Legendary Hong Kong film-maker John Woo has a new title to his list of credits - US citizen.

The 51-year-old director of Face/Off and Broken Arrow fled with his family from the mainland to Hong Kong in 1951.

Hollywood gossip columnist Ted Casablanca revealed: 'John Woo, hip action director, is a freshly minted American citizen.' Woo grew up in China, and his family witnessed a number of harrowing events on the mainland, including gang-related killings being carried out in front of their home.