Ink Factory has completed the supporting cast of the Chinese version of “The Night Manager” series, naming six cast members and two special appearances for the premiere on Youku in late 2026. The news was announced in conjunction with the company’s appearance at Filmart in Hong Kong this week.
In addition to the previously announced actors Eddie Peng and Sean Lau as main characters Jonathan Chan and weapons king Richard Kwok, Isabella Leung as Kwok’s girlfriend Jed Chan, and Carman Lee as ICAC agent Angela Fok, supporting actors include Michael Dao, Frederick Li, George Oh, Alan Luk, Justin Chu, and Elizabeth Tan, with special appearances by Karl Ng and Amy Lo.
One of the most noteworthy castings is Dao. His character, Peter Kong, is Kwok’s uncle, a newly written role that has no direct equivalent in le Carré’s original novel. Although Dao and Lau trained together at TVB’s Artist Training Class in 1983 and have both become staples of Hong Kong film culture in the decades since, the two have not appeared on screen together in nearly 35 years.
Malaysian actor Frederick Lee stars as Kwok’s chief of security, Ken Lai, who is the equivalent of Lance “Corky” Corcoran in the novel. Lee won the 2024 Asian Television Award for Best Actor for his work in “Taiwan Crime Stories.” George Oh, fresh off his role in Left on Read, plays Franco, Ken Lai’s son and another original work positioned as a trusted figure in Kwok’s orbit.
The two special appearances each have their own interests. Amy Lo, who is of Cantonese and Costa Rican descent, plays Ah Bo, a woman from Jonathan Chan’s past. Ah Bo reappears in his life and begins a central undercover operation. Alongside his film work, Law has been building a music career, releasing four singles and winning several awards since his debut last year. Carl Ng, whose father is Hong Kong comedy luminary Richard Ng, plays Harry Galligan, an Irish intelligence agent known as “Happy Joe,” whose personal history with Jonathan Chung becomes a source of friction throughout the series. Law and Ng have worked with Reid’s Penn before.
Completing the ICAC unit surrounding Carman Lee’s character are Alan Luk as Man Tai, Justin Chu as Ricky, and Elizabeth Tan as Bai Hui. Tan has been receiving awards attention recently, having been nominated for Best Supporting Actress at both the Golden Horse Awards and the upcoming Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance in “Girlfriends.”
Simon and Stephen Cornwell, founders and co-CEOs of The Ink Factory, said the project enabled them to serve people at different stages of their careers. “Like the original British version, this adaptation of The Night Manager is a great vehicle for established actors and exciting new stars alike to explore the layered and complex characters of le Carré’s novel,” they said. “We also enjoy creating new roles in the spirit of le Carré and the world of the original, adding new dimensions and fresh angles to this bold and original retelling of this classic story.”
Alistair Jennings, executive vice president of Asia Pacific sales and partnerships at Fifth Season, which holds global distribution rights outside mainland China, pointed to the IP’s enduring commercial appeal. “Since its first television broadcast 10 years ago, ‘The Night Manager’ has continued to excite and delight fans around the world,” he said. “This new Chinese version is set against the backdrop of Thailand, Macau and Hong Kong, and brings together some of Asia’s most beloved talent from across the region. We are proud to work with our partners at The Ink Factory and 127 Wall Productions to bring this premium, highly authentic pan-Asian production to Hong Kong’s International Film & Television Market (Filmart) this week.”
The series was filmed in Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, and Phuket, transposing le Carré’s espionage framework to a modern Asian setting. The film is being produced by Hong Kong director Kelvin Kinlong Chan (“Hand-Rolled Cigarettes”), based on a script by “Cold War 1994” series veteran Chung Feifang and He Liangyu. Donghui Wang leads the executive producing team alongside producer Julia Song and executive producer Chris Cornwell. Joe Tsai and Arthur Wang will serve as executive producers with co-producing partners 127 Wall Productions.
The Ink Factory’s Simon Cornwell, Stephen Cornwell, Michelle Wolkoff and Tessa Inkeler are also executive producers. Claire Cornwell of John le Carre Estate. Suzanne Bier. Character 7 is Stephen Garrett. David Farr; William B. Johnson (Demarest Films)
