Ronny Yu

Born in Hong Kong, Ronny Yan-Tai Yu dreamed of making films since he was a child. At only 9 months of age, Yu contracted polio, resulting in a long recovery that prevented him from developing an active childhood and had to spend much time in isolation. To cope with the loneliness, Yu created fantasy worlds of his own, with furniture as props. As he grew older, his world of escape became the cinema, where he could immerse in grander, more exciting adventures. It was then that his passion to become a director began to grow. However, as the only son of a traditional Chinese family, film making was cast aside by the time he started college. Under pressure to take up the family business, Yu studied business instead and earned an MBA from Ohio University. Soon after graduation, a pivotal turning point occurred for Yu. His friend Philip Chan, a police lieutenant with acting ambitions, persuaded Yu to direct The Servant, a screenplay that he wrote based on his experiences in the police force