Paul Cheng

Paul Cheng (also credited as Paul Chih-Ping Cheng) is a bilingual Taiwanese-Canadian actor and stunt performer based in Vancouver. Born in Taipei, Taiwan on August 4, 1978, he moved to Canada at nine and grew up in Toronto, building an early foundation in both athletics and performance.

A standout football player in high school, Cheng earned a scholarship to Simon Fraser University, graduating with a degree in economics. He later made history in Canadian football as the first Taiwanese-born professional player and the first Asian-Canadian selected as a first-round draft pick by the BC Lions in the CFL—an achievement that helped define his reputation for discipline and drive.

After an initial motion-capture job nudged him toward screen work, Cheng shifted his focus to Vancouver’s film and TV scene. He broke into features with roles in the Night at the Museum films, appearing as a Hun in the franchise’s lively museum exhibits, and has since added credits including Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

Cheng’s career uniquely blends acting with elite combat training: he competed professionally in boxing, later moving into MMA and becoming a heavyweight contender with ONE Championship (including ONE Fighting Championship 18: War of Dragons). Continuing to sharpen martial arts, stunts, and choreography, he’s drawn attention for roles like Masaaki Satake in The Smashing Machine and Scrimshaw Sam in Peter Pan & Wendy, championing authentic representation through action-driven storytelling.