Robin Shou is the youngest of five children born to a Shanghai tailor and homemaker. In 1971, his family relocated to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, where they resided in a two-bedroom apartment near Olympic and Vermont, now known as Koreatown.
Initially, Shou did not engage in martial arts until the age of 19, when he began taking Kenpo (Karate) classes at California State University. However, he soon realized that Karate did not resonate with him and discontinued his training. A year and a half later, he witnessed a demonstration by a group of Wu Shu practitioners from Beijing, which deeply inspired him to learn this discipline.
In 1981, before starting his senior year at California State University, Shou sold his car and used the proceeds to spend a quarter studying Wu Shu in China. His parents remained unaware of his whereabouts until his aunt informed his mother that her son was in Nanjing.
Shou returned to California State University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He spent a year and a half working in this field, but eventually became disenchanted, finding computer and electronics unfulfilling. The only thing that sustained him was his passion for martial arts.
In an attempt to rekindle his sense of purpose, Shou traveled to Hong Kong, planning to take a break and reflect. Shortly after his arrival, he was offered the opportunity to appear in a film as a stuntman, which led to a string of small roles in action films. When not working on films, Shou enjoys engaging in various creative pursuits, such as taking ceramic classes, painting, welding, and woodworking.
Shou's first dramatic role was in the 1990 TV film Forbidden Nights, where he co-starred alongside Melissa Gilbert. This marked his American debut and a significant milestone in his Hollywood career. He returned to Hong Kong, continuing to act in films, but eventually became disillusioned with the industry and decided to take a hiatus.
In 1994, Shou returned to Los Angeles and started an import/export business. However, he received a call from his agent, urging him to audition for a role in the film Mortal Kombat (1995). Initially, Shou was uninterested, assuming he would be cast as a villain who meets a grisly demise. After seven auditions, he landed the role of Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat (1995),alongside other notable contenders like Jason Scott Lee, Russell Wong, and Dustin Nguyen.
