Zhang Ziyi
Profile:
Name: Zhang Ziyi
Chinese name 章子怡
Japanese name: チャン・ツィイー
Pinyin Zhāng Zǐyí (Mandarin)
Origin People’s Republic of China
Birthdate: February 9, 1979 (1979-02-09) (age 30)
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Occupation Actress
Years active 1999–present
Experience
Zhang was born and raised in Beijing, China, the daughter of Zhang Yuan Xiao, an economist, and Li Zhou Sheng, a kindergarten teacher. Zhang joined the Beijing Dance Academy at the age of 11. When Zhang’s parents suggested she attend the school, she was skeptical. While at this boarding school, she noticed how catty the other girls were while competing for status amongst the teachers. Zhang disliked the attitudes of peers and teachers, so much that, on one occasion, she ran away from the school.Zhang entered China’s prestigious Central Academy of Drama (regarded as the top acting college in China) at the age of 15.
In 2005, Zhang landed the lead role of Sayuri in the film adaptation of the international bestseller Memoirs of a Geisha. There was a slight controversy in Japan about a Chinese woman portraying a Japanese Geisha. For the film, she reunited with her 2046 co-star Gong Li and with her Crouching Tiger co-star Michelle Yeoh. For the role, Zhang received a 2006 Golden Globe Award nomination, a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and a BAFTA nomination.
Zhang has also been known to sing, and was featured on the House of Flying Daggers soundtrack with her own musical rendition of the ancient Chinese poem, Jia Rén Qu (佳人曲, The Beauty Song). The song was also featured in two scenes in the film.
On June 27, 2005, it was announced that Zhang had accepted an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), placing her among the ranks of those able to vote on the Academy Awards.
In May 2006, Zhang became the youngest member to sit on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival. In the fall of 2006, Zhang played Empress Wan in The Banquet (Yè Yàn 夜宴), a film set in the Tang Dynasty.
Zhang provided the voice of Karai in the TMNT movie that was released on March 23, 2007. She later starred in Forever Enthralled (Mei Lanfang) (2008) and will appear in The Horsemen (2009) with Dennis Quaid.
Movie works in last several years
2005 Princess Raccoon 貍御殿 Princess Tanuki Seijun Suzuki
Memoirs of a Geisha 艺伎回忆录 Sayuri Nitta/Chiyo Sakamoto Rob Marshall
2006 The Banquet 夜宴 Wan Feng Xiaogang
2007 TMNT - Karai Kevin Munroe
2008 Forever Enthralled 梅蘭芳 Meng Xiaodong Chen Kaige
2009 The Horsemen 骑士 Kristen Jonas Åkerlund
Sophie’s Revenge - Sophie Yimeng Jin
Lost for Words - Lin Zhen Susanne Bier
2010 Waiting - Wu Manna Peter Chan
She has performed in the film Wu Manna Peter Chan the following year.
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