# Chen Tianwen

Chen Tianwen (born 28 May 1963) is a Singaporean actor.

## Career

Chen was educated at the now-defunct Serangoon Garden Secondary Technical School. He joined the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (now Mediacorp) after completing the 5th artiste drama training class and made his debut in 1984. He is contracted to Mediacorp, starring in many Chinese-language Singaporean dramas shown on MediaCorp Channel 8 since the 1990s. He has also starred in Singaporean movies including Ah Boys to Men, Ah Boys to Men 2, Ilo Ilo, The Lion Men, The Lion Men: Ultimate Showdown, Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen, Mr. Unbelievable, Lulu the Movie and Take 2.
Chen holds a black belt in taekwondo and his martial arts background led to him being cast in many Wuxia dramas in the 1990s and as characters with fight scenes in other drama series. He is also a member of the Singapore Celebrity Soccer Team.
The Straits Times remarked that Chen's "much-praised understated turn" in the Cannes Film Festival award-winning film Ilo Ilo put him in the spotlight once again.
Chen hit the headlines again when two parody music videos he starred in, went viral. The first, titled "Unbelievable", was "lauded" for the nonsensical line "I so stunned like vegetable" [sic], drawing the attention of Time magazine, while the second, "Sandcastle in My Heart", in which Irene Ang also starred, did not become as popular as the previous one. Both videos are a parody of popular Chinese MVs in the 1970s, particularly the work of Singaporean singer Huang Qing Yuan.

## Personal life

Chen told Channel NewsAsia that he and Bao Xiao Hui, a Mongolian, were married in May 2014. The couple had a son named Genghis Chan, who was born on 12 June 2015.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2012 | Ah Boys to Men | Mr. Jin, Aloysius' father |
| 2013 | Ah Boys to Men 2 | Mr. Jin, Aloysius' father |
| 2013 | Ilo Ilo | Lim Teck |
| 2014 | The Lion Men | Master He |
| 2014 | The Lion Men: Ultimate Showdown | Master He |
| 2015 | Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen | Mr. Jin, Aloysius father |
| 2015 | Mr. Unbelievable | Eric Kwek Hock Seng |
| 2016 | Lulu the Movie | Brad Pit |
| 2017 | Take 2 | Di Tie |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | The Awakening | | |
| 1984 | Youth (年轻人之奎笼恋歌) | Wang Xiaoda | |
| 1985 | The Young Heroes (少年英雄) | Chen Tiezhu | |
| 1985 | Unyielding Butterflies (铁蝴蝶) | Meng Chuqiao | |
| 1985 | Man from the Past (大侠吴三奇) | Wu Sanqi | |
| 1986 | The Sword and the Song | Zhao Guangyi | |
| 1986 | First Step (踏上征途) | Li Jianhui | |
| 1986 | Men of Valour (盗日英雄传) | Yue Feng | |
| 1987 | Moving On (变迁) | Zhuang Rongguang | |
| 1988 | Ups and Downs (婚姻保险) | Deng Qianfan | |
| 1988 | Teahouse in Chinatown (牛车水人家) | Chen Defu | |
| 1988 | The Last Applause (舞榭歌台) | Shen Desheng | |
| 1988 | Airforce | Wu Hongfa | |
| 1989 | Turn of the Tide (浮沉) | Gu Yongsheng | |
| 1989 | Magic of Dance (鼓舞青春) | | |
| 1990 | Navy (壮志豪情) | Xie Wenhuai | |
| 1990 | Village Hero (大吉传奇) | Zheng Tong | |
| 1991 | Legend of a Beauty (一代天骄) | Ye Feng | |
| 1991 | The Last Swordsman (最后一个大侠) | Liu Sheng Ci Lang | |
| 1991 | Private Eyes (妙探智多星) | Gao Guangyi | |
| 1991 | Behind Bars (铁狱雷霆) | Feng Lingzheng | |
| 1992 | Woman of Substance (悲欢岁月) | Hong Hui | |
| 1993 | Web of Deceit (鹤啸九天) | Zhu Zihe | |
| 1993 | The Great Conspiracy (莲花争霸) | Nan Gongjian | |
| 1993 | Endless Love (未了缘) | Yu Jiahui | |
| 1993 | Angel of Vengeance (暴雨狂花) | Wang Jiahui | |
| 1993 | Heavenly Beings (再战封神榜) | Hu Jiansheng | |
| 1994 | Silk and Romance (情丝万缕) | Shao Wenxuan | |
| 1994 | Challenger (勇者无惧) | Li Jin | |
| 1994 | Thunder Plot (惊天大阴谋) | Li Baoluo | |
| 1994 | Men on the Edge (帮会1889) | | |
| 1994 | Young Justice Bao (侠义包公) | Di Qing | |
| 1995 | The Shadow Mission (地下猎人) | Lin Hanbiao | |
| 1995 | Heavenly Ghost Catcher (天师钟馗) | | |
| 1995 | Heartbeat (医胆仁心) | Lin Yuanda | |
| 1996 | Life on the Line (魂断四面佛) | Superintendent | |
| 1996 | Kung Fu Master 1996 (掌门人1996) | Chen Zhi | |
| 1997 | Sword and Honour (铁血男儿) | Zheng He | |
| 1997 | The Royal Monk (真命小和尚) | Iron Bucket | |
| 1997 | The Gods Must Be Rich (财神到) | Pai Guwang | |
| 1998 | Legend of the Eight Immortals | The Evil Dragon | |
| 1998 | The Royal Monk 2 (真命小和尚之十二铜人) | Iron Bucket | |
| 1999 | From the Medical Files 2 (医生档案2) | Zhou Yuhui | |
| 1999 | Back to School (摩登状元) | Liao Guoren | |
| 1999 | Out to Win (步步为赢) | Xu Mingquan | |
| 1999 | Legends of Ne Zha (莲花童子－哪吒) | Shen Gongbao | |
| 2000 | The Legendary Swordsman | Tian Boguang | |
| 2000 | Luan Shi Pian Xia (乱世骗侠) | | |
| 2001 | The Hotel | Raymond Boo | |
| 2001 | Beyond the Axis of Truth | Li Zeyuan | |
| 2001 | My Genie (我爱精灵) | | |
| 2002 | Kopi-O II | Shen Jianren | |
| 2002 | No Problem! (考试家族) | | |
| 2002 | Bukit Ho Swee | Feng Sidong | |
| 2003 | A Toast of Love | Wu Guanghui | |
| 2003 | Holland V | Gao Tianxiang | |
| 2003 | Health Matters 2 (一切由慎开始2) | Lin Xiangfeng | |
| 2004 | Devil's Blues (叛逆战队) | | |
| 2004 | A Child's Hope 2 (孩有明天2) | | |
| 2004 | Man at Forty | Wang Shaoqi | |
| 2004 | Double Happiness | William | |
| 2004 | Double Happiness II | William | |
| 2005 | The Dragon Heroes | Xiang Hai | |
| 2006 | Love at 0°C | Liao Qunfang | |
| 2006 | CID | Li Fuzhong | |
| 2006 | Magical Hands (猜心妙手) | | |
| 2007 | Kinship 2 | Chen Anxin | |
| 2007 | Kinship | Chen Anxin | |
| 2007 | Mars vs Venus | Ah Wu | |
| 2007 | Let It Shine | Lin Youwei's father | |
| 2008 | Love Blossoms | Lu Gua | |
| 2008 | Love Blossoms II | Lu Gua | |
| 2008 | By My Side | Andy | |
| 2009 | Mr & Mrs Kok (妙探夫妻档) | | |
| 2009 | My School Daze | Ma Guoliang | |
| 2010 | Happy Family | Dong Jingxing | |
| 2010 | New Beginnings | Chen Congming | |
| 2010 | No Limits | Ou Yingxiong | |
| 2010 | Unriddle | Chai Dexing | |
| 2011 | On the Fringe | Luo Biao | |
| 2012 | Unriddle 2 | Hei Tian | |
| 2012 | Poetic Justice | Huang-ge | |
| 2012 | It Takes Two | Opposition Party Lao Cai | |
| 2013 | Sudden | Chen Huiwu | |
| 2013 | Disclosed | Zhang Youguo | |
| 2014 | Yes We Can! | Jiang Wen | |
| 2014 | 118 | Zhang Tiancheng | |
| 2015 | Life Is Beautiful | Albert Zhang | |
| 2016 | Don't Worry, Be Healthy | Hong Maoqiang | |
| 2016 | The Dream Job | Zhang Mingde | |
| 2016 | C.L.I.F. 4 | Zhao Xuewei | |
| 2016 | K.O. | Li Chengda | |
| 2016 | Hero | Guan A-li | |
| 2016 | 118 II | Zhang Tiancheng | |
| 2017 | Eat Already? 2 | Pineapple Head | |
| 2018 | Mind Matters | Lu Liangsheng | |
| 2018 | Life Less Ordinary | Curry Puff | |
| 2018 | VIC | Security Guard | Cameo |
| 2018 | Heart To Heart | Wu Liang | |
| 2019 | Hello From The Other Side (阴错阳差) | Da Niu | |
| 2019 | Hello From The Other Side - Its Time (阴错阳差 – 时辰到) | Da Niu | Cameo |
| 2019 | C.L.I.F. 5 | Lucas Chew | |
| 2019 | The Good Fight (致胜出击) | Yan Dongshan | |
| 2020 | My Guardian Angels (单翼天使) | Ye Jinquan | |
| 2020 | A Jungle Survivor (森林生存记) | Dong Suncheng | |
| 2020 | Super Dad (男神不败) | Ah Jin | |
| 2020 | Mister Flower (花花公子) | Zhu Guodong | |
| 2021 | Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories@Job Haunting | Heng | |
| 2021 | Key Witness (关键证人) | Li Tianyun | |
| 2021 | Watch Out! Alexius (小心啊！谢宇航) | Li Taibai | |
| 2021 | So Old yet So Young (心里住着老灵魂) | Wu Lihao | |
| 2022 | Dark Angel (黑天使) | Fang Zhengde | |
| 2022 | Soul Doctor (灵医) | Wu Zhenhe | |
| 2022 | You Can Be An Angel 4 (你也可以是天使4) | Liu Zhihai | |
| 2022 | In Safe Hands (守护星) | Qian Caishun | |
| 2023 | Cash on Delivery | Qian | |
| 2023 | Whatever Will Be, Will Be | House owner | Dialect series & Cameo |

## Discography
### Compilation albums

| Year | English title | Mandarin title |
| 2009 | MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 09 | 新传媒福牛迎端年 |
| 2013 | MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 13 | 新传媒金蛇献祥福 |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Organisation | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1997 | Star Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Royal Monk (as Tie Tong) | Nominated |
| 1997 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Won |
| 1998 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2000 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2001 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2002 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2010 | Star Awards | Unforgettable Villain | Love Blossoms II (as Lu Gua) | Nominated |
| 2013 | 50th Golden Horse Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Ilo Ilo | Nominated |
| 2016 | Star Awards | Best Supporting Actor | 118(as Zhang Tiancheng) | Nominated |
| 2016 | Star Awards | Best Evergreen Artiste | 118(as Zhang Tiancheng) | Nominated |
| 2016 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2017 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2021 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2022 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |
| 2022 | Star Awards | Most Hated Villain | Mister Flower (as Zhu Guodong) | Nominated |
| 2023 | Star Awards | Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated |