# Tong Yao

Tong Yao (Chinese: 童瑶; born 11 August 1985), also known as Tanya Tong, is a Chinese actress, best known in film for portraying Chen Shu in A Big Deal (2011), May in Snowfall in Taipei (2012) and Annie Yang in To Love Somebody (2014), and has received critical acclaim for her television work, particularly as Meng Xizi in Militia Ge Erdan (2012), Zhou Xiaobei in Three Bosom Girls (2014), Song Renping in Like a Flowing River (2018) and Gu Jia in Nothing But Thirty (2020).

## Early life and education

On August 11, 1985, Tong was born in Kunming, Yunnan. In 1996, she attended the Chinese Song and Dance Art School in Beijing. She returned to Kunming in the following year, when she was accepted to Kunming Art School. She spent a year studying Hulusi, which is a free reed wind instrument from China and the Shan State. She entered the Central Academy of Drama in 2002, majoring in acting.

## Career

In 2002, Tong made her television debut in Tracks In The Snowy Forest, playing a health worker in the Northeast Democratic United Army named Bai Ru.
In 2006, Tong amassed a member of television credits namely My Sun, Walking Duster, and Life of Dragon and Tiger. She had a minor role as Pan Ying in The Young Warriors, a historical television series.
Tong had a cameo appearance in Moonlight Lady (2007), a historical television series based on the real life on Song dynasty poet Li Qingzhao. That same year, she also appeared in Repeat an Error and I Want to Understand You.
In 2008, she co-starred with Lin Shen in the romantic comedy film Afraid to Say Love You, which is her film debut. In the following year, Tong appeared in the film Nine Dragon Jade, in which she played You Erjie.
Her 2010 work includes Simple Dish, Lei Feng, Military Honour, Wind Up the First Pass and Qiao Longbiao. That same year, she starred with Xu Shaoyang in the thriller horror film Snapper.
In 2011, Tong was cast in comedy film A Big Deal.
As lead actress, she co-starred Liu Wei and Ni Ping in the romantic comedy film Wings (2012). And she starred as May, reuniting her with co-star Chen Bolin, who played her romantic interest, in Snowfall in Taipei, a film adaptation based on the Japanese novel of the same name. That same year, she was cast in war drama Militia Ge Erdan, playing the wife of Huang Bo's character.
In 2013, Tong played the female lead role in a business-themed romantic drama film Day of Redemption.
Tong played Annie Yang, the lead role in Francis Sung's directed film To Love Somebody. She had a supporting role in The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom, a fantasy wuxia film. She co-starred with Zhang Xinyi and Jiang Xin in the television series Three Bosom Girls.
In 2015, she played the love interest of Li Chen's character in the television series Boys to Men.
In 2016, three television work she headlined, Stepmother Xu Duoduo, My Spicy Girlfriend and Customize Happiness premiered.
In 2018, Tong starred as a key supporting role in the historical drama Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace, alongside Wallace Huo and Zhou Xun. She gained popularity for her portrayal of the role as Gao Xiyue. The same year, she starred in the period drama Like a Flowing River. Her performance garnered her the Best Supporting Actress at the Magnolia Awards.
In 2019, Tong was cast in the female-centric modern drama Nothing But Thirty.
In 2020, Tong began filming the spy drama The Rebel.

## Endorsements

In September 2020, Tong Yao became the Chinese ambassador for Estée Lauder. From April, 2021, she selected as a Giorgio Armani Crossroads brand ambassador, and become brand ambassador for Giorgio Armani in China since August 2022.
On September 21, 2020, lingerie and lifestyle brand NEIWAI officially announced that Tong Yao would become its brand ambassador.
On November 30, 2021, she was announced as a brand ambassador for American luxury jewelry brand Tiffany & Co.
On February 21, 2021, she has been announced as the Giorgio Armani Beauty ambassador in China.
In May 2024, Swiss luxury watchmaker and jeweller Piaget SA announced that Tong has officially joined the Piaget family and become Piaget's brand ambassador in China.

## Personal life

On October 1, 2019, Tong Yao and Wang Ran, CEO of private investment bank CEC Capital, married in an ancient castle in Italy.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | Afraid to Say Love You | 不敢说爱你 | Lan Xin | |
| 2009 | Nine Dragon Jade | 九龙佩 | You Erjie | |
| 2009 | Snowfall in Taipei | 台北飘雪 | May | |
| 2010 | Snapper | 食人草 | Xiao Bai | |
| 2011 | A Big Deal | 巨额交易 | Chen Shu | |
| 2012 | Wings | 最长的拥抱 | Xiao Bei | |
| 2013 | Day of Redemption | 早见，晚爱 | Zhou Ting | |
| 2014 | To Love Somebody | 求爱嫁期 | Annie Yang | |
| 2014 | The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom | 白发魔女传之明月天国 | Ke Pingting | |
| 2016 | The New Year's Eve of Old Lee | 过年好 | | Cameo |
| 2022 | Face's A Verb | 对立面 | | |

### Television series

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Tracks In The Snowy Forest | 林海雪原 | Bai Ru | |
| 2006 | My Sun | 我的太阳 | | |
| 2006 | Walking Duster | 行走的鸡毛掸子 | Xiu Yu | |
| 2006 | Life of Dragon and Tiger | 龙虎人生2 | Fang Shuqing | |
| 2006 | The Young Warriors | 少年杨家将 | Pan Ying | |
| 2007 | Repeat an Error | 一错再错 | Fang Xiaorui | |
| 2008 | Wounded Love | 伤情 | Zhang Zixuan | |
| 2010 | Simple Dish | 家常菜 | Wen Yuan | |
| 2010 | Military Honor | 军人荣誉 | Wu Xiaoli | |
| 2010 | Wind Up the First Pass | 风起第一关 | Chen Yuanyuan | not broadcast |
| 2011 | Qiao Longbiao | 桥隆飙 | Xiao Bailong | |
| 2011 | Lei Feng | 雷锋 | Ning Xiaohui | |
| 2012 | A Unique Militiman | 民兵葛二蛋 | Meng Xizi | |
| 2013 | Single Child's Grandmother and Mother | 独生子女的婆婆妈妈 | Li Xiaoman | |
| 2013 | New Year Picture | 大掌门 | Shen Fang | |
| 2014 | Three Bosom Girls | 新闺蜜时代 | Zhou Xiaobei | |
| 2015 | Boys to Men | 爸爸快长大 | Wang Shanshan | |
| 2016 | Stepmother Xu Duoduo | 后妈许多多 | Xu Duoduo | |
| 2016 | My Spicy Girlfriend | 转身遇到你 | Wan Xinxin | |
| 2016 | Customize Happiness | 定制幸福 | Tiao Xiaoni | |
| 2016 | Hero Dog 2 | 神犬小七2 | Lu Xin | Cameo |
| 2018 | Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace | 如懿传 | Gao Xiyue | |
| 2018 | Qiao's Grand Courtyard 2 | 乔家大院之光明之路 | Lian Hua | |
| 2018 | Like a Flowing River | 大江大河 | Song Renping | |
| 2018 | Ever Night | 将夜 | Li Yu | |
| 2020 | Imperfect Love | 不完美的她 | Gao Shan | |
| 2020 | Moonlight Lady | 清风明月佳人 | Cai Chuchu | |
| 2020 | Get Married Or Not | 我不是结不了婚 | Cheng Lu | |
| 2020 | Nothing But Thirty | 三十而已 | Gu Jia | |
| 2021 | The Rebel | 叛逆者 | Zhu Yizhen | |
| 2022 | Life is A Long Quiet River | 心居 | Gu Qingyu | |
| 2022 | Beyond | 超越 | Li Min | |
| 2022 | The Heart of Genius | 天才基本法 | Yao Yao | |
| 2024 | Simple Days | 小日子 | Gu Moli | |
| 2024 | Tender Light | 微暗之火 | Nan Ya | |
| TBA | Amazing Them | 了不起的她们 | | |
| TBA | Life Tree | 生命树 | | |
| TBA | | 实习律师 | | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Results |
| 2018 | 10th China TV Drama Awards | Media Recommended Actor | Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace | Won |
| 2019 | 4th China Quality Television Drama Ceremony | Outstanding Performance Quality Star | — | Won |
| 2019 | 25th Shanghai Television Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Like a Flowing River | Won |
| 2019 | 7th WenRong TV Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Like a Flowing River | Nominated |
| 2019 | 6th The Actors of China Awards Ceremony | Best Actress (Emerald Category) | Like a Flowing River | Nominated |
| 2019 | Golden Bud - The Fourth Network Film And Television Festival | Best Actress | Like a Flowing River | Nominated |
| 2020 | 32nd Flying Apsaras Award | Outstanding Actress | Like a Flowing River | Nominated |
| 2020 | 30th China TV Golden Eagle Award | Best Actress | Like a Flowing River | Won |
| 2020 | 7th The Actors of China Awards Ceremony | Best Actress (Emerald) | — | Nominated |
| 2020 | 12th China TV Drama Awards | Outstanding Actress of the Year | Nothing But Thirty Get Married or Not | Won |
| 2020 | 3rd Sir Movie Cultural And Entertainment Industry Awards | Best Actress | Nothing But Thirty | Nominated |
| 2020 | 29th Huading Awards | Best Actress | Nothing But Thirty | Nominated |
| 2020 | 5th Tencent Video TV And Movie Awards | Quality TV Actor of the Year | Nothing But Thirty | Won |
| 2020 | 1st iFeng Film and TV Awards | Best Actress (TV) | Nothing But Thirty | Nominated |
| 2021 | 27th Shanghai Television Festival | Best Actress | Nothing But Thirty | Won |
| 2022 | 33rd Flying Apsaras Award | Outstanding Actress | The Rebel | Nominated |
| 2023 | 6th Television Series of China Quality Ceremony | Quality Charismatic Actor | Life Is a Long Quiet River Beyond | Won |