What is Michael Chow's Net Worth?
Michael Chow is a Chinese-American actor, interior designer, and restaurateur with a net worth of $300 million. He is best known for founding the upscale Mr Chow restaurant chain, which began in London in 1968 and has since expanded to Beverly Hills, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, and more. As an actor, Chow has appeared in notable films like "The Savage Innocents," "Joanna," "Hammett," "Lethal Weapon 4," and the "Rush Hour" series.
Early Life and Education
Born Zhou Yinghua on March 7, 1939, in Shanghai, China, Michael Chow is the son of legendary Peking Opera actor Zhou Xinfang. His mother came from an affluent tea dynasty family. Chow has a sister named Tsai Chin, an accomplished actress, singer, and director. At age 12, he was sent to a boarding school in the UK and later attended Saint Martin's School of Art and Hammersmith School of Building and Architecture.
Career Beginnings
Chow began his business journey by opening the London hair salon Smith and Hawes with Robin Sutherland. The salon was later sold to famed hairdresser Leonard of Grosvenor Square, who renamed it Leonard and Twiggy.
Mr Chow
In early 1968, Michael Chow founded Mr Chow, an upscale restaurant serving Pekinese Chinese cuisine, in Knightsbridge, London. The restaurant quickly attracted famous diners such as Federico Fellini, Jeanne Moreau, Frank Sinatra, and the Beatles. In 1974, the first U.S. location opened in Beverly Hills, frequented by stars like Jack Nicholson, Billy Wilder, and Anjelica Huston. In 1978, a location opened in Manhattan, drawing celebrities like Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Madonna. Additional locations opened in Miami, Malibu, and Las Vegas.
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Film Career
Michael Chow debuted in the 1958 juvenile delinquent drama "Violent Playground," appearing with his sister Tsai Chin. He continued acting with roles in Nicholas Ray's "The Savage Innocents" and historical films "Marco Polo" and "55 Days at Peking." In 1966, he appeared in the spy comedy "Modesty Blaise" and crime film "The Brides of Fu Manchu." Chow and his sister again shared the screen in the 1967 James Bond film "You Only Live Twice." He then appeared in "The Touchables" and "Joanna" in 1968.
After a decade away from the movies, Chow returned in 1978 with "Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?" and appeared later in Wim Wenders' "Hammett" in 1982. In 1993, he was in "Dream Lover" and portrayed himself in 1996's "Basquiat." He also acted in "Lethal Weapon 4," "Rush Hour," "Rush Hour 2," and "Rush Hour 3." In 2009, he appeared in "My Sister's Keeper," based on Jodi Picoult's novel.
Real Estate
In 1991, Michael Chow and his wife Eva bought a property on South Mapleton Drive in Holmby Hills for $3.5 million. Over seven years, they built a 30,000 square-foot mansion modeled after Madrid's Reina Sofia museum, reflecting the couple's impressive art and furniture collection. In 2018, they listed the house for sale at $78 million. Nearby neighbors include the Playboy Mansion and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Jimmy Iovine and Diddy.
Parallel to his ventures in business and acting, Chow has had a fruitful career in painting and architecture. He has participated in numerous gallery shows in London and designed all of his own restaurants. Additionally, Chow designed Giorgio Armani's stores in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, as well as his home in Los Angeles. In the 2010s, he held solo exhibitions in Hong Kong and Beijing and remains a prominent collector of contemporary art and furniture.
Personal Life
Michael Chow has experienced several marriages. In 1968, he married Welsh model and Vogue creative director Grace Coddington, but the marriage ended in 1969. In 1972, he married jewelry designer and model Tina Lutz, with whom he had two children, China and Maximilian, before divorcing in 1989. His third marriage was to Eva Chun in 1992, with whom he had a child named Asia; they divorced in 2017. In 2019, Chow married Vanessa Rano, and they have two children, Phoenix and Skye.
