---
name: "Wu Nien-jen"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/wu-nien-jen"
fi1m_id: "wu-nien-jen"
imdb_id: "nm0943150"
tmdb_id: 143036
wikidata_id: "Q3570139"
roles: ["Actor","Writer"]
born: "5 August 1952"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-26T03:12:03.284070+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Wu Nien-jen

## Identity

Wu Nien-jen

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/wu-nien-jen
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** wu-nien-jen
- **IMDb ID:** nm0943150
- **TMDB ID:** 143036
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3570139
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Nien-jen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3570139, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943150/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/143036

Actor and writer. Born 5 August 1952 in Juifang, Taipei, Taiwan.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Writer
- **Born:** 5 August 1952, Juifang, Taipei, Taiwan
- **Active:** 1989–2000
- **Also known as:** 吳念真, 吳明瑞, Wu Ming-swi, Nien-Jen Wu, Wu Nian-Zhen, Wu Niann-Jen, N. J. Wu, Wu Nien-Chen, Ng Lim-Chan, Wu Wen-Chin, 吳文欽
- **Frequently works with:** [Chiu Fu-sheng](https://film.one/person/yau-fook-sang.md), [Chu Tien-Wen](https://film.one/person/chu-tien-wen.md), [Hou Hsiao-hsien](https://film.one/person/hou-hsiao-hsien.md)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Nien-jen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3570139, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943150/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/143036

## Biography

Wu Nien-jen (Chinese: 吳念真) is a Taiwanese screenwriter, director and author. Born on 5 August 1952 in Ruifang Township, Taipei County (now New Taipei City), he studied accounting at Fu Jen Catholic University and began writing screenplays in the late 1970s.

He became one of the leading figures of the New Taiwanese Cinema movement, writing more than 70 screenplays. His credits include *That Day, on the Beach* (1983), *Dust in the Wind* (1986), *A City of Sadness* (1989, also appearing as Mr. Wu) and *The Puppetmaster* (1993), all directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien, as well as work with Edward Yang. He has won multiple Golden Horse Awards for screenwriting.

Wu made his directorial debut with *A Borrowed Life* (1994) and has also acted in films, notably as NJ in Yang's *Yi Yi* (2000).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Yi Yi* (2000), Fi1m 92, as NJ — [page](https://film.one/film/yi-yi.md)

## Complete filmography (98)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Fly! Mountain Hawk-Eagle* (2026), as (narrator)
- *Free Beats: The Musical Journey of CHEN Ming Chang* (2023), Actor
- *Caring for Black-Faced Spoonbill* (2023), as (narrator)
- *Day Off* (2023), Executive Producer
- *Twelve Nights 2: Back to Day Zero* (2020), as Narrator
- *Why Watch Yi Yi: A One and a Two...* (2020), as N.J. (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *My Egg Boy* (2016), as Old Egg Boy
- *Fly, Kite Fly* (2015), as Narrator
- *The Boar King* (2014), Actor
- *Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above* (2013), as Narrator
- *Zone Pro Site: The Moveable Feast* (2013), as Master Silly Mortal
- *Beautiful 2013* (2013), Director
- *10 Plus 10* (2011), Director
- *Somewhere I Have Never Travelled* (2009), Executive Producer
- *The Year of Happiness and Love* (2009), series, as Chen Ding He
- *Island Etude* (2006), as Tour Bus Driver
- *Pure Accidents* (2000), Actor
- *Yi Yi* (2000), as NJ — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/yi-yi.md)
- *Chivalrous Legend* (1998), Writer
- *Mahjong* (1996), as Gangster in Black Suit
- *Buddha Bless America* (1996), Writer, Director
- *Super Citizen Ko* (1995), Screenplay
- *A Borrowed Life* (1995), Writer, Director
- *Forever Friends* (1995), Screenplay
- *Kangaroo Man* (1995), as An Chen-li
- *The Puppetmaster* (1993), Writer
- *End of the Road* (1993), Screenplay
- *Hill of No Return* (1992), Writer
- *Joe-Goody* (1992), Writer
- *My American Grandson* (1991), Writer
- *Zodiac Killers* (1991), Writer
- *Fatal Recall* (1991), Screenplay
- *Song of the Exile* (1990), Writer
- *Sunless Days* (1990), Writer
- *A City of Sadness* (1989), as Mr. Wu · Writer
- *The Dull-Ice Flower* (1989), Writer
- *Honor Thy Father* (1989), Screenplay
- *Lessons of the Playground* (1989), Screenplay
- *Two Painters* (1989), Screenplay
- *Winter Break* (1989), Screenplay
- *All for Tomorrow* (1988), Screenplay
- *I Love Mary* (1988), Actor
- *Lao ke de zui hou yi ge chun tian* (1988), Writer
- *Gangland Odyssey* (1988), Screenplay, Script Consultant
- *The Third Bridge* (1988), Writer
- *Sir, Tell Me Why?* (1988), Screenplay
- *Young and Happy School Music* (1988), Screenplay
- *Autumn Tempest* (1988), Screenplay
- *Daughter of the Nile* (1987), as Tutor
- *Be My Lovely Child Again* (1987), Writer
- *Osmanthus Alley* (1987), Writer
- *The Two of Us* (1987), Screenplay
- *Love Is Grown with Flower* (1987), Writer
- *Dust in the Wind* (1986), Writer
- *The Campus Incidents* (1986), Screenplay
- *Myth of a City* (1985), Writer
- *Ghost Chasers* (1985), Screenplay
- *Taipei Story* (1985), as Chen
- *My Favorite Season* (1985), as Bi Bao-liang's brother-in-law
- *The Loser, the Hero* (1985), Screenplay
- *Taste of Mercy* (1985), Writer
- *Wu Nu* (1985), Screenplay
- *One Bright Day* (1985), Screenplay
- *Story of a Bride* (1985), Screenplay
- *The First Stitch* (1984), Screenplay
- *The Woman of Wrath* (1984), Writer
- *Old Mao's Second Spring* (1984), Writer
- *Nature Is Quietly Beautiful* (1984), Screenplay
- *Impending War* (1984), Screenplay
- *North South West East* (1984), Screenplay
- *Wanpi Nansheng Qiao Nusheng* (1984), Screenplay
- *All the King's Men* (1983), Screenplay
- *The Sandwich Man* (1983), Writer
- *That Day, on the Beach* (1983), as Piano Tuner · Writer
- *Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing?* (1983), Writer
- *Send in the Clowns* (1983), Screenplay
- *Traveller* (1983), Screenplay
- *Is Q Still Alive?* (1983), Screenplay
- *Portrait of a Fanatic* (1982), Story
- *I Shall Return* (1982), Screenplay
- *The Switch* (1982), Screenplay
- *A Lily in the Valley* (1982), Screenplay
- *Return of the Electric Love* (1982), Screenplay
- *Super Warrior* (1982), Screenplay
- *Taipei Sweet Heart* (1982), Screenplay
- *The City* (1982), Screenplay
- *The Graduation Trip* (1982), Screenplay
- *Dangerous Seventeen* (1982), Screenplay
- *Spring Fever* (1981), Screenplay
- *The Merry Couple* (1981), Screenplay
- *Classmate* (1981), Screenplay
- *Kuo-Hao Crams for College* (1981), Screenplay
- *Once We Were Together* (1981), Screenplay
- *Young People's Desire* (1980), Screenplay
- *Sailing for Tomorrow* (1980), Screenplay
- *Gone with Honor* (1979), Screenplay
- *The Blind Love* (1979), Screenplay
- *The Fellow Who Rejected College* (1979), Screenplay

## Gallery

- ![吳念真致詞 (2020)](https://film.one/media/person/3927497/gallery-f072ad537479.jpg) 吳念真致詞 (2020) — 總統府, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Wu_Nien-jen_%28%E5%90%B3%E5%BF%B5%E7%9C%9F%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![吳念真致詞 (2020)](https://film.one/media/person/3927497/gallery-d31d6afe69a7.jpg) 吳念真致詞 (2020) — 總統府, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/06.25_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%81%95%E5%90%8C%E5%89%AF%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%87%BA%E5%B8%AD%E3%80%8C%E7%AB%AF%E5%8D%88%E8%AC%9D%E5%B9%B3%E5%AE%89_%E8%97%9D%E6%96%87%E5%A4%A7%E5%8C%AF%E6%BC%94%E3%80%8D%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95_%2850043581423%29.jpg/1280px-06.25_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%81%95%E5%90%8C%E5%89%AF%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%87%BA%E5%B8%AD%E3%80%8C%E7%AB%AF%E5%8D%88%E8%AC%9D%E5%B9%B3%E5%AE%89_%E8%97%9D%E6%96%87%E5%A4%A7%E5%8C%AF%E6%BC%94%E3%80%8D%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95_%2850043581423%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![吳念真在國家電影及視聽文化中心楊德昌導演回顧展電影《一一》映後座談，結束後與粉絲合影並簽名。 (2023)](https://film.one/media/person/3927497/gallery-ee25d2a5d803.jpg) 吳念真在國家電影及視聽文化中心楊德昌導演回顧展電影《一一》映後座談，結束後與粉絲合影並簽名。 (2023) — Meidosensei（茗堂先生）, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Wu_Nien-jen_at_TFAI_20230917.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Official Photo by Wang Yu Ching / Office of the President (2020)](https://film.one/media/person/3927497/gallery-6fce97992c0b.jpg) Official Photo by Wang Yu Ching / Office of the President (2020) — 總統府, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/06.25_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%81%95%E5%90%8C%E5%89%AF%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%87%BA%E5%B8%AD%E3%80%8C%E7%AB%AF%E5%8D%88%E8%AC%9D%E5%B9%B3%E5%AE%89_%E8%97%9D%E6%96%87%E5%A4%A7%E5%8C%AF%E6%BC%94%E3%80%8D%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95_%2850043594053%29.jpg/1280px-06.25_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%81%95%E5%90%8C%E5%89%AF%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%87%BA%E5%B8%AD%E3%80%8C%E7%AB%AF%E5%8D%88%E8%AC%9D%E5%B9%B3%E5%AE%89_%E8%97%9D%E6%96%87%E5%A4%A7%E5%8C%AF%E6%BC%94%E3%80%8D%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95_%2850043594053%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Official Photo by Wang Yu Ching / Office of the President (2020)](https://film.one/media/person/3927497/gallery-8ca0771cefbf.jpg) Official Photo by Wang Yu Ching / Office of the President (2020) — 總統府, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/06.25_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%81%95%E5%90%8C%E5%89%AF%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%87%BA%E5%B8%AD%E3%80%8C%E7%AB%AF%E5%8D%88%E8%AC%9D%E5%B9%B3%E5%AE%89_%E8%97%9D%E6%96%87%E5%A4%A7%E5%8C%AF%E6%BC%94%E3%80%8D%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95_%2850043590678%29.jpg/1280px-06.25_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%81%95%E5%90%8C%E5%89%AF%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E5%87%BA%E5%B8%AD%E3%80%8C%E7%AB%AF%E5%8D%88%E8%AC%9D%E5%B9%B3%E5%AE%89_%E8%97%9D%E6%96%87%E5%A4%A7%E5%8C%AF%E6%BC%94%E3%80%8D%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95_%2850043590678%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Asia's Most Influential Taiwan 2021: Asia's Most Influential Taiwan (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/wu-nien-jen