Gong Li Biography

(Chinese Actress)

Birthday: December 31, 1965 (Capricorn)

Born In: Shenyang, China

Gong Li is a noted Chinese-born Singaporean actress, who has played a big role in bringing Chinese cinema to eminence in the West. An alumnus of the prestigious Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, she debuted in films with ‘Red Sorghum’ while studying in her second year and gained immediate attention for her excellent performance. After she graduated from the Academy, she began to appear in an array of films, many of which were directed by Zhang Yimou. Concurrently, she began to work in Hong Kong films, debuting at the age of 25 with ‘Terra-Cotta Warrior’. At 27, she received international acclaim for her role in ‘Qiu Ju da guan si’ (The Story of Qiu Ju), repeating the feat in the following year with ‘Bawang bie ji’ (Farewell, My Concubine). Today, she is a well-known international actress, with three English language films, including ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ to her credit.

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Quick Facts

Age: 58 Years, 58 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Jean-Michel Jarre (m. 2019), Ooi Hoe Soeng (m. 1996 - div. 2010)

father: Gong Lize

mother: Liu Ying, Zhao Ying

siblings: Gong Di, Gong Gu, Gong Wen, Gong Zheng

children: Mamoru Yoki Chung Li

Born Country: China

Actresses Chinese Women

Height: 5'7" (170 cm), 5'7" Females

Notable Alumni: Central Academy Of Drama

More Facts

education: Central Academy Of Drama

awards: Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

  • 1

    What are some of Gong Li's most famous movies?

    Gong Li is well-known for her roles in movies such as "Farewell My Concubine," "Raise the Red Lantern," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "To Live," and "The Story of Qiu Ju."
  • 2

    What languages does Gong Li speak?

    Gong Li is fluent in Mandarin and has also learned English and French for her international film projects.
  • 3

    Has Gong Li ever worked with director Zhang Yimou?

    Yes, Gong Li has collaborated with director Zhang Yimou on several acclaimed films, including "Raise the Red Lantern," "To Live," and "Curse of the Golden Flower."
  • 4

    What is Gong Li's approach to choosing film roles?

    Gong Li has stated that she is drawn to roles that challenge her as an actress and allow her to explore complex characters with depth and emotional range.
  • 5

    Does Gong Li have any upcoming projects?

    Gong Li is set to appear in the highly anticipated film "Mulan," where she will portray the character Xianniang, a powerful witch.
Childhood & Early Years
Gong Li was born on 31 December 1965 in Shenyang, China. Her father, Gong Lize, was a professor of economics while her mother, Liu Ying, was a teacher. Born youngest, she has two elder sisters, Gong Wen and Gong Di, and two elder brothers, Gong Zheng and Gong Gu.
From the very childhood, Gong Li was very fond of singing, dancing and acting, excelling in all of them, very often neglecting all other subjects. Her childhood ambition was to become a singer and therefore on graduating from school, she tried to enter a good music school.
After failing to get admission to any of China’s top music school, she turned her attention to acting. Eventually in 1985, she was accepted by the Central Academy of Drama, in Beijing, graduating from there in 1989.
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Career
In 1987, while in her second year at Central Academy of Drama, Gong Li began her acting career with ‘Red Sorghum’, directed by Zhang Yimou. Very soon, the two became very close and began to collaborate on number of movies.
In 1989, she graduated from Central Academy of Drama. In the same year, she appeared in three films: as Guilian in ‘The Empress Dowager’, in an uncredited role in ‘Mr. Sunshine’ and as Ah Li in ‘Codename Cougar’. She won her first award for ‘Codename Cougar’.
In 1990, she starred as Winter/Lili Chu in ‘A Terracotta Warrior’, the first film to earn her the Best Actress nomination. In the same year, she also appeared in the title role in ‘Ju Dou’; but the film was not released immediately; it was banned for few years in China.
In 1991, she appeared as Miss Yu-san / Yu-mong in 'God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai’ and as Songlian in ‘Raise the Red Lantern’. The second film, released in Venice in September, put her in the international limelight.
Also in 1991, as a devastating flood killed thousands in China, she joined other actors to make the charity film, ‘The Banquet’, appearing in it in a cameo role. Released on 30 November, the film grossed HK $21.92 million.
In 1992, she once again drew international attention with the title role in ‘The Story of Qiu Ju’, earning three awards for it. Later that year, she also appeared in the title role of Mary (Ma Li) in ‘Mary from Beijing’. These roles established her as an internationally acclaimed star.
She continued to portray meaningful roles and appeared in 'Farewell My Concubine' (1993), 'Flirting Scholar' (1993), 'Dragon Chronicles: The Maidens of Heavenly Mountain' (1994), 'A Soul Haunted by Painting' (1994), 'To Live' (1994) and 'The Great Conqueror's Concubine' (1994).
In 1995, she starred in Zhang Yimou’s film ‘Shanghai Triad’, thereafter both of them mutually deciding to part ways. In the remaining years of 1990s, she did only three films, ‘Temptress Moon’ (1996), ‘Chinese Box’ (1997) and ‘The Emperor and the Assassin’ (1998).
In 2000, she once again earned international acclaim for her performance in ‘Breaking the Silence’. It was followed by 'Zhou Yu's Train' in 2002; '2046' and ‘Eros’ in 2004. Meanwhile in 2002, she was invited to head the Venice Film Festival.
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In 2005, she appeared in her first Hollywood movie, starring as Hatsumomo in 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. Later in the same decade, she appeared in two other English language films; as Isabella in ‘Miami Vice’ (2006) and as Lady Murasaki Shikibu Lecter in ‘Hannibal Rising’ (2007).
Also in 2006, she once more collaborated with Zhang Yimou, starring in 'Curse of the Golden Flower', reuniting with him once again in 2014 for the film ‘Coming Home’. Two years later, she would appeared in her first action role in ‘The Monkey King 2’.
One of her last films, ‘Saturday Fiction’, was released in 2019 in Venice. Her next film, ‘Mulan’ is scheduled to be released in March 2020. She is presently working in ‘Ana’, scheduled to be released in 2022.
Major Works
Gong Li is best known for her role in the comedy-drama film, ‘The Story of Qui Ju’. The film was at the Venice Film Festival in September 1992 and Gong Li played the role of an unglamorous and heavily pregnant country wife. For this role, she won three awards including the Volpi Cup for Best Actress.
Family & Personal Life
On 15 February 1996, Gong Li married Singaporean tobacco tycoon Ooi Hoe Seong and moved to Singapore. In 2008, she gave up her Chinese citizenship to become a Singaporean citizen. The couple divorced on 28 June 2010.
In 2019, Gong married seventy years old French composer, Jean-Michel Jarre.
From 1987 to 1996, she had a close personal relationship with Chinese director, Zhang Yimou.
Facts About Gong Li
Gong Li is known for her versatility as an actress, having starred in a wide range of films spanning different genres, from historical dramas to romantic comedies.
She is fluent in multiple languages, including Mandarin, English, and French, which has helped her in playing diverse roles in international films.
Gong Li is also a talented painter and calligrapher, showcasing her artistic skills beyond the realm of acting.
Despite her success in the film industry, Gong Li prefers to maintain a low profile in her personal life, choosing to focus on her craft rather than seeking the spotlight.
Gong Li is well-respected by her peers in the industry for her dedication to her roles and her commitment to delivering powerful performances that leave a lasting impact on audiences.

See the events in life of Gong Li in Chronological Order

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- Gong Li Biography
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