Famous Chinese Film & Theater Personalities

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. 

Shen Yue is a Chinese actress, model, and singer. She is known for playing important roles in TV series like A Love So Beautiful. Also known for her philanthropic efforts, Shen Yue won the Next Generation Influencers for Global Philanthropy award in 2019. The same year, she won the Philanthropy Idol of the Year at the Madame Figaro Fashion Awards.

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.

Yang Yang is a Chinese actor who was ranked fifth in Forbes magazine's China Celebrity 100 list in 2017. Best known for playing important roles in films like Once Upon a Time and I Belonged to You, Yang Yang is the recipient of many prestigious awards like the Sohu Entertainment Award, Youku Young Choice Awards, and Tencent Video Star Awards.

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! 

Zhao Wei is a Chinese actress, filmmaker, pop singer, and businesswoman. One of the most popular Chinese actresses, Zhao is also one of the highest-paid actresses in China. Renowned for her performance in popular films like Shaolin Soccer, Zhao Wei is widely considered the first national idol of Mainland China since the Chinese economic reform in 1978.

Tiffany Tang is a Chinese singer and actress. One of the most decorated Chinese actresses of her generation, Tiffany Tang has won several prestigious awards, such as Beijing TV Drama Award, China TV Drama Awards, and Huading Awards. She has also been named on Forbes China Celebrity 100 lists on several occasions.

Jiang Qing was a Chinese actress, communist revolutionary and major political figure who played an important role during the Cultural Revolution in China. She is also remembered for forming a Maoist political faction called the Gang of Four. Jiang Qing married Mao Zedong and played a prominent role in propagating Mao's brand of Communist ideology.

Faye Wong is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actress. She is popularly known as  the "Diva of Asia." Her music features a combination of alternative music and mainstream Chinese pop. She is widely popular in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. As an actress, she has starred in the films Chungking Express and 2046.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Gordon Liu is a Chinese martial artist and martial arts film actor best known for his portrayal of San Te in the 1978 Hong Kong kung fu film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. He then went on to appear in popular films like Kill Bill: Volume 1. Gordon made his Bollywood debut in the 2009 film Chandni Chowk to China.

Hong Kong singer-actor Wallace Chung initially gained fame with his singing career in Taiwan, before plunging into acting with successful series such as Too Late to Say Loving You and My Sunshine. He has been previously rumored to be secretly married to his stylist Rita and his co-star Qi Fang.

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.

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.

Chinese actor Liu Tao is best known for the comedy series My Fair Princess III and the wuxia series Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. Her performance in the melodrama To Elderly with Love won her a Golden Eagle “Best Actress” award. The mother of two is married to entrepreneur Ke Wang.