014 Bull Brothers
2015 Love, At First
2016 Papa Boss Du
2017 Wished Angus Yao

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1992 Spirit of the Dragon Bruce Lee [6]
2001 Adam's Company [5]
2005 Shooting Stars George [6]
2017 A Chinese Odyssey: Love You a Million Years
2019 The Legend of White Snake (2019)
2022 Twisted Strings [6]

References

  1. ^ HK Cinemagic profile - Filmography - Ng Dai Wai Archived 2018-10-16 at the Wayback Machine "David Ng est né le 2 octobre 1966 à Southbridge, dans le Massachusetts. A l'âge de deux ans, il suit ses parents à Taiwan où son père a obtenu un nouvel emploi. Pas sûr de rester indéfiniment dans la petite république, David fut envoyé dans une école Américaine de Taipei. La décision fut judicieuse car, à 16 ans, la famille repart aux USA, à Seattle exactement. Inquiète par le fait que le jeune David puisse perdre une part de sa sinité, sa mère l'envoie régulièrement faire des séjours à Taipei"
  2. ^ Television After TV: Essays on a Medium in Transition - Page 293 Lynn Spigel, Jan Olsson - 2004 "... Chan hails from Bangkok, actress Michelle Yeoh from Malaysia, singer/actress Faye Wong from Beijing, actor/veejay David Wu from Seattle, director Sylvia Chang from Taipei, and TV executive Robert Chua from Singapore."
  3. ^ a b "Talk da Talk Home Page". www.talkdatalk.com. Archived from the original on 2003-12-13. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  4. ^ The next global stage: challenges and opportunities in our ... - Page 135, ISBN 013147944X, Traduire cette page, Kenʼichi Ōmae - 2005 - Extraits - Autres éditions. It features Taiwanese American entertainer David Wu who teaches his viewers the latest American-English slang. Li Yang is an English teacher, but with a difference. His style, called "Crazy English," is based on shouting slogans and ...
  5. ^ a b c d Fam, Jonathan (2 August 2019). "52-Year-Old Former VJ David Wu Has Been Married For Over A Year; Is Now Trying For Kids". Today. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  6. ^ a b c d Wong, Bryan (19 November 2023). "Ex '90s VJ David Wu, 57, Who Is Now A Food Host On YouTube, Shares Why He Faded Out Of The Spotlight". 8days. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  7. ^ Tan, Kendra (5 March 2020). "53-Year-Old Former VJ David Wu Becomes A Dad For The First Time". TODAY. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  8. ^ The Hong Kong Filmography, 1977-1997: A Complete Reference John Charles - 2000 p121,"The writing in the mid-section, featuring the young hoodlum character (played by Taiwanese actor David Wu), is like something out of an American direct-to-video softcore" ; p158 "There is as much action as one would expect, but it is not always as well choreographed as in previous entries (though Yang and Kim Maree Penn have a terrific fight during the climax), and Taiwanese actor David Wu is a lacklustre leading ..."; p251 "Women are being raped and murdered, and the police, led by officer Shek (played by Taiwanese actor David Wu), have not been able to come up "
  9. ^ "David Wu at Hong Kong Cinemagic".
  10. ^ Foo, Serene (14 November 2003). "For Jay's fans only". Today. p. 96. Retrieved 26 February 2026 – via NewspaperSG.