# Yu Shi (actor)

Yu Shi (Chinese: 于适; pinyin: Yú Shì; born 22 December 1996), born Yu Zhi (Chinese: 于植; pinyin: Yú Zhí, also known as Yosh or Ashan Yu, is a Chinese actor and singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after starring in the 2023 Chinese epic fantasy film Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms.

## Early life and education

Yu Shi was born on 22 December 1996 in Lingyuan, Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province, of Mongolian descent. At 13, he left Chaoyang for a basketball youth training program at the Fuxin Basketball School for 5 years; he was recommended for admission to the basketball major at Liaoning Technical University.

## Career

Yu Shi took part in the second season of singing competition Chinese Idol in 2014 under the name Yu Zhi. With the recommendation of the Chinese Idol judge, Han Hong, who is the general agent of SM Entertainment in China, Yu became a trainee at SM Entertainment in South Korea, but failed to debut as an NCT member after multiple rumors surfaced, including allegations of him sending unwanted nudes.
After returning to China, in 2017, he was invited to audition for a training camp for the film series Creation of the Gods on the strength of his advertisement for Jordan Brand titled Victory Is Decided by Me: The Day of Decision. Yu and 20 other young actors were admitted to the camp from over 10,000 people. In the camp, Yu became proficient in equestrianism and horseback archery. He was confirmed to play the key role of Ji Fa two weeks before the start of filming.
After completing filming of Creation of the Gods I, Yu didn't take on any acting roles for two years. Instead, he devoted his time to studying horse training. Later, he was cast in the TV series, My Altay, where Yu also served as an equestrian advisor for the production team. In April 2023, at the 3rd Guangdong Provincial Equestrian Festival, Yu won an award in the Riding and Shooting Championship Invitational.
His debut film, Born to Fly, co-starring Wang Yibo, Hu Jun, and Zhou Dongyu, was released on April 28, 2023. He gained significant attention after the release of Creation of the Gods I in July 2023, three years after the shooting. On June 9, he won the "New Emerging Actor of the Year" award at the Douyin Movie Awards. On September 14, he joined the program The Most Beautiful Show. In November, he provided the voice for the character Valentino, a little goat, in the Disney film Wish. On 22 November, his song "Long Xiangyi" (长相忆) was released. On December 22nd, he hosted the closing ceremony and awards ceremony of the fifth Hainan Island International Film Festival. On December 31, he joined the 2024 Jiangsu Satellite TV New Year's Eve Concert, performing the song "The Fox". On the same day, his solo single "Dream Bubble" (梦幻泡影) was released.
In 2023, Yu Shi will participate in the 3rd Guangdong Equestrian Festival and win the "Best Style Award".

## Endorsements

In November 2023, Yu was appointed as a brand ambassador for the French luxury fashion house Dior. In January 2024, French high-end beauty brand Guerlain announced that Yu as its brand ambassador. In April 2024, he was selected to become the brand ambassador for Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot. On April 20, 2024, Yu was selected to become the Chinese brand ambassador for French luxury jewellery house Chaumet.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | English title | Role | Note |
| 2023 | Born to Fly | Deng Fang | |
| 2023 | Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms | Ji Fa | |
| 2023 | Wish | Valentino | Chinese voice actor |
| 2024 | Pegasus 2 | Lone wolf rider | Cameo |
| 2024 | Howl's Moving Castle | Howl | Chinese voice actor |
| 2024 | Welcome to My Side | ChenXiaoZhou | |
| 2025 | Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force | King Wu (Ji Fa) | |
| 2025 | Operation Hadal | Han Xiao | |
| TBA | Creation of the Gods III | King Wu (Ji Fa) | |
| TBA | Biao Ren | | |

### Television series

| Year | English title | Role | Note | Ref. |
| 2024 | To the Wonder | Batai | Male Lead role | |