A screen cut of Shi Banyu's photo from Stephen Chow's social media

 
Chinese netizens poured out their grief on social media over the death of Shi Banyu, who was deemed the "official voice of comedian Stephen Chow." Shi passed away in Beijing on Tuesday at the age of 66. 

During the golden age of Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s and 1990s, the dedication of Putonghua dubbing actors played an indispensable role in winning over countless loyal fans in the Chinese mainland. It was their expressive and skillful voice work that brought iconic characters to life, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

Shi's agent revealed that he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest that morning, which led to his untimely death. The news came as a shock to many, as the incident was completely unexpected.

Shi's funeral is scheduled on Friday at the Babaoshan Funeral Parlor in Beijing, and his agent confirmed that it will be open to the public, according to local media.

According to media reports, Shi started his career back in 1980s. He began working for Chow in 1990 in "God of Gamblers 2" when Win's Film Productions sought a hilarious voice for Chow to open markets in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. 

Shi single-handedly went on to dub Chow in nearly 30 movies over the next two decades, media reported. 

Shi was born on March 9, 1958 on the island of Taiwan. His family was originally from Guilin, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He entered the voice acting industry in 1985. 

Following Shi's passing, Chow, Hong Kong director Lee Lik-Chi, and many industry peers all paid tribute to him. 

On Wednesday, Chow shared on his Instagram, "I will forever remember Mr. Shi Banyu." 

Fans have also expressed their sorrow, saying that an era has come to an end, and that they will never hear his iconic laughter again. 

Some noted that their memories of Chow were heavily intertwined with Shi's voice, to the point where they believed the Putonghua dub was Chow's own voice.

In 2022, Shi disclosed that he had been diagnosed with lung aspergillosis after enduring a persistent cough and significant weight loss. Many noticed that his voice had changed. Shi explained that his throat had been affected by the coughing and that he was in significant pain, taking medication daily. 

However, during the 30th anniversary concert of classical Chinese folklore TV series The Legend of White Snake in July, Shi appeared in much better health, leading many to believe he had recovered. 

Shi also did the Chinese dubbing for several US animated works, including the renowned China-US co-produced film Kung Fu Panda 3 where Shi provided the Putonghua voice dubbing for Po, the lovable and enthusiastic panda. He brought his own unique touch to the character in the Putonghua version of the film. His dubbing contributed to the success of the movie in Putonghua speaking regions, ensuring that Po's humor and personality resonated with local audiences.

From 2006 onwards, Shi also appeared in several TV dramas, including the 2007 Taiwanese drama Corner with Love. 

Throughout his career, he did voice work for over 300 films and TV series.