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Kay Tong Lim

Kay Tong Lim

Actor · Born July 10, 1954 (72) · Singapore

Lim Kay Tong or Kay Tong Lim is a veteran Singaporean film, TV and stage actor. Notably, he starred opposite Sean Penn in Shanghai Surprise, Pierce Brosnan in Noble House and Claire Danes in Brokedown Palace, and was the lead actor in Growing Up and Perth.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 10, 1954 (72)
From
Singapore
Works as
Actor
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 35 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 7% in 30 days

What are Kay Tong Lim's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
29%
Morality
20%
Self
19%
Society
14%
Survival
12%
Power
6%
Justice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 3 of 3 analyzed roles.

Shadow
3 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Thrilling
3
Contemplative
2
Dread
2
Melancholic
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Bittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Kay Tong Lim's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kay Tong Lim's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

35 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Old Man and His Car (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Last Madame: Sisters of the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 10 episodes · as Master Chen

  • Invisible Stories(2019)

    Show Actor

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • 1965 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Lee Kuan Yew

  • Afterimages (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Agent Sin

  • The Pupil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 26 episodes · as Harris Fong

  • Kung Fu Killer(2008)

    as Khan

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Kung Fu Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Khan

  • Dance of the Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Li Bao

  • Son of the Dragon(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Gouverneur

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows

  • The Photograph (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Johan Tan

  • Marco Polo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Lord Chenchu

  • Marco Polo(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lord Chenchu

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Parental Guidance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 13 episodes · as Colonel

  • Perth: The Geylang Massacre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Harry Lee

  • One Leg Kicking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Sonny Lee

  • Gourmet Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as The Uncle

  • Brokedown Palace(1999)

    as Chief Detective Jagkrit

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Army Daze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Captain Lim

  • Mee Pok Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Mike Kor

  • Growing Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 13 episodes · as Mr Tay

  • Vanishing Son IV (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Louyung Chang

  • Masters of the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • It Could Happen to You(1994)

    as Sun

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Vanishing Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Louyung Chang

  • Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story(1993)

    as Philip Tan

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Fifty/Fifty(1992)

    as Akhantar

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Frankie's House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • Off Limits(1988)

    as Lime Green

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Noble House(1988)

    Show 4 episodes · as Brian Kwok

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Keys to Freedom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Floating Whorehouse Yee

  • Shanghai Surprise(1986)

    as Mei Gan

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • News Report on a Journey to a Bright Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Bok

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Tenko (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Soldier

Career shape

Star power in the 87th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 34 titles from 1981 to 2026; peak year 1993.

Biggest box office

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)

$64M worldwide

Highest rated

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)

Midcredits 81st

Film career

19812026

Peak 1993 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting34 of 34: 34 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score47th

By decade

1980s7 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s3 · acting2020s2 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Kay Tong Lim's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 7; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 12 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Kung Fu Killer (2008)

68th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)

Midcredits 81st · 73% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Kay Tong Lim's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Kay Tong Lim work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kay Tong Lim's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Matthew O'Connor shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers