Early life
Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese actress born on February 9, 1997,
and was often accredited by the name Ziyi Zhang. This strong-willed and
independent character is very popular in China. Zhang Ziyi is from Beijing and
was admitted to the Central Academy of Drama in 1996.
Zhang Ziyi is one of the most renowned Chinese actresses
globally, celebrated for her stunning performances in both Chinese and
international cinema. From her breakout roles in iconic films like Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon to her acclaimed work in Memoirs of a
Geisha, Zhang has carved a legacy as a versatile and powerful performer.
Her career spans decades, marked by critical acclaim, numerous awards, and
global recognition.
Zhang Ziyi was born into the family of an accountant who
turned into an economist by the name Zhang Yuanxiao and a kindergarten teacher
by the name Li Zhousheng. She has an older brother by the name Zhang Zinan, who
used to manage her. When she was just 8, Zhang started practicing folk dance
for nine years and was advised by her parents to join the Affiliated SecondarySchool of Beijing Dance Academy when she turned 11. During this time, Zhang
started to realize how bitter some girls become when they wanted a higher
ranking among their teachers, which from time to time caused her to dislike the
attitudes of some of her peers and teachers, leading her to run away from that
school on one occasion. In 1994 she won the performance award in the NationalTaoli Cup Dance Competition, and she also appeared in a handful of TV
commercials. In 1996, Zhang entered the Central Academy of Drama, majoring in
acting.
And became a movie star. Zhang Ziyi was born and raised in
Western Beijing by her parents - a retired kindergarten teacher mom and
economist dad. At 11 years old, she had a brief career, spanning six years as a
dancer. And although she had won a few awards and had been in a couple of
competitions, it gradually dawned on Zhang that her future in dance did not
look entirely bright after all.
Then, she entered the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing
for acting studies. Her debut performance on-screen came in Wo de fu qin mu qin
(1999) ("The Road Home," but literally "My Father and My
Mother"), a film by the famous "Fifth Generation" Chinese
director, Yimou Zhang. Once the film was done, the media hastened to dub her
the dubious term "Little Gong Li," as several of Zhang Yimou's films,
like (1991) (acknowledged as "Raise the Red Lantern") and Ju Dou
(1990) introduced the "Big" Gong Li.
But, in fact, this pseudonym did not serve to provide one
with a very flattering comparison with the elder, more established actress. It
was, in fact, a negative term that came up around the same time that rumors
about the younger Zhang having an affair with the elder Zhang (who is over
twice her age) started dancing in Bach-like loops. For those of you who might
not remember, Zhang Yimou once had an extramarital affair with the real Gong
Li. Neither has confirmed these juicy rumors until now.
Apart from all that juicy gossip, the younger Zhang had her
career breakthrough when she played Jen in Wo hu cang long (2000)
("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). The spry young girl soared to
worldwide fame. Although director Ang Lee originally wanted a more reputable
Taiwanese actress to perform that role, he finally took chances by casting
Zhang Ziyi instead, and it definitely paid off. Zhang's star is rising at an
alarming rate, and she has already worked with the likes of Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee,
Yun-Fat Chow (one of her idols), and Michelle Yeoh. According to her, she
aspires to leave her motherland to learn English as a prerequisite to
Hollywood.
Filmography:
2046 (2003)
Purple Butterfly (2002)
Hero (2002)
Musa (2001)
Legend of Zu (2001)
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
The Road Home (1999)
Touching Starlight (1996)
Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese actress worth $100 million.
Zhang Ziyi acted in films including "The Road Home," "Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Rush Hour 2," "Hero,"
"House of Flying Daggers," "Memoirs of a Geisha," and
"The Grandmaster."One of the most bankable actresses in her country
and among the most recognizable Chinese actresses in the world, Zhang is one of
the Four Dan actresses of China.
Film Career
In 1999, Zhang made her big-screen debut in the romantic
drama The Road Home, which initiated a professional collaboration with director
Zhang Yimou. The film was a critical success, receiving the Silver Bear at the
Berlin International Film Festival and Best Picture at the Golden Rooster
Awards and fetching Zhang Ziyi the Best Actress award at the Hundred FlowersAwards. Zhang shot to fame on the international stage in 2000 in the role of a
headstrong Manchu noblewoman in Ang Lee's romantic wuxia epic Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon. The massive international success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon was showered with accolades, including an Independent Spirit Award for
Best Supporting Actress for Zhang. With this successful launch, Zhang was on
her way to Hollywood, with the next role being that of an assassin in the 2001
buddy cop action comedy Rush Hour 2. That same year, she also appeared in The
Legend of Zu and Musa. In 2002, Zhang collaborated again with Zhang Yimou, the
director of the hit worldwide wuxia film Hero. After starring alongside
Japanese actors in Purple Butterfly in 2003, her third Yimou movie was House of
Flying Daggers (2004), in which she plays Mei, a blind dancer and accomplished
fighter. In 2004, she starred in two other films: Jasmine Women and Wong
Kar-wai's 2046. For the former, she won the Golden Rooster Award for Best
Actress, and for the latter, she won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress.
In 2005, she starred in the Japanese one Princess Raccoon
and in the Hollywood production Memoirs of a Geisha, filmed in Japan during the
imperial period. The latter choice caused some controversy for casting a
Chinese actress in the role of a geisha, but it nevertheless found considerable
success in the West. For her leading role, Zhang obtained nominations at the Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA Awards. Zhang then returned to the wuxia genre to
star in The Banquet, which emerged in 2006. In the following year, Zhang voiced
the character Karai in the animated superhero film TMNT. Her other credits
included Forever Enthralled, Horsemen, and Sophie's Revenge. In 2011, Zhang
acted in Love for Life, and in 2012 she starred in a Chinese version of
Dangerous Liaisons. Next up was Wong Kar-wai's martial arts drama The
Grandmaster in 2013. The acclaimed film won Zhang a slew of awards and
nominations, including her second Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress. Zhang
starred in the 2013 film My Lucky Star, the prequel to Sophie's Revenge. Zhang
then starred in the two-part epic historical drama The Crossing. Other roles
include Run for Love, The Wasted Times, Forever Young, and the Hollywood titles
The Cloverfield Paradox and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The last movies
Zhang shot before the end of the 2010s were The Climbers. Projects she starred
in during the first half of the 2020s include My Country, My Parents, The
Volunteers: To the War, and She's Got No Name.
Television Career
Zhang made an early appearance in the 1996 television movie,
Touching Starlight. Thereon, she concentrated mainly on films. In the 2010s,
Zhang took up several judge or mentor roles on reality television shows such as
The X Factor, Birth of an Actor, and I Am an Actor. Her first lead role in a TV
series came in 2021 in the costume drama Monarch Industry (also known as The
Rebel Princess).
Other Activities
Zhang has, apart from acting, been an ambassador for major
global brands such as Armani, Mercedes-Benz, Garnier, Visa, Omega, and Chopard.
She has also appeared in multiple music videos, including the one for
Coldplay's 2014 single "Magic."
| Zhang Ziyi – Profile (as of September 22, 2025) | |
|---|---|
| Screen Name | Zhang Ziyi |
| Real Name | Zhang Ziyi |
| Date of Birth | September 22, 2025 |
| Age | 0 years (Born today) |
| Birth Place | Beijing, China |
| Mother | Tang Yuxia |
| Father | Zhang Yuanxiao |
| Sibling | Zhang Zinan |
| Children | 1 |
| Weight | Approx. 52 kg |
| Eyes Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Partner | Aviv Nevo (2008 – 2010), Wang Feng (m. 2015–2023) |
| Relationships |
Ziyi Zhang has been in relationships with Sa Beining (2011–2013), Fok Kai-shan (2004–2006), and Jung Woo-sung (2000). She has had encounters with Brett Ratner (2001), Jackie Chan (2000–2001), and Yimou Zhang (1999). |
| Num of Relationships | 8 |
| Education | Studied at the Affiliated Secondary School of the Beijing Dance Academy; later enrolled in Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, majoring in acting. |
| Net Worth | $100 Million |
| Country | China |
| Profession | Actress, Producer, Model |
| Nationality | China |
| Social Media |
Instagram 12.4M followers Facebook Page 3.8M followers Twitter (X) 2.1M followers Tiktok 5.7M followers Youtube 980K subscribers Thread 1.3M followers |
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