Yang Zi

Yang Zi (, born 6 November 1992), also known as Andy Yang, is a Chinese actress and singer. She graduated from the Performing Arts School of Beijing Film Academy (BFA) in 2014. She is regarded as one of the Four Dan Actresses of the post-90s Generation (90后四小花旦).

Early life
YangZi was born as Yang Niao () on 6 November 1992 in Fangshan district, Beijing, China. Her father Yang Yunfei was a firefighter and mother Ma Haiyan was a housewife. From an early age, she had a passion for acting and first starred in Ru Ci Chu Shan at the age of 6.

YangZi studied at Beijing Xingcheng Primary School in Fangshan District and Beijing No. 55 High School in Dongcheng District. In 2010, she was admitted to Beijing Film Academy.

 Career 
In 1999, YangZi made her acting debut, playing Zhou Qiong in Ru Ci Chu Shan.
2000s
In 2002, YangZi had a minor role as little Consort Donggo in Xiaozhuang Epic. In 2004, she made her big-screen debut in the film Girl's Diary for which she received a Best Child Actor nomination at the 12th Tongniu Film Award. In 2005, Yang rose to prominence for playing Xia Xue in the Chinese sitcom Home with Kids. The series reached number one in ratings when it aired in China, and won the Outstanding Television Series (for children) award at the Flying Apsaras Awards and the Golden Eagle Awards.

In 2006, she reprised her role as Xia Xue in the sequel Home with Kids 2, though not in the subsequent installments. In 2008, YangZi released her first solo album titled Home with Snow, which is named after her character's name in Home with Kids. In 2009, Yang played her first leading role in the youth romance drama Girl Rushes Forward.
2010s
In February 2011, YangZi starred in the family drama Love Comes Knocking on the Door, based on the novel Stepmother by Geling Yan. Her role as a rebellious teenager allowed her to successfully shed her image of a "child star". In May 2012, YangZi starred in the medical drama Angel Heart, portraying a kindhearted nurse. In August, she starred in the horror mystery thriller film Insisrence, and won the Best Newcomer Award at the 14th Golden Phoenix Awards. In 2013, YangZi starred in the romance drama Flowers in Fog, written by acclaimed Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao. The same year, she played the lead role in the period comedy drama King Rouge.

In March 2014, YangZi starred in her first war drama Battle of Changsha, directed by Magnolia Award-winner Kong Sheng. The series was a critical success and was voted Best Drama of 2014 in major streaming website Douban after being broadcast on CCTV-8 beginning mid-July 2014. In 2015, YangZi starred in period drama Yangko Dance, which received positive reviews and topped television ratings. The same year, she co-starred in the horror mystery web series The Ferryman.

In 2016, she starred in the metropolitan romance drama Ode to Joy, which depicts the stories of five young women who comes from different social and educational backgrounds, but share a common goal. The series received critical acclaim and commercial success, and YangZi gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Qiu Yingying, a simple-minded girl from a small town. YangZi was nominated for the Best Actress award at the China TV Golden Eagle Award for her performance. She then portrayed Lu Xueqi, one of the two female protagonists in Noble Aspirations, the television series adaption of the Xianxia novel Zhu Xian. The drama was a commercial success and accumulated 23 billion views online, the highest record held by a Chinese drama at that time. YangZi gained wider popularity as a result and was nominated at the 22nd Huading Awards as Best Actress in the ancient drama category for her performance. The same year, she co-starred in Crying Out in Love, a film based on the romance novel Socrates in Love by Japanese novelist Kyoichi Katayama. In 2017, YangZi reprised her role as Qiu Yingying in the second installment of Ode to Joy and starred in the historical romance comedy drama Legend of Dragon Pearl.

In 2018, she starred in The Destiny of White Snake, a fantasy romance drama based on the renowned Chinese folktale. Yang's portrayal of the innocent and naive snake spirit; as well as her voice-dub for the character, received positive reviews. The same year, YangZi starred in the fantasy romance drama Ashes of Love, playing an innocent and lively fairy maiden. The series was a commercial success, topping both television and web ratings; and received positive reviews. YangZi received acclaim for her acting and experienced a new high in popularity. Forbes China listed YangZi under their 30 Under 30 Asia 2017 list which consisted of 30 influential people under 30 years old who have had a substantial effect in their fields.

In 2019,  YangZi starred in the romantic comedy drama Go Go Squid!, playing a talented computer major who is also a popular online singer. The drama topped television ratings and had been streamed more than 9.6 billion times in its timeslot and was praised for its transmitting positive and uplifting messages such as the pursuit of dreams as well as patriotism. The success of Go Go Squid reaffirmed YangZi's popularity. Then YangZi featured in the disaster film The Bravest as the wife of a firefighter, and won the Most Popular Supporting Actress award at the 16th Guangzhou Student Film Festival. The same year, he starred in the crime suspense film Bodies at Rest playing a forensics scientist. She then starred in the romance environmental protection drama My Mowgli Boy where she played a marketing executive.
2020s
In 2020, she featured in nationalistic film My People, My Homeland. Then she starred in Hear Her, the first monologue series in China about women's rights. Hear Her is based on the format of BBC Studio's short-film series Snatches: Moments from Women's Lives. YangZi has appeared on the Forbes Asia 100 Digital Star list, comprising 100 artists from across the Asia-Pacific region who have been able to stay active, raise awareness and inspire optimism despite the cancellation of physical events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, YangZi played a guest role in Go Go Squid 2 Dt.Appledog's Time, the sequel to her hit drama Go Go Squid!. On July 1, Yang participated in the "Great Journey", a large-scale epic theatrical performance to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and performed in the inaugural skit titled "Breaking Dawn" along with several other artists. She then starred in the urban drama Psychologist, the television series adaption of Bi Shumin's 2007 novel "Female Psychologist".

Filmography
Film
 Year  English title  Chinese title  Role  Notes/Ref. 2003   The Law of Romance      Cameo  2004  Girl's Diary    Ran Dongyang  Lao Fei    Xiao Lan      An Old Record    Ding Yun  Dad Wants to Divorce    Ji Ji  The Quiet Lady    He Lan  2007  The Last Fragrance    Duo Lun     2008  I Am a Fan    Qiao Xiaoqiao     2009  Mo's Mischief: Teacher's Pet  Ma Xiaotiao  Voice-dubbed Ma-Mha    Nan Qian  Voice-dubbed  2010  Boy and Girl    Ran Dongyang   Money Makes Trouble    Shi Xiaotao  Third Class Fifth Class    Ran Dongyang  Death and Glory in Changde    Tao Er  2012  Mother's Call    Qiao Ni   Insisrence    Jia Jia   2014  King Tea Storm    Xie Xiaoxiang   2015  Where Are All The Time    Lin Yutong  2016  Papa    Wang Nina   Crying Out in Love    Xia Ye  2018  A Paper Marriage    Ling Ling  2019 The Bravest  Wang Lu  Cameo Bodies at Rest   Qiao Lin 2020  My People, My Homeland    Jiang Ziya   Soul Snatcher   Ying Wuxie  Voice-dubbed2022Drug HuntingLuo Jia

Television series
 Year  English title  Chinese title  Role  Notes/Ref. 2001 Da Zhai Men    girl selling apple  Cameo 2002  The Party Member Ma Dajie    Xiao Qiang  Ru Ci Chu Shan    Zhou Qiong    Xiaozhuang Epic    Consort Donggo (young) 2004  Crime Scene    Sun Hongyue  Cameo    Jia Ting Dang An    Ji Ji   Yong Gan Mian Dui    Lingzi   2005  Home with Kids     Xia Xue    Girl's Diary    Ran Dongyang   Young Kangxi    Bing Yue     Fate    Wei Sichen   2006  Home with Kids 2   Xia Xue   No Limit    Ming Na   Not Easy to Grow Up    Shu Xin      2007  Warmth    Zhao Xuan   2008   Being Alive is Good    Chen Huan   Treasure    Bei La      2009   Girl Rushes Forward    Sun Quan Don't Want to Grow Up    Teacher Jing    Stage of Youth    Secretary Liu  Cameo Coming Home    Zhou Youyou  Chun Zhen Sui Yue    Mai Sidan   2010  Boy's Diary    Ran Dongyang  Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West    Ye Yun (young)      2011  Love Comes Knocking on the Door    Song Zheng  2012  Angel Heart    Zhang Xiaolei  2013  King Rouge    Lei Er  Dad Comes Home    Lin Ranran   Flowers in Fog    Bai Menghua  2014  Battle of Changsha     Hu Xiangxiang    2015  Say No For Youth    An Xiaohui     Yangko Dance    Wu Ruoyun The Ferryman    Su Wenxiu   2016  Ode to Joy    Qiu Yingying  Perfect Wedding    Xia Ran  Noble Aspirations    Lu Xueqi  Noble Aspirations 2    Lu Xueqi  2017  Legend of Dragon Pearl    Li Yihuan Ode to Joy 2    Qiu Yingying 2018  Women in Beijing    Miao Miao  Cameo  The Destiny of White Snake    Bai Yaoyao  Ashes of Love Jin Mi 2019  Go Go Squid!    Tong Nian  My Mowgli Boy    Ling Xi 2021 Go Go Squid 2 Dt.Appledog's Time   Tong Nian  Cameo Psychologist    He Dun  2022  Immortal Samsara    Yan Dan  The Oath of Love    Lin Zhixiao 

Variety show
 Year  English title  Chinese title  Role  Notes/Ref. 2014  We Are Young 2    Cast member   2015  Sisters Over Flowers    2018  Give Me Five 2     2019  Chinese Restaurant 3   2021  The Detective's Adventure   

 Discography
Albums
 Year  English title  Chinese title  Notes/Ref.  2008   Home With Snow  

 Soundtracks 
 Year  English title  Chinese title  Album  Notes/Ref.2009  "Grow a little everyday"     Don't Want to Grow Up OST 2010  "Living Happily"     Good to be Living OST  with various singers2012  "The Quiet Rubble"   Insisrence OST 2013  "Blooming Rouge"    King Rouge OST2014  "I Will Remember You"    Battle of Changsha OSTwith Wallace Huo 2016  "More Fragrant Than Flowers"   Ode to Joy OST  "There Will Be Happiness Waiting for You"    with Liu Tao, Jiang Xin, Wang Ziwen & Qiao Xin "Just Like When We First Met"    Noble Aspirations 2 OST 2017  "Kungfu Yoga"     Kung Fu Yoga OST  with Jackie Chan & Zhang Yishan "Earthworm"   Ode to Joy 2 OST  "Us"     with Liu Tao, Jiang Xin, Wang Ziwen & Qiao Xin2018  "Few Lifetimes of Happiness"    The Destiny of White Snake OST  "Unparalleled in the World"   Ashes of Love OST  with Deng Lun    "Love Frost"    2019  "Milk Bread"    Go Go Squid! OST   "Breaking the Silence"    Bodies at Rest OST  with Richie Jen & MC Jin  "Windy Night"    My Mowgli Boy OST 2020  "My Homeland"    My People, My Homeland OST  with Wang Junkai, Roy Wang, Han Haolin & Jackie Li "Bring Your Own Breeze"    Qing Feng (Breeze) Endorsement Song  with Mosaic Band2021 "Flower Room Cafe"   Psychologist OST  with pianist Wu Muye

Other appearances
 Year  English title  Chinese title  Notes/Ref. 2017  "Beautiful Youths of China"  美丽中国年  Performance for CCTV Spring Festival Gala2018  "China"   Theme song for the China's Communist Youth League "The Future Me"   Project for People's Republic of China's 70th anniversary 2019"Dream"    Theme song for China Student Television Festival2020"Meeting in 20 Years Again"    Performance for CCTV Spring Festival Gala"The Figure of an Angel"    Tribute song for the COVID-19 Frontliners

 Awards and nominations 
 Year  Nominated work  Award  Category  Result  Ref. 2004  Girl Diary 12th Tongniu Film Awards  Best Child Actress     2013  Insisrence  14th Golden Phoenix Awards  Best Newcomer    2016    8th China TV Drama Awards  Rising Actress Award 2017  Noble Aspirations  22nd Huading Awards  Best Actress (Ancient Drama) Ode to Joy  23rd Shanghai Television Festival  Best Supporting Actress  201829th China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest ActressAshes of Love24th Huading AwardsBest Actress (Ancient Drama) 2019The Bravest 16th Guangzhou Student Film FestivalMost Popular Supporting Actress 11th Macau International Movie FestivalBest Supporting Actress Go Go Squid! 6th The Actors of China Award CeremonyOutstanding Actress (Emerald Category)8th China Student Television FestivalMost Watched Actress 26th Huading AwardsBest Actress (Modern drama)  2020The Bravest35th Hundred Flowers AwardsBest Supporting Actress7th The Actors of China Award CeremonyOutstanding Actress (Emerald) 

 References 

Other websites

Category:Living people
Category:1992 births
Category:Chinese singers
Category:Actors from Beijing
Category:Chinese movie actors