Zhang Ziyi

**Zhang Ziyi** ([ʈʂáŋ tsɨ̀.ǐ]; Chinese: 章子怡; born February 9, 1979) is a Chinese actress and model. Her first major role was in *The Road Home* (1999). She later gained international recognition for her role in Ang Lee's *Crouching Tiger*, *Hidden Dragon* (2000), which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards. Zhang has also appeared in *Rush Hour 2* (2001), Hero (2002), and *House of Flying Daggers* (2004). Her most critically acclaimed works are *Memoirs of a Geisha* (2005), which earned her nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role; and *The Grandmaster* (2013), for which she won 12 different Best Actress awards to become the most awarded Chinese actress for a single film.

From 2004 to 2010, Zhang ranked in the Top 5 of Forbes China Celebrity 100 list every year. In 2008, she was awarded with the Outstanding Contribution to Chinese Cinema award at the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival. In 2013, she received the French Cultural Order at the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Zhang most recently appeared in the films *The Cloverfield Paradox* (2018), *Godzilla: King of the Monsters* (2019) and upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong (2020), both sequels to the 2014 franchise reboot film *Godzilla*.

## Early life

Zhang was born and raised in Beijing, China. Her father was an accountant and later economist, and her mother, a kindergarten teacher. She has an older brother with whom she was very close. Zhang began studying dance when she was 8 years old; subsequently, she joined the Beijing Dance Academy at her parents' suggestion at the age of 11. While at this boarding school, she noticed how mean the other girls were to each other while competing for status amongst the teachers. Zhang disliked the attitudes of her peers and teachers so much that, on one occasion, she ran away from the school. At the age of 15, Zhang won the national youth dance championship and also appeared in a handful of TV commercials and began appearing in television commercials in Hong Kong.

In 1996, Zhang entered the prestigious Central Academy of Drama in Beijing at the age of 17.

## Family/Personal life

Zhang was engaged to Israeli American venture capitalist Aviv Nevo until the couple separated in 2010. Zhang married Chinese rock musician Wang Feng in May 2015. On 27 December 2015, Zhang gave birth to their daughter Wang Xingxing. In January 2020, Zhang gave birth to their son.

## References

1. ↑ 章子怡：第12座奖杯，是一个轮回，更是新的开始 (zh). *ifeng* (14 October 2014).
2. ↑ In the mood for oriental siren Zhang Ziyi. *China Daily*. Retrieved on 16 July 2010.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "She Makes Magic" Template:Webarchive *Time Asia* 11 December 2000. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
4. ↑ "Zhang Ziyi, The One that Loves You Most Is Me" Template:Webarchive. *Hao Rizi Magazine*. March 2002. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
5. ↑ "Ziyi Zhang Biography – Yahoo! Movies" Template:Webarchive. *Yahoo!*. 11 May 2010.
6. ↑ 章子怡：中国形象的代言人 (zh) (10 July 2009).
7. ↑ 'Crouching Tiger' actor Zhang Ziyi says yes to boyfriend's drone proposal Template:Webarchive Rachel Clun, *Sydney Morning Herald*, 10 February 2015
8. ↑ Ward, Vicky. "Veni, Vidi, Vivi", *The Hive*. (in en)
9. ↑ Zhang Ziyi and Wang Feng got married in Hong Kong on May 10. *The Straits Times* (19 November 2015).
10. ↑ "Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi gives birth to baby girl", CBS News, 28 December 2015.
11. ↑ "Zhang Ziyi gives birth to 2nd child on New Year's Day". *China.org.cn.* January 3, 2020.
12. ↑ "Zhang Ziyi Gives Birth To A Baby Boy" *Today Online.* January 3, 2020.

## External links

* Zhang Ziyi links at FreeOnes
* Zhang Ziyi at Babepedia
* Zhang Ziyi article at *Wikipedia*