Wang Baoqiang

Wang Baoqiang (simplified Chinese: 王宝强; traditional Chinese: 王寶強; pinyin: Wáng Bǎoqiáng; born 29 May 1984) is a Chinese martial artist, actor and director. Wang first received recognition in the film Blind Shaft (2003), for which he shared the Best New Performer prize at the Golden Horse Awards.[1][2] He went on to star in the television series Soldiers Sortie (2006) and My Brother's Name is Shun Liu (2009), garnering further attention. His notable film credits include Lost on Journey (2010), Lost in Thailand (2012), Monk Comes Down the Mountain (2015), the Detective Chinatown film series (2015–2021), and Never Say Never (2023).
In 2017, Wang made his directorial debut with the action-adventure film film Buddies in India.
== Early life[edit] ==
Wang Baoqiang was born in Nanhe County, Xingtai, Hebei, on May 29, 1984, to Wang Yinsheng (王银生) and Liu Huan (刘焕), both his parents are peasants.[3] When Wang Baoqiang was 8 years old, his village showed the movie Shaolin Temple starring Jet Li, which inspired him to become a martial arts star in movies like Jet Li or Jackie Chan. Wang insisted on going to a Shaolin Temple though his family opposed it, in the same year. He trained in Shaolin martial arts.[4]
== Career[edit] ==
Prior to entering the film industry, Wang was an unskilled labourer who was paid 25 yuan a day; he had not been home for over two years as he was unable to afford the railway ticket.[5] Wang was initially rejected from acting due to his height,[5] but got his start working as an extra in Beijing.[6] In 2003, he was cast in the independent film Blind Shaft as a "down-to-earth" guy.[5] For his role in Blind Shaft, Wang received the Best Newcomer award at the Golden Horse Film Festival.[7][8][9]
Wang then starred in Feng Xiaogang's 2004 film A World Without Thieves as a naïve village boy, a performance which received critical acclaim.[10]
In 2006, Wang starred in the military drama Soldiers Sortie, playing a soldier who is physically slow but who wins respect because of his strong faith and untiring efforts. The drama was a huge hit, and gained Wang wide critical acclaim and huge popularity.[11]
In 2009, Wang starred in another military drama, My Brother is Shun Liu as the title character.[12] The drama was another huge success for Wang.[13]
For his performance in the 2011 comedy film Hello, Mr. Tree, Wang won multiple awards. He won the for Best Actor at the 9th Vladivostok International Film Festival in Russia, the award for Best Actor at the 5th Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the award for Best Actor at the New York Chinese Film Festival, the award for Best Actor of the 2011-2012 Chinese Youth Film Handbook, and the award for Best Actor at the Italy Asian Film Festival.[14]
Wang's 2012 comedy film Lost in Thailand was a smash hit at the box-office. Wang is also noted for his role in the comedy film series Detective Chinatown and its sequel, Detective Chinatown 2.[15]
In 2017, Wang made his directorial debut with the fantasy comedy film Buddies in India.[16]
In 2019, Wang starred in Stephen Chow's comedy film The New King of Comedy.[17]
In 2020, Wang starred in Chen Sicheng's movie "Detective Chinatown 3".[18]
== Personal life[edit] ==
Wang Baoqiang married Ma Rong (马蓉) on 10 February 2010. They have two children. On 14 August 2016, Wang made a post to Sina Weibo announcing he would divorce Ma.[19] He accused her of entering an extramarital affair with his agent, Song Zhe (宋喆), and transferring/concealing some of the couple's assets.[20][19] In a later Sina Weibo post, Ma said Wang had abandoned their family, and threatened to sue him for defamation; she filed a case against Wang on August 16.[21][19] The divorce became a trending topic on Sina Weibo, where posts with the hashtag #WangBaoQiangDivorce were viewed over five billion times.[19] Wang filed for divorce that was accepted by a Beijing Court, and the trial was held in October 2016. Song's wife also filed for divorce.[22] On October 18, 2018, the Beijing Chaoyang Court sentenced the first instance of Wang Baoqiang's former agent Song Zhe for the crime of embezzlement and was sentenced to 6 years in prison.[23]
== Filmography[edit] ==
=== Film[edit] ===
Year	English title 	Chinese title 	Role 	Notes
2001	Big Shot's Funeral 	大腕 	 	Uncredited
2003	Blind Shaft 	盲井 	Yuan Fengming 	
2004	A World Without Thieves 	天下无贼 	Sha Gen 	
2007	Born To Run 	烈火男儿 	Long Dachuan 	[24]
2007	Assembly 	集结号 	Jiang Maocai 	[25]
2007	Two Stupid Eggs 	大电影2.0之两个傻瓜的荒唐事 	 	
2008	A Mediator in Green Mountains 	绿满山乡 	Wang Xiaoqiang 	[26]
2008	The Equation of Love and Death	李米的猜想 	Qiu Shuitian 	[27]
2009	The Founding of a Republic 	建国大业 	A soldier 	[28]
2009	Eaters 	大胃王 	Xiao Shuai 	[29]
2009	Da You Cun Bright Future 	大有前途 	A Kun 	[30]
2010	Little Big Soldier 	大兵小将 	A spy 	Cameo[31]
2010	Fire of Conscience 	火龙对决 	Huang Yong 	[32]
2010	East Wind Rain 	东风雨 	Xiao Kai 	[33]
2010	Lost on Journey 	人在囧途 	Niu Geng 	[34]
2011	Love for Life 	最爱 	Dazui 	[35]
2011	Choy Lee Fut Kung Fu 	蔡李佛拳2010 	Chen Cheng 	[36]
2011	Mr. Tree 	HELLO!树先生 	Mr. Tree 	[37]
2012	Romancing in Thin Air 	高海拔之恋II 	Zhang Xing 	[38]
2012	Jack of All Trades 	神通乡巴佬 	Chu Zhongtian 	[39]
2012	Fairy Tale Killer 	追凶 	Wu Zaijun 	[40]
2012	Lost in Thailand 	人再囧途之泰囧 	Wang Bao 	[41]
2013	Better and Better 	越来越好之村晚 	Yang Guoshu 	[42]
2013	Unbeatable 	激战 	Boss Chan 	Cameo[43]
2014	A Touch of Sin 	天注定 	San'er 	[44]
2014	Iceman 	冰封：重生之门 	Sa Ao 	[45]
2014	Kung Fu Jungle 	一个人的武林 	Feng Yuxiu 	[46]
2015	Running Man 	奔跑吧！兄弟 	Himself 	
2015	Monk Comes Down the Mountain 	道士下山 	He An 	[47]
2015	Impossible 	不可思异 	Tang Liguo 	[48]
2015	Detective Chinatown 	唐人街·探案 	Tang Ren 	[49]
2015	PK 	我的个神啊 	PK (dub voice) 	[50]
2017	Buddies in India 	大闹天竺 	Wu Tian 	[51]
2017	Wished 	反转人生 	Megaton (voice)	Cameo[52]
2018	Detective Chinatown 2 	唐人街·探案2 	Tang Ren 	[15]
2018	The Faces of My Gene 	祖宗十九代 	Erdangjia 	[53]
2018	The Island 	一出好戏 	Xiao Wang 	[54]
2018	Iceman 2 	冰封：永恒之门 	Sa Ao 	[55]
2019	The New King of Comedy 	新喜剧之王 	Ma Ke 	
2020	My People, My Homeland 	我和我的家乡 	Old Tang 	[56]
2021	Detective Chinatown 3 	唐人街·探案3 	Tang Ren 	[57]
2021	Rising Shaolin: The Protector 	少林寺之得宝传奇 	Ximendebao 	[58]
2021	Thaiflavor 	泰味儿 	 	
2023	Never Say Never 	八角笼中 	Xiang Tengjun 	[59]
=== Television series[edit] ===
Year	English title 	Chinese title 	Role 	Notes
2002	Seventh Imperial Envoy Liu Luoguo	七品钦差刘罗锅 	A waiter 	
2005	Secret Plot 	暗算 	A Bing 	[60]
2006	Legend of Shang Dynasty 	传奇·幻想殷商 	Nezha 	[61]
2006	Soldiers Sortie 	士兵突击 	Xu Sanduo 	[62]
2006	Red Flag Children 	红旗渠的儿女们 	Bao Xiang 	
2009	My Brother's Name is Shun Liu 	我的兄弟叫顺溜 	Shun Liu 	[63]
2010	For New China to Go Forward 	为了新中国前进 	Dong Cunrui 	[64]
2011	My Father Is Ban Deng 	我的父亲是板凳 	Bandeng 	[65]
2013	Heroes in Sui and Tang Dynasties 	隋唐演义 	Li Yuanba 	[66]
2015	Rise to Fame Overnight 	我是机器人 	Yuan Bao 	[67]
2020	Detective Chinatown 	唐人街探案 	Tang Ren (Cameo - Season 1 & 2)	
=== Variety show[edit] ===
Year 	English title 	Chinese title	Role 	Notes
2014–2015	Keep Running 	奔跑吧兄弟 	Cast member	[68]
2018 	Space Challenge	挑战吧 ! 太空 	Cast member	[69]
== Awards and nominations[edit] ==
Year	Nominated work 	Award 	Category 	Result 	Notes
2003	Blind Shaft 	40th Golden Horse Awards 	Best New Performer 	Won 	[70]
2004	Blind Shaft 	5th Deauville Asian Film Festival 	Best Actor 	Won 	[71]
2004	Blind Shaft 	2nd Bangkok International Film Festival 	Best Actor 	Won 	
2005	A World Without Thieves 	5th Chinese Film Media Awards 	Best New Performer 	Nominated	
2006	A World Without Thieves 	28th Hundred Flowers Awards 	Best New Performer 	Nominated	
2008	Soldiers Sortie 	24th China TV Golden Eagle Award 	Best Actor 	Won 	[72]
2008	Soldiers Sortie 	24th China TV Golden Eagle Award 	Most Popular Actor 	Won 	[73]
2009	Soldiers Sortie 	27th Flying Apsaras Awards 	Outstanding Actor 	Nominated	
2010	My Brother's Name is Shun Liu	16th Shanghai Television Festival 	Best Actor 	Nominated	
2011	Mr. Tree 	9th Pacific Meridian 	Best Actor 	Won 	[74]
2011	Mr. Tree 	5th Asia Pacific Screen Awards 	Best Actor 	Won 	[75]
2011	Mr. Tree 	2nd New York Chinese Film Festival 	Best Actor 	Won 	[76]
2011	Mr. Tree 	12th Chinese Film Media Awards 	Best Actor 	Nominated	
2012	Mr. Tree 	10th Italy Asian Film Festival 	Best Actor 	Won 	[77]
2013	Lost in Thailand 	20th Beijing College Student Film Festival	Most Popular Actor 	Won 	[78]
2014	Kung Fu Jungle 	6th Macau International Movie Festival 	Best Supporting Actor	Nominated	
2015	Kung Fu Jungle 	34th Hong Kong Film Awards 	Best Supporting Actor	Nominated	
2015	Kung Fu Jungle 	1st Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards 	Best New Action Actor	Won 	[79]
=== Forbes China Celebrity 100[edit] ===
Year	Rank	Ref.
2013	98th	[80]
2014	64th	[81]
2015	71st	[82]
2019	91st	[83]
2020	96th	
Category:Chinese Buddhists
Category:People's Republic of China politicians from Hebei
Category:Chinese male film actors
Category:Chinese male television actors
Category:21st-century Chinese male actors
Category:Participants in Chinese reality television series