Meet rising movie star Will Or, the breakout talent captivating Hong Kong audiences

While studying at the City University of Hong Kong’s School of Creative Media, some senior students invited Or to cast for their films. “I gave it a shot because I could also become a crew member after joining the casting process. I really wanted to immerse myself in filmmaking,” he told Hong Kong media outlet HK01.

In 2013, Or landed a role as a student in local film director Ho Yuet’s film Why Don’t We Share Our Solitude, which was submitted to the Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival. From then on, he developed a passion for acting and pursued it as a career. 

Three years later, while still studying, he played the character Dung, a member of the Sha Tin Martins, Hong Kong’s first baseball team to win a league championship, in the film Weeds On Fire.

Or told the media that he concentrated so heavily on his acting career that it affected his academic performance. With a low GPA, he was unable to declare his preferred major. Eventually, he dropped out of university to pursue a professional acting career full-time—a choice his parents supported.

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Or has appeared in diverse projects, including the music video for local pop-rock bank Dear Jane’s Galactic Repairman and ViuTV’s romantic sci-fi series Leap Day. Among the various characters he has portrayed, Muk, a young homeless man in the Hong Kong film Drifting (2021), stood out the most. 

The character experiences aphasia, which affects his ability to understand or produce language. With minimal dialogue in the script, Or underwent a transformative skinhead haircut and lost weight to highlight Muk’s personality. “I don’t have personal experience with homelessness, but I find inspiration in similar situations. My focus isn’t on his job or identity; it’s really about delving into his thoughts and emotions,” he shared with local magazine Ztylez.

His performance in the movie earned him nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the 58th Golden Horse Awards, and Best Supporting Actor and Best New Performer at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards.

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According to the magazine Men’s Uno Hong Kong, Or’s favourite performer is the late Australian actor Heath Ledger, renowned for his iconic portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008). 

Or admires his unique approach to acting, as he didn’t undergo formal training and instead found creative ways to connect with his characters. “In a documentary, Heath mentioned he would read a script 100 times. I adopted this method and used music to grasp the underlying emotions,” says Or. 

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In 2021, Or and his friends in the acting and production scene launched a YouTube channel called 16:9, which boasted over 30,200 subscribers. “Many actors are just waiting for their chance to shine. Meeting friends who share a passion for movies is a valuable opportunity, and together, we can create more chances to showcase our talents,” he said in an interview with HK01.

Their inaugural project was a six-episode web series, An Actor Prepares to Starve. This series highlights the challenges faced by the new generation in the film industry, drawing inspiration from their own experiences of doing whatever it takes to chase their dreams.

In 2022, the channel launched a Kickstarter campaign for its first feature film, Smashing Frank. With the support of 112 supporters, the campaign raised over HK$2 million. According to updates on its website, filming was slated to begin in June of the previous year.

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In an interview with Elle HK, Or shared his dream of making a film that doesn’t have to meet market demands and is connected to Hong Kong, and allows him to collaborate with a talented screenwriter and director.

“This is an incredibly distant goal, so far away that I can’t help but laugh at myself,” he remarked.

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