Kenneth Tsang, ‘Rush Hour 2’ Actor, Found Dead in Hotel Room

Kenneth Tsang, a veteran Hong Kong actor who starred in over 200 movies, died while in COVID-19 quarantine at a hotel. He was 87. Tsang starred in several Hollywood movies, including Rush Hour 2, the James Bond movie Die Another Day and The Replacement Killers with Chow Yun-Fat and Mira Sorvino.

After returning from Singapore Monday, Tsang began a seven-day quarantine stay at a Hong Kong hotel, reports the South China Morning Post and other media outlets. Hotel staff found him collapsed on the floor Wednesday. No cause of death was reported, and he reportedly tested negative for the virus, reports the Associated Press. He had no known underlying medical conditions. Sources told the South China Morning Post Tsang received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

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Tsang was born in Shanghai and earned an architecture degree at the University of California, Berkeley. However, he decided to go into acting. According to his IMDb page, he made his debut in 1955 and appeared in 237 movies and television shows. In 1969 alone, he appeared in over 20 movies. His final project, The Modelizer, is now in post-production. He won Best Supporting Actor at the 2015 Hong Kong Film Awards for Overheard 3. One of his best-known films internationally is John Woo’s The Killer.

Tsang was in Singapore recently to visit his close friends and work, according to Hong Kong’s Ming Pao Weekly. “He stayed in Singapore for four days after he returned from Malaysia,” director Tao Yung Hung told the outlet. “My wife and I met him every day and we chatted happily.”

On Thursday, Tsang’s studio released the last photo of Tsang on Douyin, the Chinese TikTok. “Mr. Tsang said on Tuesday that there was no need to worry as he was fine and in good health. He said he wanted to get a haircut after completing his quarantine as he felt that his hair was too long,” the studio wrote.

Hong Kong has seen a new outbreak in COVID-19 cases due to the highly transmissible omicron variant. All travelers are required to quarantine for up to 14 days when they arrive in the city.

Tsang was married three times and had a son with his first wife and a daughter with his second wife. His third wife, actress Lisa Chiao Chiao, asked for time to mourn after his death, reports the Straits Times. Tsang’s daughter Musette Tsang thanked the public for the outpouring of support.

“I hope that he delivered great performances and stories to you all, and people will remember him as being young, handsome and excellent at acting,” she said, reports the South China Morning Post. “He loved having fun and eating different foods. He really enjoyed his life. I hope people will remember this side of him.”