Zhang Ziyi - Actress
Chinese Actress in Hollywood
Zhang Ziyi (born February 9, 1979) is a Chinese actress born and raised in Beijing, China. Her name pronounced as Jang (rhymes with 'young') DziYee.
Her father Zhang Yuanxiao is an economist and her mother Li Zhousheng is a kindergarten teacher. She joined the Beijing Dance Academy at the age of 11 and at 15 she entered China's prestigious Central Academy of Drama (regarded as the top acting college in China) in 1994.
At the age of 19, Zhang was offered her first role in Zhang Yimou's The Road Home, which won the Silver Bear award in the 2000 Berlin Film Festival. But her biggest break came in 2000 when she starred in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as the headstrong Jen.
With a string of Chinese and international hits to her name, she has worked with renowned directors such as Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-Wai, Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark, Lou Ye, Seijun Suzuki, Feng Xiaogang and Rob Marshall.
Zhang Ziyi Quotes:
“I always think it's really hard if you are Asian or Chinese to be really in Hollywood. There are not so many really great characters for you. I always think you are lucky to get offered [something like] 'Memoirs of a Geisha', but I don't think it will happen all the time.”
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Zhang Ziyi Movies on DVD
Filmography
1996 - Touching Starlight (TV) - Chen Wei
1999 - The Road Home - Young Zhao Di
2000 - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Jen Yu
2000 - Rush Hour 2 - Hu Li
2001 - The Legend of Zu - Joy
2001 - Musa - Princess Bu-yong
2002 - Hero - Moon
2003 - Purple Butterfly - Cynthia/Ding Hui
2003 - My Wife is a Gangster 2 - Gangster boss
2003 - 2046 - Bai Ling
2004 - House of Flying Daggers - Mei
2004 - Jasmine Women - Young Mo/Young Li/Young Hua
2005 - Princess Raccoon - Princess Tanuki
2005 - Memoirs of a Geisha - Sayuri Nitta/Chiyo Sakamoto
2006 - The Banquet - Wan
2007 - TMNT - Karai
2008 - Forever Enthralled - Meng Xiaodong
2009 - Horsemen - Kristen
2009 - Sophie's Revenge - Sophie
2009 - Lost for Words - Lin Zhen
2009 - The Founding of a Republic
2010 - Waiting - Wu Manna
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