Actors - Gong Li

	Actors - Gong Li

Gong Li () is a Chinese film actress. In addition to her perfomances, Gong Li is also famed for having an especially noticeable appearance, which was repeatedly made reference to in The Emperor and the Assassin. She has been featured in People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" article, and is an ambassador for L'Oreal cosmetics.

Career

Born on New Year's Eve, 1965, in Shenyang, Liaoning, China, she has appeared in most films directed by Zhang Yimou up until 1995.

She grew up in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. She knew from a young age that she wanted to be an actress, and at school she excelled at singing and dancing almost to the exclusion of other subjects. In spite of failing her college exam twice, she was eventually accepted to the Beijing Central College of Drama in 1985 and graduated in 1989 (see ).

She was still a student there when Zhang Yimou chose her in 1987 for the lead role in his first film as a director, Red Sorghum
, which was awarded the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Gong Li has since become one of the most successful actresses in Chinese history, with fame that has extended abroad to many areas. Her work has been recognized with awards from the Venice International Film Festival and New York Critics Film Circle, and she retains a strong popularity.

In addition to acting, she is also an exceptional singer, as demonstrated during her performance in Shanghai Triad. She was also presented the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in June 1998.

She starred in Zhang Yimou's films well into the mid-1990s. During their long collaboration, the two created a scandal for being long-term lovers, despite Zhang's marital status. The duo eventually broke up in 1995, and Gong Li married Singaporean tobacco tycoon Ooi Hoe Soeng the next year.

Gong Li's limited Hollywood appearances include 1997's Chinese Box
, and expanded with 2005's Memoirs of a Geisha
, in which she spoke English fluently, and she, in the words of Time Magazine film critic Richard Corliss, was "gloriously channeling Bette Davis" . She will also appear in the upcoming film adaptation of Miami Vice
.

She is also expected to team up with Zhang Yimou one more time in the upcoming Autumn Remembrance as well as starring in Young Hannibal: Behind the Mask, the prequel to the other three Hannibal Lecter films.

Filmography

Young Hannibal
(2006)
Miami Vice
(2006)
Memoirs of a Geisha
, as Hatsumomo (2005)
Eros
(2004) - segment The Hand
2046
(2004)
Zhou Yu's Train
(2002)
Breaking the Silence (1999)
The Emperor and the Assassin
(1999)
Chinese Box
(1997)
Temptress Moon
(1996)
A Soul Haunted by Painting (1995)
Shanghai Triad
(1995)
The Great Conqueror's Concubine (1994)
Semi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1994)
To Live
(1994)
Flirting Scholar
(1993)
Farewell My Concubine
(1993)
Mary from Beijing (1992)
The Story of Qiu Ju
(1992)
Back to Shanghai (1991)
Party of a Wealthy Family (1991)
Raise the Red Lantern
(1992)
Ju Dou
(1990)
The Puma Action (1989)
A Terracotta Warrior (1989)
Mr. Sunshine (1989)
Red Sorghum
(1987)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Gong Li ]

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