Chow was the only boy of his middle-class family and grew up a fan of Bruce Lee. With an interest in the entertainment industry, Chow took acting classes and landed himself a spot hosting a popular Hong Kong children's program, "430 Space Shuttle" in 1983. After a few years of that, he began taking supporting roles in films, gaining in popularity slowly.

His first real starring role came in 1990, in the Jeff Lau-directed All For the Winner. The film was a spoof on the popular Wong Jing/Chow Yun-Fat film, God of Gamblers. It was a smash success, propelling him to superstardom. It was also his first pairing with Ng Man-Tat. Many films followed, with Stephen Chow starring in 8 films in the next year alone, including God of Gamblers II, playing his same character from All For the Winner.

Stephen Chow got his first film directing experience co-directing himself in Love on Delivery with oft-collaborator, Lee Lik-Chi. Stephen Chow has become the biggest box office draw in Hong Kong cinema. His first solo directing venture, Shaolin Soccer in 2002, won audiences over and set domestically-produced records in Hong Kong. 2004's Kung Fu Hustle topped that record.

Chow currently has plans to direct a sequel to Kung Fu Hustle.