Sammo Hung has seen it all. From battling Bruce Lee on screen in “Enter the Dragon” (1973) to bossing Donnie Yen behind the camera as the action director of “Ip Man” (2008), the legendary martial artist now wields influence as jury president of this year’s Asian Film Awards. The man who helped define Hong Kong action cinema for generations is now evaluating its future.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The 73-year-old action star, whose career spans over five decades, has transitioned seamlessly between acting, directing, and producing, crafting some of the most influential martial arts films in cinema history. When asked about the evolution of martial arts choreography from the classic Golden Harvest days to today’s spectacles, Hung remains philosophical. “I think there’s not much difference. It always evolves with time and evolves with trends,” Hung tells Variety.

Hung’s collaborations with Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao have produced countless iconic moments in action cinema.