Terry Chen
Birthdate: Feb 3, 1975
Birthplace: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Terry Chen (birthname: Terrence Keli Chen) is a veteran TV and film Canadian-born actor with over 100 credits in four decades, and who debuted on the big screen in a supporting role in the Andrzej Bartowiak-directed action movie, Romeo Must Die (2000), starring Jet Li, Aaliyah, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, DMX, and Delroy Lindo, and grossing a strong $91 million for Warner Bros.
Chen was cast in a supporting role by filmmaker Alan Rudolph and producer Robert Altman for the crime movie, Trixie (2000), starring Emily Watson, Dermot Mulroney, Nick Nolte, Nathan Lane, Brittany Murphy, Lesley Ann Warren, Will Patton, and released by Sony Pictures Classics to poor reviews and box office.
Chen’s breakthrough role was as Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres in Cameron Crowe’s acclaimed rock n’ roll comedy-drama, Almost Famous (2000), starring Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Noah Taylor, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, winning Crowe a best Screenplay Oscar (along with three other Oscar nominations), but grossing a disappointing $47.4 million (against $60 million costs).
Chen then had a steady string of supporting roles in high-profile movies. These included the Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner-starring comedy for Warner Bros., 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), and the Miramax-Universal rom-com starring Josh Hartnett, 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002). He appeared in writer-director David Twohy’s sci-fi epic for Universal Pictures, The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), starring Vin Diesel, Thandiwe Newton, and Judi Dench. Chen was also in 20th Century Fox’s blockbuster sci-fi epic I, Robot (2004), starring Will Smith, which grossed $353 million globally.
In 2006, he was in the surprise hit Snakes on a Plane, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Bobby Cannavale, and Kenan Thompson, which grossed $62 million for New Line Pictures. In War (2007), Chen played the role originally portrayed by star Jet Li (before the character had his face surgically altered). The film co-starred Jason Statham and John Lone and grossed $40.7 million. He also appeared in The A-Team (2010), co-written and directed by Joe Carnahan, starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Sharlto Copley, and Patrick Wilson, which earned $177 million for 20th Century Fox.
Terry Chen continued his run as a supporting actor in Hollywood movies in the successful Joss Whedon-Drew Goddard sci-fi/comedy/horror movie, The Cabin in the Woods (2011), co-starring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford, and released by Lionsgate to a $66.5 million global gross. Chen then appeared in the cast of director-writer Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi action movie, Elysium (2013), co-starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, and William Fichtner, and grossing $286 million for TriStar Pictures/Sony Pictures Releasing.
Chen played support under legendary filmmaker Walter Hill’s direction in The Assignment (2016), co-written by Hill and Denis Hamill, and starring Michelle Rodriguez, Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia, and Sigourney Weaver, and which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival before a theatrical release by Saban Films. Chen was cast in his biggest role yet by star/writer/director Virgo Mortensen in his drama, Falling (2020), co-starring Lance Henriksen, Sverrir Gudnason, Hannah Gross, and Laura Linney, and had a fine festival run (Sundance, Cannes, Toronto) before a release by Mongrel Media.
Terry Chen then co-starred in the Canadian-American sci-fi horror movie, Demonic (2021), reuniting with director/writer/producer Neill Blomkamp, which was released by IFC Midnight. Chen had his first lead (and above-the-title) role in the biopic drama, Sight (2024), with Greg Kinnear, Fionnula Flanagan, and Wai Ching Ho under Andrew Hyatt’s direction, based on Ming Wang’s 2016 autobiography, From Darkness to Sight, and released by Angel Studios.
Chen was a star and producer of the gambling drama, Lucky Star (date to be announced), directed and written by Gillian McKercher, and featuring Olivia Cheng and Conni Miu.
Personal Details
Terry Chen was born in the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta, and was raised in Edmonton and Vancouver by his parents of Chinese and Taiwanese heritage. Chen attended grade, middle, and high school in Edmonton and Vancouver, and then attended the University of Calgary, but dropped out and traveled in Cuba and the Cayman Islands. Chen’s height is 5’ 11”.
Filmography
actor
Previous (5)
- 2024 |
- 2021 |
- 2017 | Birth of the DragonasFrankie Chen
Birth of the Dragon
Set against the backdrop of 1960s San Francisco, BIRTH OF THE DRAGON is a modern take on the classic movies that Bruce Lee was known for. It takes its inspiration from the epic and still controversial showdown between an up-and-co...
- 2017 | xXx: Return of Xander CageasChinese Politico
xXx: Return of Xander Cage
Xander Cage is left for dead after an incident, though he secretly returns to action for a new, tough assignment with his handler Augustus Gibbons.
- 2010 | The A-TeamasRavech
The A-Team
A group of Iraq War veterans look to clear their name with the U.S. Military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.
Some Facts About Terry Chen
True-life Figures: Terry Chen has portrayed a range of actual characters, including Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres, Genghis Khan, and Chinese-American eye doctor Ming Wang.
