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Zhou Xun
Quick Facts
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Biography
Zhou Xun (Chinese: 周迅, born 18 October 1974) is a Chinese actress and singer. She is regarded as one of the Four Dan Actresses of China. She gained international fame for her roles in Suzhou River (2000) and Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002). In 2009, she became the first Chinese actor to win the "Grand Slam", after winning the three biggest film awards, the Golden Horse Awards, the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Rooster Awards.
Zhou has won Best Actress honors from Asian Film Awards, Asian Television Awards, Beijing College Student Film Festival, China Film Director's Guild Awards, China TV Golden Eagle Award, Chinese Film Media Awards, Golden Bauhinia Awards, Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, Golden Rooster Awards, Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards, Hundred Flowers Awards, Huading Awards, Shanghai Television Festival and Shanghai Film Critics Awards; as well as the French award-giving body Festival du Film de Paris.
Early life
Zhou was born to a middle-class family in Quzhou, Zhejiang. Her father, Zhou Tianning (周天宁), was a local film projectionist, and her mother, Chen Yiqin (陈以琴), was a salesperson at a department store. She had her schooling in Quzhou No.1 Middle School. After she graduated, Zhou enrolled at the Zhejiang Arts Institute to further her interest in dramatic arts, against the wishes of her parents, who wanted her to graduate from a university. She was handpicked for a role in the film Strange Tales Amongst Old and Desolate Tombs during her teenage years in school.
Acting career
1995–2004: Beginnings and breakthrough
Zhou debuted in the comedy movie The Pampered Wife (1995). She next starred in Chen Kaige's films, Temptress Moon (1996) and The Emperor and the Assassin (1999). But it was not until in 2000 that Zhou received recognition in China. With her role as young Princess Taiping in historical drama Palace of Desire, Zhou received the Audience's Choice for Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards at the 18th China TV Golden Eagle Award.
Zhou achieved breakthrough on the big screen with Lou Ye's Suzhou River (2000), which won her the Best Actress award at the 15th Festival du Film de Paris. That year, she was named one of the Four Dan Actresses alongside Zhang Ziyi, Zhao Wei and Xu Jinglei. She further achieved international recognition when she starred in the Franco-Chinese romance drama film Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002).
A string of successful projects followed. In her first Hong Kong film Hollywood Hong Kong directed by Fruit Chan, Zhou impressed critics with her performance. Hollywood magazine Variety praise Zhou saying "Zhou is superb, moving with ease between her various personalities and always convincing in each". Among Zhou's earlier notable works also include television series April Rhapsody (2000), Love Story in Shanghai (2001), Ripening Orange (2002) and The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003).
2005–2011: Critical acclaim
In 2005, Zhou starred the leading role in the musical film Perhaps Love directed by Peter Chan. For her highly praised performance in this film, she was awarded the Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actress, in addition to Hong Kong Film Award, Golden Bauhinia Awards and Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award. She next starred in Feng Xiaogang's wuxia film The Banquet (2006), inspired from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Zhou plays the girlfriend of the crown prince, equivalent to Ophelia. This role later earned her Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress, which made her the first mainland Chinese actress to win both Best Actress (2006) & Best Supporting Actress (2007) at the Hong Kong Film Awards in two consecutive years. In 2007, she starred in Susie Au's film Ming Ming, which was highly praised at the 11th Pusan International Film Festival. Zhou played dual roles – twins with absolutely different characteristics and personalities.
She then starred in Cao Baoping's romantic thriller The Equation of Love and Death (2008) as a taxicab driver on the lookout for her missing boyfriend. Critics again praised Zhou, crediting the film's success to Zhou's performance as Li Mi. Zhou went on to receive Best Actress awards at the Asian Film Awards, Shanghai Film Critics Awards, Golden Rooster Film Festival, and Chinese Film Media Awards. The same year she appeared in Gordon Chan's horror-adventure film Painted Skin, a remake of a classic supernatural thriller of the same title. Next came spy thriller The Message (2009), about Japanese invaders in China who try to ferret out a spy among their Chinese collaborators.
In 2009, Zhou was named the Star of the Year at CineAsia exhibition and distribution convention in Hong Kong. Asia-Pacific Producers Network (APN) also honored her as the Asian Star of the Year for her exemplary box office achievements. In an interview with CNN, Zhou was named Asia's 25 greatest actors of all time.
She filmed the wuxia film Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011) directed by Tsui Hark.
2012–present: Directorial and Hollywood debut, television comeback
In 2011, Zhou made her directorial debut with the short film Five Demon Traps, which stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai as a demon killer.
In 2012, she then had a reunion with Tony Leung Chiu-wai in two consecutive films, The Great Magician and The Silent War. For her admirable performances in these two films, Zhou received two Best Actress nominations at the 32nd Hong Kong Film Awards, becoming the first Mainland Chinese performer to be nominated for two Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actress in the same year. Zhou made her Hollywood debut in the science fiction film Cloud Atlas (2012), playing multiple roles in the film. The same year she filmed Painted Skin: The Resurrection directed by Wuershan, which was a sequel to the original film in 2008. The film grossed over the 700 million yuan ($109.8 million) landmark, becoming the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie of all time then.
In 2014, Zhou returned to television after 10 years in Red Sorghum, based on Nobel prize laureate Mo Yan's 1986/1987 novel of the same name. Zhou's performance in the series was highly praised by the author himself for her immaculate grasp of the character's inner turmoil. Zhou won the Best Actress awards at the Asian Television Award and Shanghai Television Festival.
In 2016, Zhou was set to play the leading role of the Step Empress in historical fiction drama Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace, which was are the sequel to the drama Empresses in the Palace. The series later went on national broadcast in 2018.
In 2017, she made her return to the big screen in Ann Hui's war film Our Time Will Come alongside Eddie Peng and Wallace Huo. The film opened and competed for the Golden Goblet Award at the 2017 Shanghai International Film Festival and later earned her seventh Best Actress nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
In 2018, she starred in the romance film Last Letter directed by Shunji Iwai, and was nominated for the Best Actress award at the Golden Horse Awards. The same year, Zhou was set to star in the wuxia film The Weary Poet.
In 2019, Zhou starred in the crime thriller film Remain Silent and family drama film The Eleventh Chapter.
In 2020, she starred in webdrama Imperfect Love, which was a remake of the award-winning 2010 Japanese TV series Mother. For her praised performance in this series, she received the Best Actress in a Webdrama award at the 26th Shanghai Television Festival.
In 2021, Zhou starred in fantasy film The Yinyang Master. In the same year, she returned to the small screen with a reunion with director Zheng Xiaolong after 7 years since Red Sorghum in one of eight-part anthology biographical drama Medal of the Republic. In the series, she portrayed Chinese pharmaceutical chemist and malariologist Tu Youyou, a Nobel Prize winner, focusing on her efforts to develop artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin in the 1970s, used to treat malaria. Zhou was recommended for this role by Tu Youyou following Tu's daughter's compliments on Zhou's acting. For her highly acclaimed portrayal, she later received two Best Actress nominations at the 31st Golden Eagle Awards and 33rd Flying Apsaras Awards. Later this year, she played the female lead in the family drama A Little Mood for Love, which was also the second collaboration between Zhou and director Wang Jun after the historical drama Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace. According to the National Radio and Television Administration, the series was the highest rated prime-time drama in Chinese satellite television channel in 2021.
In 2022, Zhou and director Li Shaohong reunited for the drama film Hero, their first joint project in 13 years. In the same year she played the leading role in Zhang Dalei's short film All Tomorrow’s Parties, which then competed for "Berlinale Short Films Competition" section at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival.
In 2023, she made a special appearance as Ms. Chen, member of the Communist Party and wife of Tony Leung Chiu-wai's character, in Cheng Er's World War II espionage thriller film Hidden Blade. Additionally, she returned to television in legal drama series Imperfect Victim (2023), which she portrayed as a lawyer defending a victim of sexual assault. The series received positive feedback and topped the rating during its broadcast time on Dragon TV and other platforms. Later, Across the Furious Sea, in which she starred the main role, began filming in 2019 and was licensed for theatrical release in November 2023. This crime thriller drama film marked the reunion of Zhou and director Cao Baoping after more than a decade since the award-winning film The Equation of Love and Death (2008).
Social activities
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Zhou Xun was named the first United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador for China in 2008 with a special focus of promoting environmental sustainability. Zhou jointly runs a campaign 'Our Part', which promotes 'tips for green living'.
On 22 April 2010, she became the Laureate of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s Champions of the Earth (Inspiration & Action). She was the first entertainer in the world to receive this honour.
Fashion
In 2006, Zhou had become a global spokesperson for Miu Miu's Fall Winter 2006 Collection Campaign, alongside Dong Jie and Rina Ōta. In 2008, she was selected as brand ambassador for French luxury leather goods brand Lancel. Since 2011, Zhou had been an ambassador for French luxury fashion house Chanel. Chanel chief designer Karl Lagerfeld noted Zhou Xun for her strong fashion sense, describing the actress as "a synthesis of young Coco Chanel and Ballet Troupe Zizi Jeanmaire." In April 2023, Zhou became the global face for Chanel's J12Watch Campaign - "It’s All About Seconds", alongside Penélope Cruz, Margot Robbie, Ali MacGraw and Kim Go-eun. In 2014, Zhou was selected as brand ambassador for Swiss luxury watch brand IWC Schaffhausen. In September 2014, Zhou became the global face for IWC Schaffhausen's 2014 Portofino Midsize Collection Campaign, alongside Cate Blanchett, Emily Blunt, Ewan McGregor and Christoph Waltz.
In 2007, Zhou was selected as brand spokesperson for American skincare brand Olay, alongside Maggie Cheung and Lin Chi-ling In 2011, Zhou was selected as brand ambassador for American worldwide clothing brand GAP, alongside Philippe Cousteau Jr. In 2018, Zhou was named as brand ambassador for Marubi Tokyo, a high-end skincare subsidiary brand of L Catterton. Since 2020, Zhou was selected as brand ambassador for Decorté, a Japanese luxury skincare and cosmetics subsidiary brand of Kosé. In the same year, Chinese domestic beauty brand Perfect Diary announced that Zhou would be its first global spokesperson.
Zhou has been on the cover of many top fashion magazines including Vogue China and Vogue Taiwan, Chinese and Hong Kong Harper's Bazaar, Chinese and Hong Kong Elle, Chinese and Taiwanese Marie Claire, Chinese and Hong Kong Cosmopolitan, Chinese L'Officiel, Chinese Madame Figaro, Chinese Numéro, Chinese T, Chinese GQ, Chinese Esquire, Chinese Elle Men, Chinese Harper's Bazaar Men.
Personal life
Marriage
Zhou Xun married American actor Archie Kao on 16 July 2014 on stage after a charity event in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. On 23 December 2020, Zhou announced on her Sina Weibo account that they have divorced.
Zhou received Hong Kong citizenship under the "Quality Migrant Admission Scheme" in 2009.
Filmography
Film
Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | Old Grave | 古墓荒斋 | Jiao Na | |
1993 | Story of Rouge Chamber | 胭楼记 | Zheng Yue'e | |
1995 | The Pampered Wife | 小娇妻 | Yangyang | |
Maiden Rosé | 女儿红 | Hua Dao | ||
1996 | Temptress Moon | 风月 | Little dance girl | |
1998 | My Rice Noodle Shop | 花桥荣记 | Xie Yan | |
1999 | The Emperor and the Assassin | 荊軻刺秦王 | Blind girl | |
2000 | Suzhou River | 苏州河 | Mei Mei / Mou Dan | |
If I Lose You | 如果没有爱 | Xun | ||
2001 | Beijing Bicycle | 十七岁的单车 | Hong Qin | |
Hollywood Hong Kong | 香港有个好莱坞 | Hung Hung/Tong Tong | ||
2002 | A Pinwheel Without Wind | 烟雨红颜 | Zhao Ningjing | |
Where Have All the Flowers Gone | 那时花开 | Huan Zi | ||
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress | 巴尔扎克和小裁缝 | Little seamstress | ||
2004 | Baobei in Love | 恋爱中的宝贝 | Bao Bei | |
2005 | A West Lake Moment | 鸳鸯蝴蝶 | Xiao Yu | |
Beauty Remains | 美人依旧 | Xiao Fei | ||
Stolen Life | 生死劫 | Yan Ni | ||
Perhaps Love | 如果·爱 | Sun Na | ||
2006 | The Banquet | 夜宴 | Qingnü | |
2007 | Ming Ming | 明明 | Mingming / Nana | |
2008 | The Equation of Love and Death | 李米的猜想 | Li Mi | |
Painted Skin | 画皮 | Xiao Wei | ||
All About Women | 女人不坏 | Ou Fanfan | ||
2009 | The Message | 风声 | Gu Xiaomeng | |
2010 | Confucius | 孔子 | Nanzi | |
True Legend | 苏乞儿 | Yuan Ying | ||
2011 | The Founding of a Party | 建党伟业 | Wang Huiwu | |
The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate | 龙门飞甲 | Jade | ||
2012 | The Great Magician | 大魔术师 | Liu Yin | |
Painted Skin: The Resurrection | 画皮II | Xiao Wei | ||
The Silent War | 听风者 | Zhang Xuening | ||
Cloud Atlas | 云图 | Talbot / Yoona-939 / Rose | ||
2014 | Overheard 3 | 窃听风云3 | Ruan Yuehua | |
Women Who Flirt | 撒娇女人最好命 | Zhang Hui | ||
Meet Miss Anxiety | 我的早更女友 | Qi Jia | ||
2017 | Our Time Will Come | 明月几时有 | Fang Gu | |
2018 | Last Letter | 你好,之华 | Yuan Zhihua | |
2019 | Remain Silent | 保持沉默 | Duan Mulan | |
2021 | The Yinyang Master | 侍神令 | Bai Ni | |
The Eleventh Chapter | 第十一回 | Jin Cailing | ||
2022 | Hero | 世间有她 | Shen Yue | |
2023 | Hidden Blade | 无名 | Ms. Chen | |
Across the Furious Sea | 涉过愤怒的海 | Jing Lan | ||
TBA | The Weary Poet | 诗眼倦天涯 | Wen Sanchun | |
Moonlight Blade | 天涯明月刀 |
Television series
Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Red Recipe | 红处方 | Shen Pei | |
1998 | The Police Scene | 警坛风云 | Lin Peipei | |
1999 | Maid in Green | 绿衣红娘 | Fan Xiaoxuan | |
2000 | The True Color of Money | 金钱本色 | Mandy | |
Just Happy | 开心就好 | Tan Gege | ||
Palace of Desire | 大明宫词 | young Princess Taiping | ||
April Rhapsody | 人间四月天 | Lin Huiyin | ||
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom | 太平天国 | Shi Yiyang | ||
Heart Network | 心网 | Na Niu | ||
Life Unexpected | 缘来一家人 | Tao Tao | ||
2001 | Love Story in Shanghai | 像雾像雨又像风 | Du Xinyu | |
2002 | Ripening Orange | 橘子红了 | Xiu He | |
2003 | The Legend of the Condor Heroes | 射雕英雄传 | Huang Rong | |
Beach | 海滩 | A'Tong | ||
Comprador Family | 买办之家 | Su Boyuan/Xia He | ||
2005 | Absolute Privacy (Stolen Life) | 绝对隐私 | Yan Ni | |
2014 | Red Sorghum | 红高粱 | Jiu'er/Cang Jiulian | |
2018 | Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace | 如懿传 | Ula Nara Ruyi | |
2020 | Imperfect Love | 不完美的她 | Lin Xuzhi | |
2021 | Medal of the Republic | 功勋之屠呦呦 | Tu Youyou | |
A Little Mood for Love | 小敏家 | Liu Xiaomin | ||
2023 | Imperfect Victim | 不完美受害人 | Lin Kan |
Short films
Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Devil Nail Clippers | 指甲刀人魔 | Li Kaiyi | |
2011 | Jump | 纵身一跃 | Herself | |
2012 | 2032: The Future We Want | 2032 我们期望的未 | Herself | |
I Know U | 星知我心 | D24 | ||
2014 | One Day:The Rising Sun | 太阳会飞 | Zhou | |
Green | 绿 | Herself | ||
2016 | Roman Holiday | Vogue Film之《罗马假期》 | Herself | |
2019 | Once Upon A Night | Vogue Film之《再见宝贝》 | Herself | |
2020 | Daughter | 女儿 | Taxi Driver | |
2020 | Le Vrai Où | 花的游吟 | Club Singer | |
2022 | All Tomorrow's Parties | 我的朋友 | Xiao Zhou |
Voiced films
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2015 | The Little Prince |
As producer
Year | English title | Chinese title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Les Aventures d'Anthony | 陪安东尼度过漫长岁月 | Janet Chun |
As director
Year | English title | Chinese title | Lead actor | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Five Demon Traps | 五行伏妖 | Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Wu Gang |
Discography
Albums
Year | English title | Chinese title | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2003: | Summer | 夏天 | |
2005: | Ŏuyù | 偶遇 |
Singles
Year | English title | Chinese title | Album | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | "Wander Aimlessly" | 飘摇 | Hainan Hainan | |
2000 | "Heart like a Tragic Melody" | 心如悲歌 | Heaven and Earth Musical OST | |
2001 | "No Choice" | 无奈 | Ripening Orange OST | |
"Spring Comes Back and Forth" | 春去春又回 | |||
2002 | "A Head of Lychee, Three Grabs of Fire" | 一棵荔枝三把火 | Hollywood Hong Kong OST | |
2013 | "Sunrise and Sunset" | 日出日末 | Beach OST | |
"Looking at the Sea" | 看海 | |||
2004 | "In My eye" | Baobei in Love OST | ||
"Empty like the Sky" | 虚拟天空 | |||
"Busy Line" | 占线 | |||
"The Body Hasn't Move, The Heart Already Wandered" | 身未动,心已远 | — | Theme song of Travel Channel | |
2005 | "Journey" | 行囊 | — | |
"Outside" | 外面 | Perhaps Love OST | ||
"Crossroads" | 十字街头 | |||
"Forget Who I Am" | 忘了我是谁 | with Takeshi Kaneshiro | ||
"Bubble" | 泡泡 | — | Promotional song for Olay | |
2006 | "Song of the Yue" | 越人歌 | The Banquet OST | |
"Electric Shadows" | 电影往事 | Electric Shadows OST | ||
"Look" | 看看 | Ming Ming OST | with Anthony Wong | |
"Song of the Vagrant" | 流浪者之歌 | |||
2007 | "Companion" | 伴侣 | — | Promotional song for Motorola Moto |
2008 | "Outside the Window" | 窗外 | The Equation of Love and Death OST | |
"Love Earnestly" | 用力爱 | All About Women OST | ||
2009 | "Love and Hate Extensively" | 爱恨恢恢 | Zhu Xian 2 OST | |
2011 | "Only One in the World" | 这世界唯一的你 | — | |
2012 | "Guess the Lover" | 猜情人 | The Great Magician OST | with Tony Leung Chiu-wai |
2014 | "For the Child" | 给小孩 | One Day OST | |
"A Switch to Happiness" | 幸福的开关 | — | ||
2018 | "Appearance" | 样子 | Last Letter OST | |
2019 | "What a Woderful World" | 多美好的世界啊 | featuring Laura Fygi | |
"Spring Time" | 春光 | — | ||
"A Lifelong Wait" | 一生守候 | Remain Silent OST | ||
2020 | "Gaze Beyond" | 遥望 | Run For Young OST | with Chen Kun |
"You're Good" | 你真好 | Days and Nights in Wuhan OST |
Awards and nominations
Forbes China Celebrity 100
Year | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|
2004 | 7th | |
2005 | 7th | |
2006 | 2nd | |
2007 | 6th | |
2008 | 8th | |
2009 | 9th | |
2013 | 91st | |
2014 | 15th | |
2015 | 17th | |
2017 | 60th | |
2019 | 53rd | |
2020 | 65th |