Famous Chinese Actors

Jet Li is one of the most popular Asian actors to have made it big in the American film industry. A martial artist and former Wushu champion, he won a national championship before retiring from competitive Wushu to focus on his acting career. Also a well-known philanthropist, Jet Li is closely associated with the Red Cross Society of China.

Dylan Wang is a Chinese singer, rapper, model, and actor. He achieved international fame for his portrayal of Daoming Si in the popular TV series, Meteor Garden. Apart from being an entertainer, Dylan is also a basketball enthusiast. In 2019, he participated in a celebrity basketball game and helped his team secure a win at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. 

After making waves with his TV debut in A Rush to Dead Summer, Chinese actor Hu Yitian gained accolades and awards for his role of Jiang Chen in the Tencent series A Love So Beautiful. He has also appeared on reality shows such as Twenty-Four Hours.

Born in Hong Kong, Jimmy O. Yang moved to the U.S. with his parents at 13. Although equipped with an economics degree, he found his calling in comedy and established himself as a talented stand-up comedian. He is now known for his roles in Silicon Valley and Crazy Rich Asians.

Deng Lun soared to fame with the xianxia series Ashes of Love. The star of The Yin-Yang Master film franchise, Lun was named Esquire’s Most Commercially Valuable Artist of the Year. He has also appeared in the series Flowers in Fog and the reality show Go Fighting! 

Cantopop pioneer Leslie Cheung was born to a tailor who worked for celebrities such as Alfred Hitchcock. Educated in the U.K., he later began a singing career in Hong Kong and then moved to Canada. After an illustrious 26-year career, he committed suicide by jumping from the Mandarin Oriental hotel.

Lu Han is a Chinese actor and singer who was part of the popular South Korean-Chinese boy band Exo. In 2014, he was ranked sixth in the most popular entertainment star list published by China National Radio. Over the years, Lu Han has been honored at several important film festivals like Beijing International Film Festival and Fresh Asia Chart Festival.

Hans Zhang is a Chinese actor, host, and singer. He is known for playing important roles in TV series like Meteor Shower, The Queen of SOP, Boss & Me, and Heroes in Sui and Tang Dynasties. Over the years, Hans Zhang has won several prestigious awards, such as Asian Idol Awards, China TV Drama Award, and Seoul International Drama Award.

Part of the Chinese Fifth Generation of filmmakers, Zhang Yimou is best known for his Academy Award-nominated films Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern, and Hero. His most expensive film, The Great Wall, was, however, a box-office failure. He also directed part of the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

Mandopop and K-pop singer and actor Han Geng first gained fame with the band Super Junior. He is trained in 56 types of traditional Chinese dance forms, apart from martial arts and ballet. He has also succeeded as a solo singer and has appeared in movies such as Ex-Files.

Chinese actor Vin Zhang soared to fame with series such as Chronicle of Life and The King's Woman. He made headlines when a netizen claiming to be his neighbor stated that Zhang was already married and had a child, though Zhang later denied the rumor, claiming he was single.

Chinese actor Hawick Lau Hoi-wai had been exposed to the world of films since childhood, owing to his legendary actor father Lau Dan. Best known for series such as A Kindred Spirit, he made headlines for after his split with his ex-wife, actor Yang Mi. 

Lin Gengxin is a Chinese actor best known for his portrayal of Yinti in the popular television series, Scarlet Heart. One of the most bankable actors in China, Gengxin has starred in many box office hits like My Old Classmate and Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon. He is often featured on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list.

Better known as Bruce Lee’s father, Cantonese opera performer Lee Hoi-chuen married half-Chinese and half-German Grace Ho after moving to Hong Kong. Bruce Lee was born to them while they were touring U.S. for an opera. His death, just days after the birth of his grandson Brandon Lee, shocked many.

Hu Ge began as a part-time host on TV shows at age 14 and then gained fame with the series Chinese Paladin. The Chinese actor was dragged into a controversy after stating that men are born to be playboys. An avid photographer, too, he often brings his cameras to sets.

Chinese actor-model Chen Xiao is best known for his roles in series such as The Romance of the Condor Heroes and Swordsman. Not known to many, he had made his debut at 10, with the series Our Class Song. The father of one is married to his co-star Michelle Chen.

Bruce Le is a Macao actor and martial artist who became popular by appearing in several martial arts films. Many of his films were made to take advantage of the martial arts phenomenon which was started by Bruce Lee. Since Lee's death left a huge box office void, many filmmakers turned to Bruce Le in the 1970s and 1980s.