| Paul Courtenay Hyu | |
| Birth Place: | London, England |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Notable Works: | "ChineseElvis" |
Paul Courtenay Hyu is a British–Chinese actor, writer and director.[1] He works in English and German. He is sometimes credited as Paul Hyu, especially for his work as Elvis Impersonator, "ChineseElvis".
Hyu was born in London. He was educated at Ashville College in Harrogate, where he was Head of Briggs House and won the school's drama prize. He also won the school's German prize, though he did not continue to study the subject, instead taking Maths, Physics and Chemistry and General Studies at A-level.
He gained a place at the London Theatre School, where he studied under Barbara Buckmaster, Belinda Quirey MBE, Norman Ayrton and Charles Duff, winning Mike Loades' prize fight competition with Christopher Chaplin, son of Charlie Chaplin. He took over as Artistic Director of the multi award-winning Mu-Lan Theatre Company[2] from Glen Goei in 1997. Before the company closed due to a withdrawal of funding from the London Arts Board in 2005, he implemented the UK's first East Asian Youth Theatre and East Asian New Writing Programmes, working with the Shared Experience, Paines Plough and Royal Court Theatre theatre companies. He also created and wrote for the UK's first East Asian sketch comedy troupe, "Mu-Lan's Frying Circus", and he produced and directed the 1st British Chinese repertory theatre production of Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet at Basingstoke Haymarket and Jersey Opera House, set in Shanghai in the 1930s.[3] Under his leadership, Mu-Lan was nominated for the Manchester Evening News Awards (winner), Diverse Acts Award (winner), Carlton Multi-Cultural Achievement Award and the Peter Brook Empty Space Award. Hyu himself was nominated for a Chinese Community Pearl Award in 2006 for Excellence in Media.
Under the banner of Mu-Lan, Hyu wrote and starred in the controversial[4] 4-part C4 satirical TV sketch show, The Missing Chink.[5] [6] He was Associate Producer of the UK's first British Chinese sketch comedy TV show pilot, Sweet n Sour Comedy, produced by Baby Cow Productions.[7] [8] [9]
In 1999, as an actor, Hyu created the part of Timothy Wong, The Chinese Elvis in Charlotte Jones' award-winning play Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis at the Octagon Theatre Bolton.[10] He went on the play the part again in 2001 with Belinda Lang in the role of Martha and again lastly in 2007 with Maureen Lipman. Hyu's performance in this part in 1999 was so popular that he received multiple offers of work as an Elvis impersonator.[11] Living close to the famous Gracelands Palace Chinese Elvis restaurant on the Old Kent Road in South East London,[12] Hyu started working there as "ChineseElvis",[13] an Elvis Tribute character act,[14] who gained some fame in the UK most notably for fronting a national advertising campaign for AOL[15] and winning an International Elvis charity special edition of The Weakest Link, raising £5750 for the NSPCC.[16] In 2005, Hyu went back to Harrogate to perform as ChineseElvis as part of a gala night of fundraising for the Royal Hall.[17] Hyu stars in one of the videos made by Junkie XL for his 2002 worldwide hit remix of A Little Less Conversation.[18] Hyu has appeared at many London venues as ChineseElvis, including the Hippodrome, London, Oxo Tower, Annabel's, The Ivy as well as The Jolly Roger party boat in Barbados. People who have hired him for private functions include Sir Bob Geldof, Angelina Jolie, Richard Caring and Justin Lin.
| Year | Work | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Meet the Lees | Tony Chung | Also known as Fortune Cookies; Screen Northants | |
| 2018 | Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer | Wise Man IV | Warner Bros | |
| 2017 | A Christmas Prince | Deputy Press Secretary | Netflix | |
| 2014 | The Lovers and the Despot | Shin Sang-Ok | Hellflower | |
| 2001 | The Lost Battalion | Private Stanley Chinn | A&E | |
| 1999 | Wing Commander | Richardson | 20th Century Fox | |
| 1999 | Everybody Loves Sunshine | Ian | Gothic Films | |
| 1998 | The First 9 1/2 Weeks | Harry Long | Lions Gate | |
| 1995 | Detonator 2: The Nightwatch | CIA Technician | British Lion Film |
| Year | Work | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Doctors | 1 episode[19] | ||
| 2021 | Shakespeare & Hathaway Season 4 ep 9 [20] | Ben Yang | BBC production | |
| 2019 | Blue Moon | Martin | Daybreak Pictures (C4) production | |
| 2018 | Absentia Season 1 | Erick Shen | Sony TV Networks production for Amazon Prime | |
| 2017 | SOKO München[21] | Ngo Minh Hai | UFA Fiction production for ZDF | |
| 2016 | Vera Season 6 ep1 | Huang | ITV production | |
| Doctor Who Episode: "Sleep No More" | Deep-Ando | BBC production | ||
| 2014 | Happy Valley | Mickey Yip | BBC production | |
| 2011 | Not Going Out | Karaoke Host | BBC production | |
| 2009 | Coronation Street | Dr. Martin | ITV production | |
| 2008 | Rather You Than Me[22] | Dr. Ling | BBC production | |
| 2008 | EastEnders | Dr. Theara | BBC production | |
| 2006 | Bad Crowd | Wayne | Tiger Aspect production | |
| 2005 | Funland | Bryan | BBC production | |
| 2004 | The Marchioness Disaster (tv film) | Jonathan Phang | ITV production | |
| 2003 | The Bill | Jake Cousins | ITV production | |
| 2002 | Casualty | Dr. Tom Bardley | BBC production | |
| 2001 | Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible | Inspector Fong of Scotland Yard | BBC production | |
| 1995 | Echt Harder | David Li | Objectiv Film GmbH production for RTL | |
| 1993 | One Foot in the Grave | Youth in Takeaway | BBC production | |
| 1992 | The Blackheath Poisonings | Oriental Gentleman | ITV productions |
| Year | Work | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Prison Warden | Also Additional voices | ||
| 2019 | Yuan Shao (plus expansion pack vs Cao Cao) | SEGA | ||
| 2018 | World Filler Characters | English version | ||
| 2012 | 007 Legends | Goldfinger Soldier / Breeder | Also Additional voices | |
| 2011 | Additional Voices | |||
| 2010 | Additional Voices | |||
| 2010 | Just Cause 2 | Government Pilot (lead role) | ||
| 2004 | Vietnamese Point Man (reprised role) | |||
| 2004 | Vietnamese Point Man (reprised role) | |||
| 2003 | Tau Trooper | |||
| 2002 | Vietcong | Vietnamese Point Man (starring role) | ||
| 2001 | Dropship Pilot (lead role) | |||
| 2000 | Hitman (franchise) | Chinatown Voices (every voice) |
| Year | Production | Role | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Chinese Elvis presents: The Diverse Elvis Spectrum[23] | Chinese Elvis | Colchester Arts Centre | |
| 2019 | This is What Happens To Pretty Girls[24] | Charles Lee Purvis | Pangdemonium, Singapore | |
| 2018 | Othellomacbeth | Brabantio / Duncan | Lyric Theatre Hammersmith | |
| 2009 | Breakfast at Tiffany's | Party Guest | Theatre Royal, Haymarket | |
| 2007 | Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis[25] | Timothy Wong | Birmingham Repertory Theatre, No 1 Tour | |
| 2003 | US and Them | Maynard, Timothy, Waiter | Hampstead Theatre | |
| 2001 | Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis[26] | Timothy Wong | Watford Palace | |
| 1999 | Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis[27] | Timothy Wong | Octagon Theatre Bolton, Liverpool Everyman | |
| 1998 | Take Away | Stephen | Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith) London | |
| 1997 | The Fantasticks[28] | Mute | Singapore Repertory Theatre, Singapore | |
| 1996 | New Territories | White, Pig | Yellow Earth Theatre, London | |
| 1995 | The Wind in the Willows | Rabbit, Parkinson | ||
| 1993 | The Magic Fundoshi[29] | Maid, Taro, priest | Singapore Repertory Theatre, Singapore | |
| 1993 | Three Japanese Women | Hoji | ||
| 1992–94 | Miss Saigon | Phan | Theatre Royal, Drury Lane | |
| 1992 | The Merchant of Venice | Lorenzo / Prince of Morocco | Sherman Theatre | |
| 1991 | Hiawatha[30] | Hiawatha | Royal Lyceum Theatre | |
| 1990–91 | Titus Andronicus | Aaron | CCQ, Dusseldorf | |
| 1990 | M. Butterfly | Comrade Chin | Deutsches Schauspielhaus |
| Year | Work | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | A Many Splendoured Thing[31] | Humphrey/Third Uncle | BBC radio 4 |
| 2021 | The Fourth Doctor Adventures; Daughter of Destruction | Genghis Khan/Guard | Big Finish Productions |
| 2020 | Doctor Who: The Early Adventures[32] | Oddiyana | Big Finish Productions |
| 2019 | Doctor Who: Wicked Sisters | Wei/Mark/Wade | Big Finish Productions |
| 2018 | Enigma of China; Inspector Chen Novels[33] | Detective Wei | BBC radio 4 |
| 2018 | Jenny The Doctor's Daughter: Neon Reign[34] | Po | Big Finish Productions |
| 2017 | Lights, Camera, Kidnap![35] | Shin Sang-Ok | BBC radio 4 |
| 2016 | Tracks[36] | Man Seok | BBC radio 4 |
| 2015 | Dostoevsky & The Chickens[37] | Chief | BBC radio 3 |
| 2012 | Stargate SG-1: An Eye For an Eye[38] | Lieutenant Col. Yin | Big Finish Productions |
| 2010 | The Patience of Mr Job[39] | Mr Lucy | BBC radio 4 |
| 2010 | The Secret Pilgrim[40] | Henry, Thug | BBC radio 4 |
| 2010 | The Honorable Schoolboy[41] | Charlie Marshall[42] | BBC radio 4 |
| 2009 | Rendezvous with Rama[43] | Li Kwok | BBC radio 4 |
| 2009 | The Gold Farmer[44] | Chao | BBC radio 4 |
| 2008 | The Letter[45] | Ong Chi Sen | BBC radio 4 |
| 2007 | The Lover[46] | The Lover | BBC radio 4 |
| 2005 | The Story of the Stone | Bao-Yu | BBC World Service |
| 1991 | Herge – The Adventures of Tin Tin; Tin Tin in Tibet | Chang | BBC radio 4 |