Zhang Yuqi
张雨绮
Zhang in 2008
Born
Zhang Shuang

(1987-08-08) 8 August 1987[1]
Dezhou, Shandong, China
Other namesKitty Zhang
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
AgentZhang Yuqi Studio (Easy Entertainment)
Spouses
​
​
(m. 2011; div. 2015)​
    Yuan Bayuan
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2016; div. 2018)​
    Children2
    Chinese name
    Traditional Chinese張雨綺
    Simplified Chinese张雨绮
    Chinese name
    Traditional Chinese張爽
    Simplified Chinese张爽

    Zhang Yuqi (Chinese: 张雨绮; born 8 August 1987), also known as Kitty Zhang, is a Chinese actress best known for portraying Mrs. Yuen in the 2008 film CJ7 — which brought her media attention and kick-started her acting career,[2] and Ruo Lan in the 2016 film The Mermaid.

    Early life and career

    Zhang was born in Dezhou, Shandong province. She left Shandong at the age of 15 to attend acting school in Shanghai.

    Zhang appeared in a minor, uncredited role in the 2007 film The Longest Night in Shanghai. Stephen Chow first noticed her in an advertisement for Kentucky Fried Chicken, and recruited her into his agency. Zhang was given arduous training in acting, dancing, and singing. She made her debut in the science fiction film CJ7, playing a young teacher. The role brought her major media attention, and because of Chow's tradition of placing stars alongside new actresses who later gain other major roles, Zhang has been called one of the "星女郎" (xīng nǚ láng, "star girls" or "Sing girls"—Sing Yeh is a common nickname of Chow's).

    After CJ7, Zhang appeared in the Japanese film Shaolin Girl (which was also produced by Chow).[3] Chow considered casting her in Dragonball Evolution,[4] but the role was ultimately given to another actress.[5]

    Zhang then starred in the romantic comedy All About Women playing a headstrong business woman.[6][7] In 2009, she played a country girl with a passion for hip-hop music in Jump, a musical comedy directed by Stephen Fung and penned by Stephen Chow.[8]

    Zhang ventured next to the horror genre in the Curse of the Deserted, where she played a college student scoping out a haunted house.[9] She then starred in the kungfu comedy The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman, playing a dance hostess.[10]

    In 2012, Zhang was cast in the role of Qian Xuesen's wife, Jiang Ying in the biopic of the author.[11] She then starred in the film adaptation of the Chinese literary classic White Deer Plain written by Chen Zhongshi.[12] She plays Tian Xiao'e, a sensual, illiterate woman who follows her instincts. The role posed a challenge to Zhang, as it involved intimate scenes. Many other actresses rejected the role.[13] Zhang won her first "Best Actress" trophy at the Chinese American Film Festival.[14] She was also voted the Most Popular Actress at the Beijing College Student Film Festival for her performance.[15]

    In 2014, Zhang played a supporting role in Peter Chan's film Dearest, receiving acclaim for performance as a mother who lost a child.[16]

    In 2015, Zhang was cast alongside Brandon Routh in Lost in the Pacific, a sci-fi action adventure film directed by Vincent Zhou.[17]

    Zhang reunited with mentor Stephen Chow in his 2016 film The Mermaid, where she played the film's antagonist. Variety praised Zhang for "letting herself go.. with her bitchiness and predatory sex appeal".[18] The Mermaid was the highest-grossing film of all-time, and revived Zhang's waning film career.[19]

    In 2017, Zhang starred in the fantasy comedy film The Golden Monk directed by Wong Jing.[20] The same year, she starred in Chen Kaige's fantasy mystery film Legend of the Demon Cat.[21] Zhang won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Asian Film Awards for her performance.[22]

    Personal life

    Zhang Yuqi and Wang Quan'an had a whirlwind romance in 2011, and they married on 18 April in that year. But Zhang has announced they were divorced on 2 July 2015.[23]

    Zhang married businessman Yuan Bayuan in October 2016.[24]

    On 27 September 2018, Zhang and Yuan Bayuan issued a statement that they had agreed to divorce.[25]

    Filmography

    Film

    YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
    2007The Longest Night in Shanghai夜·上海Cameo
    2008CJ7长江七号Mrs. Yuen
    Shaolin Girl少林少女Minmin Ryû
    All About Women女人不坏Tang Lu
    2009Jump跳出去Phoenix
    2010Here Comes Fortune财神到Wu Shanshan[26]
    Curse of the Deserted荒村公寓Ouyang Xiaozhi
    2011The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman刀剑笑Madam Mei
    2012Qian Xuesen钱学森Jiang Ying
    General's Command将令Documentary film
    White Deer Plain白鹿原Tian Xiao'e
    2014Dearest亲爱的Fan Yun
    2015The Honey Enemy情敌蜜月Xia Xiaoyu[27]
    2016Lost in the Pacific蒸发太平洋Ruo Xin
    The Mermaid美人鱼Ruo Lan
    2017Come Across Love不期而遇Li Xin[28]
    The Golden Monk降魔大聖Jing Jing
    Legend of the Demon Cat妖猫传Chun Qin
    2019The Sexy Guys最佳男友进化论Wen Jing[29]

    Television series

    YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
    2017Ice Fantasy Destiny幻城凡世Li Luo[30]
    2019Behind The Scenes幕后之王Xin HuimeiSpecial appearance[31]
    2020Candle in the Tomb: The Lost Caverns 鬼吹灯之龙岭迷路窟Shirley Yang[32]
    2021Cracking Case 拆·案 Gong Shuchun Guest appearance[33]
    2022 Mom Wow 加油妈妈 Zhou Nannan [34]
    Candle in the Tomb: Kunlun Tomb 鬼吹灯之昆仑神宫 Shirley Yang [35]
    2023The Outsider (Chinese Drama) 繁华似锦 Su Mo Main Role

    Variety show

    YearEnglish titleChinese titleRoleNotes
    2020 Sisters Who Make Waves 乘风破浪的姐姐 Cast member [36]
    Lady Land 姐姐的爱乐之程 Cast member

    Awards

    YearAwardCategoryNominated workRef.
    20128th Chinese American Film FestivalBest ActressWhite Deer Plain[14]
    201320th Beijing College Student Film FestivalFavorite Actress Award[15]
    14th Golden Phoenix AwardsSociety AwardWhite Deer Plain, Qian Xuesen[37]
    201729th Hong Kong Society of Cinematographers AwardsMost Charismatic ActressThe Mermaid[38]
    201812th Asian Film AwardsBest Supporting ActressLegend of the Demon Cat [22]

    References

    1. ↑ "张雨绮（Yuqi Zhang），1986年8月8日出生于山东省德州市". Sina (in Chinese).
    2. ↑ "Zhang Yuqi". Hollywood.com.
    3. ↑ "《少林少女》杀青 周星驰张雨绮东京道贺(图)". Sina (in Chinese). 28 March 2008.
    4. ↑ "Dragon Ball to become live-action film". China.org. 15 December 2007.
    5. ↑ Mayberry, Carly (6 December 2007). "Chung goes live with 'Dragonball'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008.
    6. ↑ "New poster of "Not All Women Are Bad" released". China Daily. 13 October 2008.
    7. ↑ "Hark Tsui to shoot new movie". China.org.cn. 30 December 2007.
    8. ↑ "星女郎张雨绮跳舞热身新片 冯德伦贴身指导". Sina (in Chinese). 21 August 2007.
    9. ↑ "余文乐张雨绮领衔 《荒村公寓》8月13日上映". Mtime (in Chinese). 21 July 2010.
    10. ↑ "Zhang Yuqi looks stunning in new film". China Daily. 16 March 2011.
    11. ↑ "Chen Kun and Zhang Yuqi takes lead in Qian Xuesen biopic". China Daily. 9 March 2011.
    12. ↑ "Good adaptation of epic novel". China Daily. 20 August 2012.
    13. ↑ "Unforgettable roles of a film in the making". China Daily. 15 October 2010.
    14. 1 2 "The Chinese American Film Festival gives out Golden Angel Awards". Asia Pacific Arts. 1 November 2012.
    15. 1 2 "The 20th Beijing College Student Film Festival award ceremony". China Daily. 14 May 2013.
    16. ↑ "张雨绮曾出演陈可辛《亲爱的》". Tencent (in Chinese). 18 March 2015.
    17. ↑ "Brandon Routh, China's Zhang Yuqi Sign Up for 'Lost in the Pacific'". The Hollywood Reporter. 20 February 2015.
    18. ↑ "Film Review: 'The Mermaid'". Variety. 10 February 2017.
    19. ↑ "WHO'S THAT IN THE FRONT ROW? DESIGNERS COURT ASIAN STARS, FROM CL TO KITTY ZHANG". The Hollywood Reporter. 9 March 2016.
    20. ↑ "Wong Jing's new comedy to be screened on National Day holiday". China Daily. 1 August 2017.
    21. ↑ "Stills from "The Legend of the Demon Cat" Released". Asian Movie Pulse. 3 November 2016.
    22. 1 2 "Asian Film Awards: 'Youth' Wins Top Prize From 'Demon Cat'". Variety. 17 March 2018.
    23. ↑ "CJ7 star Kitty Zhang announces split after husband's paid-sex arrest, Chinese Internet congratulates her". The Straits Times. 3 July 2015.
    24. ↑ "Kitty Zhang's whirlwind remarriage". The Straits Times. 28 October 2016.
    25. ↑ 新浪娱乐 (27 September 2018). "张雨绮宣布离婚 将缺席明日《心动的信号》录制|张雨绮|离婚|柳岩_新浪娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
    26. ↑ "《财神到》曝海报 张雨绮"一元钱"结缘张震". Mtime (in Chinese). 19 January 2010.
    27. ↑ "《情敌蜜月》曝"奔跑吧"特辑 张雨绮霍建华"追爱大作战"". Mtime (in Chinese). 11 August 2015.
    28. ↑ "张雨绮《不期而遇》联手张猛曝剧照". Mtime (in Chinese). 30 March 2017.
    29. ↑ "《最佳男友进化论》定档4.12 郑恺"套路"张雨绮". Sina (in Chinese). 28 March 2019.
    30. ↑ "《幻城》拍现代版！冯绍峰张雨绮马天宇领衔". Sina (in Chinese). 21 February 2017.
    31. ↑ "张雨绮回归幕后 《幕后之王》迎来大结局". ifeng (in Chinese). 28 January 2019.
    32. ↑ "张雨绮《龙岭迷窟》开机 饰演Shirley杨一角引期待". ifeng (in Chinese). 12 May 2019.
    33. ↑ "民国悬疑推理剧《拆·案》首曝剧照董璇谷嘉诚张雨绮怀正义破悬案". Sina (in Chinese). 20 May 2020.
    34. ↑ "张雨绮新剧《加油妈妈》开播 突破风格首次饰演单亲妈妈_YNET.com北青网". ent.ynet.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 24 September 2022.
    35. ↑ "《昆仑神宫》定档9月21日 "铁三角"集结探索全新雪山秘境_YNET.com北青网". ent.ynet.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 24 September 2022.
    36. ↑ "《乘风破浪的姐姐》突然上线，30位姐姐集结". Beijing News (in Chinese). 12 June 2020.
    37. ↑ "张雨绮荣获电影表演艺术学会奖 与前辈交流心得". NetEase (in Chinese). 11 September 2013.
    38. ↑ "任贤齐张雨绮获颁最具魅力演员奖". Singtao Daily (in Chinese). 12 March 2017.
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