Jackie Chan was in a weird spot in the early '90s. He was already a god in Hong Kong, but he was starting to feel the pressure of his own legacy. People wanted the "old" Jackie back—the one who did the impossible, intricate choreography of the late '70s. So, he went back to the well. He revisited Wong Fei-hung. But it wasn't just Jackie that made this work. The Drunken Master 2 cast is basically a lightning-in-a-bottle situation where every single actor, from the legends to the stunt players, was operating at a level we just don't see anymore.
Honestly, if you watch the final fight in the steel mill today, it still looks faster and more dangerous than anything in a modern Marvel movie. That’s not an accident. It's the result of a cast that included a legitimate Wushu champion, a Shaw Brothers veteran, and a woman who could out-act everyone while holding a mahjong tile.
The Core Trio: Jackie, Ti Lung, and Anita Mui
You can't talk about the Drunken Master 2 cast without starting with the family dynamic. It’s the heart of the movie. Jackie Chan plays Wong Fei-hung as a bit of a goofball who is also a terrifyingly efficient fighting machine when he’s had a few. But look at Ti Lung.
Ti Lung plays Wong Kei-ying, Fei-hung’s father. Now, if you know your Kung Fu cinema history, Ti Lung was the ultimate "hero" archetype for the Shaw Brothers in the '70s. He was the guy in Sentimental Swordsman. By 1994, he was the elder statesman. His presence adds immediate gravity. When he scolds Jackie, you feel it. It’s not just a script; it’s a passing of the torch from the old school of martial arts cinema to the "modern" (at the time) stunt-driven era.
Then there is Anita Mui.
She stole the damn movie.
Seriously. Anita Mui was only 30 years old when she played Jackie’s stepmother, despite Jackie being about 39 at the time. It shouldn't have worked. It should have been weird. Instead, she turned in one of the greatest comedic performances in the history of Hong Kong film. Her timing is surgical. Whether she’s faking a pregnancy to protect her son or frantically tossing him bottles of "medicine" (booze) during a fight, she provides the emotional glue. She’s the reason the movie has a soul and isn’t just a series of stunts.
Ken Lo: The Secret Weapon
If you ask any hardcore fan about the Drunken Master 2 cast, they’re going to mention Ken Lo within the first thirty seconds. Ken Lo wasn't just an actor; he was Jackie Chan’s real-life bodyguard.
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He plays John, the primary villain’s henchman.
The final fight between Jackie and Ken Lo is legendary. It took nearly four months to film. Think about that. Four months for one sequence. Ken Lo’s flexibility is inhuman. Those high-speed, multi-level kicks? Those aren't wires. That’s just Ken Lo being a terrifyingly talented martial artist. He holds his leg at a 180-degree angle like it’s nothing.
The story goes that Jackie actually fired the original director, the legendary Lau Kar-leung, partly because they disagreed on how the final fight should look. Lau wanted traditional, rhythmic movements. Jackie wanted the frantic, high-stakes energy that Ken Lo could deliver. Ken Lo stepped up and gave us what many consider the greatest one-on-one fight in cinematic history.
The Supporting Players You Might Recognize
The depth of this cast is kind of insane. You’ve got cameos and supporting roles from people who could lead their own films.
- Lau Kar-leung: He didn't just direct the first half; he plays Master Fu Wen-chi. The spear vs. sword fight under the train is a masterclass in "Old School" choreography. It’s precise. It’s clean. It’s the perfect contrast to Jackie’s later drunken style.
- Felix Wong: He plays Fish Monger Tsan. Felix was a huge TV star in Hong Kong (one of the "Five Tigers" of TVB). Having him in a supporting role is like having a major Emmy winner show up just to do a cool kick and look stoic.
- Chin Kar-lok: He’s one of the best stuntmen in the business. He’s in there, doing the dirty work.
- Ho-Sung Pak: You might recognize him as Liu Kang from the original Mortal Kombat game. He plays Henry, another one of the villains.
Why the Casting Chemistry Actually Matters
Movies like this usually live or die on the action. But Drunken Master 2 (or Legend of the Drunken Master as it was titled in the West) stayed relevant because the cast felt like a real community.
When Wong Kei-ying beats Fei-hung for being drunk and fighting, you actually care. It’s not just a plot point to get to the next scene. Ti Lung plays it with such genuine disappointment that it grounds the ridiculousness of the "Drunken Boxing" concept.
Most people don't realize that the Drunken Master 2 cast also had to deal with massive behind-the-scenes drama. The shift in directors changed the tone halfway through. Usually, that results in a mess. But because the actors—specifically Mui and Ti Lung—kept their characters consistent, the audience doesn't feel the "seam" where Lau Kar-leung left and Jackie took over.
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The Tragedy and Legacy of the Cast
It's bittersweet to look back on this lineup. Anita Mui passed away in 2003. She was a titan of the "Cantopop" world and a brilliant actress. Losing her was a massive blow to the industry. Her performance here is a reminder of her range; she could do slapstick comedy as well as she could do high drama or pop concerts.
Ti Lung is still around, a living legend.
Jackie, of course, went on to become a global icon, but many purists argue he never topped this. Why? Because the Drunken Master 2 cast pushed him. Ken Lo pushed him physically. Lau Kar-leung pushed him technically. Anita Mui pushed him comedically.
Common Misconceptions About the Cast
A lot of people think this is a direct sequel to the 1978 Drunken Master. Cast-wise, it isn't. In the original, Simon Yuen played the Beggar So character (the mentor). Simon Yuen was actually the father of Yuen Woo-ping (the Matrix choreographer). He had passed away by the time the sequel was made.
So, instead of replacing the mentor, the sequel shifted the focus to the family. This was a brilliant move. It allowed the Drunken Master 2 cast to build something new rather than trying to recreate the lightning of the '70s.
Another weird fact: Bill Tung, who usually played Jackie's boss in the Police Story movies, isn't in this one. A lot of fans misremember him being there because he was such a staple of Jackie's '90s era. But the chemistry between Jackie and Ti Lung was so strong that you don't even miss the usual supporting crew.
Technical Mastery Meets Performance
We have to talk about the industrial fight again.
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Ken Lo's performance in that scene is a masterclass in villainy without many lines. He uses his body to express arrogance. The way he adjusts his suit or looks down his nose at Jackie while delivering a flurry of kicks is perfect.
The Drunken Master 2 cast performed under grueling conditions. The final scene involves Jackie falling into real burning coals. It wasn't a stunt double. It wasn't CGI. The reactions you see from the other actors in that sequence—the horror and the intensity—are largely real because they knew the stakes.
When you see the villains looking genuinely shocked at Jackie’s "drunken" movements, it works because the choreography was being invented on the fly. Jackie would often change the moves minutes before the camera rolled. The cast had to be elite martial artists just to keep up with the changes.
How to Appreciate Drunken Master 2 Today
If you’re going back to watch this, don’t just wait for the fights. Watch the dinner scenes. Watch the way Anita Mui manipulates the "traditional" father figure to save her son’s skin.
The movie is a comedy of manners as much as it is a martial arts epic.
The Drunken Master 2 cast represents the absolute peak of the Hong Kong studio system. It was a time when you could throw a Wushu champion, a pop queen, and a Shaw Brothers legend into a blender and get a masterpiece.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you want to truly appreciate what this cast did, you need to see the different versions.
- Seek out the original Cantonese dub. The English dubs often ruin the comedic timing of Anita Mui and Ti Lung. Their voices carry the weight of the characters in a way voice actors can't replicate.
- Watch the "Original" Drunken Master (1978). Compare Jackie's chemistry with Simon Yuen vs. his chemistry with Ti Lung. It shows how much he grew as an actor.
- Check out Ken Lo’s filmography. If you thought his kicking was a fluke, watch him in Invisible Target or Fatal Contact. The guy is a machine.
- Look for the "Uncut" ending. Depending on which version you have (the Miramax US release vs. the Hong Kong original), the very final scene is different. The original HK ending is much darker and shows the physical consequences of Fei-hung drinking industrial alcohol.
The Drunken Master 2 cast didn't just make a movie; they set a standard that has yet to be cleared. No one has matched that blend of physical risk and genuine character work since.
Go watch the tea house fight again. Pay attention to the background actors. Even the "extras" in this film were often trained members of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. Their ability to take a fall and sell the power of a punch is what makes Jackie look like a superhero. It was a team effort in the truest sense.