Stephen made his acting debut in Forbidden Nights (1990). Since then he has starred in more than 40 films and became a household name in China. In 2004, Stephen wrote/directed/starred in his feature film directorial debut, Enter the Phoenix, for Jackie Chan's newly formed company JCE Movies Limited; it became an instant hit. His second directing/starring feature, House of Fury, Stephen's first collaboration with legendary action Director Yuen Woo-ping proved to be a success. House of Fury was the opening selection for the Hong Kong International Film Festival 2005, official selection for the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival, and the highest grossing Hong Kong film for the first half of 2005.